amanda the adventurer and the evolution of black animated horror.

[@aliceveil622]

I'm glad they made Amanda/Rebecca a victim instead of a villain in the official game. When the game was first made with Amanda, a black girl, being some demented demon torturing a timid sheep character, I kind of raised an eyebrow.

[@npc4570]

Idk why one would always want to be a victim. Being the villain can be empowering as well. But I get your point.

[@hdhhhrhr175]

⁠​⁠@@npc4570 “always want to be a victim” No it’s just that this person feels that it’s poor representation to have a black girl be a pure evil monster. Being a pure evil, irredeemable villain isn’t empowering.

[@harriyanna]

yep and often times people will only put a black character in something for them to be the villain. LIKE BYE.

[@harriyanna]

correction: the only black character being the villain

[@nfsiiihp]

​@@npc4570 really?! Being an irredeemable monster is not empowering at ALL

[@DJ-qj2mt]

I just don’t understand why people can’t except that Amanda is black.

[@Vesperad0]

bcuz we're somehow scary, but at the same time not scary enough to be a horror character

[@harriyanna]

bc there's people out here who feel uncomfortable with liking something/character that is black. like that time where those palm colored ppl didn't wanna accept that clawdeen wolf and her siblings are black.

[@TheQuietTrait]

Wait tell me you're joking!? Ppl deadass trying to ignore the fact that she's black, I'm so fckn done 😭

[@gvirusqueen3559]

They clearly show that the character Amanda is based off of Sam Colton’s (the creator of Amanda and a Black man) Black adopted daughter Rebecca. 😂

[@DJ-qj2mt]

@@TheQuietTrait I wish I was

[@sanbanapoy]

The discourse over Amanda The Adventurer is so wild cause you literally just need to open your eyes and pay attention that Amanda is a black girl. Ffs she is literally based off the creator's daughter, WHO IS A BLACK GIRL. Sam himself is black too so its like???? These people gotta be acting obtuse abt her on purpose cause no way they wanna dispute shit that we literally see in game.

[@T.JacobMain]

Wait there's ppl who don't get that? 🤨

[@onettaviator5396]

​@@T.JacobMain Oh they get it, they're just playing dead

[@DragonBee259]

@@T.JacobMainYeah fandoms will do all sorts of mental gymnastics to deny a character is black.

[@Em-bq3gs]

It's the fact that Amanda isn't the big villain in the game that does it for me. Before the game released, I didn't necessarily like that Amanda was portrayed as the main villain, since many popular indie horror games have the antagonists be empathetic in some way (like how in FNAF, the animatronics are the big bad, it's the guy who killed them, or in BATIM, it's not really the ink creatures, it's the company that abused them). So when the final game released, and it was revealed that Amanda was just as much of a victim in the story, that's what made me actually come to enjoy the game. It's a much nicer statement than "black girl on tv is an evil demon" and that instead it's this company Hamelin that manipulated her, probably even killed her father, and then her. She's not the actual villain of the story, it's the people who took advantage of her. In the end of the day, she's just a scared and lonely child, (as shown by the lonely kitten thing) who was used by a bunch of adults to do bad things, which is why she lashes out in either anger or sadness. They really made her empathetic in the final game, which I gratefully appreciate. Edit: As an add on, I really like that Sam wasn't the real villain either. It would have been so easy to make him the one who took advantage of Amanda and hurt her, but instead they show him as a loving father who only wanted the best for his child, and even went against Hamelin when he figured out that they were up to something.

[@harriyanna]

it's really a story of white people taking advantage of a black girl and her dad. the writing for this game is GREAT.

[@KARIMENT.]

Wendell & Wild has so much potential though I want it to continue and be improved on as a series cause I really liked it.

[@harriyanna]

oh it sure did. it needed more time.

[@joydanleigh7711]

yes

[@atia9648]

I can’t explain how refreshing Amanda the adventurer is when it comes to horror games we have had soooo many mid horror games coming out lately like poppy playtime and wannabe fnaf games but Amanda was something new and actually had an original concept. I really loved Amanda and hope more things come out like Amanda in the future

[@thegoat20066]

True im so sick of the poppy and fnaf wannabes. They werent even scary to begin with

[@atia9648]

@@thegoat20066 Ik just another reason Amanda was so refreshing

[@Aishyo]

Another horror video game that has Black main character is Telltale Games the Walking Dead. The first season has Lee a Black man taking care of a little Black girl Clementine and Clementine becomes the protagonist in the following season then there is the spin off with Michonne.

[@AlphaPizzadog]

General Game Spoilers: Amanda the Adventurer is literally about a corporation taking a creation of love from a Black family and warping it into something it was never meant to be. Like when Sam found out that the show was upsetting Rebecca, he was fully ready to drop out of the show entirely and then suddenly he disappears from his passion project *and* his daughter? HE GOT OFFED BY HAMELN AND THEY COVERED IT UP!!! Rebecca is Amanda, Rebecca is a victim, and based on the way she keeps treating Wooly, Wooly is likely part of Hameln. Ever notice how you only survive in the endings where Wooly is out of the picture? I don't think that's a coincidence. (also the original show is live action, the hameln show is animated, not important but just thought id list it for the theory folks out there) I am SOOO tired of ppl thinking amanda/rebecca is the main villain, like its such a kneejerk reaction to her being upset that shes trapped in a tv show. Also smaller point but i think its cool how we play a ambiguously gendered main character (Riley Park)

[@gvirusqueen3559]

A lot of people speculate that Wooly is Sam, because he tries to warn you several times about Amanda or something else. I’ve seen theories that whenever she is aggressive towards him, it is the demon coming out of her whenever she gets too upset. Most of the time Wooly is trying to keep Amanda/Rebecca on track and calm to prevent the demon from getting loose.

[@kpopfan246]

I wholeheartedly believe Wendell and Wild should’ve been a mini series than a whole movie. There were too many good plot points to dive into. Also the critique on Black media is spot on. That’s why I didn’t trust the reviews of Cannon Buster by the White anime reviewers. They were ok with Loli and extreme fan service anime, but Cannon Buster was the one that had a lackluster storyline or uninteresting characters.

[@BluffsCastle]

I’m glad that Amanda the Adventurer exists and I want to play it soon, but the way people are reacting to it is so aggravating. You have people whitewashing Amanda in their fanart and people calling ANY black girl character “Amanda.”

[@emc2era988]

Fr

[@dumby9116]

Say it again for the people in the back!!!!

[@Charlotte226]

it's literally just like blackwashing get over it because you guys change white characters all the time so I don't feel bas for you at all.

[@Violetwhom]

Not just whitewashing, even they get the hairstyle wrong. Black hairstyles aren’t hard to draw

[@YourOverprotectiveGachaBf]

@@Charlotte226 blackwashing isn't real >3

[@disgust4941]

Amanda: is obviously a black character Some people: she doesn’t have an official race actually 🤓 Like it’s ok for a character to be black 😭, some ppl wild

[@spunchflopbadpants]

OFFICIAL RACE????? nah im done

[@Im_bor3d0]

No way 💀💀

[@ellapastoral]

As someone who has been obsessed with horror since I was a kid, I am really loving the influx of Black people in the horror genre. Interview with a Vampire, The Invitation, Amanda the Adventurer, all that stuff. I'm so excited to see what comes in the future. We have to pay our writers first though. Also, thank you for promoting my videos. I really hope that future fans of Wendell and Wild can be inspired by the work and still learn from its mistakes.

[@MsUnamusedNerd]

I’ve seen some controversy around the game in regards to woolly in the cosplay community. Really embarrassing to see white people asking Black people for permission to paint their faces black so they can cosplay the sheep. (This controversy is happening on TikTok for anyone wondering) I plan to cosplay the lamb from cult of the lamb next year, and I know better than to paint my face black, so I can look like the character….. especially considering I’m doing a humanized version of them. The only thing on my face that’s going to be black is my eyelids because I’m going to do a very heavy dark eye make up look. Just veiled racism to justify painting your face black because you want to look like an animal. The audacity to ask Black people for permission when your white to paint your face black.

[@Zixjndjdudj]

Wtf that is so weird. you can tell they tryna get a reaction outta someone cause you don’t have to paint your face black to cosplay as wooly 😭 just like if you’re tryna cosplay as an mlp character you don’t have to paint urself their color

[@Em-bq3gs]

Yeah, it just goes back to that whole "n word pass" thing that's just thinly veiled racism.

[@izzyc127]

You know what, if people want to do Wooly, they can take notes from other cosplayers by using black lipstick and use eyeliner to color in their nose it’s not that hard. If people can draw on animal features like whiskers and noses, they can do the same thing for Wooly.

[@spunchflopbadpants]

Why tf would people have to paint their face for that even 💀💀i cannot today

[@Fudgeanimates]

I'm currently working on a show that has three young black/mixed girls as one of the main characters, these videos help me understand different black experiences and help me flesh out my characters more. While I am black myself (mixed between black, Ojibwa, and white) and have been somewhat raised black, I've never really experienced the struggles I think? People have touched my hair when use to have it in different black styles and it's not even that curly! I'm also pretty light skin to so these videos help me understand what people with darker skin go though.

[@liciee14]

I can wake up to see another day when black people & other POC can make their video game series. Crossing my fingers for the future we can get a fantasy game with main black characters.

[@TheEpicGene15]

Im an active viewer of the gaming side of youtube, and i really love how almost every gaming youtuber played amanda the adventurer. Like yes! A horror game centered around a black family with amazing writing and gameplay getting the recognition it deserves. Lets gooooo! It seems like the story is just getting started so this series could potentially be the next five nights of freddy and im fucking down for that. (Also i love how the character we play as could be asian cuz his aunt’s last name is park, which makes me, an asian person, love the game even more!)

[@Quackervoltz]

I think Riley is a girl though, which is cool because I'm so happy we have female representation for indie horror main characters

[@Dojafish]

Let's hope it doesn't end like FNAF .

[@areyoucoming]

i’m glad they made her a victim in the newer version! not only did they give her a black actress, but her voice is just excellent - cute and sweet with a bit of edge - just what you’d expect a kid’s cartoon character from the 2000s to have. i think it’s really sweet that amanda is black because a lot of kids who tend to _venture_ the horror genre see themselves in characters such as the afton family, creepypasta, etc; now young black girls can see themselves in a cool creepy character who looks like them. also, she and wooly both look really adorable in the new version! like the infamous surgery part where she looks up at the camera with her surgical mask on is where she’s at her cutest imo lmaoo amanda the adventurer is like a mixture of five nights at freddy’s (ofc), don’t hug me i’m scared, bendy and the ink machine (a stretch) and the muse arg (happy meat farms) by alex bale. it has a lot of effort and care put into it and it’s just _really_ great. like another commenter stated, it’s refreshing and it doesn’t feel like a cheap money milking kid’s game like poppy’s playtime. it’s like something you won’t feel guilty for liking or getting into because it’s really well made and written, like other media with a decent-sized adult fanbase such as bluey, my little ponty, and miraculous ladybug (VERY debatable about the writing lmao) i haven’t gotten to play it yet. is the game finished, or are they going to continue to add more to it?

[@kyla_not_kayla]

A horror/mystery game that has a black main character would be Haunted Laia by dark dome. Pretty much Laia's dad and brother go missing and she goes out to find them and discover secrets of the town. I would say it was a pretty good game, however it might not make much sense unless you play the other games, which unfortunately doesn't have black characters.

[@Darkstalker1012]

Something told me, that Harri was gonna do a vid on ATA. I’m glad this is getting more popular, I can’t wait for more updates ✨

[@harriyanna]

wait. i wanna know, what made you think i was gonna make a video in it??? im curious!

[@Darkstalker1012]

@@harriyanna Idk, I just figure that since (almost) every single KZbinr (both gamers and theorists alike) are playing and talking about the lore and such, that it eventually get you interested in talking about it. Since it’s getting popular in a sense

[@grizzlybearning]

I was the complete opposite honestly, like I knew it’s a horror game that follows around a black girl so maybe in my subconscious mind so maybe I had the hypothetical thought she would make it but seeing the title/thumbnail in my feed surprised me good cause of my knowledge of her not liking video games XD

[@NJPWGirl]

I was hoping you were gonna do a video on Amanda the Adventurer! The game is beautifully done and the voice acting is top tier, I love it! 🙌🏽

[@kaleidoscopeuniverse8880]

I’m glad you did this because I was really feel off about how ppl were reacting to Amanda in game (black and non-black people) , I’m gonna do a video about it as well but I really didn’t wanna feel alone in the hurt I felt behind it.

[@cringeopedia]

wanna know once the video is published would be interesting to see

[@imjustsaying281]

Yes, please! I would love to see someone's take on the discord surrounding Amanda's character. Like, she’s literally a child that has been taken advantage of by a big company and people are like, nope, Amanda is not the victim in the game.

[@TheSagefx]

I’d love to see your video too!

[@andrewsanusi8462]

Wow this is a topic I was not expecting you to talk about but I’m excited to hear it.

[@ThatGreenMach1ne]

I was so surprised when I saw this notification. But I really wanted you to speak about this, because of the themes in the story. The only other game I can think of that has a black lead is Dead by Daylight, but I don't think that it counts because this character is one of many you can choose to play.

[@kiga928]

Just thought the other day "i wonder if Harri or someone will make a video about black horror" must've read her mind😂😂😂

[@Crystalcreates33]

it would be amazing if you shared some independent projects you enjoyed in the end of your vids (could be anything from shows, to comics, and even brands maybe)

[@serenatsukino5252]

I love Amanda the Adventurer so much! I've been watching so many gameplays of it. I'm really glad you spoke about it :)

[@babatunjiebell6743]

It's funny how you mention Scream being one of your favorite horror movies because throughout this whole week I have been watching all the Scream movies and now I'm going to watch the new one that came out earlier this year Scream part 6. the original Scream movie from 1996 is the best. I watched it 5 nights ago and I want to own it by getting it on dvd.

[@sweetsnap]

The Walking Dead games have a black lead, if that counts

[@thewebstergaming5805]

Only problems with that are *spoiler alert* Lee unfortunately died and then there are some people don't consider Clementine as black (even though there's a family photo in the game) 🤦‍♀️

[@superstar-eb5wb]

Omg yes!!

[@twoczents]

Wow, I have been super deep into the lore of the game to even realize this is a popular discussion. Honestly, Amanda is one of the most refreshing horror antagonists in a good while. Certainly better than whatever the heck Garten of Banban is doing. I really love how Amanda's skin or racial identity really does nothing with the overall story or her character. She's just a girl in a terrible situation who's also black. Amanda/Rebecca is a victim and has been corrupted over time turning her into what we see now. Now, I do not trust Wooly one bit. But, Amanda/Rebecca still plays the part of a antagonistic villain. And, I think that's cool. She fun to watch and adds so much personality to the game. She isn't THE villain. That title goes to Hamln. Amanda is just a tragic villain who after being abandoned for so long literally rotted her mind. She's almost paying homage to the five OG ghost children from FNAF. But, I think the best comparison to her is Asriel/Flowey from Undertale down to their villainous, morbid, yet entertaining alter-egos. I honestly wish this game all the best. Also, kudos to Amanda's VA❤

[@lavendernightshade5631]

I fucking love your necklace

[@shirlecemcghee]

After watching this I watched a playthrough. It was awesome. Horror based games are a mixed bag. But I have not gone to deep into it fandom wise due to past trauma.

[@carlosfromearth]

I love your videos! Thank you, this definitely taught me a lot about black horror. :)

[@edentang1757]

i remember seeing a game called still ridge that came out a few years ago and im pretty sure that game has a black protagonist. kinda forgot what it was about but it's based on PT and ps1 aesthetics

[@boiwut]

I loved your videos I used to watch them when I was younger all the time

[@tyjordanflophour]

Watched this morning but was too tired to comment. I think it's so interesting how afro centric horror tends to lean a lot more into the general horror aspects than its narrative contemporaries. Without the extra effort, it's just showing regular ol racism. Even in fiction, it's the "twice as hard for just as much" deal. Btw, thanks for coming back! I love your videos! It's like a nice hangout! AND yet another banger!

[@WildArtistsl]

I was watching your videos and you just uploaded? Give your girl here some time to catch up

[@SquishyMain]

This is just a list of ones i know well and/or have watched/played myself, you can add more you know under this comment. But not all of them are animated. Horror movies/TV Shows with main black characters: Us Candyman Wendell & Wild Black Box Stranger Things Blacula Horror Games with main black characters: Dead By Daylight Until Dawn Video Horror Society Back 4 Blood The Quarry The Dark Pictures Anthology Left 4 Dead 2 The Walking Dead

[@jesstar119]

YAYYY video game harriyanna hell yes

[@Sabrinaaa36]

bruh no way people are trying to say amanda isn’t black… “i don’t see color” on a different level lol

[@anthonychobotdoespopcultur7762]

This is awesome

[@lewa3910]

I need to get and try the Amanda game

[@SammySesame]

Technically, there's Welcome Home. Although it doesn't feature any actual black people in it (it's an ARG website based on a fictional puppet show akin to Sesame Street (I'm still pissed about that Rosita situation) and The Muppets), four of it's main characters (Wally Darling, Barnaby B. Beagle, Julie Joyful and Frank Frankly) are black/dark skinned. You can see within their human designs that Clown (the creator of WH) currently made of them.

[@afrolens9532]

I was so confused what this even was, it was all over my dash😅

[@Fnafiac]

I’d love to watch you play the game

[@Fnafiac]

Idk if it’s technically horror, but the subnautica games have a black girl as the main protag. It’s all about her searching for answers about her sister’s death, while living underwater, in an alien planet.

[@Fnafiac]

I never finished it cause it got too hard, but i recommend it

[@joydanleigh7711]

Great subject I enjoy The Children's horror Genre.

[@gw7911]

Way better like this. Looks younger.

[@Gurlkimmy]

Abby is just like a door explorer a little knock off preschool show but it has like a horror element it’s basically five nights at Freddy’s but a little five year old girls scary

[@k.b.gravedigger9527]

One love Mz Hook

[@lavendernightshade5631]

I saw a dead squirrel today, it's tail was as flat as a pancake and I think either it's mouth or it's junk got ripped off but it was probably it's lower jaw, and once I saw a dead rat at the doctor's office.

[@Mr_Beeble_boose]

There’s this cat that keeps leaving dead bird parts around the house and I’m pretty sure it’s trying to plead loyalty to us😅

[@spunchflopbadpants]

Tbh I feel like the problem is the fact that she’s a girl?? Usually I only see this done with black girl characters getting hated on and not black guy characters. If that’s the case I’m honestly so done 💀

[@gaygaymer]

So happy that your talking about this!