II: Influences — Chapter 2

Summary

• The chapter begins with the introduction of Sam and Sadie’s protagonist in their game, Ichigo, a small child of no identified gender who faces a tsunami with a bucket and a shovel.
• Sam and Sadie have varying definitions of a successful game. To Sam, success is popularity; to Sadie, it’s about creating art.
• Sadie didn’t want to create a shooter game despite their popularity and felt that they could only create a 2D or 2½D game based on their resources.
• Initially struggling to come up with a game idea, Sadie and Sam finally have a breakthrough during a theater production, when they are inspired by a staged shipwreck.
• They decide that their character, Ichigo, will be lost at sea and the goal of the game is to find their way home. The character doesn’t strongly identify with any gender or nationality.
• Ichigo’s design and the game’s world are heavily influenced by Japanese references, leading to issues of cultural appropriation, which Sam stands by, stating that in his view, the alternative is cultural segregation.
• Sam helps Sadie move her things to Marx's apartment. During a dinner after Marx’s theater performance, it is revealed that Marx would act as the producer for the game, which Sadie finds out for the first time.
• A reactionary delving into Marx's backstory reveals his experience with racism and the limitations of being an Asian actor, which resulted in him changing his major from English to economics.
• Sam’s reminiscence of moving to Los Angeles with his mother in the summer of the Olympics ignites an emotional connection to the city for him, despite the superficial improvements made for the Olympic games.

• The chapter opens with a description of Koreatown, Los Angeles, where Sam spends his summer with his Korean grandparents, Dong Hyun and Bong Cha. He is astounded by the size of the ethnic enclave, the Korean-run businesses, and the sheer number of Korean people.
• The author discusses Sam's cultural identity. Depending on where he is, he is perceived differently - in Koreatown, he's seen as a white boy, versus being the "little Chinese kid" in Manhattan. However, being in Koreatown makes Sam aware of his Korean heritage.
• Sam and his mother, Anna, are the subject of family gossip and speculation upon their arrival in Los Angeles. The family is excited about their lives and prospects in the city. Sam spends his time playing Donkey Kong in his grandparents' pizzeria and feels a sense of peace while gaming.
• Sam turns ten on the day Mary Lou Retton wins the women's all-around gold medal in the Olympics. This synchronicity leads Sam to wonder about the nature of the universe, and he asks his mother philosophical questions about alternate realities and fate.
• One day, George, a man Sam recognises but can't immediately place, approaches Anna and Sam at lunch. George turns out to be Sam's father, an agent who Anna dated for six weeks before conceiving Sam, as Sam later learns from his mother's friend, Gary.
• George meets Sam for lunch, during which he acknowledges that Sam is half-Jewish because of him. He also mentions his wish for Sam to meet his girlfriend, who played a secretary in James Bond movie, and shows a desire to be more involved in Sam's life. George gives Sam a business card before he leaves with his grandmother.
• The chapter ends with Sam wondering about his identity, given that he's half-George. His grandmother assures him that he is a "100% perfect, good Korean boy".