Asian cultural details in Life is Strange: True Colors
Since March, I’ve been overjoyed that Alex Chen is the first Asian American protagonist of a Life is Strange game, and that multiple Asian actors and writers were involved in her story. After finishing the game, I wanted to go over the various details and references to Alex and Gabe’s Chinese-Vietnamese heritage found throughout the game (MAJOR spoiler warning!).
1. Alex’s plush mouse, Shu-Shu, is named after the Chinese character for mouse, Shǔ (鼠). Even the double name (”Shu-shu” instead of just “shu”) is a very Chinese convention for nicknames, like saying “kitty” instead of “cat.”
2. Alex’s apartment in Haven Springs has a hanging paper lantern next to the fridge and a rice cooker.
3. The shrine Alex sets up for Gabe includes a photo, teacups, incense, and a plate of oranges. Traditionally, oranges are seen as a symbol of good luck to honor the deceased.
4. While they are used more universally now (and was probably also a LiS2 reference), the sky lantern that Alex sets off also originated in China. The Chinese name, tiān dēng (天灯) directly translates to “sky lantern,” and they were historically used for military communication and in festivals along with funerals. Also, combined with the shrine, it becomes especially poignant that Alex still embraces Chinese traditions to honor Gabe’s memory. It shows that she still cherishes the cultural traditions that her parents taught her and that she’s reclaiming it in a positive way.
5. Alex’s “Purple Pocket” outfit has a visual reference to the Lucky Cat, or maneki-neko (招き猫). While Japanese in origin, the Lucky Cat is a popular ornament in both Chinese and Vietnamese households. Mrs. Chen also has a Lucky Cat keychain on her purse, and there’s a Lucky Cat statuette in their apartment.
6. In the kitchen of Alex’s childhood home, the row of sauces includes Sriracha, a Vietnamese chili paste. The other sauces appear to be cooking wine, hoisin/oyster sauce and chili oil. Because Alex mentions that her mom (who is Vietnamese) cooked with these sauces, it makes sense that they’re Vietnamese condiments.
7. Alex’s childhood apartment also includes a rice cooker, hanging scroll art with mountains and tigers, a hanging paper lantern, and porcelain vases with blue ink. These vases date back to the Tang and Song dynasty and use cobalt oxide to get that distinctive blue ink on the white porcelain.
8. Also in Alex’s childhood apartment, the calendar in the kitchen has the character fú (福) meaning “fortune” or “good luck.” During holidays like the Lunar New Year, it’s common to see decorations with fú written on it. It’s also on the paper lantern by the lucky cat. The characters for October, Shí yuè (十月), are on the lower page.
9. Finally, not exactly a cultural reference, but Alex’s mom kept her sewing kit in a butter cookie tin, which is quite common in immigrant households and among mothers and grandmothers everywhere :)
I was really so happy to see all these details, especially because this kind of representation is so rare in American games. It really added nuance to Alex and Gabe’s characters and everything was represented with such care and accuracy.
