Videogames- Race Equality

     As a gamer, I have always noticed that certain races were not present in the games that I play.  It was not something that I noticed when I was younger, but around the age of 13, I saw that African Americans were either not present, or there was only one African American character in the game.  It seemed rather unrealistic that everyone that was alive in these fantasy worlds were white or Asian.  Even the Pokemon games were guilty of this until just recently.

 

    Above is Lenora, she is known among fans as, not only the first African American main character in the Pokemon series, but also the very first African American Gym Leader in the Pokemon games.  In the Pokemon Universe, a Gym Leader is a very powerful Pokemon trainer that must be defeated to prove a trainer’s skill as a Pokemon trainer.  When Lenora’s artwork was revealed to fans in Spring 2010, fans quickly theorized what her role in the series would be.  When it was revealed that she was going to be a Gym Leader, African American fans of the series were excited, but worried at the same time. 

        

    African American fans were afraid that Lenora would act like stereotypical African American woman, which the media is known for doing with characters like this.  Once the games were released, however, everyone was pleased with the final product.  In the game, Lenora was revealed to be a world renowned archaeologist who owned a museum where she stored her findings.  She also spoke very professionally, and was always excited when speaking.  Below is a recording of Lenora’s Gym battle from the game.  In this recording, her mannerisms match what is described above.

 

      Even though it is good that there is finally a positive African American character in the Pokemon games, one question remains.  Why did it take so long for Nintendo to create an African American character for this series?  Pokemon debuted in 1997 and Lenora’s game did not come out until early 2011.  Nintendo must not have thought that a character like Lenora was needed, but I thought that it seemed rather irresponsible for them wait this long to create a character like her.


 

Bulbapedia. (2011, November 5). Lenora. Retrieved November 27, 2011, from Bulbapedia: http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Lenora