Let’s Get This Party Started, Overwatch!
Overwatch is gearing up for its next season, launching next week, and as has become the norm since the game’s soft reboot earlier this year, a new hero is joining the lineup. Meet Shion, an Omnic damage dealer and the leader of the Hashimoto clan that Mizuki is part of. Fans were buzzing with excitement at the idea of a new synthetic Omnic hero, given the limited number of them in the game. However, after seeing her in action, it appears she may fall victim to the “same face syndrome” that has plagued the hero shooter.
On the bright side, Shion looks pretty awesome. Armed with dual pistols, she can also ride and launch a motorcycle at her enemies. Her design embodies a stylish gunslinger vibe, and her distorted Omnic voice is both intimidating and a bit sultry. Shion stands out from the more stoic and robotic Omnics we’ve encountered, but this unique style opens her up to the same criticisms that Anran faced earlier this year for resembling other heroes too closely. There’s a common theory among fans that the game tends to give multiple female characters similar attractive features to boost skin sales.
Unlike the more robotic and featureless designs of characters like Zenyatta and Ramattra, Shion has a human-like face. While she retains the signature dots on her head typical of other Omnics, they are positioned on her forehead, allowing the rest of her face to appear more human. This raises intriguing lore questions, particularly about why an Omnic who is clearly confident in her identity would choose a human-like appearance, especially in a world that has historically shown a divide between humans and Omnics, a theme that was notably explored in the canceled campaign storyline.
As the season unfolds, we may uncover more about Shion, who is being positioned as a significant character in the events of season 3. However, it’s evident that there has been a concerted effort to craft a character that aligns with the “attractive East Asian woman” archetype that Overwatch has leaned on for years, much to the frustration of players who main other characters and desire cosmetics for their favorites. Fans have even drawn comparisons between her human face and that of Anran, whose similarities to characters like Kiriko and Juno sparked criticism. While Shion’s Omnic traits set her apart, her facial structure does bear a resemblance.
Notably, the community isn’t as unified in their observations about Shion as they were with Anran. Some have pointed out that she lacks the button nose characteristic of Juno and Kiriko, or the one featured in Anran’s original design.
Blizzard has been making strides with Overwatch’s narrative lately, so if Shion grapples with a self-hating complex that drives her desire to appear more human, that could add a compelling layer to her character. Still, it’s hard not to feel that a bolder, less commercially-driven design might have been sacrificed in the process.
