Did you notice these 8 #ProudlyPinoy things from VALORANT’s Agent Neon trailer?
Don’t you just love it when Filipinos are properly represented in series, movies and games? Aside from the recent #PinoyPride appearance in a Spider-Man movie, we’re also getting a Manila-born agent in VALORANT – a 5v5 multiplayer first-person shooter game from Riot Games, this 2022!
Meet Neon, the game’s newest agent who can move as fast as lightning, shoot sparks, and create what seems to be walls of energy (or fire) based on the newest trailer dropped by VALORANT on their YouTube channel. The almost-three-minute trailer gives players a sneak peek at the new character’s moves and personality, and we just can’t help but pin-point all the #ProudlyPinoy elements in the video:
1. Agent Neon speaks Filipino
As any Filipino should, Agent Neon speaks Filipino! Within the first minute of the trailer, you’ll already hear her sigh “Hay, buhay! (Sigh, such is life!)” – a typical phrase Filipinos like to say when we’re faced with challenges, bored, or tired (or all of the above). After getting hit, she even kept murmuring “Kontrolado ko ‘to (I’m in control)” before going berserk!
Hearing these made us wonder what Filipino phrases could possibly get added into the game. That would be cool, right?
2. She was born in Manila but loves the beach
According to the video’s description, Neon is Manila-born but we can’t help but notice how much she loves the beach… just like any Manila girl who wants to escape city life. She has tropical plants on every corner, a photo of a dog on the beach, and a video of a sun setting by the beach. We love her aesthetic!
3. She probably a basketball fan (spot that “Pilipinas” #5 jersey!)
Too early to say but my bet is that she’s probably a basketball fan who frames her idol’s jersey just like how we go all out when we fangirl over athletes in the Philippines. A blue Pilipinas 5 jersey also hints that she could be a Gilas Pilipinas Norwood or Tenorio fan. Neon even has a basketball and a hoop inside her room.
Plus, spot a second jersey with a “Bonifacio 19” print on her bed! Can’t wait to see how she’s going to dunk her way into battle.
4. She exudes morena girl power
In case you haven’t noticed: Neon is a strong morena girl who needs no gluta. Her awesome look was created by Riot Games game designer Ryan Cousart.
5. She’s an Ylona Garcia fan
Aside from Filipino-Australian singer Ylona Garcia’s “Entertain Me” on full blast, Neon also has Ylona’s posters on the wall. That’s something a true fan would do and boy, agent Neon sure knows who to stan!
6. She can sing with literally anything
Filipinos are known for being great singers and performers and no chore can stop us from singing our hearts out. In Neon’s case, she can use anything as her microphone – from her toothbrush to her vacuum cleaner. Someone give her a karaoke with microphone, please.
7. She owns a walis tambo
Despite having a vacuum cleaner, Neon still has a walis tambo – a whisk broom made of reeds, that is very visible as you walk through the door. She sure knows her roots!
8. She’s voiced by Vanille Velasquez, a Filipina voice actor
A Pinoy character deserves a Pinoy voice actor, so Riot Games got talented voice actor Vanille Velasquez onboard. According to one of Velasquez’s recent Twitter posts, Riot Games even gave her “almost free reign in improvising Tagalog for Neon”.
We can’t wait to see Neon sprint onto the scene soon! We’ll hear more from Agent 19 once she officially gets added into the game on January 11, 2022. For now, did we miss any other Filipino element from the trailer? Let us know in the comments section below!
For updates on our latest discoveries within (and outside) the Metro, don’t forget to follow Manila Millennial on Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram. Keep safe, everyone!