Wuk Lamat's Poor EN Voice Acting

[TaleraRistain]

The VA may be of Puerto Rican descent, but they're white as alabaster and from Kentucky (rural, southern state in NA), so it doesn't track along those lines at all.

Location has nothing to do with ethnicity. If her family was Puerto Rican, then she's going to take on aspects of that culture, especially if she has family around speaking the language. I live in Indiana (just north of Kentucky and my father was from there) and we have Asian communities, Latin American communities, Indian communities, etc. We're not all white bread even here in the Midwest.

As to the main topic of her performance, I liked her. She has a bombastic attitude but displayed periods of awkwardness and uncertainty that made me eager to learn more about the character. I enjoyed the dynamic we're seeing with Ereville and it was amusing to see him as the long-suffering friend who seems to get pulled into mischief by his outgoing childhood friend.

I don't know that I really sensed anything lacking with Krile and G'raha either. Krile especially seemed emotional when she was talking about the prospect of finally getting a chance to go along with us. G'raha seemed more mellow, maybe even a little sad thinking he won't get to go along this time. Though we know he gets there somehow so I'm curious what changes. I think maybe part of it is that these characters are just getting the chance to relax for the first time in a long time. No world-ending threats beating at the door.

[Vyrerus]

Location has nothing to do with ethnicity.

On the contrary, location has everything to do with ethnicity, since you can trace things back.

For instance, the population of Puerto Rico is majority white Hispanic. Do you know why that is? Well, it's because the island was colonized by the Spaniards who ruled it for 400 years.

There's also significant black Hispanic and Mesoamerican (this may be the wrong term, but I'm not informed enough to know what to refer to descendants of the Taino as) Hispanic population.

Tural seems to be a caricature itself of North and South America, with the segment most shaped like Brazil being the first featured land map. Brazil has heavy ties to Portugal, which is quite a bit different than Spain. It also has heavy ties to Japan with a troubled history of cultural exchange and immigration to and from there.

If Hispanic and South American identity were what they wanted to most highlight in the individual doing the EN voice for Wuk Lamat, it would have made more sense to go with a VA with stronger ties to a Mesoamerican or South American lineage, rather than a lineage ultimately from Europe.

There are tons of people with Puerto Rican ancestry living in the states, so the bringing up of the VA being from Kentucky is more to highlight a situation closer to... hmm... stolen valor? Nah, it's not that heavy, but I don't know a more appropriate term there either, maybe more like... why not get a VA from Puetro Rico proper or Brazil or Colombia or Panama or anywhere closer to where we're going?

But this is far far far and away from the topic at hand, and I will again maintain that the identity of a VA should not matter at all. Only their work and ability to voice act should matter. And the way I, and many others see it, this VA has fallen short on that front. If they can improve her performance to where I don't feel the need to switch to other languages, then that will be enough. The character herself is fun, not gonna be my new favorite or anything, but I want to like her. I really do. I want to enjoy this game again, because I still have friends who play it often.