Oh Brush Gods, not again with the fucking gender thing

[taotrooper]

So, um, okay. In the Japanese version of Okami (and Okamiden, I guess? IDK) Amaterasu -and Shiranui for extension- didn't have an actual gender. We can agree on that. Then in the English game, there were hints for female (Waka using French female pronouns and adjectives, Yatsu seeing her as a maiden) so most people think of her as a gal in fanon. Me included, but that's not the point.

So now the English localizators of Okamiden have randomly decided that the Shiranui incarnation is male. "Always remember: it’s people that assign gender to the gods." And by people, we mean us.

No, your reason is utter bullshit. Shiranui might be another incarnation, but she was the original Amaterasu with full powers and memories. Shiranui is the name humans gave her because they didn't know who the fuck the white wolf was, and they used "it" pronouns. Waka thought of Shiranui as Amaterasu. Ishaku called her Ammy. The Brush Gods called Amaterasu their mother, but they were born from Shiranui. No one is seeing a huge distinction between Ammy and Shiranui in the original game. Actually, does she turn into a dude in the final battle to you guys?

Why don't you just say WE FELT LIKE CALLING HIM A GRANDPA or admitting you are afraid of girl fleas cooties instead of using the Japanese lack of gender as a loophole? Mind you, I'm not pissed that Shiranui gets her gender changed to male. It's the inconsistency. If they had changed BOTH Amaterasu and Shiranui as male, I wouldn't agree but I certainly wouldn't complain about it. Then it's just a translation choice. But by doing this picking, it feels just wrong and badly thought. IT'S THE SAME CHARACTER, YOU DUMBASSES.

Sigh. I'm done with my wank. Back to replaying Ghost Trick and uploading Okami fanart on Tumblr.

Comments

[laurus-nobilis.livejournal.com]

... what. Why would anyone do that. Why. /facepaaaalm

[handheldslurpee.livejournal.com]

That's really silly of them to have done that x|

[crossxhatch.livejournal.com]

Wait but isn't Amaterasu based on the Japanese sun goddess? Therefore, her being a girl would be a given, and Shiranui by extension.

But either way what.

[lunelight.livejournal.com]

I do not agree with their choices. >:(

[ayasugi-san.livejournal.com]

Silly Kiri, of course Amaterasu at full power would suddenly turn male. A mere female couldn't be that powerful.

[outou.livejournal.com]

But you don't understand! There's no way guys would play a game with a powerful female character, so the localizers would have lost half of their potential fanbase!!1!!

Seriously, why do these things still happen?

[lluvia]

I'm torn. I see how this could be all about OMG NO GIRL COOTIES, but also... from a more technical POV, it could also be a different localization team that worked on Okamiden and didn't bother to go and look at Okami for pointers on how things were translated there.


... Unless it really is the same team, in which case, WTF INDEED.

[la-vie-noire.livejournal.com]

Dude. "No gender = Male." Riiight.

[lepluvium.livejournal.com]

ಠ_ಠ

[she-wolf.livejournal.com]

..... o_O

Seriously, I get the genderless language, but as pointed out, Shiranui = Ammy = Amaterasu = sun goddess. Is that really so hard for game developers to understand?

[alternian.livejournal.com]

i was never under the impression her gender was argued. she's supposed to be "the sun goddess" and "mother to us all" they only say that about EIGHTY TIMES in the game

but why would okami be male LMAO just to suddenly decide OKAY THE SUN GODDESS IS NOW MALE BECAUSE PEOPLE'S FAITH.