A Japanese lawmaker on Wednesday slammed the latest game in the hit “Assassin’s Creed” series. He complained that a samurai character destroys the interior of a Shinto shrine.
“Shadows,” made by France’s Ubisoft, came out on Thursday. It is set in 16th-century feudal Japan and draws inspiration from real historical events and samurai movies. However, one gameplay video on YouTube shows the character firing a bow toward priests. The same character also destroys a traditional drum and an altar.
“It’s important to treat culture with respect,” Hiroyuki Kada, a member of the conservative ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said in parliament. “I’m concerned that attacks and acts of destruction in the game may lead to imitation nuisance behavior in the real world,” Kada said.
The lawmaker also criticized the French gamemaker for using a real shrine in his constituency of Hyogo region. According to him, Ubisoft did so without the shrine’s permission.
A Wider Backlash
“Shadows” had already sparked fierce debate online and beyond. The reason was its choice of a black samurai, Yasuke, as one of two playable protagonists.
A Japanese petition against the depiction of the samurai character gathered more than 100,000 signatures. Its text blasted a “lack of historical accuracy and cultural respect” by game developers. Japanese gamers have also posted angrily that players can destroy the interiors of venerated shrines.
Yuichi Goza, assistant professor at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies in Kyoto, spoke to AFP last week. He said this reaction “should have been foreseen.” “I understand France’s secularist principles, but it’s important to acknowledge that ill-considered insults about religion can spark strong reactions,” Goza said.
Past Controversies
The 20-year “Assassin’s Creed” saga has faced attacks before. For example, hard-left French politician Jean-Luc Melenchon criticized how “Assassin’s Creed Unity” depicted firebrand Maximilien Robespierre. That game takes place during the French Revolution.
Beyond delays, “Shadows” faced other setbacks before release. Among them, copies of the game leaked a month early.
