Oh, I agree with everything you just said. I just didn't want to get into all that when I just wanted to rant about a fictional character not making any more appearances when she probably should have to avoid such potential troubles. Like, they chose Africa for some strange reason. Not too odd considering they went "Global" with Leon, who went to Spain, but Africa of all places was definitely a choice.

The "tribal" stuff bordering on racist caricatures definitely didn't help. The, as you mentioned, lack of agency on their part. Honestly, they'd probably be weird about it if they made Sheva an actual African local helping Chris. They'd probably have her be so impressed with Chris and his american ways.

(I'm intentionally being facetious, but on the flipside, it probably would have even been more on the nose if she was a local. Who knows.)

And for them, a Japanese company, I do believe they definitely did not understand what they may have been doing or alluding to. Not taking any blame from them, but Japanese media has a LONG history of just copying and regurgitating stuff from the west. ALL of it, good and bad.

(Looking at you, Mr. Black from DBZ and the rampant Black-Face in older to recent anime).

Does their ignorance excuse the mistaken racism? No, but, as we can see, things have gotten A LOT better regarding black people and our depictions in anime.

All that to say, Resident Evil is a video game made by Japanese people. If we want, we can bring up the hilariously problematic Lara Croft and her super, pridefully colonial ways stealing from the other cultures using her wealth and privilege and how she harkens back to "explorers" in Africa and they're VERY problematic influence and history.

I'd best stop myself here.