The complete lack of a black protagonist in Life is Strange is disappointing
We've got 5 games and not a single game has gotten a single black protagonist.
I do love the series, but even I can see a problem. A complete lack of black characters in the franchise.
Found these two great articles that delves into the problem
Link 1
Link 2
None of the main characters are black. None of the secondary characters are black and the only black characters they have are side characters or background characters.
Like there was no reason whatsoever why Rachel, Warren, Kate, Steph, Ryan, Cassidy, Finn, Jacob, Sarah Lee or Chris couldn't have been black. Hell, there is no reason why Max, Chloe or Rachel couldn’t have been black.(although personally I would've loved it if Rachel was Indigenous)
And the black characters we do have is really bad in terms of representation.
Wells, a drunk and crooked principal.
Hayden, a stoner and member of the Vortex Club
Drew North, a bully jock who got in the drug trade
Charlotte, a likable character, but who's anger is consuming her and blaming others around her, tho I understand where she is coming from, but her characterization tends to be reminiscent of the unfortunate angry black woman stereotype. And just so happens to own a pot shop...
Ms Grant, Mikey, Penny, and Joey the Nurse seem to be the only positive black characters in the series.
And we still have not gotten a single black protagonist in the franchise.
I find it weird that we seemingly have little good black representation that isn't just associated with drugs.
Like I’m not trying to say DONTNOD, D9 or Square Enix are racist or anything, but I’m saying they need to do better when it comes to representation.
We were robbed of a black main character for Life Is Strange and are instead getting a cash grab sequel with Max who might as well be a completely new character seeing as how they’re throwing away everything that Max experienced and learned and everything we loved from LIS 1 to make it.
But considering how the fandom treated Sean and Daniel and their story, I can only imagine the disgusting hate a black protagonist would get in an extremely white franchise.
I am always lothe to elevate the voices of Republicans who voluntarily worked for and repeatedly voted for Donald Trump—especially those who somehow still believe that America was just hunky dory until Trump came along and ruined everything—but it’s getting down to the wire and hopefully hearing their voices will change some hearts and minds prior to the next election. x
Today is January 1st. There are just 309 days until Election Day.
We can't rely on a clever legal gimmick or some preternatural force to prevent a Trump victory. We have to do it ourselves with our organizing and our votes.
Three young women who worked in the Trump White House had a conversation with ABC's Jonathan Karl before the end of 2023. Sarah Matthews, Cassidy Hutchinson, and Alyssa Farah Griffin went on to testify before the House January 6th Committee. The trio said that a second Trump term would be even worse than the first.
Former aides warn of 'running out of time' to prevent Trump re-election
All three gave testimony to the US House committee investigating Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat as well as the 6 January 6 Capitol attack staged by his supporters. And they warned in an unprecedented television interview on Sunday that time was short to prevent a second Trump administration in which they insist his behavior would be much worse.
“People in general have short memories, and might forget the chaos of the Trump years,” Sarah Matthews, a former deputy White House press secretary who resigned on the day of the deadly Capitol riot, said on ABC’s This Week.
“They also might not just be paying attention to what he’s saying now – and the threat to democracy that exists. It does really concern me if he makes it to the general [election] that he could win. I’m still hopeful that we can defeat him in the primaries, but we’re running out of time.”
[ ... ]
Hutchinson, ex-aide to Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows, said voters needed to believe Trump when he said he would be a dictator on his first day back in the White House.
“The fact that he feels that he needs to lean into being a dictator alone shows that he is a weak and feeble man,” she said.
Matthews, meanwhile, said Trump had already signaled what his second administration would look like.
“We don’t need to speculate because we already saw it play out,” she said.
The three former staffers know that Trump's dictator and vermin rantings are not just talk. Sarah Matthews, Cassidy Hutchinson, and Alyssa Farah Griffin should be taken more seriously than some blowhard on Fox News who's attempting to dismiss Trump's Hitlerian references.
Fallout Casting for Megumi Fushiguccicakes for Jujutsu Kaisen Abridged react fic
"I like gigantic, heaving sophistication. Sopping wet tenderness! And a big! Fat!! Gaping sense of compassion!!!"
- Megumi Fushiguro, Episode 5 JJK Abridged (by The Schmuck Squad).
Reasons To Why I Believe These Characters Should Be Casted listed below the cut:
Katja (a scavenger who joins Elrand on his journey in Fallout simply because he asked, leaving the Followers of the Apocalypse which she had tagged along with, is enthusiastic with her blades) -> She's got the sarcasm. I feel it in my bones.
Finidy Mona (my Fallout 2 Chosen One OC, faceclaim Jessica Alba) -> She looks for personality in a relationship and not to mention got skills that make her one of the strongest characters (if only she applied those skills though).
Rose of Sharon Cassidy/"Cass" (a caravan owner from Fallout New Vegas before the Van Graffs and the Crimson Caravan worked together to destroy it, Cass drunk her sorrows away at an NCR Mojave outpost, until Ryder showed up to get her contract, though managed to barter her way into getting Cass to give up her caravan name but ensuring she still gets the opportunity to start again. Impressed, Cass journeys with Ryder to New Vegas to find Benny, and Ryder helps her find justice and learn to live. Has a heart condition inherited by her father, John Cassidy) -> Cass has a father who abandoned her, like Toji did to Megumi, and her sarcasm bites.
Danse (from Fallout 4, a loyal Paladin in Maxson's chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel, helps Nate get onboard the Prydwen and meet Maxson, a capable ally who warms up to Nate, despite his xenophobic beliefs, has a crisis after finding out his entire life has been a lie when discovering he was a synth the whole time and the group who gave him purpose have turned their back on him. Nate though doesn't give up on him and gets him out of the BoS without being killed, and gives him a place amongst the Minutemen, which Danse was greatly appreciative and grateful for. It's a long journey, but he is letting go of the hatred he had towards others and himself) -> Danse's sarcasm would probably be confusing. Also man understands the importance of BROtherhood, coming from the Brotherhood of Steel. Spends more time getting stronger to avenge his teammates than looking to get hitched.
Miria (from Fallout 2, Finidy's wife after both were caught in the act by Miria's father, Grisham, causing a shotgun wedding, and throughout their journey together they become closer and Miria becomes a rather cool fighter, unlike in canon but the mods are impressive) -> Perhaps the least "Megumi" like person here, but she would call someone out for being stupid probably (she's had to deal with Davin after all).
Sarah Lyons (from Fallout 3, the daughter of Elder Owyn Lyons, she leads the Lyons' Pride out into the ruins of DC to fight against the Super Mutant threat. There she happens upon Alph and Amata while they're pinned down by Super Mutant forces, and bring them both to the GNR station. Alph and Sarah get close and become good friends with each other, and supports him both when the Enclave take over Project Purity and during his ghoulification (especially when he's hunting down the Enclave remnants) -> She's badass and understands the "bro" in "Brotherhood of Steel". She also has a dad, so she's "daughter material".
Bitter-Root (from Fallout New Vegas, he was adopted by Major Dhatri after the massacre of the Great Khans at Bitter Springs, became an NCR First Recon Sergeant. Has negative views of the Great Khans) -> Not only is he "son material" as Dhatri has proven, but like how Megumi doesn't like the Zen'in Clan, Bitter-Root doesn't like the Great Khans (though he should really tone it down). His biological parents also weren't great according to him.
Kasumi Nakano (a girl who ran away from home in the Fallout 4 Far Harbor DLC after believing that she may be a synth, she makes her way to Acadia where DiMA took her in, and is the reason Nate and Nick go to the island in the first place. By helping Kasumi come to terms with her assumed synthhood, this is in turn helps him with his own struggles of humanity and synthhood) -> Kasumi's origins are unknown to herself as Megumi's is to him. Both I guess want to reject that side of themselves (Kasumi and her possible synth origins and Megumi's ties to the Zen'in clan)?
Davin (from Fallout 2, the son of Grisham and brother to Miria, after the latter joins Finidy on her journey after marriage, Grisham forces Davin to do something useful with his life, and Davin joins the Enclave going about. Eventually, he helps Finidy and her entourage get inside the oilrig base and guide them through it as well) -> Talented but lazy with his full potential.
Follows-Chalk (a Dead Horses' scout-in-training from the Fallout New Vegas Honest Hearts DLC, Follows-Chalk accompanies Ryder through the Zion valley and helps her meet Joshua Graham) -> Has a reluctant role model in Joshua Graham (just like Megumi kind of has a reluctant role model in Gojo though from different POV).
Remember, for the alternative option, REBLOG and put in the tags WHO else from the Fallout franchise should be Abridged!Megumi and WHY you think they'd better suit the role.
I've also created and will continue to update (until the polling is done) a Master List for the poll results of the casted winners. You can find it right here.
You can find my Fallout OC profiles Master List right here, which also includes a link to the original post where I pitched my react fic idea. Anyway, hope you enjoyed, chow!