EiMiko vs Yaeyato
| Ship War | |
|---|---|
| ShipWar: | EiMiko vs Yaeyato |
| Date(s): | 2021 - Ongoing |
| Location: | Western Fandom - Twitter, TikTok and other platforms. |
| Fandom: | Genshin Impact |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
EiMiko vs Yaeyato is a shipwar in the Genshin Impact western fandom between supporters of two Yae Miko ships: the femslash ship EiMiko (Raiden Shogun/Yae Miko) and the het ship Yaeyato (Yae Miko/Kamisato Ayato).
Context
The EiMiko vs Yaeyato shipwar emerged within the Genshin Impact community following the introduction of the Inazuma nation. The exact origins of the conflict are unclear, as it is difficult to attribute the initial instigation to a single side. However, tensions escalated when EiMiko shippers perceived what they interpreted as lesbian coding in the relationship between the Raiden Shogun and Yae Miko. In response, EiMiko shippers took to social media platforms, asserting that any heterosexual ship involving Yae Miko was promoting lesbophobia and erasing the lesbian representation they believed to be present. This led to heated exchanges and online attacks directed towards Yaeyato shippers and their content.
EiMiko is considered canon by some shippers on the grounds that in the Genshin Impact world, exists a light novel where the two characters kiss published by Yae Miko's publishing company. This book however, has not been written by Yae Miko, confirmed by her in one of her dialogue lines but she knows of its existence. Yae Miko's voice actor has also referred to Ei as "Yae Miko's girlfriend".
The shipwar spilled over onto Twitter, where both tags, EiMiko and Yaeyato, experienced a constant influx of explicit and unrelated content, as well as disturbing images, suicide baits. Furthermore, on AO3, the EiMiko tag has been targeted by individuals who posted fanfiction labeled as EiMiko fluff, only for readers to discover that the content was explicit corrective rape fics and did not align with their expectations.[1] It is unclear whether this was made by Yaeyato shippers or not, as it could have been a troll trying to stir drama.
The Yaeyato ship has also been accused of being "proship" by EiMiko shippers, as Yae Miko isn't human, unlike Ayato. It is also been accused of only existing to spite lesbians.
Reactions
Some Yaeyato shippers, in response to the accusations made by some EiMiko supporters, argued that the characters' sexualities were not explicitly defined within the game's canon.
WHAT. THE. FUCK.As a lesbian, I would like to speak on that bizarre rant if I may. This is gonna be long. CW for mention of s//icide. Yaeyato shippers, or any m/f shippers for the most part don’t just ship m/f ships to be lesbophobic. Myself along with many other lesbians actually quite enjoy some of the m/f ships in Genshin, and were actually talked over—by non-lesbians—when we stood up for the m/f shippers being harassed. It’s incredibly insulting to compare someone shipping two characters with undefined sexualities to ‘oppression’. The ship is legal, the characters don’t have canon sexualities. Oppression is not seeing a ship you don’t like. It is not lesbian erasure if the character isn’t canonically a lesbian. Yes, it’s a popular head canon with Yae, but that’s all it is, a head canon. The anon tried their best to brush over the fact that a lot of m/f shippers have been being harassed—“the w/w shippers who SENT THREATS ‘had good intentions’”. Take it from someone on Twitter, threats are the very least of what m/f shippers get. The yaeyato tag was spammed with irl gore, nsfw, and s//cide baits. A few artists had their art “fixed”, too. I’m not sure how sending death threats and spamming tags with gore can be counted as “good intentions.” I very much hope you don’t condone the harassment. I’m ashamed of every one of these freaks who thinks How can straight people “take” the characters? Everyone can and does enjoy the characters in the way they like. Through shipping, whether it be gay or straight. Once again, NO ONE in Genshin has canon sexualities. I guarantee the people who like Ittosara and Jeanluc purely to be lesbophobic are few and far between. They’re cute ships, just as cute as Jeanlisa or Sara x the shogun. Also Jeanluc is my jam, so fight me. I can’t speak on behalf of bi folks, but a close friend of mine who is bi loves IttoSara and went through hell for it, so I could be wrong but there seems to be a bit of biphobia in the mix as well from what she told me. I’m getting tired of people comparing ships they don’t like to oppression. The ‘representation’ caters to no one and everyone, since no one has defined sexualities. “It’s stupid to compare death threats to oppression” no, it’s stupid to send gore and death threats to people over a ship. If you think someone shipping something that goes against your head canon is oppression, then you sure are privileged. I apologize if this is aggressive, but that post made me SO FUCKIN MAD. I love representation as much as the next lesbian, but this ain’t it. Harassing, doxing, threatening, all because of a character who’s not even confirmed to be a lesbian?! I’ve seen the argument that Yae is based off of a lesbian honkai character, but this is a completely different game. Yae can be straight, lesbian, bi, pan, ace, as can all of the Genshin characters, because none of them have confirmed sexualities. People like this just make us look bad. Yes there are some lesbophobes who ship m/f ships, absolutely. Some of the stuff I’ve seen is revolting. But honestly my heart goes out to anyone who experiences harassment over perfectly fine ships. I really don’t think it’s fair to say m/f ships exist to spite us lesbians or wlw shippers. From what I’ve seen yaeyato shippers and any ‘straight’ ships get a lot of hate, and comparing a freaking ship to oppression? Touch some grass, Anon. Bottom line, both wlw and m/f shippers are always getting harrassed by each other and I’m so fucking sick of it. Ship IttoSara. Ship KokoSara. Ship JeanLisa. Ship Jeanluc. Ship Eimiko. Ship YaeYato. But FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING UNDER THE FUCKIN SUN stop comparing harmless ships to the oppression we face. Trust me, we have much bigger issues to worry about than a ship not being gay. Once again the rage is targeted at that freak who made the ask. I’m very thankful to you for being a good ally and refraining from speaking on our issues.
—🍓https://www.tumblr.com/genshin-whumpact/680029721653837824/what-the-fuck-as-a-lesbian-i-would-like-to by anon ask on fctaines tumblr
Tiktoks
- Reply to @loveeimiko - A tiktok made by fearfanfic where they explain the EiMiko vs Yaeyato ship war in a humorous way.
- “It’s lesbphobic” no it’s not it’s a normal ship. “Proship” then so is eimiko according to your logic - Tiktok making fun of Yaeyato antis by wahenahik
- i thought i'm the most delusional person alive but the shippers of that demonic ship exist - Tiktok by EiMiko supporter calling Yaeyato shippers delusional for wishing it to be canon.
- Debunking anti-yaeyato comebacks - Tiktok that debunks EiMiko arguments by cloudyqtime