Shulk

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Shulk
Xenoblade Chronicles character
Artwork of Shulk, a young, blond man wearing a wine red vest and carrying a red sword
First appearanceXenoblade Chronicles (2010)
Created byTetsuya Takahashi
Voiced byEN: Adam Howden[1]
JP: Shintarō Asanuma[1]

Shulk[a] is a fictional character and protagonist of Monolith Soft's 2010 role-playing video game Xenoblade Chronicles, part of the Xenoblade Chronicles series of video games. Shulk gained an increase in attention and popularity upon his inclusion in Nintendo's 2014 crossover fighting games Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. While future Xenoblade entries are not centered around Shulk, Xenoblade Chronicles X features a character creation tool that allows the player to create characters that resemble Shulk, complete with both of his voice actors Adam Howden and Shintaro Asanuma, and he was featured in downloadable content (DLC) for Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Xenoblade Chronicles 3.

Conception and creation[edit]

Tetsuya Takahashi, creator of the Xeno series, Xenoblade Chronicles, and Shulk, states that his primary motivation in creating Shulk was to make a more likeable and relatable protagonist than in most Japanese role-playing video games.[2] Xenoblade featured a prolonged, four-year development cycle dating back to 2006, with Takahashi stating that although the game went through many changes, the overarching plot following Shulk remained largely the same.[3] Takahashi believed that the more negative and jaded JRPG main character type leads the player to resent them due to the emotional investment required to complete such long games.[2] Takahashi worked with anime writer Yuichiro Takeda on Shulk's creation, with Takeda feeling that the easiest way to make Shulk likeable would be to make him a silent protagonist.[4] However, Takahashi rejected this idea, feeling that it hurt the character's ability to "resonate with the player".[4] Ultimately, Takahashi went in the opposite direction, making Shulk's positive interactions and words of encouragement a focus of the game.[4] Takahashi tried to make Shulk react to in-game events as much like he thought game players would react to them. Nintendo's team of debuggers, the "Super Mario Club", assured Takahashi that he was on the right track for his goal.[2]

In English, Shulk is voiced by Adam Howden. He was given instructions on how to portray Shulk, largely that he should have a neutral English accent, which was intelligent, "not posh", and fierce when necessary.[5] Howden was never given a full script of the game so he could more realistically sound surprised at the game's plot twists,[5] but was informed of the story progression shortly before he would have to voice it so he would not sound baffled.[5] Shulk's dialogue was continually revised throughout the sessions to make it more natural sounding, though Howden would still study the Japanese version of the game to capture the same emotions as it.[6]

Appearances[edit]

Shulk was first publicly revealed at E3 2009 in the first trailer for Monado: Beginning of the World, the working title for Xenoblade Chronicles.[7] Shulk debuted in Xenoblade, released in 2010 for Japan and released under the name Xenoblade Chronicles in 2011 for Europe and in 2012 for North America.[8] Shulk is an 18-year-old "Homs" — the game's fictional equivalent of a human.[9] He is the game's primary protagonist, portrayed as favoring "brains over brawn".[10] He lost his parents 14 years prior to the game's events during an expedition for the Monado, a powerful sword that only a select few can wield. Shulk lives in Colony 9, one of the two remaining Homs settlements, where he works as an engineer and studies the Monado. The story follows his quest to defend his homeland from the Mechon after they attack Colony 9 and kill his childhood friend and love interest Fiora, during which he succeeds Dunban as the Monado's wielder.[9][11] The Monado allows Shulk to glimpse the near future,[12] which serves as both a plot device and a gameplay mechanic in battles.[13] The game follows Shulk's quest to stop the Mechon and avenge Fiora and his struggle to understand his visions and change the future for the better, while uncovering the Monado's origin and hidden capabilities.[9] Optional side missions cover smaller quirks in Shulk's personality, such as a distaste for vegetables and fear of caterpillars.[11] In Xenoblade Chronicles: Future Connected, an epilogue campaign added to the Definitive Edition release of the game, Shulk assists his friend Melia in retaking Alcamoth, the capitol city of the birdlike High Entia race.[14]

In 2013, Monolith Soft and Nintendo announced Xenoblade Chronicles X, a spiritual sequel to Xenoblade Chronicles. At the end of a 2013 trailer for the game, journalists noted the appearance of a character that greatly resembled Shulk.[11][15] While he does not play a role in the game, its character creation tool allows the player to make their playable avatar resemble Shulk, complete with the option for Adam Howden as a voice actor.[16] In August 2014, a handheld port of Xenoblade Chronicles, titled Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, was announced for Nintendo's New Nintendo 3DS system, with Shulk reprising his role as the main character.[17] Shulk, along with Fiora, appears in Xenoblade Chronicles 2's "Challenge Mode" downloadable content (DLC), where they are playable as "Blades" — side characters directed during battle.[18] An older version of Shulk appears as one of the playable party members in Xenoblade Chronicles 3's Future Redeemed story expansion. Set between the events of Future Connected and Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Shulk joins Xenoblade Chronicles 2 protagonist Rex in founding the Liberators, a rebel group that opposes the Moebius, who threaten the newly-merged world of Aionios.[19] Additional scenes reveal that since Future Connected, Shulk and Fiora married and had a son, Nikol.[20] Completing Future Redeemed allows the player to unlock Shulk as an optional "Hero" party member in the main game.

Outside of the Xenoblade Chronicles series, Shulk has been featured in Nintendo's crossover fighting game series Super Smash Bros.. Alongside the announcement of Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, Shulk was announced as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.[21][22] Howden reprised his role as Shulk's voice actor, altering his tone to make him more appropriate for a fighting game.[6] Shulk reappears in the series' 2018 entry Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.[23] In November 2014, it was announced that Shulk would receive his own amiibo figure, which can be used in conjunction with Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Wii U and Ultimate, Super Mario Maker, Yoshi's Woolly World, and Xenoblade Chronicles 3D and 3.[24][25][26]

Critical reception[edit]

Shulk received mixed reception as the main character of Xenoblade Chronicles. Katharine Byrne of Nintendojo strongly praised the intricate exploration of Shulk wrestling with the philosophical issues of being able to see the future, stating that "players are treated to a delicate and nuanced exploration of Shulk’s difficulty in dealing with these visions... when Shulk quickly learns that he can’t bend the future to his will just because he has the gift of foresight."[27] Phil Kollar of Game Informer stated that, on a surface level, Shulk's character could be seen as "annoying," but that he ultimately became an enjoyable character due to good writing and voice acting.[28] Conversely, some reviewers complained of him being too plain. Destructoid reviewer Jim Sterling complained that Shulk lacked personality, stating that he was little more than a "vanilla reactionar[y] with only vague snatches of individuality," and otherwise blended into the rest of the cast too much.[9] Similarly, Jason Schreier of Kotaku referred to Shulk as a "personality-less, unequivocally bland warrior" who "makes other JRPG heroes look like Marlon friggin' Brando."[29]

In comparison, Shulk received generally positive reception as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. Heavy.com, TechnoBuffalo and GamesRadar felt that his Monado, particularly the carryover of its "Arts" customization mechanics from Xenoblade Chronicles, made him a strong choice to play as.[30][31][32] However, USGamer felt that Shulk "can be a tricky fighter" due to the Monado's Arts being accompanied by kanji, and suggested that non-native speakers should first practice utilizing the Arts in order to become familiar with each one.[33] Jeremy Parish of Polygon ranked 73 fighters from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate "from garbage to glorious", listing Shulk at 61st and criticized it by stating "Sorry, Shulk. It’s nice that Nintendo is letting you rep Xenoblade, but I’m afraid I’m not really feelin’ it.",[34] while Gavin Jasper of Den of Geek ranked Shulk as 56th of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate characters and also criticized it by calling Shulk "as not too shabby, but being overshadowed by the rest of the Smash 4 roster".[35]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Japanese: シュルク, Hepburn: Shuruku

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Shulk Voices (Xenoblade)". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Thomas East. "Most RPG heroes end up being hated - Monolith - Official Nintendo Magazine". Archived from the original on 31 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  3. ^ "Monolith Soft Tried Using A Turn Based Battle System For Xenoblade Chronicles". Siliconera. 8 April 2012. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  4. ^ a b c "Monolith Soft Discusses Developing Xenoblade's Protagonist - Siliconera". Siliconera. 3 June 2010. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  5. ^ a b c "Ninterview: Meet Adam Howden - Voice Actor For Shulk". Nintendo Life. 24 March 2013. Archived from the original on 19 January 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  6. ^ a b "[Interview] The voice of Shulk talks working on Xenoblade and Smash Bros". Nintendo Everything. 16 November 2014. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  7. ^ Tom East. "Wii News: E3: Nintendo Release Monado Wii Trailer - Official Nintendo Magazine". Archived from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  8. ^ "Xenoblade Chronicles". IGN. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  9. ^ a b c d "Review: Xenoblade Chronicles". Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  10. ^ "RPGFan Review - Xenoblade Chronicles". Archived from the original on 12 March 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  11. ^ a b c Prell, S. (31 January 2015). "Who The Hell Is: Shulk". Engadget. AOL. Archived from the original on 2018-06-18. Retrieved 2017-09-11.
  12. ^ "RPGamer > Staff Review > Xenoblade Chronicles". Archived from the original on 18 December 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  13. ^ "Xenoblade Chronicles review". Edge Online. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  14. ^ "Xenoblade Chronicles: What We Know About Future Connected". 20 May 2020. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  15. ^ Ryan Taljonick (13 February 2014). "New gameplay footage makes Monolith Soft's X look like a Monster Hunter clone". Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  16. ^ "Shulk & Fiora in Xenoblade Chronicles X as Character Voices - Character Creation with Alex". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 2015-11-19. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
  17. ^ Chris Pereira. "You'll Need the New 3DS to Play Xenoblade Chronicles' Upcoming Port". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  18. ^ "E3 2018: Xenoblade Chronicles 2 DLC Torna: The Golden Country Revealed". 13 June 2018. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  19. ^ Carson, Jack (2023-02-08). "Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Expansion Pass Wave 3 Revealed, Wave 4 Major Expansion Teased". KeenGamer. Archived from the original on 2023-02-09. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
  20. ^ Monolith Soft (April 26, 2023). Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo. Shulk: She supported me through thick and thin. It's thanks to her I'm here today at all...that goes for you too.
  21. ^ "Super Smash Bros. leaked roster seemingly confirmed by Nintendo announcement". Polygon. 29 August 2014. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  22. ^ "Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U: Shulk". www.smashbros.com. Nintendo. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  23. ^ "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch system". Archived from the original on 2020-06-21. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  24. ^ "Shulk, Mega Man, Sonic And More Getting Amiibos". Siliconera. 11 November 2014. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  25. ^ Phillips, Tom (26 May 2015). "Yoshi's Woolly World features unlockable Amiibo skins". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  26. ^ Hernandez, Patricia (11 September 2015). "Every Costume In Super Mario Maker". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  27. ^ "Xenoblade Chronicles Review". Archived from the original on 6 February 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  28. ^ "A Vision Of The Future - Xenoblade Chronicles - Nintendo Wii - www.GameInformer.com". www.GameInformer.com. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  29. ^ Jason Schreier (5 April 2012). "Xenoblade Chronicles: The Kotaku Review". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  30. ^ "WATCH: Shulk Character Reveal Trailer for 'Super Smash Bros.'". 29 August 2014. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  31. ^ "Shulk Fits In With the Sword Slingers of Super Smash Bros. in Reveal Trailer". TechnoBuffalo. 2 September 2014. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  32. ^ Henry Gilbert (23 October 2014). "Super Smash Bros Wii U roster - GamesRadar". Archived from the original on 21 April 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  33. ^ "Super Smash Bros. 3DS Strategy Guide: Beginner Tips, Best Unlocks, and Move Tactics for Every Character". USgamer.net. 2 October 2014. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  34. ^ Parish, Jeremy (2018-12-03). "We rank the Smash Bros. (and friends)". Polygon. Archived from the original on 2019-03-22. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  35. ^ "Super Smash Bros. Characters Ranked". Den of Geek. March 7, 2019. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2021.

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