The Legend of Zelda: The Silent Protagonist is a Mirror for the Player - Celebration! Sequel Release -

Today is the release date of Tears of the Kingdom, the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. 🥳

So, changing the pace from my usual articles, I would like to write about the Legend of Zelda series that continues to influence my life.

I aim to write an article that even those who have never touched Zelda will find interesting. 😆

I have been following this world since I was a child, when I borrowed The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64 from a friend and played it.

Many titles have been released, and while there are some exceptions, the basic story is common to them all.

A hero (Link) rescues a princess (Princess Zelda) who has been captured, and together they cooperate to seal away the fated enemy (Ganon) who seeks to make the world his own.

Since I cannot list all the charms of this game, I will focus on one feature:
the fact that the protagonist (Link) does not speak.

Starting from the previous game, Breath of the Wild, major characters other than Link have begun to speak extensively with voice acting.
However, the protagonist, Link, basically does not speak.

He may change his "expressions" depending on the scene, but he has no lines.
The times he does make sounds are limited to grunts when swinging weapons in battle or pained noises when taking damage.

It is unclear if this reason has been officially stated, but the theory that "it emphasizes the relationship with the player" is strong. I also perceive it this way.

In other words, Link can be said to be an existence perfectly synchronized with us, the players, who are on the adventure.
His personality, state of mind, emotions, and even his inner voice—everything.

If the player is kind-hearted, Link becomes a kind-hearted hero.

If the player plays recklessly, Link will also perform reckless actions with a serious expression.

And if the player is a pervert, Link becomes a perverted hero. lol

As if to represent this, the term Calamity Link was born.

Related to this, there is one more point that I personally find interesting.
That is the point that Link is admired by multiple female characters.

No matter how active the approach is, Link only shows a slightly bewildered gesture.
Princess Zelda, who seems to be the stable heroine candidate, is depicted throughout the story as a "hero (knight) who protects the princess," and the game reaches its ending that way.

In other words, the person Link holds dear in his heart (?) is also left up to the player themselves.

(I played it with a pure heart at the time, but looking back, I briefly wondered if Ocarina of Time was actually a romance simulation RPG. Haha)

And above all, the reason this work remains in my heart throughout the series is the direction of the ending.

The world is saved, and they lived happily ever after! Everyone is happy!

The Zelda series does not have endings like that.

The fated enemy Ganon can be sealed, butcannot be defeated.
This history will eventually repeat itself.
Link also accepts his mission with an expression that suggests he senses this somewhere.

Sometimes it's a farewell to a partner you traveled with,
the future of Link and Princess Zelda who bear their destiny,
and all the words and emotions that escape the player's lips at the end of experiencing the story become elements of the ending.

And one more Zelda tradition is
that you cannot save after clearing the game.
You can't save the data after working so hard to defeat Ganon...!
I feel that this fleeting nature also contributes to enhancing the lingering effect of the story.

I am very satisfied with being able to write an article that indulged my hobbies this time.
Thank you for joining me.

I want to become one with Link and run through the world of Tears of the Kingdom as well 🥳

🌷Recommendation🌷
The header photo was taken at the park on the new commute route I wrote about in yesterday's article. Since "Sky" is an important keyword for "Tears of the Kingdom," I tried to make a connection. 📷