Star Guardian Ahri is missing her whiskers

Ionian Vulpix·Aug 9, 2017·16 votes·33,180 views

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ATcoJ7f1GuM/WYntEt8GV1I/AAAAAAAAq8Y/QgZVbkFhy2MWr9UJePTwMkKCid6H9j1iQCLcBGAs/s1600/6.png

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fqkRGovnErM/WYoCfvCw1KI/AAAAAAAAq-o/_LqLfl3k3ogTjeHE4QiEpP-UdWzTth_4wCLcBGAs/s1600/DGuewo8UIAAMDCy.jpg

I realize it's not the biggest deal, especially given the quality of the skin, but I still feel the fox should have her whiskers. She has them in every other skin.

32 Comments

RiotRiotZeronisAug 9, 201713 votes

Hello, I'm the concept artist on Ahri. Great catch! This was a tough decision for sure. The whiskers were removed to make the thematic and her aesthetic to be stronger and powerful. We wanted her to feel regal/pristine and a step above season 1 guardians on an aesthetic level. We even thought of other markings like hearts or stars on her face but felt off balanced and distracting. This was discussed during pre-production and even during the production but ultimately the team felt this was the right decision. Thank you for the feedback.

Buffy432Aug 9, 20172 votes

{quoted}

Hello, I'm the concept artist on Ahri. Great catch! This was a tough decision for sure. The whiskers were removed to make the thematic and her aesthetic to be stronger and powerful. We wanted her to feel regal/pristine and a step above season 1 guardians on an aesthetic level. We even thought of other markings like hearts or stars on her face but felt off balanced and distracting. This was discussed during pre-production and even during the production but ultimately the team felt this was the right decision. Thank you for the feedback.

Makes sense, but it's kind of weird she still has a fox nose then?

MVPantiesAug 9, 201717 votes

{quoted}

Hello, I'm the concept artist on Ahri. Great catch! This was a tough decision for sure. The whiskers were removed to make the thematic and her aesthetic to be stronger and powerful. We wanted her to feel regal/pristine and a step above season 1 guardians on an aesthetic level. We even thought of other markings like hearts or stars on her face but felt off balanced and distracting. This was discussed during pre-production and even during the production but ultimately the team felt this was the right decision. Thank you for the feedback.

I'm not trying to be rude, but I don't understand how whiskers would result in the removal of "stronger and powerful" from the skin. Her stance and VO alone already do that.

The fox-like features (ears, whiskers, tails) are synonymous with Ahri - Arcade Ahri didn't have the whiskers on her splash art, but was later added due to this.

Maybe it's because the ears, whiskers, and tails are on every Ahri skin that it just very noticeable when it's missing.

Valor BotAug 9, 20175 votes

I think I understand why; Ahri's whiskers are usually textured on which gives the appearance of face paint. That of course has the unwanted side effect of making her look younger and more childlike, which removes a sense of maturity and adulthood from her appearance.

Lotus StormAug 9, 20176 votes

Not just that actually but in her lore its confirmed that the more "Power"/"Souls" she absorbs into her right? Make's her less fox like by just the slightest slightest eachtime Sooo one could in fact argue that she has taken so many souls along with being a star guardian thus speeding up the process making her look a little more human then usual. Now of course you can argue "WELP if she's so damn powerful why isn't she human?" To which My thought process on that is..she is still Ahri, it's theoretically possible after being a star guardian she doens't desire as many souls and sustains her own well of power via the star light thus well she has become more human she still retains her vastayan core traits. OR simple answer "it still has to be Ahri." But all i'm arguing in this stance isn't so much as common sense of "why" but more of a "Cause" if were talking lore/story sense why she doesn't have whiskers. Hope this make's sense [slayer-jinx-catface]

Linna ExcelAug 9, 20176 votes

Well, at least it is something you can add back in later relatively easily if you change your mind.

I think she looks better with the whiskers, but I understand why you'd take them out.

Ionian VulpixAug 9, 20175 votes

Thank you for the reply, but I still don't fully understand how her whiskers would make her look any less regal. She's still at least part fox and it just feels weird to see her face without it. Maybe it's just because I'm so used to seeing them on every other skin.

I don't have a PBE account, but if it garnered enough attention there, is there any chance they could be added? Or could the playerbase possibly see how she would look with her whiskers and decide if she looks better with or without them?

Sinister FoxAug 9, 20173 votes

The skin looks amazing and we all appreciate the work you've put into it! But, I believe giving her a different than usual more bright color for her whiskers would not really be distracting while keeping her in character.

This fanart that I saw today: (http://orig00.deviantart.net/221c/f/2017/221/0/3/sg_ahri_by_littleasahina-dbjgkap.png ) gave her a low opacity white whiskers which in my opinion are really well fitting while not being distracting or out of character and it fits well with her SG outfit.

Lotus StormAug 9, 20172 votes

Can I suggest adding some color cycling into her tails? I feel it would be really fitting for Star guardian to be all color phasing along with the sparkles. I'm not talking anything on the level of Arcade, but I mean like maybe having a for a lack of better word "Breath" effect of the tails changing different shades of pink? x3 ..Also unrelated is it me or is Ahri literally Kyubey mixed with Mami? Fox with great power, and a dark back story loosing her past friends? She's either Mami or Sayaka. Or whatever her name was the red one it's been a few years since I watched peulla magi madoka magica sorry~ [slayer-jinx-wink]

SG XilerthAug 10, 20173 votes

Well, how will be the next? returning lee sin eyes? Me and big part of the comunity (future buyers or not) think that ahri need the whiskers because is part of her. I don't want to think you would to cut your cat's whiskers because he look immature for this dress.

#ReturnAhriWhiskers

SG XilerthAug 10, 20171 votes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiskers

TihealyAug 21, 20171 votes

{quoted}

Hello, I'm the concept artist on Ahri. Great catch! This was a tough decision for sure. The whiskers were removed to make the thematic and her aesthetic to be stronger and powerful. We wanted her to feel regal/pristine and a step above season 1 guardians on an aesthetic level. We even thought of other markings like hearts or stars on her face but felt off balanced and distracting. This was discussed during pre-production and even during the production but ultimately the team felt this was the right decision. Thank you for the feedback.

" The whiskers were removed to make the thematic and her aesthetic to be stronger and powerful."

So removing something from someone make them even more powerful? I guess you guys could do a little lore about this skin, that show Ahri "sacrifice" her whiskers(temporary) to unlock the Star Guardian's power.

The ruler of stars(the one who gave the powers to the Guardian Star(Ezreal, Lux, Ahri, Jinx, MF,Poppy, and hopefully soon Urgot) asked in return a sacrifice from Ahri.

"Now Ahri, it is your turn to sacrifice something."

Ahri's mind was preoccupied by this hard decision. She had to sacrifice a part of her to gain a new power to help her defeat the enemies. At last, her nose twitched and her whiskers moved along. Ahri decided to sacrifice her whiskers.

"Very well." The ruler of stars rise his fingers and touch Ahri's whiskers. She felt an astronomous amount of energy within her whiskers and now stored within her body.

"From this point, each time you call upon the power of the Star Guardian(by touching your whiskers), your whiskers will retract within your skin, and unlock the power of the Star Guardian. After the battle, the power of the Star Guardian will be stored back within your body, and your whiskers will grow back."

"I, the ruler of star, declare Ahri as a Star Guardian!"

Ahri felt stronger than before. (gooooo Zeo).

"Great powers come with sacrifices."

I do not know about the lore of the skin, or the lore of Star Guardians. But hopefully, you get the idea.

PS: I know, my english is most likely the worse that you've seen... But hopefully you can understand the meaning of the message.

RansoraAug 29, 20172 votes

{quoted}

Hello, I'm the concept artist on Ahri. Great catch! This was a tough decision for sure. The whiskers were removed to make the thematic and her aesthetic to be stronger and powerful. We wanted her to feel regal/pristine and a step above season 1 guardians on an aesthetic level. We even thought of other markings like hearts or stars on her face but felt off balanced and distracting. This was discussed during pre-production and even during the production but ultimately the team felt this was the right decision. Thank you for the feedback.

Please do hearts instead of whiskers! Like Star from Star vs the Forces of Evil!

HanaKimiAug 9, 20175 votes

She looks kinda off without it. Just imagining a whisker-less Ahri splash makes me feel uncomfortable since we're so used to seeing her with them.

mkynerAug 9, 20173 votes

Even her animal companion is lacking whiskers...

KuroCaliberAug 9, 20172 votes

I mean, lulu and Poppy are human in their too.

PlacentasAug 9, 20174 votes

But ahri has a tail, she isn't human in this skin, she still looks Vastayan. The yordles at least look like children.

HäxelAug 9, 20172 votes

but yea, ofc. without tail you definetly couldn't tell if this champ is ahri. this is for clarity.

EvhelAug 9, 20173 votes

That's the problem with this new skins, in my opinion. Ezreal and Syndra aside, they are too far away from their base characters. A skin MUST be different, it's its purpose, but if it's too different, or lacks the elements that characterize a champion i don't feel like i'm even playing that champ.

Moonboy65Aug 9, 20172 votes

skins are from different parallel universe, they aren't canon...

HäxelAug 10, 20174 votes

yea. i think pugmaw got rly hard critisized especialy for this reason.

StormFox1989Aug 10, 20172 votes

I myself prefer it this way without the whiskers.

Midnight used to not have them and it was definitely a reason I first liked that skin. Even now with all the other skins, I still use it regularly.

I'm not bothered by whiskers being there, but like it better without. Maybe that's just me.

WolfHuntGAug 10, 20172 votes

Not to be rude, but riot already ruined Ahri's personality , some whiskers won't bring her back. Everyone from the community that isn't an ahri main hates this skin because of the bitchy attitude, and overall as an ahri main it's painfull to see how everyone hates her. Everywhere, from comments on youtube or reddit, people are complaining about how stupid her VO is. I've wanted new voice lines for ahri for a looong time, but I didn't want this. It was not enought that ahri was considered a whore, now she's a annoying whore. It's the sad truth

ZoweeAug 12, 20172 votes

Honestly, it just feels so weird to see Ahri without whiskers. I feel like I'm just looking at some girl with tails, maybe a cosplay? Idk lol. My point is, the whiskers are a part of her identity. Please don't take that away. The VO is also super... ugh? Like I know hard work and time was put into it but as an Ahri main, I'm super disappointed... as are a lot of people, Ahri mains or not. She just seems like some cocky teenager. Super bitchy. Hearing the voice for the first time made me not even want to buy it even if I love everything else about the skin (for the most part, aside from the lack of whiskers). And I get that star guardian skins aren't supposed to be sultry/sexy (even though that is part of Ahri's personality), but this hasn't hit the nail on cute or interesting.. or anything it was trying to be anyways. Maybe there was supposed to be some idea of her being one of those popular rude girls in high school who knows they're pretty but uhhHHhhhHhhHH not a fan.

Blaze Wolf891Aug 14, 20172 votes

Funny thing is. She's actually shown/given that attitude visible in Academy Ahri as well. They imply she's like that. -shrugs- They show her with her cell phone and is the "popular girl" in high school xD

Blaze Wolf891Aug 14, 20172 votes

Ahri not having whiskers is actually her missing a good portion of her identity. The whiskers is a crucial part it's like Harry Potter missing his Scar. It's pretty essential. It's what defines her as a 9 tailed fox. It's been on Ahri for the longest time and definitely is a factor that should be added to SG. Bring the Whiskers back please! Ahri

SkiasAug 15, 20172 votes

She seems. Blank. She's like a generic NPC on her model. Her face really bothers me.

F0ΧAug 18, 20171 votes

i totally agree with you ..her face is aweful ..i hope they do something about that ..

Nagisa MomoeAug 12, 20171 votes

This hit the nail on why i felt something was off about her, i love the skin and everything about it but while starring at her face i couldnt help but feel like something was missing lol. If they decide to add it, it would be nice to correlate to the whole fox part but if they dont choose to its fine and understandable.