Meiyuan in Shadow Hearts

Meiyuan is a traveling Chinese acupuncturist in Shadow Hearts (2001), who is described in the game as “an expert acupuncturist. He raises weapons proficiency. Strange, but he is the master of this field. He likes good-looking men” (in-game description, quoted here and here). When he performs acupuncture on female party members, their responses are unremarkable, but the male characters’ responses indicate that he attempts to have sex with them instead of performing acupuncture (responses listed here). Only the character Keith Valentine responds positively to his acupuncture session, though what happened during the session is ambiguous: “Ah, so that’s how you do it…What a strange ritual. I must learn to do this.” The other male characters verbally protest and “have their Sanity Points drop to 0 during sessions with Meiyuan.”

Meiyuan is also referenced in Shadow Hearts: Covenant as one of the possible “beefcake” cards the player can give Magimel brothers (shown in this video).

LGBTQ  references in this game:  

Meiyuan in Shadow Hearts

Magimel brothers in Shadow Hearts: Covenant (2001)

Joachim Valentine in Shadow Hearts: Covenant (2004)

Gerard and Buigen in Shadow Hearts: From the New World (2005)

Citations:

  1. Andriyenko, A. (n.d.). Shadow Hearts Meiyuan. PAH. Retrieved from http://www.pahnation.com/shadow-hearts-meiyuan/
  2. Dengarde. (2007, November 17). Shadow Hearts II Directors Cut: Mr. Meiyuan Card. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hs1obT2sUM
  3. Keith Valentine. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://shadowhearts.wikia.com/wiki/Keith_Valentine
  4. LGBT characters in video games. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_characters_in_video_games
  5. Meiyuan. (n.d). Retrieved from http://shadowhearts.wikia.com/wiki/Wanderer_Meiyuan
  6. Meiyuan. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://judgement-ring.com/characters/shadow-hearts-characters/meiyuan
  7. Video Game: Shadow Hearts. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/VideoGame/ShadowHearts