Fictional character in the Xenoblade Chronicles series
Fictional character
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
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
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
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]
