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Sexuality in Zelda

Yes or No?

  • Yes

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  • No

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  • Unsure

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Majora's Cat

How about that
Joined
Sep 3, 2010
Location
NJ
Warning: some may be offended by the content of this thread, proceed with caution.



The Legend of Zelda has always been a series to stay true to its previously established traditions. Sexuality in these games is no different, as the series has stuck to a rather strict “no sexuality” policy. This establishment is a very common one in Nintendo video games, since the company crafts very family-oriented games that tend to lean toward children rather than adults. The game direction always seems to be aimed toward younger audiences, but seemingly sexual events and occurrences can be weeded out. I actually like the fact that there are some sexually-themed happenings and conversations in Zelda games. For instance, Link seems to always have a harem of girls that appear to be interested in Link.

Malon, Zelda, Saria, Ruto, Naboru, Romani, Cremia, Ilia and many more have all shown signs of affection toward Link. Keep in mind that these so-called “love interests” have been deduced from their intimations, not from any direct statements of compassion. It was only in The Legend of Zelda: Adventure of Link that Link and Zelda showed any true signs of a brewing relationship. After defeating Dark Link, Link embraces and kisses Zelda, who is probably head-over-heels in love with Link after such a display of courage. From that point onward, Nintendo decided to play it safe with Zelda games and exclude any and all kissing.

I believe it’s safe to assume that every true Zelda fan has wished for Link to have some sort of authentic love interest, and I’m no different. For those who want Nintendo to stick to its old formula, I completely understand. Some will feel that the series will lose some of its charm if Link actually gets involved with a romantic relationship with another character, and that could very well be true. But I believe that a cute, amorous relationship between Link and a female character will great satisfy fans. And why not add a little more dimension in Link’s emotions? Most would describe him as an empty slate so that the player can feel more like he/she IS Link, but perhaps it’s time for our beloved hero to develop a distinguishable personality of his own (and perhaps a few acquaintances and relationships here and there, both romantic and non-romantic).

Now what I mean be “sexuality” isn’t just Link’s love interest - it could just be a girl showing more cleavage. While some find the notion inappropriate, I believe that it’ll help bring greater depth to the series and the way the player interacts with the environment. What if Zelda should decide to be a bit more flirtatious? Who’s to say that it won’t work in a Zelda game? A great majority of video games on Microsoft and Sony’s consoles include some sexual content, and it certainly doesn’t take away from the gaming experience. It could very well enhance it. Sexuality is just one aspect that makes up an individual’s personality. The series already defines characters by their bravery, wisdom, strength and selfishness. Why not make NPCs a bit more colorful by adding sexuality? I see no problem with it, as long as The Legend of Zelda doesn’t become rated M or AO.

One need only take a gander at games on the other two main consoles in the industry at the moment to know that some sort of sexual content (whether it’s mild or hardcore) is equivalent to a decent number of sales. I find that games like Uncharted 2 and Assassin’s Creed II can be made just a bit more engrossing when some sort of sexual content is tossed in. Now these are rather rare moments, but I do like the fact that the developers are bold enough to up the sexuality. It’s a part of people, and a part of life, so to me it feels pretty natural to throw a bit of masculinity and femininity in. I think it’s time Nintendo gives sexuality a chance and portray characters’ natural urges in a way that isn’t at all demeaning or too unsuitable for young audiences.

zelink_by_boba2009.jpg


So what’s your stance on sexuality in Zelda games? Yay or nay?
 
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geek4887

The Unknown
Joined
Jun 19, 2011
I guess it would be alright if they added a hint of sexuality in the series. :?
 

Ventus

Mad haters lmao
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Hylian Champion
Sexuality, in my opinion, should be reserved for the realistic Zelda games until they can come to a point where sexuality is okay and somewhat directly shown, though easy to be worked around. At that point, it could make its way into the 'cartoon' Zeldas.

Anyway, what I'm thinking is characters should show more emotion in regards to love. They don't have to show cleavage. They don't have to have breasts that are huge or whatever. They don't need to be naked. All that needs to happen is the characters need to stop being one dimensional. That doesn't mean canon relationships need to exist. Doesn't mean this character has to be a flirtatious *****. Definitely doesn't mean Link has to be Link and no longer the player.

Basically, characters need to show that they appreciate the hero in more than just "OH THANKS YOU, U MAI HIRO FOEVA!!ONE". AoL showed Zelda giving Link a kiss. It happened yet again in the Linked Game of OoA/OoS. That shows that little kids can take at least the shell of sexuality without being turned away by their parents or the ESRB/PEGI/OLFC/CERO. The time for implied romance in my opinion is over, and characters need to have personalities. Again, I'm not saying Zelda series needs a radical change – this stuff has been subject to speculation and numerous fanfics regarding the likes of LinkxZelda or LinkxSaria [and other, more different ones such as Dark LinkxMalon or even RutoxZant which I've no way how it'd workout]. Miyamoto himself commented on the matter. It wouldn't be too different to show some what-ifs in game, would it? Characters CAN be a bit revealing in their dress style, can they not? Telma did it, I'm sure about that!
 

geek4887

The Unknown
Joined
Jun 19, 2011
Yup, there were little bits of moments like these in Twilight Princess, so why wouldn't it work with other games?
 

Omega Fury

I ain't mad bro!
Joined
Sep 20, 2011
Location
Buckeye State
In ocarina of time, every Zora's boobs were shown. (I'm not being stupid or nothing) It was disturbing. I never seen traps for Link then a girl would come out and kiss him. I may be acting like an idiot, If i am, I apologize. I don't know what sexuality i have seen in the Zelda series, but there might've been inappropriate clothes in the latest Zelda games or not.
 

Ronin

There you are! You monsters!
Forum Volunteer
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Feb 8, 2011
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Alrest
Comeplete Edit: My recent reply was a fake. Really, I'm not for sensuality in Zelda, be it whatever form, fashion, or fad it's displayed through, because that would ruin the game for me. I couldn't bear watching lovers smooth away carelessly for hours in the streets; if anything I'd rather it stay Honey and Darling style, where they stare endlessly in each other's eyes and make up cheesy amorous lines.

Other than this, I'll not have modernism contaminate my favorite franchise with its secular qualities. This is just my opinion.
 
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JuicieJ

SHOW ME YA MOVES!
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Jan 10, 2011
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On the midnight Spirit Train going anywhere
I don't mind little "love interest" things, but anything involving romance should probably be kept out. Like the thing with Ilia, that's the kind of thing I don't mind, but I just worry that taking it a bit farther, even with simple kissing, could put some people off. Just my opinion.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Location
Lanayru Province
Personally, I think they should just make love and/or sexuality part of the storyline. Something sort of cliche along the lines of Link doing something for the girl he loves, and maybe just more sides to characters we had not seen. That would make it interesting.
 

Djinn

and Tonic
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Nov 29, 2010
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This is an interesting subject but I honestly cannot see it going anywhere as long as Nintendo is still run by the same people who run things today. They have always held the policy of maintaining gameplay over story, and in most Zelda games story was mainly supplemental. There to add flavor to the game but not really there to tell a compelling story until fairly recently. Even then most older themes are left alone or left to the player to imagine for themselves. I honestly cannot see just what would be wrong with showing a little more compelling emotion on Link and maybe Zelda's part in the future but many people in charge seem to believe that tit would ruin the child-friendly spirit of the series. The only real problem is that so many other series are evolving but Nintendo keeps Zelda in the past by maintaining the simple storylines that would have been appropriate in the era of the SNES.

However LA might be the only time when there actually was a main love interest for Link and not just another girl for him to rescue. Marin of LA seemed to have a better relationship with Link than almost all other girls to appear in the series. Even in TP Ilia is again left to the player to intemperate the real relationship since none was ever really mentioned. The possibly of a future relationship is definitely implied but never shown in the game. The limited graphics and cartridge space still could not allow for much more to occur between Marin and Link, but the few cutscenes we did get showed more characterization than in most later sequels.

Plus Link having a would go against the silent protagonist link to the player aspect that Nintendo has maintained for so long. This is why we never gain much of an origin for Link in most games nor see many family members. He is usually unattached so that they player can act out what they wish with the character. Deeper storyline with Link is always kept to a minimum. Most girls in the series fall under the old fashioned damsel in distress category that only require Link to rescue and then a quick thanks before he moves on to the next quest. Nintendo rarely if ever leaves room for any more than a quick thank you Link or Zelda is in another castle.

Getting emotions out of almost any character in Zelda is rare in general. Almost all characters outside of a very small few are plain and wooden. They show no emotion at all and only exist as someone to rescue, or someone to gain X item from during a quest. Rarely do they have much of a story, only a game mechanic purpose. i would love to see more emotion out of them, something to show that they are more than just another item implemented to add to a quest or give Link a hint on where to go next. And I mean the full range of emotions, more then just someone acting playfully into Link, but more people that are angry or scared, everything. Many other games have the ability to pull this off and I believe Nintendo can as well. They just lack
 

Omega Fury

I ain't mad bro!
Joined
Sep 20, 2011
Location
Buckeye State
I don't find the Sexuality stuff disturbing in the Zelda games Since Ocarina of Time came out. I never played Twilight Princess, it also had sexuality stuff in it too. Was there any of it in the handheld Zelda?
 

Ventus

Mad haters lmao
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There was no sexuality at all in the handheld games as far as I know except that Impa's boobs pretty much don't fit in her dress in Oracle of Ages/Seasons concept art. Implied romance, yes, but no sexualized stuff. For example, as Djinn noted, more or less LinkxMarin romance was explicitly stated in Link's Awakening. In the end that is up for speculation but I believe it was canon at least until the ending which places everyone in 'WTF' mode.
Then there is some implied romance in Linked Game mode of OoA/OoS where a certain someone kisses Link and leaves him all dreary and what not.
More implied, implicit themes of romance in Ocarina of Time (the LinkxZelda romance I did not understand at all), Majora's Mask and Twilight Princess. Some child's bonds were made in The Wind Waker if I remember correctly.
 

Rytex

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Random house in Texas.
Sexuality can be taken two ways. And so I shall address these two points.

1) Adult Content. HELL. NO. There's no other way I would put it. If I get de-rep'ed, I understand, but saying "Heck no" doesn't do it for me to show my opposition to this. We've seen glimpses (unintentional, yes, but still) of this sort of sexuality. For example...
Hug.gif
Quite simply, we don't need it. Zelda simply does not need Rated M content in the game, unless the plot is rated as too serious for minors, and not in this way.

2) Love. Love is a staple of Zelda, whether you realize it or not. Basically, every game seems to be Link and Zelda/Marin/Malon/whoever you throw in here hooking up, with coinciding End-of-Hyrule Plot. Whether it's TAoL, where Zelda kisses Link at the end of the game, or LA where Link and Marin fall in love but don't act on it, or even ST, where we are left to assume Link and Tetra hooked up and made the Royal Family, love permeates the fabric of Zelda. The only games with no mention of love in any way is the original Legend of Zelda, but it was so early in the history of gaming, it couldn't do it at all.
 
Joined
Jul 28, 2011
If Sega had done a real Zelda title, there would have been more sexuality, even if it was conservative sexuality. By that I mean. I see no reason married couple's can't be heroes. If Goku and marry Chi Chi and have two kids, and Vegeta can marry Bulma and have two kids, and Krillin can marry Number 18, then Link can marry Zelda and have two kids.

I would have liked to see a Zelda game where Link is older and holds an official employment on the behest of the King such as "Defender of the Crown". Maybe something where Link and Zelda are partners in the game sort of like the Jonathan and Charlotte dynamic of Dawn of Sorrow.

I've always despised Nintendo's 'family friendly' policies and thats why I ditched them for Sega in 1993 on "Mortal Monday".
 
K

Kokiri Who Dat

Guest
I dont care about sex, if there have then good, if they dont then meh. I only care if the game is good itself.
 

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