Partway in The Last of Us Part 2, Ellie is joined by her pal Jesse as they enterprise deeper into Seattle. They’re exploring an deserted library when she brings up how Joel used to suppose she had a crush on him.
“I imply, you’re good-looking and no matter… however I’m not into your sort.”
‘What? Asians?’
“Yeah… that’s clearly what I meant.”
It’s a foolish little second that may be simply missed on account of it being an non-compulsory piece of additional dialogue, but it’s an essential one. Naughty Dog’s sequel options some of the numerous forged of characters in any mainstream blockbuster game, and in contrast to the controversy of Uncharted 4 (and Lost Legacy) it’s additionally appropriately forged. The writing nonetheless largely opts to not use any particular phrases – for instance, Lev is never referred to as ‘trans’ – which when utilized to race will be seen as a bit colorblind. So it stands out when Jesse explicitly brings up his ethnicity.
Yes, games do have already got iconic Asian characters, reminiscent of Ryo in Shenmue or Kiryu in Yakuza, whereas Sony’s subsequent first-party launch is Ghost of Tsushima the place you play as Japanese samurai Jin. However, they exist as a result of these games are set in Asia, which isn’t the identical as a narrative and setting the place being Asian is the minority. Prior to this, Sleeping Dogs was most likely essentially the most excessive profile game with an American-Chinese character because the lead, however even that occurred fully in Hong Kong. It makes me wonder if Wei Shen would have been allowed to shine had he stayed as a cop in San Francisco, as a substitute of going again dwelling to ‘his people’.
For Asians, or certainly any marginalised folks, the expertise of solely discovering respect and recognition amongst your personal isn’t unusual – essentially the most well-known instance being Bruce Lee, who achieved his stage of fame solely after leaving the US. As a British-Chinese individual, I can’t communicate for all Asians, however within the leisure business it’s common for Chinese folks to develop up within the West solely to then discover work both again in Hong Kong or making content material particularly for the Asian market.
After all, partly why my mother and father’ technology has by no means been bothered by a scarcity of illustration in Western media is as a result of they only watch leisure from Chinese service suppliers. But the place does that depart somebody like me, who grew up in Western tradition and doesn’t wish to reside and work in Hong Kong?
That’s why it’s significant to see Jesse in The Last of Us Part 2, brilliantly performed by Stephen Chang – he doesn’t simply appear to be me, he’s additionally consultant of my expertise. Fair play that he’s additionally not the one Asian character, since there’s the Seraphite siblings Yara and Lev, in addition to Whitney (higher referred to as the Hotline Miami Vita woman).
It’s admittedly nonetheless a supporting function however Jesse isn’t simply one other stereotypical nerdy Asian male or, thank god, one who is aware of kung fu. Instead, he will get to be what few Asian males get to be depicted as – he’s a good-looking, charismatic and humorous man. And that’s regardless of you first encountering him when he’s simply damaged up with Dina, who then hooks up with Ellie.
It would have been possible for the story to simply depart it there and hold him out of the image, besides he additionally arrives in Seattle decided to assist Ellie in her quest for revenge. Unlike Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, the place one other male character unexpectedly drops right into a story that had been solely centered on two girls, he doesn’t really feel like a 3rd wheel both. You study that Jesse and Dina have a historical past of an on-off relationship, which will get a bit of extra difficult as soon as she discovers she’s pregnant together with his little one. In a flashback, we additionally see Joel in a doting awkward dad mode and he mentions how he’s picked up on the best way Ellie and Jesse spend time collectively, hilariously oblivious of his surrogate daughter’s sexuality.
Whatever your persuasion, the purpose is that Jesse is engaging and fascinating, the other of all these quirky Asian sidekicks you chortle at fairly than with, who’re often portrayed as not being as masculine as different males or asexual.
The means he responds to Ellie within the above change is clearly a joke since she’s not drawn to him due to her sexuality, however there’s additionally a stinging fact in it.
Against my higher judgment, I nonetheless have a pair relationship apps on my cellphone although it’s virtually meaningless utilizing them. Maybe I haven’t been witty sufficient in my bio or I don’t have sufficient fascinating photos, or perhaps I’m simply not anybody’s sort. Then there’ll be occasions when anxiety-induced insomnia strikes and I discover myself Googling why Asian men face racism on dating apps to additional add to my insecurity.
Studies show that Asian men are frequently at the bottom of dating preferences for each girls and homosexual males – even for Asian girls – and there’s little question that the best way they’re portrayed in all types of media is a contributing issue. Besides exploring revenge and the cycle of violence, I personally discover it refreshing that The Last of Us Part 2 can be breaking the cycle of the Asian male stereotype.
