I've been lucky enough to get some paid work that I can't share yet so I haven't posted art in a while but I had to do something for the American Girl 40th anniversary. I have been reading these books since I was six years old and these girls have a huge place in my heart. All 20 historic girls in one place!
Over the past few weeks, I've received numerous comments, questions, and messages all centered around one topic: Why does my Zora OC have breasts when canon Zoras don't?
Though factually incorrect, the frequency that the question has been raised and the air of misogyny which often accompanies it has made it increasingly frustrating to see repeated in the comments of my personal art.
Because this misconception appears to stem largely from unfamiliarity with the series' history and character designs, I've decided to put together a brief overview of the long and surprisingly consistent history of Zora breasts within the franchise. My goal is not only to address the question once and for all, but also to provide context for newer fans who may not have been involved with the fandom for as long.
So, let's talk about Zora knockers.
The Downfall Timeline
Zora have been a part of The Legend of Zelda series since the release of the original game in 1986. Due to the technological limitations of the time, their appearance in early titles was ambiguous. However, the game's official instruction booklet describes them as "half-fish, half-woman," providing one possible insight into their intended design. [Citation]
Thankfully, clearer understanding of their appearance can be gained by examining later games within the Downfall Timeline where the Zora are depicted in greater detail while retaining many of the characteristics established in the series' earliest depictions.
One notable example is Queen Oren, the Zora Queen who appears in A Link Between Worlds. Oren is a distinctly full-figured character who features a prominent chest further emphasized by her shell-like bra. While her appearance is somewhat unique among the Zora seen in the Downfall Timeline, there is no indication within the game's canon that she is an exception to the species' biology.
Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask
The version of the Zora species most fans are familiar with today was introduced in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) and later expanded upon in its direct sequel, Majora's Mask (2000). These games established many of the visual and cultural traits that would come to define the Zora for years to come.
While the majority of named Zora characters featured in both titles are male, players are also introduced to two prominent female Zora characters: Princess Ruto, the heir to Zora's Domain in Ocarina of Time, and Lulu, the celebrated singer of the Indigo-Go's in Majora's Mask.
Notably, both characters are depicted with traditionally feminine body shapes, including prominent breasts. This is evident not only in their in-game models but also in official renders.
Twilight Princess
Twilight Princess was the best-selling game in the franchise until Breath of the Wild dethroned it in 2017. The game was widely praised for its striking visuals, compelling storyline, and more mature tone. But although it possesses many strengths, one stands far above the rest in this writer's admittedly biased opinion: Queen Rutella.
Despite her limited screen time, Rutela leaves a lasting impression. Her design is graceful and regal, while her role in the story is imbued with a quiet tragedy that makes her one of the series' most memorable supporting characters. (At least in my opinion 😊🩷)
More importantly for the purposes of this discussion, Rutela's design continues a visual tradition that had already been established by earlier female Zora.
Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom
The two most recent mainline entries in the franchise, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, are landmark titles whose influence can be seen throughout the gaming industry. Breath of the Wild in particular was celebrated for reinventing the traditional Zelda formula, embracing a level of player freedom and open-ended exploration not seen in the series since the original game.
Among its many innovations was a vast open world populated by a diverse cast of NPCs. This represented a particularly significant change for the Zora in particular, as in previous titles, most Zora NPCs shared a model. By contrast, Breath of the Wild introduced Zora with different body types, color palettes, silhouettes, ect- allowing players to recognize them as individuals and giving us a clear look at what constitutes the species' visual baseline.
And do you know what's included in that baseline?
That's right: boobs. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Female Zora throughout Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are routinely depicted with visible breasts of varying sizes. They are no longer reserved to important story characters. Once Nintendo finally moved beyond recycling a handful of generic models and began depicting the Zora as a diverse population, breasts became a standard feature of female Zora design.
And of course that's just npcs. Zora girls with more significant roles in the story (Mipha, Yona, Qia) share the same traits.
In Conclusion.
From the very beginning, Nintendo has consistently portrayed female Zora with visible chests as part of their character designs for three decades. The characters listed above are clear examples that breasts have been a recurring and intentional feature of female Zora depictions throughout the franchise's history- effectively proving that Zora may exhibit secondary sexual characteristics similar to those of humans.
This isn't new. So stop acting like it is, for the love of god 😭🙏
This is a direct continuation of that first avatar post since I heard all those comments about people wanting the other avatars, Roku, Kyoshi, Kuruk, and Yangchen, and I heard all their stories. They make me emotional, and I want so badly for them to be happy, especially Kuruk cause he was robbed and I love his story and want to explore it more.
I didn't set out to romance him so I never got this dialogue in game but I saw it in a youtube video and I wish I could've officially had this so bad so I just drew it lol
happy 20 year anniversary of Neil banging out the tunes!
though every rat is special, it's a wonderful and unusual thing for their accomplishments to be remembered and cherished by so many people so many years later. we're all so fortunate to know about the rat who banged out the tunes!
thank you to all the people who sent me reference photos of their beloved rats for this piece!!! credits under the cut!
@joe-spookyy Ben and Socrates
@gooseontheinternet Chamomile and Beefy
@runawayy-rat Bartholomäus and Emo
@theunholystromboli Macrogryphosaurus, Xenoceratops, and Graciliraptor
@techlecticwtch Solas and Dorian
@merlyn-bane Roslyn and Rizzoli
@logictoinsanity Luna and Buttercup
@hagsthehag Orphie, Psyche, Calypso, Ariadne, and Eury
A gift for my friend, @spookemsdukems of our lovey dovey characters together. I saw this image on my pinterest (it's under the cut) and immediately thought of her boy, Cardy (an owen x oc fankid), who sends anonymous letters and poetry to my girl, Béelia (my logan x oc fankid), before they get together 🥺💕 Happy Valentine's day to them 🥰
♡ Inspos + References ♡
And hehe, because I love sharing inspos for fashion, I'll share it here too 💕
I'm so In love with how her wedding fit turned outttt 😭😭💕💕💕 Ty to these beautiful ladies and the artists behind these photos and looks.
gummygunk
dailybridgerton
origamiaround
2087
blakekathryn
germansingergirl
