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Like Chinoiserie in the 18th century, with this cultural borrowing — in this case, of a bird found across most of Europe — the designers using these symbols are
by Freak_NL 2y ago
Like Chinoiserie in the 18th century, with this cultural borrowing — in this case, of a bird found across most of Europe — the designers using these symbols are not engaged in, or particularly renowned for, presenting an accurate portrayal. These design elements are used to invoke a certain otherness (in this case Englishness, presumably) for an audience comprised of only a tiny minority of ornithologists. That is, the mostly Japanese audience likes the striking blue bird and the word 'robin', and wouldn't know a European robin if it landed right in front of them — the only reason I do, as someone who knows nothing of most birds, is that they visit my garden in Europe.
The illustrator likely just found that the blue bird just looked better in their sketches.
- wheybags 2y agoI would reckon most people in Europe could recognize a robin based on Christmas cards alone.
- yorwba 2y agoThere are multiple levels of cultural borrowing here, as Honkai is a Chinese game heavily borrowing Japanese ACG aesthetics (so the target audience is mostly not Japanese, but rather Chinese and other foreigners who like that look). And just like the blue robin, the name "Honkai" is not exactly Japanese: 崩壊 would be transliterated "houkai"; the "n" might be an attempt to make it more similar to the Chinese pronunciation "bēnghuài".
- Freak_NL 2y agoAh indeed. I thought both games mentioned where Japanese; only the latter example (Fate/Grand Order) is.
- hahajk 2y agoI was going to argue that you don't need to be an ornithologist to know a robin, at least in the US where they seem to be 1 out if every 3 birds you see here. But I just asked 3 people around me what a robin looks like and no one knew... I guess even if you're surrounded by something you still have to have the curiosity to look up what it's called.
- __s 2y agoBeing in Southern Ontario, thinking back as to why I know what a robin is, it's as a child talking with my mother while she's pulling out of the driveway & I'm wondering about the birds that hop everywhere. If my parents didn't know some bird types I wouldn't've picked it up Meanwhile I wasn't so confident about sparrows, they're less distinctive so weren't discussed. & similarly I didn't show interest in flowers so the other day I wasn't able to name hydragenias