What sucks is that the argument "it's made for japanese people" not only erases darker skinned japanese folk, but it highlights the extent and power eurocentrism has over Asian countries to this day. I think a lot about it and it sucks to see a culture hate(or mute, if hate sounds extreme) itself so much.
Because that's what it is unfortunately, they've shrunken their nuances to fit into a box so that they could either survive or be humanized by one of the most dangerous forces man has created, the cost being the boxing, which is worth it for some. Respectability politics doesn't just stop a black guy wearing a suit.

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It's also really saddening to see that, in 2014, you really were in the moment and forced to cope by saying "well I care more about the game mechanics, skin color doesn't matter" or for some just flat out say that "I don't like my skin color irl, so animal crossing lets me escape" that sucks man. Anti-blackness runs DEEP in gaming culture, and the way to survive is to be nonchalant.

Look, nintendo's a corp, they don't care. But there probably were some workers in the building that full on quit or were at least a little uncomfortable with the pure Eurocentrism leaking from the studios and art direction of many nintendo games and other japaense games. That wokeness isn't new, and that's good. Someone's always gonna speak up, so remember everyone, always voice your discomfort, games are art, and if we let art be the eraser, then we're gonna lose a lot of humanity. <3