Link’s Gender Is Irrelevant

Pixel Gate writes:

''There’s a strange notion going around (mostly on social media) that Link not being female in recently revealed Legend of Zelda game is some how ‘a shame’. While there is a lack of female protagonists in modern video games (there’s a history of games fronted by female characters, do your research) the argument that a Male Link is a ‘shame’ feels flakey at best. Link’s gender is irrelevant, his gender is never made obvious (bar Twilight Princess perhaps) nor does it play a part in the plot.''

[randomass171]

Well of course it's not all that significant, but some people are interested in playing as a female Link. I almost always play as the girl if I have the option. :)

[likeaboss302]

That's what Princess Zelda is for. Depending on the storyline maybe she is a playable character.

[randomass171]

She's playable in Hyrule Warriors, so I'm rather ecstatic about that! And besides, why don't we make Zelda a boy for a change? That would certainly throw fans for a loop. :P

[Eonjay]

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawk...

[warczar]

Nice picture of metrosexual Link, Anime sure does have a way of making every male character look a little feminine.

[Reeze]

I remember that! I think it was Hyrule Warriors media coverage and the host said "work it, girl!" XD

[Eonjay]

LOL yes:
http://kotaku.com/sorry-tv-...

[vazurahan]

His sound/voice has always been male.

Being silent doesn't make Gordon Freeman's gender irrelevant. Same as Link's

[Zichu]

I don't see why people are making an issue with the gender of protagonists...

You can't please everyone or else Link would be a multi-ethnic hermaphrodite who happens to be bisexual...

You can't have him being one race, one gender or having one sexual preference, he can have them all O.o

Just leave games alone, play them and have fun.

[vazurahan]

Right. Miyamoto designed him as a Hylian male, it's part of the lore.

I sure don't want to have an option for Larry Croft on Tomb Raider.

[christian hour]

After the dust settles, I wonder when animal rights activists will come out and say that there's not enough animal based protagonists in video games.

If a developer chooses a female protagonist, that's their choice, if they don't, that's their choice, don't bring gender politics and feminism in to it. You don't see me going around complaining that most male protagonists are attractive and physically fit in every sense of the word.

It's just pointless, instead of trying to protect someone with low self esteem who might be upset they don't look super macho like Marcus Phoenix, or that they aren't pretty and well endowed like a lot of female VG characters, or that their sex is inferior because it is not represented well in the medium, how about we tell these people its just fantasy, its not real, and nobody expects you to look like that, anyone who thinks yr sex is inferior isn't a real human being, don't give em the time of day.

And if there happens to be more male VG characters than there are female, its nothing against you or anyone else personally, it's all just a bunch of focus group PR bullcrap that is incredibly out of touch with the modern world, they'll get the memo eventually, in the meantime lets jut try and be rational about this and enjoy the games for what they are, rather than what we think they should be in a world gone PC mad.

[Sly-Lupin]

You can please everyone. Its called character customization.

The only people who wouldn't be pleased would be bigots who cannot tolerate other people playing as nonwhite or nonmale Links.

[lilbroRx]

Links current design base isn't a white male, its a Japanese male with elf like features. His features in most Zelda games, primarily is eyes and facial shape, are extremely Japanese.

Link is a boy. He was never intended to be anything else. The only people who have a problem with that are egoists who want everything to be tailored to their tastes and people who just like making controversial of which their are a lot in the gaming universe these days.

[KonsoruMasuta]

See, that's your problem. You're assuming that everyone is a bigot and racist just because they don't agree with you.

[Rute]

Sorry for the Off-topic, but Zichu said that "hermaphrodite who happens to be bisexual", and it got me thinking that can a hermaphrodite even be heterosexual? I wonder what the conservative Christian take on the issue is...

[Zichu]

Lol I actually changed the ethnicity, gender and sexuality a couple of times before I posted it.

It started off as:

Black Transgender who is gay
Multi-Ethnic Transgender who is gay
Multi-Ethnic Transgender who is bisexual

Then ended up being what I posted. To be honest, I wouldn't have a clue that sexuality someone would be if they had both parts.

[Rute]

Haha... multi-ethnic transgender gay Link would destroy the competition. GOTY confirmed.

But I have a tentative solution for the problem I mentioned: When a hermaphrodite, having sex, uses only his/hers sex organ that is NOT found on the sex partner, the person is heterosexual.

[randomass171]

*timidly raises hand*

I don't think it's a "big" deal, but I think it's nice to give the player more options. I most certainly would never demand to have the ability to play as a female Link, but being able to do so is a welcome change to the usual formula since I tend to like playing as female heroins. It's not essential to Zelda, it's just a nice little thing to see happen.

[Zichu]

It doesn't really bother me, as long as it's for the right reasons, they know what they are doing and don't make a point.

Make an immersive experience and I will be happy.

I could see a lot of people getting really angry if they made Link a female...

[Nada Nuff]

"....his gender is never made obvious (bar Twilight Princess perhaps) nor does it play a part in the plot...."

"...There’s no ‘masculine’ traits given to Link, nor is there any feminine traits. The character’s gender is never focused on, nor does it have any part in the games plot or overall experience."

These statements make me believe the author has very little experience with the Zelda series.

His voice aside, which other commenters have mentioned, Link looks male. He does have some female characteristics (hair, tunic) but he's obviously male. The "mistaking him for a female" thing is an internet joke.

[GamerEuphoria]

How is hair and a tunic a female trait?

[vazurahan]

Yeah, those idiots pretend they can't see that he's male. Or do they have bad vision?

http://img2.wikia.nocookie....

http://img1.wikia.nocookie....

[christian hour]

Not to say he's right in saying theres nothign gender specific about link in anyway, my sister (she's a 34 year old non gamer) thinks he's called zelda, and thinks he's female, even though i've corrected her on this several times in the last 2 decades, any time I get a new zelda she still refers to link as a female, and as zelda when she's in the room and notices im plaing a game with a familiar character she recognises and so, she tries to relate to me with her minimal knowledge :P despite getting it all wrong, and calling it a gamebox or a gamestation as well, she is AWESOME!

[vazurahan]

Aonuma can say whatever he wants of Link being an avatar or whatever, but he didn't create Link. The game's just passed on to him as a director. Miyamoto's design of Link was inspired from Peter Pan, a dude.

[renerak]

So whats gonna happen?, link and zelda will become lesbians? Nobody cares abt the relationship btwn link and zelda? Its like mario and peach, imagine how you would have felt if you went to the final castle in super mario brothers and found a guy instead of princess peach, i would have been like 'where is my princess you bass..tard'. While his gender is not relevant in all zelda games, it was relevant in the few zelda games which we consider the greatest (except for majoras mask., maybe).

[Rute]

Link had for a long time had the feeling that he was a lesbian who was born into a man's body, so he had a sex change operation... ;-)

[randomass171]

You could make Zelda a boy. :P

[DarkBlood]

Oh is that so? WELL EXCUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSEEE ME PRINCESS

[randomass171]

Dang it, you just HAD to go there...

[MNGamer-N]

GLBT? Link

[sonic989]

if i understand it correctly .
noway i would rather leave gaming all together than this happening .

[Afirmitive]

Uh, judging from the animated series and his grunts and screams, especially in smash bro. Its clear that he a male. its its about the guy rescuing the princess. I pray that doesn't get taken away from us.

[GamerEuphoria]

No one is questions his gender...the point is it's interchangeable. There isn't a need for Nintendo to walk out say 'Link is a girl in this' and design the character showing clear signs of female features.

The whole post is pointing out how silly the notion is that link not being a female in Zelda U is a 'Shame'

[sonic989]

i saw the trailer well he didnt look like a female at all .
people just need something to complain about these days .
message to those people do something with your lives and dont waste it on something irrelevant i couldnt careless about those complaining people .
i remember back then we used to complain about a new game direction a reboot and a completely new designs for existing franchises ( it bothers the fans ) .
BUT this facepalm .
link being a male makes sense he rescues a princess whats the problem people .
i wont be surprised if people started to ask for a gay link in the future if this is the start of it . ( disgusting, and pathetic )

[Question_Mark]

I think it would be kinda interesting to play as a female Link.

[lizard81288]

For whatever reason, i thought of Ugly Americans:

http://img3.wikia.nocookie....

where Randall loses his dick.

[TM333]

Maybe Link is kinda like Peter Pan... more like a tranny.