Intelligent System's mobile gacha game Fire Emblem Heroes is known for collecting characters across every title in the JRPG series, sometimes with limited alternate costumes. For example, Fire Emblem Heroes recently put out ninja-themed characters, including Lyn from the The Blazing Blade. However, a more permanent addition has caused a stir on social media.
Early this year, Fire Emblem Heroes launched a monthly pass, with one reward for subscribers being Resplendent Heroes: An interchangeable form for previously-released characters that comes with stat buffs, new artwork, and voice lines. Numerous Resplendent Heroes have been released, including Marth, Ike, and Alm, and last night it was announced Resplendent Lucina from Fire Emblem: Awakening would release on November 24.
The concern for many online is that Lucina's artwork, drawn by Etrian Odyssey artist Yuji Himukai, seems to depict the character as much younger than her canonical age. The theme of the alt coincides with the current Fire Emblem Heroes storyline in Ljosalfheimr, based on the mythological Norse world of Ljosalfheim, in which new Fire Emblem characters like Peony and Mirabilis were children turned into spritely beings who watch over mortal dreams. Eirika from Sacred Stones has received a similar Resplendent costume.
Fire Emblem Heroes has used Norse theming throughout its storylines with players visiting locales such as Hel, land of the dead. However, while some seem to like Himukai's take on Lucina, others have critiqued it for infantilizing the character, and some claim possible sexual intent given the artist's work on adult visual novels such as Ishika to Honori.
Regardless of how one feels about Resplendent Lucina, it's unlikely Intelligent Systems is going to stop its inclusion based on backlash against the artist, considering they have previously contributed artwork for Heroes characters such as Fae and Lugh. There are still important Fire Emblem characters not in Heroes, and it should be interesting to see how they are handled going forward.
Fire Emblem Heroes is available now on Android and iOS.
Sources: Twitter, Yuji Himukai, Visual Novel Database