As a long-time fan of Assassin’s Creed and someone with a deep appreciation for Japanese history and culture, I find myself deeply troubled by the ongoing controversy surrounding Assassin’s Creed Shadows and its portrayal of Yasuke, a black samurai.
In the latest installment of Assassin’s Creed, Shadows, there’s been a stir as the game introduces Yasuke, a historically accurate black samurai from feudal Japan. This novelty has ignited passionate discussions: A Japanese petition with over 30,000 signatures is urging Ubisoft to make considerable adjustments, expressing concerns about the game’s cultural portrayal and historical accuracy. Now, Ubisoft has responded.
Update: Ubisoft Apologize To Japanese Community (July 23)
On July 23, Ubisoft publically apologized to the Japanese community for offense caused:
…we acknowledge that some elements in our promotional materials have caused concern within the Japanese community. For this, we sincerely apolagize.
I was hoping for some adjustments in the game, but even after expressing my concerns and apologies for any misunderstanding, it seems like there’s no plan to make any changes. Instead, they emphasized their commitment to keeping the game creative and incorporating “fantasy elements.”
They sign off the apology by simply hoping everyone enjoys the finished product:
While we understand that meeting everyone’s expectations is very difficult, we sincerely hope that […] players in Japan and around world will appareciate the dedication, effort, and passion we have poured into it.
It’s totally reasonable under the circumstances. The game is about to come out within a few months, so swapping out one of the primary characters before launch seems absurd.
Mixed Reactions from East to West
Around the world, opinions are divided. Some people commend Ubisoft for shedding light on Yasuke’s underappreciated tale, believing it enriches the storyline with depth and multiculturalism. Conversely, others accuse the company of being insensitive to culture and inaccurately portraying history. This debate transcends Japan’s borders, touching upon significant matters of ethnicity and media representation.
It’s intriguing that while a petition has been circulated, some Japanese players have expressed their approval of Yasuke’s potential inclusion in the game. They value the character’s historical importance and distinctive backstory. In contrast, there have been stronger criticisms from beyond Japan, focusing on the game’s adherence to historical and cultural authenticity.
So what exactly does the petition say?
Recently, the lack of historical accuracy and cultural respect has been a serious issue regarding the upcoming game “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” by game developer Ubisoft. The game is based on Japanese samurai and ignores the fact that samurai were a higher class of warrior and should have been “gokenin” or servants of nobles. In fact, the first European to receive the title of samurai, William Adams (Miura Anjin), served Tokugawa Ieyasu as a 250 koku hatamoto.
In this history, Ubisoft continues to misunderstand the nature and role of samurai. This is a serious insult to Japanese culture and history, and may also be linked to Asian racism. We call on Ubisoft to immediately cancel the release of “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” and show sincere research and respect for Japanese history and culture. We need your signature. Sign this petition to let Ubisoft know the importance of cultural respect and historical accuracy.
As a gamer, I’d say: Even though some people signed a petition against it, it’s important to remember that Japan isn’t a one-size-fits-all place. While some gamers might be offended, others are defending and even celebrating the representation of Yasuke. For instance, Hirayama Yu, a Japanese historian, has spoken up against those claiming Yasuke is not a Samurai.
Based on Hirayasu’s tweet/post, it is clear that Yasuke was recognized as a samurai due to his permission to bear a sword and the financial support he received from Nobunaga.
It seems like there’s a lot of talk about Yasuke, a black man who served Oda Nobunaga. There are very few historical documents about him, but there’s no doubt that he was a “samurai” who served Nobunaga. Regardless of one’s social status, if one’s master promoted one to the rank of “samurai,” one could become one in medieval (warring states) society.
It’s a shame that Ubisoft didn’t include voices like these in their response to the petition.
A few years ago, there was much controversy over how Cleopatra was depicted. Such occurrences are common. People deeply care about preserving historical truths, particularly those related to their own cultural backgrounds. It can be quite a challenge for game developers to create an engaging narrative while adhering to facts and respecting diverse heritages.
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2024-07-23 17:39