By Emily Maskell

Copyright thepinknews

A post from Erika Ishii, Ghost of Yōtei’s lead voice actor, has resurfaced as gaming fans react to them stating that they are “Antifa.”

In July 2020, Ishii posted: “I’m antifa! So’s my wife!” With the upcoming release of the action-adventure game Ghost of Yōtei, and recent comments by Donald Trump, their post is being re-circulated online.

Earlier this week, US president Donald Trump vowed to designate Antifa a “major terrorist organisation”, despite the fact that the term doesn’t apply to any specific group.

Antifa, short for anti-fascist, refers to a broad movement of left-leaning organisations and grassroots groups which oppose fascism and far-right ideology including white supremacy and neo-Nazism.

Ishii identifies as queer and genderfluid. They have had a very successful voice acting career, contributing to The Last of Us Part II and Apex Legends. They have also made appearances in actual play web series, including L.A. by Night and Dimension 20.

The 2020 tweet was screenshotted and reshared by a user named @YellowFlashGuy on 18 September, with the caption: “The voice actor for PlayStation’s Ghost of Yōtei,” in an apparent attempt to stir up a right-wing backlash against Ishii. The account has previously criticised non-binary actor Bella Ramsay’s lesbian character in The Last of Us.

However, the plan – if that’s what it was – seems to have backfired, as another user on X (previously Twitter) quote-tweeted YellowFlashGuy’s original post with the comment: “I’m making sure to preorder it asap.” That quote tweet has since gone viral.

“I’m getting the game regardless. The voice actor doesn’t write the script or direct the game. What a sad thing for anyone to cry about,” another wrote.

Also, one other response reads: “Thanks for letting me know. Now I know to buy the game.”

The Anti-Defamation League states the label Antifa is “often misapplied to include all counter-protesters” and “persistent disinformation campaigns have dramatically affected the public perception” of the movement.

While declaring that he planned to designate Antifa a “major terrorist organisation,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account: “I am pleased to inform our many U.S.A. Patriots that I am designating ANTIFA, A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER, AS A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.”

What is Ghost of Yōtei and when is it coming out?

Ghost of Yōtei is a standalone sequel to 2020’s Ghost of Tsushima.

Following the initial game announcement, Ghost of Yōtei was branded “woke” because its main character is… a woman.

With a new protagonist, Atsu, the game takes place over 300 years after the events of Tsushima, in early 17th-century Hokkaido.

Ghost of Yōtei follows a third-person perspective and combines sword fighting, stealth, and exploration.

Ghost of Yōtei is scheduled to be released for the PlayStation 5 on October 2.