I’ve noticed that Zelda games often showcase themes like knights in armor, swords, spears, and castles, which are very much rooted in European medieval fantasy. But they don’t really focus on Japanese cultural elements like samurai or traditional Japanese settings. Why did the creators choose to use European fantasy as the main inspiration instead of Japanese themes?
5 Answers
Nintendo has made games using lots of different cultural settings, but Zelda’s unique medieval fantasy vibe just caught on worldwide. Even though it looks mostly European, there are hints of Japanese culture, especially with the ninja-like Sheikah clan. So it’s like a cool hybrid rather than strictly one or the other.
Honestly, a big part of it is just that European fantasy was popular and offered a rich mythos to draw from. The developers loved western fantasy stories and thought the mix of knights, magic, and castles made for a legendary world to explore. So it was both love for the setting and practicality of designing those visuals that led to Zelda’s style.
From what I recall, Miyamoto has said that the architecture and medieval European themes were easier to design and felt familiar thanks to western media influences. Plus, in the 80s, a lot of Japanese gaming culture was influenced by European fantasy styles like Dungeons & Dragons, which shaped games like Zelda and Final Fantasy.
The Zelda series draws heavily from European medieval fantasy mainly because that style of setting and imagery was really appealing and “cool” to the original Japanese developers. European castles, knights, and Christian-inspired themes felt exotic and interesting to them, which influenced the game’s aesthetic.
A lot of the Zelda world actually blends Western and Eastern elements. While the main vibe is European medieval, areas like Kakariko Village and clans like the Sheikah and Yiga are inspired by Japanese culture and ninja imagery. So it’s not purely European—there are subtle nods to Japanese traditions too!
Yeah, I always thought Kakariko felt more Japanese! Good point that it’s a mix.