Nintendo is known for its cheery, colorful, can-do characters. After all, Nintendo’s stated mission is “to put smiles on the faces of everyone we touch.” But where there is light, there must also be darkness, so, yes, Nintendo has occasionally dipped into goth subculture for its vast array of characters.
For Fangsgiving, we’re recognizing Nintendo’s most goth contributions to video game culture, from mall goth to gothic lolita to witchy goth and everything in between (meaning that there are cartoon dogs on this list too). And don’t worry, Waluigi is represented here.
Muffy, Cherry, and Roscoe from Animal Crossing
While it’s certainly possible that Isabelle has a dark streak and trades her knitwear for leather and latex, there are some out and avowed lovers of the night in the world of Animal Crossing. Muffy the black sheep embraces the gothic lolita look with her black house, a nearly all-black interior, and the oh-so-goth catchphrase “nightshade.” Cherry the dog, meanwhile, sports a black spiderweb tee and matching umbrella across her Animal Crossing appearances, giving off mall goth vibes. Roscoe the horse, who leans more into punk rock aesthetics, cements his goth status by keeping his living space blacked out — including the ultimate goth accessory, the black throwback skull radio.
Agitha from The Legend of Zelda
Let’s call Agitha “quirky goth.” First appearing in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess — big overall goth vibes with the whole Twili race— Agitha is a big fan of bugs and gothic lolita accessories, like a delicate parasol. But Agitha’s most goth personality aspect is her affection for Wolf Link; you can see her making that (instead of butterfly collecting) her whole personality in an alternate reality. Agitha’s pretty colorful as far as goth palettes go, but she’s clearly goth at heart.
Lash and Adder from Advance Wars
If you’re aligned with the Black Hole army in the ongoing Advance Wars conflict, odds are good you’re goth. But two commanders, Lash and Adder from Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising are the series’ most goth baddies*. Adder in particular, who is decked out in black, purple, and heels, gives off real annoying goth guy vibes, who is clearly trying too hard when he says stuff like “The look of terror on your face… It’s absolutely delicious!” But Lash is a pure goth gremlin, a sadistic and overstimulated battle commander.
* Note: Tabitha from Advance Wars: Days of Ruin is exceedingly goth too, but feels less of an outlier in a game that’s an incredibly dour take on the otherwise cheerful Advance Wars series.
Annie from Splatoon
Annie the anemone from the Splatoon series is somewhat unique among Nintendo’s goth roster: We get to see her evolve into a goth. In the original Splatoon, Annie is presented as more of a PLUR-lifestyle raver. She’s decked out in fluorescents and proudly shows off her pink and green hair. But after discovering gothic metal music prior to her appearance in Splatoon 3, Annie has traded her colorful cardigan for a black one and now wears a black leather cap to cover her (newly desaturated) locks. Annie gives off introspective goth vibes.
Tharja from Fire Emblem
Given the wide array of Fire Emblem characters who lean dark, why Tharja? Well, she’s a dark mage, for one and tells Fire Emblem Awakening’s Chrom “Death comes to all of us eventually.” and “I have a bit of a rebellious streak, I’m afraid. A…dark side.” Tharja’s also a fan favorite, almost as if she were designed explicitly for the Fire Emblem player who has aspirations of dating a goth girlfriend. (Fire Emblem pandering?! It couldn’t be.)
Waluigi (Vampire)
Who else is dressing up like a vampire in Mario games? Pretty much just Waluigi and Wario. And for the latter, it feels like a gag. For Waluigi, it reads more like embracing a lifestyle. The goth lifestyle.
Ashley from WarioWare
Ashley from the WarioWare series is a witch who’s friends with an imp. She wears a skull-shaped golden brooch, has long black hair, and is described as lazy and quick to anger. As a character who feels very Wednesday coded, she’s definitely on the goth spectrum.
Gothita, Gothitelle, and Gothorita from Pokémon
This one’s pretty obvious. The Gothita evolution line literally has “goth” in the name of its full evolution, and Game Freak was clearly playing into gothic lolita fashion when designing Pokémon Black and White. And while one might presume that Gothita and its descendants are Dark-types, they are Psychic-type. Further evidence of gothiness? Gothorita is known colloquially as the Witch of Punishment. So dark!
Honorable Mention: Bayonetta
While Bayonetta is technically a Sega property, Nintendo stepping in to publish the most recent Bayonetta games (and her inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a top-tier character) warrants her inclusion on the list as an honorable mention. Plus, what list of goth video game characters would be complete without the ultimate goth mommy witch?
