Shulk

Shulk is a fictional character from Monolith Soft's 2010 role-playing video game Xenoblade Chronicles, part of their overarching Xeno series of video games. Shulk gained an increase in attention and popularity upon his inclusion in Nintendo's 2014 cross-over fighting games Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.

Conception and creation
Tetsuya Takahashi, creator of the Xeno series, Xenoblade Chronicles, and Shulk, states that his primary motivation in creating Shulk was to make a more likable and relate-able protagonist than in most Japanese role-playing video games. Xenoblade featured a prolonged, four year development cycle dating back to 2006, where Takahashi states that, while the game went through many changes, the over-arching plot following Shulk remained largely the same. Takahashi's personal belief was that the more negative, jaded JRPG character-type leads the player to resent them due to the emotional investment required to complete such long games. Takahashi worked with anime writer Yuichiro Takeda on Shulk's creation. Takeda felt that the easiest way to make Shulk likeable would be to make him be a silent protagonist. Takahashi rejected this idea, feeling that it hurt the character's ability to "resonate with the player". In the end, Takahashi went in the opposite direction, making Shulk's positive interactions and words of encouragement, especially in battle, a focus of the game. Takahashi tried to make Shulk react as much like he thought game players would react to the scenarios. He even took advantage of Nintendo's in-house team of debuggers, the "Super Mario Club", whose feedback assured Takahashi that he was on the right track for his goal.

In English-speaking versions of the game, Shulk is voiced by Adam Howden. He was given instructions on how to portray Shulk, largely that he should have a neutral English accent, intelligent, "not posh", and fierce when necessary. Howden was never given a full-script of the game, something done on purpose so that he could more realistically sound surprised at the game's various plot-twists. He was, however, informed of the story progression shortly before he would have to voice it, as to not have him sound baffled all the time either.

In Xenoblade Chronicles
Shulk's first and primary appearance was as a character in the game Xenoblade, which was released in 2010 in Japan, 2011 in Europe, and 2012 in North America. Shulk is an 18 year old "Hom" - the game's fictional world's equivalent of a human. Shulk is the primary protagonist of the game, who is portrayed more as favoring "brains over brawn". Having lost his parents 14 years prior during an expedition, Shulk lives in Colony 9, one of only two remaining Homs settlements, studying the very powerful Monado, a sword that only a select few can wield. The story follows Shulk's quest to defend his homeland from the merciless mechanical creatures called Mechon after they attack Colony 9, with Shulk himself becoming the Monado's new wielder. The Monado allows Shulk to see brief glimpses into a potential near future, which he is able to alter should he figure it out prior to it occurring. It serves as both a plot device and a gameplay mechanic in battles. Much of the game encompasses Shulk's struggle to understand his visions and interpret a way to change them for the better, while fending off the invading Mechon and trying to figure out the sword's origin and hidden capabilities.

In other media
Shulk was first publicly revealed at E3 2009 in the first trailer for Monado: Beginning of the World - the working title for the game that would become Xenoblade Chronicles. In 2013, Monolith Soft and Nintendo announced a spiritual sequel to Xenoblade Chronicles titled Xenoblade Chronicles X. At the end of a 2013 trailer for the game, journalists have noted a character that looks very similar to Shulk, though he has not been announced as being part of the game in any other capacity yet. In August 2014, Shulk was announced as a playable character in Nintendo's crossover fighting game series Super Smash Bros., being playable in both Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. A new version of Xenoblade Chronicles was also announced for Nintendo's New Nintendo 3DS at the same time, with Shulk reprising his role as the main protagonist. In November 2014, it was announced that Shulk would receive his own Amiibo as well.

Reception
Shulk received mixed reception as the main character of Xenoblade Chronicles. Katharine Byrne of Nintendojo strongly praised the intricate exploration of Shulk wrestling with the philosophical issues of being able to see the future, stating that "players are treated to a delicate and nuanced exploration of Shulk’s difficulty in dealing with these visions... when Shulk quickly learns that he can’t bend the future to his will just because he has the gift of foresight." Phil Kollar of Game Informer stated that, on a surface level, Shulk's character could be seen as "annoying," but that he ultimately became an enjoyable character due to good writing and voice acting. Conversely, some reviewers complained of him being too plain. Destructoid reviewer Jim Sterling complained that Shulk lacked personality, stating that he was little more than "vanilla reactionar[y] with only vague snatches of individuality," and otherwise blended in to the rest of the cast too much. Similarly, Jason Schreier of Kotaku referred to Shulk as a "personality-less, unequivocally bland warrior" who "makes other JRPG heroes look like Marlon friggin' Brando."

Shulk was praised as a good addition to the Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U fighter roster. However, critics were mixed in regards to his actual use as a fighter. GamesRadar felt that the sword customization mechanics found in Shulk's Monado made him a strong choice, while USGamer felt that his customization options being labeled in kanji made him a rather difficult character to play as in the game.