[Kotaku] Fans are Concerned about Barret's Voice in Final Fantasy 7 remake. A "hyper-masculine cartoon" and a "Mr. T facsimile"

[alexiswrite]

As a kid of the 80's I freaking looooooved Mr. T. He was one of my idols growing up and I loved his persona, his mannerisms, the way he spoke. So naturally, I love Barrett and what little voice acting we've heard sounds a lot like the voice I had in my head when I first played the game and certainly not over the top. Calling this portrayal cartoonish or over the top sounds like an insult to Mr. T.

Maybe it's because I was a kid in the nineties, but Mr T is not a black media legend to me. I mean he seems like a cool person. And I'm not saying that he's a bad person, or racist, or if you like him that you're racist or bad. I'm just saying that in the most popular pieces of media he was in, he prominently functioned as almost a black caricature in white led and white created media. Look at B.A. Baracus and Clubber Lang. Mr T is very far down the list when it comes to important people in black media.

 

[BasilZero]

I liked his voice, instantly reminded me of why I love him. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Same here.

 

[ket]

I find it really odd and actually kind of infuriating that this author takes issue with the one or two lines of dialogue we've heard because it "plays into the stereotype" of black men being hulking masses of muscle like it's new. This has always been an issue with 'your dude' Barret's portrayal right down to his actual design and ever since the game released in 1997.

If you take issue with his voice acting for those reasons then you should be taking issue with the character as a whole. Otherwise, to me as a black man, this whole article just feels like a white guy stirring up controversy about issues unrelated to himself that he doesn't actually understand for clicks. Go away with this nonsense.

The author is a black woman lmfao

 

[ket]

Why do ppl on era struggle with reading bylines

 

[€pcott]

You cringe? I’m not an apologist for how I feel about Barrett. There’s a difference between a lack of black representation/blackface in media entertainment versus opinion on a black character from the 90’s. I used to love Mr. T growing up, and the fact that Barrett does reminds me of him is a good thing. Regardless if it’s “played out” by a decent amount of users in this thread.

Barrett’s character design AND voice appeals to me. But then again, a lot of black folks are rocking the high top fade AND a lot of people love the military style now so I don’t get the issue here. I’ve always been known as old-fashioned despite my age, so maybe I’m just an anomaly within the equation. 🤷‍♂️

Of course I cringe, when people turn a blind eye to a white guy localizing a game, ad-libing hammy black speech based on his own personal idea of what “black” should be depicted as.

I really don’t care if your favorite childhood hero was Nipsey Russel, Mr. T, or Meadowlark Lemon, I don’t think “people of color” should shut down other “people of color” for having a problem with it... regardless who your personal hero is. It’s still pretty damn gross.

 

[MatrixMan.exe]

The author is a black woman lmfao

Already covered this, but I read the article and didn't see the author, thought it was the same guy who's tweet the OP quoted as he also works at Kotaku. Honest mistake, because I'm sick of shit like I mentioned happening.

 

[Slayven]

Through lack of a better word "social training" by media has made some stereotypes so standard that any challenge of them seems like an attack by some people. "I enjoyed this, and if this is bad does that make me bad?". So some people get super defensive when talking about something. Square decided to do a remake, remakes are typically an attempt to update a property. That shouldn't just mean more polygons. They can totally rework the battle system but not punch up the script?

 

[Diego Renault]

elaborate the bold please?

When compared to OG FF7, the characters look too realistic (OG FF7 characters always looked anime-ish) - and certain characters like barett look "bro-ified" (trying to make them look extra "black" or extra "insert generic looking stereotypical bro character model here".

Remake there looks worse - at least in my opinion - compared to the more comic-y, anime-ish, original Final Fantasy 7 artstyle. FF7 never looked overly comic-y or anime-ish, though, but that's exactly why it probably was loved by westerners and japanese alike (FF7's artstyle found a sweetspot between anime and realistic), and that awesome visual style got lost in the Remake completely.

Basically everthing got lost. Core gameplay and visual artstyle. That's - in my book - the very definition of "soul vs soulless".

So yeah, everything I've seen from Final Fantasy 7 remake has been soulless so far. But that's not surprising, since it's a completely different game. It's a different game with a Final Fantasy 7 skin on.

 

[Fisty]

I was hoping he would end up more like Auron, and leave the wild hyper-masculine characterization to Cid... ya know, where it kinda fits the character

 

[Pyro]

Was definitely getting "Letitia" vibes from those few lines. That kind of exaggerated dialect is fucking annoying, and would turn me off the game completely. I hope I'm wrong though.

for the people who don't remember:

Holy fuck, I never ran into that NPC.

 

[Muskieratboi]

It's not really so much his voice as his botched characterization in the original's English translation to being a stereotypical "hyper-tough black dude", whereas in the Japanese version, he was apparently more nuanced.

I also think there's something to be said for the fact that the only two black Final Fantasy characters are also the only ones who use guns.

Vincent, Squall, Irvine, Laguna, Yuna, Lightning, Sazh, King, Cater, and Prompto would like a word.

 

[lunarworks]

When I saw the new trailer, I was taken aback by how much of a dated stereotype Barret's voice is. Who was in charge of localization? It couldn't have been someone from North America.

 

[mentallyinept]

Through lack of a better word "social training" by media has made some stereotypes so standard that any challenge of them seems like an attack by some people. "I enjoyed this, and if this is bad does that make me bad?". So some people get super defensive when talking about something. Square decided to do a remake, remakes are typically an attempt to update a property. That shouldn't just mean more polygons. They can totally rework the battle system but not punch up the script?

Yeah, it's totally doable to maintain the main story beats of the character and not have him sound like that.

 

[-PXG-]

Voice is fine

 

[adz2ka]

It's not really so much his voice as his botched characterization in the original's English translation to being a stereotypical "hyper-tough black dude", whereas in the Japanese version, he was apparently more nuanced.

I also think there's something to be said for the fact that the only two black Final Fantasy characters are also the only ones who use guns.

Sorry, but I think you're creating your own narrative here.
Barrett's reasoning is plot driven and while Sazh's isn't; his character and development is a very, very good representation.

 

[Munti]

I'm not black, so what I say shouldn't have a value (also I don't know how Mr. T sounds in English). Still, I would like to say what I think about it regardless:

1) He looks and sounds like a typical muscle-masculine stereotype. However, such stereotypes exist in real life. There are people that are stereotypes, so I don't see why they should not be included in media.
2) He is the boss of a terrorism group. Maybe he is like that to show authority? Otherwise I don't think he would be a believable boss for his followers. So I think that if he would be white, he would still be a hyper-masculine stereotype.
3) We only heard 1-2 sentences, he could be different. And don't forget, later in the game we will see the soft side of Barret

 

[Glasfrut]

Hey, lowhighkang_LHK I think it would help if you included something about how the Mr. T version people have in their heads (from the orginal FF7) was added by localization. Quite a few people don't seem to be aware that there was nuance lost from the Japanese version.

 

[Dust]

Mr.T is awesome, fools.

 

[Kafkaa]

It's already not FF7. Thjat much is obvious. It also was always a stereotype that was added in localization, it's easy to fix. Nobody is asking them to change rereleases of the original game, but this is a new one and it always was.

You not liking the direction the remake is going doesn’t somehow make it any less of FF7, that’s really ridi uoius. I swear you fans have no idea what you actually want.

 

[Frunkle]

Personally, I think DMX should voice Barret. Don't think he has the acting chops to pull off the more tender moments though.

 

[Ragnorok64]

Localization amirite?


Jokes aside, i think we all gotta give it time still. He has a new VA, we barely heard anything, The VA seems to be sticking close to the English Source material (despite how it was shotty in localization), this is something we all have to see play out and not based off two lines.


Did people forget that even the voice from Advent Children sound nearly identical?!



even in Advent children complete they dove more into it and had Marlene even mimic him, stereotypes and all?


In Dirge of Cerberus it was the same thig even with limited lines


It is still too early to say, but given all we have, the new VA is doing Barret on par with former Barret VA. If that comes with the stereotype, so be it. Barret as much deeper character then some stereotypes make him out to be anyhow. He is one of the characters in FFVII that actually has a ton of character development and evolving beyond the stereotype of being a wannabe mr.T.

Well at least everyone sounds like a cartoon, it seems.

Man, if people are this worked up from 2 lines of dialog, I can't wait for the absolute meltdowns that will happen with whatever the heck they do with the Don Corneo scenes. It's gonna be amazing.

 

[OutofMana]

I hope people in here are up in arms about the way Jackie sounds in Cyberpunk 2077 as well. Mostly because I didn't see a thread posted about this when that long gameplay trailer was posted.

It looks like they are staying true to the original, which will turn a lot of people off. I'm still with the mindset that Capcom will be the only Japanese dev to get remakes of their beloved classics right.

 

[Euler.L.]

I hope people in here are up in arms about the way Jackie sounds in Cyberpunk 2077 as well. Mostly because I didn't see a thread posted about this when that long gameplay trailer was posted.

It looks like they are staying true to the original, which will turn a lot of people off. I'm still with the mindset that Capcom will be the only Japanese dev to get remakes of their beloved classics right.

I don't think it will have any impact at all.

 

[Flame Lord]

At first I hoped they kept him that way, but after that Kotaku series I wouldn't mind home being more like that, though the complaint here seems to be more about how his voice sounds than his actual character, given that he has one quick line in that trailer. I don't see why he can't be closer to his original characterization in the JP text while also sounding like Mr. T.

 

[CharGP02A]

Honestly, Barret's new voice doesn't sound good. I definitely want Beau to reprise it instead.

 

[Foot]

Man, this Mr. T comparison is really throwing a wrench into the criticism of this voice. This new actor does not sound like Mr. T! Mr. T does not sound like a stereotypical black preacher! My prediction if we keep muddying the point like this?


Pain.

 

[Kafkaa]

When compared to OG FF7, the characters look too realistic (OG FF7 characters always looked anime-ish) - and certain characters like barett look "bro-ified" (trying to make them look extra "black" or extra "insert generic looking stereotypical bro character model here".

Remake there looks worse - at least in my opinion - compared to the more comic-y, anime-ish, original Final Fantasy 7 artstyle. FF7 never looked overly comic-y or anime-ish, though, but that's exactly why it probably was loved by westerners and japanese alike (FF7's artstyle found a sweetspot between anime and realistic), and that awesome visual style got lost in the Remake completely.

Basically everthing got lost. Core gameplay and visual artstyle. That's - in my book - the very definition of "soul vs soulless".

So yeah, everything I've seen from Final Fantasy 7 remake has been soulless so far. But that's not surprising, since it's a completely different game. It's a different game with a Final Fantasy 7 skin on.

So, to get this straight, you take a bigger issuer with the game not being turn based and a shot for shit remake than the racist implications of Mr. T Barrett? Ok.

 

[Alastor3]

I wonder how many people in the whole planet are really concerned about this. This sounds like a huge overreaction to me.

Seems people just want to get mad at something

 

[Grouch Douglass]

I was just a mixed race 80's kid, but I worshipped Mr T. Was my favorite TV/movie star. I loved the gag in A-Team where they would have to drug him every time they had to get on a plane.

 

[Folstern]

Barrett sounds gruff but not like Mr. T. Not sure how people would react if his voice was mild mannered office worker or feminine or whatever the outraged expected. His design is a hyper-masculine, ex-miner, now terrorist, who had his hand blown off guy. Gruff seems to fit?

 

[Nairume]

Barrett sounds gruff but not like Mr. T. Not sure how people would react if his voice was mild mannered office worker or feminine or whatever the outraged expected. His design is a hyper-masculine, ex-miner, now terrorist, who had his hand blown off guy. Gruff seems to fit?

That was his design, but his actual character was more than that. You find out real quick that he's actually a softer and more sensitive person than he lets on. Beau Billingsly was perfect casting for him back in tbe day, because a voice like Jet Black's was honestly perfect for him to cover the nuance of his character.

 

[NattyBo]

Barrett’s original translation was racist at the time and I knew it even as a kid. I don’t expect much better this go round. He sounded like a televangelist

 

[Mikey Jr.]

I loved it.

Gives him some personality. Every time I watch the trailer, I always say along with him "I'm here for you, to take the load off your shoulders!"

It's infectious. I love it.

 

[XandBosch]

As someone who never played the game - is that not what he's supposed to be? (judging by appearance alone)

 

[Aselith]

Did the fans play the original game? That's exactly that character

 

[Nairume]

As someone who never played the game - is that not what he's supposed to be? (judging by appearance alone)

Not quite. You find out real quick that he's more nuanced than that.

 

[LiK]

He sounded fine to me. I thought Sephiroth sounded weaksauce. But we only heard a few lines so I'm not gonna judge based on a teaser.

 

[XandBosch]

Not quite. You find out real quick that he's more nuanced than that.

Wouldn't there still be room for that despite how the voice sounds though?

 

[skillzilla81]

As someone who never played the game - is that not what he's supposed to be? (judging by appearance alone)

This is pretty hilarious to me.

 

[King Alamat]

Yeah, let's defend the original vision of the game where Tifa called her teammates the r-word and Cloud had a train ran on him by a bunch of gay stereotypes.

 

[NattyBo]

Did the fans play the original game? That's exactly that character

It was shit then and it’s shit now, what’s your point?

 

[Nairume]

Wouldn't there still be room for that despite how the voice sounds though?

Yes but there's nothing wrong with people being concerned about what they've seen/heard so far.

 

[Ragnorok64]

Did the fans play the original game? That's exactly that character

According to this thread, that characterization was an invention of the localization team ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

 

[NattyBo]

If the best defense you have of this is the 1997 English blacksploitation translation of Barrett...you don’t really have a defense at all.

I suspect most people 1) don’t care 2) don’t want their precious nostalgia ruined

 

[Mr. X]

Did the fans play the original game? That's exactly that character

Read the OP? english localization of ps1 ff7 made him a stereotype that the original dialogue never did.

The remake does sound like a black guy impersonation. I'd love for Barret to not soundlike a Baptist preacher.

 

[LiK]

If the best defense you have of this is the 1997 English blacksploitation translation of Barrett...you don’t really have a defense at all.

I suspect most people 1) don’t care 2) don’t want their precious nostalgia ruined

This game exists primarily for nostalgia so you are correct.

 

[Frunkle]

It was shit then and it’s shit now, what’s your point?

How is it shit? Explain to me how Barret is a negative character when, I imagine if we were to run a poll, he would be one of the most beloved characters in ff7.

 

[Kuksune]

He sounds fine. There's no need to get up in arms about this.

 

[--R]

According to this thread, that characterization was an invention of the localization team ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

I mean, it's true. Watch Tim Rogers' 'Let's Mosey' series where he compares the Japanese script to the English one. In the Japanese version Barret is way more like Solid Snake than Mr. T.

 

[NattyBo]

How is it shit? Explain to me how Barret is a negative character when, I imagine if we were to run a poll, he would be one of the most beloved characters in ff7.

You can still like a character even if they’re portrayed as a huge stereotype. I’m sorry I don’t have time to explain the obvious to you, but I’m replaying the original right now and there’s simply 0 chance the game would release like that today. He’s got good and important things to say, under a layer of bullshit that sounds like a high schooler who never met a black person in real life wrote it.