Hanzo Shimada

“Travelling to Hanamura”

Worried dragons !

I understand and empathize, genuinely.

I don’t love him. If I could replace him or tweak his design in a multitude of ways, I would in a heartbeat. Even keeping the “must be a cute animal” baseline as a constraint, I’d still make him a monkey just for consistency and sense.

Wrecking Ball…as a concept got more…tolerable to me once I listened the devs refer to him as being “Pikachu sized” and as the “cute animal character”. It became immediately apparent that Wrecking Ball was designed to:

1) specifically be a cute, joke animal

2) help sell merchandise

3) act as “cute shock value”

That doesn’t make him more acceptable, imo, but it did make me take a step back and go, “This was almost certainly a corporate merchandising decision that we’re being told is a gameplay design decision”. If you listen to the dev talks, you’ll find that half of the team already thought he was a bad idea.

It…feels pretty evident to me that they wanted Wrecking Ball’s release to hyper-contrast Doomfist’s and Ana’s (the two other “Summer Heroes”). Doomfist was the most hyped post-launch hero so far, and while his actual gameplay has been tricky to balance, his lore and story reveal are surreal in a great way. He IS the embodiment of power and strength. I still get chills watching his Origins animation and his gameplay reveal trailer. “Masquerade” is the comic that reshaped this blog, my writing, and my ideas completely.

Compare this with Wrecking Ball. Wrecking Ball was teased when HLC dropped in early 2017. And the devs knew. They knew we were excepting a gorilla, chimp, or another ape. And they WANTED that whiplash. That’s what they were aiming for.

But…that’s the ONLY thing they were aiming for.

Ana got two comics, an Origins video, and a gameplay trailer. Doomfist got a news teaser, an Origins video, a hyped trailer, and a comic.

Wrecking Ball got a series of deliberately confusing teasers on twitter and then…an Origins video. And true, he did eventually get a gameplay trailer but…

Really not much else.

They were banking on the hype factor and it…lasted for a day.

Because this is what happens:

When you write hyped characters FOR THEIR OWN STORIES like Ana and Doomfist, you get characters that feel lasting, feel focused, and feel strong (from a writing perspective). Gameplay can be adjusted via number changes all the time, but a character that lingers, truly, is one that feels impactful all around, one that is grounded in the world, in their own histories, have immediate connections to the other characters.

Wrecking Ball, on the other hand, is pretty clearly a cobbling together of ideas that feel only loosely established. A chimpanzee could still have a strong story - you only need to see the Planet of the Apes to recognize that. Even a monkey could still have that element.

Instead, Wrecking Ball’s “strongest” point is his “cute shock value”. He cannot talk without an A.I. speaking for him. His identity is too “out there” so he keeps it hidden, which distances him from other characters. His timeline is a mess of bad sci-fi ideas and giant plot loopholes. From a story perspective, he presents no mystery or intrigue like Ana and Doomfist did. In fact, to me, the most interesting part about Wrecking Ball isn’t even HIM: it’s the discussion about the hypothetical connections and ethical issues surrounding Lucheng Interstellar, Harold Winston, and Moira.

I don’t…see these as excuses for him and his role, but as explanations. It reminds me that there ARE decisions being made “above” the story - corporate decisions, marketing decisions, merchandising decisions, business decisions. And that is something that all fans have to realize at some point. Again, it is different than critical consumption of media and different still from critiquing it.

It is fine to admire Blizzard for Retribution, or for Shooting Star, or for Honor and Glory, and on and on. And it is also fine to still acknowledge that they will make corporate-minded and merchandise-focused decisions. And it is fine still to acknowledge that a lot of these interplay to either work together (e.g. Retribution as a story, an event, a plot point, and a lootbox seller), or sometimes struggle when they aren’t cohesive.

here’s the whole list for hanzo!

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‼️ how jealous are they normally? how do they express it?

i wouldn’t say hanzo is jealous as much as i would say he’s possessive. he isn’t envious that you’re spending more time with someone else but he will make sure the other person knows you’re his. hanzo will show this by only referring to you as “his lover, partner, etc” when he speaks to the other person.

⛺️ where they would take their s/o on a trip?

he would love to take you to hanamura but since he’s left the family business, he doesn’t think it’s the safest option. rural japan is ideal for him, somewhere quiet with beautiful landscape.

💤 big spoon or little spoon? how do they sleep regularly and with their s/o in the bed?

hanzo isn’t big on cuddling when he needs sleep, however, if you pull his arm around you - he won’t object. regularly he sleeps on his back with his arms folded over his stomach. with someone else in the bed he will sleep on his side, hanzo will want to be closer to the door/window than you are so if someone breaks in he’ll be in a position to shield you.

🚼 do they want kids? how many?

the older shimada has complicated feelings on children. on one hand, hanzo feels that kids are a major liability and with how unstable his world is, the last thing he needs is a child to take care of. he has a hard enough time taking care of himself. his past actions also make him nervous that he may not be the best father. but deep down he does crave a domestic life where you and him raise one or two children together.

🤝 do they like to hold hands? interlocked fingers or not? how do their hands feel?

holding hands? with hanzo? in public? not likely. however, if the two of you are alone or you’ve coaxed him into it, he’ll hold your hand tightly. he won’t interlock fingers but he will keep a steady grip on you. hanzo’s hands are warm but rough, years of using a bow have given him his fair share of callouses.

🍽 how good of a cook are they? do they like to cook for their s/o?

hanzo likely grew up with maids or his mother cooking meals for him and genji. so the archer isn’t a good cook. he can do basic things like fry eggs or heat up soup but anything aside from that is risky to have him do.

💙 who’s more likely to say “I love you” first, them or their s/o?

his s/o. he’s a private man who bottles up his feelings. it will take him ages to come to terms with his feelings for you, so unless you’re dying and hanzo’s forced to say it - you’ll be the first to let him know. don’t be disheartened if he doesn’t reciprocate at first, he does love you but he may not think he deserves you.

❌ what can’t they stand in a s/o? what is a deal breaker?

liars. hanzo respects your privacy but do not lie to him. if you can’t/don’t want to tell him the answer just say that you aren’t comfortable telling him. if you lie to him it’s will be incredibly difficult to win back his trust.

☀️ early bird or night owl? do they wake their s/o up with them?

both. hanzo is the king of burning the candle at both ends. the archer runs on little to no sleep all the time. he’s restless and can be plagued with nightmares from killing genji. so not only is sleep evasive for hanzo, sleep is not always kind. he probably won’t wake you up with him but he’s not the type to let you sleep in either. if you aren’t up by 9:30, expect hanzo by your bedside commanding you to rise.

💐 how romantic are they?

hanzo came from a rich empire so he understands etiquette. does that mean he is often romantic? no. but if it’s your anniversary or birthday, he’ll spoil you.

💍 how would they propose? how long would they take?

it’ll take hanzo YEARS to propose but when he finally does he’ll probably take you on a vacation to some gorgeous remote mountainside. he’ll be very nervous but his stoic face will hide it well. while you’re hiking or stargazing he’ll get down on one knee.

👄 favorite place to kiss their s/o? favorite place to receive kisses?

hanzo likes kissing your forehead and palms. the occasional calf if your legs are sore. he likes it when you kiss his lips and arms.

💊 how needy are they when they’re sick? how do they take care of their s/o when they’re sick?

another man in complete denial when he’s sick. when he’s finally forced into bed he will deny your help. insisting that he’s fine on his own and doesn’t need any medicine. he certainly won’t take painkillers. just insist that the medicine will help the healing process along so he’ll be up and active sooner. when you’re sick hanzo refuses to let you out of bed, let alone the house. he’s taking care of you and that’s final. don’t even think about not eating all your soup.

🗣 how do they comfort their s/o? how do they like to be comforted?

hanzo doesn’t really give advice although he is a great listener. expect him to offer to threaten anyone who is unkind to you. also expect him to possibly disregard your pleas not to intimidate others. hanzo wants someone to hold his hand and wait patiently until he’s ready to speak. he doesn’t often want advice although he does want someone to validate his feelings and tell him that it’s okay to not be strong all the time. he may scoff at your validation but he knows it’s true and is thankful you’re saying it.

🗯 how protective are they? do they worry about their s/o often? what makes them nervous?

very protective. total mama bear. you will not mess with his s/o. hanzo worries that someone after him will harm you, hanzo also worries that you would try to sacrifice yourself for him - both thoughts unsettle him. hanzo will either train you himself or he will pay for self defense classes. non negotiable.

📖 how trusting are they? are they an open book? does it take their s/o a while to crack them open?

not very trusting at all. it takes a long time before hanzo will open up. to trust someone is to make yourself vulnerable in his mind. trust must also be a two way street for him, you have to trust him for him to even consider trusting you.

💓 what’s their love language (words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, physical touch)?

acts of service and words of affirmation is what makes hanzo feel loved. patching him up after a job, telling him you feel safe around him, and waiting patiently for him to open up - these are crucial things that hanzo needs from a significant other. hanzo needs reassurance that you truly love him despite his past and that you have faith in his future. acts of service and gift giving are how he expresses his devotion to you. while he needs you to verbally iterate your feelings for him, it can be very difficult for hanzo to express his feelings. so protecting you and providing for you is how he expresses his love.

💢 what is a fight with their s/o like? how do they apologize?

fighting with hanzo can be scary. he’s a very commanding, intimidating man - even more so when he’s upset. he will raise his voice and take a sharp tone. he’d never physically harm you or verbally abuse you but he may make you feel dumb for disagreeing with him. tell him you aren’t going to argue with him if he can’t control his tongue and he will stop. unless he is particularly out of line, he likely will not verbally apologize. he will try to compromise with you, be considerably kinder to you, and even bring you an apology gift.

👠 how good is their sense of fashion? do they have a favorite thing to see their s/o in?

again, hanzo grew up rich so he definitely knows how to dress. appearances are important when it comes to business deals and first impressions with potential allies. as for you, hanzo’s classic. he likes seeing his s/o in fancy clothing that accentuates your figure.

🎁 what kind of gifts do they give their s/o? what kind of gifts do they like receiving?

hanzo will give his s/o extravagant things like bouquets and jewelry. he will also give practical things like a security system for your home and a stun gun in case someone attacks you. hanzo likes receiving practical gifts like new arrows, medical equipment, and new boots.

❓one random headcanon i have about this character