Gay Characters

Ask questions about the personality and backstory of the multitude of characters in the Suikoden series.
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demon eye
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Post by demon eye »

No one who's gay has a giant scar on there face.
This is so egregiously wrong and totally based on stereotypes. Tell that to all the homosexual guys in the prison flicks with tattoos and scars all over. I'm sure I could name a few game characters and animated characters that clearly go against this rule and most of them are female homosexual characters with numerous piercings and what-not.

I swear these type of discussions only lend more to the numerous stereotypes expressed in life and games. Just like the stereotype that all black guys have to be some sort of thug or have to talk hip in a game (thanks to Xenosaga for Helmer to try and break that trend). But, I just feel that discussions like this will get us nowhere because it's based on each person's individual perceptions.
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Futagi
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Post by Futagi »

Look to Street Fighter for the fact that characters can be tough and still be homosexual.
Hello Suikoden-type people:D
Oppenheimer
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Post by Oppenheimer »

Jamuswin wrote:Ok first off. Milich Oppenheimer is almost definitely gay. . . If he were gay he'd be using something a little less...well manly. Like a rapier, or something of that caliber.
I'm shocked that anyone actually still thinks like this. Did you see Milich having sex with another man in the game? No? Well then did he say "I'm gay"? No? Well then there's nothing definite about his sexual preference.

And the parallel between manliness and homosexuality, as many others have stated, is absurd. You can be manly and gay, and you can be effeminate and straight, I've met both of these kinds of people. I think you need to live life a little bit more to overcome your prejudices.
Wonderer
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Post by Wonderer »

Milich goes onto Esmeralda anyways! :D

Anyway, I wouldnt trust the hero of SuikodenV on the gay part if you just take one look at his clothings, I mean, even Lazlo looks less gay than him. (And thats pretty good going for the SuikodenV hero!)

I wouldnt mind some confirmed gays in the Suikoden series anyway, that would jsut be adoreable.
Last edited by Wonderer on Mon Nov 28, 2005 2:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Moonbay
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Post by Moonbay »

patapi wrote:The musician 'chick' in Oppenheimer's mansion was a guy though. His name was Kasios.
So, it was a mistranslation in the game where Kasios was called a "she"?
Playing Suikoden III......
Angelis_Taleria
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Post by Angelis_Taleria »

Yes, it was a mistranslation. Kasios is a guy.
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Lemmy Claypool
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Post by Lemmy Claypool »

Mistranslation/Westernisation. We tend to be less tolerant of male/male pairings over here.
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Jamuswin
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Post by Jamuswin »

I was using all the tell tail signs of character design to help my point. And to Belle and Oppenheimer. I'm not saying that all strait guys are mega manly and all gay guys are flamers. My bother is and a-lot of his friends are kinda afeminate. And he's not gay. And I was at a party with a gay guy that I had no idea was gay til like half way through the nite. I'm trying to figure out how the characters were meant to be like based on the creators veiws.

And one more thing. Was it Vega who was gay? I never heard that.
I'd like to say something witty. And I usually do. But I don't have anything this time. Don't like it? Well to friggin bad.
demon eye
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Post by demon eye »

Vega is not gay. That's the whole point. He does act very feminine and looks masculine, but no one really knows. The point is to get people to stop basing their views on stereotypes and to let the characters speak for themselves. Why does it even matter if a character is gay or not? It really adds nothing extra and is in no way important to the plot of the story. The only reason a discussion like this is possible is because of stereotypes and baseless assumptions.

Anybody in the game could be gay or straight. It's pointless to even discuss it. That's why I just find a discussion such like this humerous. Next thing there will be talk of which animal characters were in love with each other or whether there was incestous actions (I hope I'm not giving anyone any ideas). But where will it end? None of these opinions are sound or based on actual sound proof which a theory or speculation should be based on.
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Moonbay
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Post by Moonbay »

Lemmy Claypool wrote:Mistranslation/Westernisation. We tend to be less tolerant of male/male pairings over here.
I hate that......Maybe I'm less tolerant of less tolerance?.....

Does it really matter about a character's sexual preference? Seriously--does it?

It's a video game, for pete's sake! You get to beat up things and walk around the world--so, come on!
Playing Suikoden III......
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Re: Gay Characters

Post by Oppenheimer »

Kirke wrote: are there any CONFIRMED gay characters in Suikoden?
Lelei is about as confirmed gay as you're going to get. Looks like Konami finally took the big plunge. Next game maybe they'll actually have a couple, since this time it seems somewhat one sided (but the discussion of Lucretia is in another thread).

note: that this topic previously died and was locked, it has been heavily edited and reopened based on Suikoden V new info, be good everyone I don't want to have to lock it again.
Sorcy
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Post by Sorcy »

Game designers are a bit skeptical of releasing games with gay themes, because they fear homophobia will damage their sales.

It's somewhat overexaggerated imo, if people want to see better portrayal of gay characters you should try and contact companies and tell them that the gay/lesbian market is estimated something like, for example, 6 billion (pounds or dollars, i cant remember if it was translated or not) a year in britain iirc but this value could be grossly overestimated
Dura Sinai
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Post by Dura Sinai »

Uh I think it has more to do with the fact that there is no reason to go into the sexuality of most characters. While the japanese are not necessarily open to homosexuality by any means, it really hasn't affected their media that much. Often it is just used in a more humourous context (Hard Gay anybody?). Porn in general is pretty prevelant there and it ranges from doujinji of just about anything you can imagine as well as far too many films. It's just not something the Japanese necessarily boast about. The country is known for their selective representation of their society. So yep, lots of in the closet perverts.

Is there a reason we need gay and straight characters in a Suikoden game? Does it affect things at all? Romance is pretty lowkey throughout the series with amongst the most likely SOD getting laid on a regular basis being Freed Y. (watches readers of this post squinch their face in disgust) We've seen it used a bit with the one sided crushes with the heros. But the game is not about romance. You have FFX for that.

So I prefer it being little hints that can be taken any way. Leilei is one of the best examples. Is it possible she is into Lucretia? Sure, it isn't out of character at all and it could make sense. Is it important to the plot? Nope. Will we eventually see fanfiction and doujinji on it with time? Probably.
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Post by Oppenheimer »

Dura Sinai wrote:Romance is pretty lowkey throughout the series with amongst the most likely SOD getting laid on a regular basis being Freed Y.
I would say that Marina and Belcoot were pretty high on the romance scale. It was a major plot element when you first get to Stormfist.
Julia and Jowy had a romantic situation as well as a political marriage.
Flik was very much in love with Oddessa and this is mentioned countless times.
Sarah was in love with Luc even though he didn't return the favour.
Attraction in relation to women is brought up over and over and over again by Kyle.

I could go on and on. My point is that you're mistaken if you think that romance isn't a theme in Suikoden. So there's no reason why they shouldn't balance this out all the heterosexual romance with a homosexual romance.
Dura Sinai
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Post by Dura Sinai »

Oh yeah. Those do exist. However Belccot=clueless, Julia and Jowy's marriage was primarily political and they seperate at the end of the game. Oddessa kinda sorta dies and Sarah's affection is largely not returned.

Hence why Freed wins there. His wife is pretty devoted and we see fifteen years later the result of it.

I do get the point but had to make the joke. But still, most of those romances are rather low key. They don't dominate the story at any time. Does it happen on the side? Sure. It often explains certain motivations.

Are we ever going to see a Suikoden that is about saving a heroine and the hero and her getting together in the end? Pretty doubtful.
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