Pokémon

Pokémon Scarlet & Violet's Black hair options kinda suck

Black hair? Don’t care (much)

For The Mary Sue, Princess Weekes lamented the lack of choice for Black hair when customising characters in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet:

At the start of the game, you get to choose your look. I went to the brownest option (still no true dark-skinned rep) and went to my haircut. Of the 19 options for hair, there are only three Black styles: cornrows, side fade (and really anyone can get a side fade, but you know it’s getting it right that is important), and short dreadlocks.

[…] The problem is that it is a limiting idea of what Black hair looks like, and as a Black player who has been playing these games for … well, most of my life, I know they can do better. In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, I got a great look for my character with updo braids.

When I chose my hair style for Sword/Shield, I opted for the short shaped cut (a number 1 to those who know). That option wasn’t there in Scarlet/Violet. In fact, no close-to-bald hairstyles were available. Their idea of a short cut looked like a matted spider quilt, so I opted for the short hi-top which, unfortunately, doesn’t go with any hat other than a bucket hat.

I agree with Princess’s points on the lack of Black hair options and the fact that Game Freak could have done a lot better. They spent time to make more diverse body models for main characters and NPCs, why not diverse hairstyles that aren’t just straight variations? And why can’t I get a number one when I go to the Poké barber?

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