Mavuika

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Mavuika
Genshin Impact character
Genshin Impact Mavuika.png
Promotional artwork of Mavuika
First game Genshin Impact (2024)
Voiced by
In-universe information
AliasHaborym
WeaponClaymore
Home Natlan
ElementPyro

Mavuika ( /maʊwiːkə/ mow-WEE-kə; Chinese :玛薇卡; pinyin :Mǎwēikǎ) is a fictional character in the video game Genshin Impact, developed by miHoYo. The character first appeared in the game's Version 5.0 update and became playable in January 2025.

Contents

Mavuika was originally a commoner from the fictional nation of Natlan. Five hundred years prior to the game's events, she won the role of Pyro Archon in a tournament and thus became Natlan's ruler. She led Natlan's tribes in resisting an invasion which decimated the continent of Teyvat. However, during the process she was forced to sacrifice herself by drawing on the power of death to quell the invasion, postponing the war until she was revived five hundred years later. With the help of the protagonist Traveler and allies, she led Natlan to victory against the Abyss.

Mavuika's skin tone has been criticized, and her depiction ingame as a motorcycle rider got mixed responses. As a character that embodies both humanity and divinity, [a] her portrayal in the story has been well received by critics and fans. Her combat playstyle also drew widespread praise: she can serve as both a main damage dealer (DPS) and a support attacker, and her considerable strength has also been praised.

Creation and design

Chrissy Costanza, pictured, sung the English version of Mavuika's promotional song, "Blazing Heart" Against The Current 04-24-2017 -37 (35065765695).jpg
Chrissy Costanza, pictured, sung the English version of Mavuika's promotional song, "Blazing Heart"

Mavuika first appeared in the story trailer "A Name Forged in Flames", which focused on the fictional nation of Natlan. The trailer also announced her voice actor and character design. [4] She later appeared as a non-player character in the game's main storyline with the release of version 5.0. [5] miHoYo unveiled her character illustration on November 24, 2024, confirming that she would become a playable character in the future. [6] The next month, miHoYo released Mavuika's promotional video "Mavuika: A Light Through Time". [7] They also produced a music video, "Blazing Heart", which showed her combat capabilities. [8] The song was released in Chinese, Japanese, English and Korean versions. The English version was performed by American singer Chrissy Costanza. [9] [10] The Korean version is sung by Miyeon of the K-pop group i-dle. [11] The Chinese and Japanese versions are sung by singer Tia Ray and the character's Japanese voice actress, Mikako Komatsu, respectively. [3] [12]

Mavuika officially became a playable character with the release of version 5.3 on January 1, 2025. [13] Offline, the company held themed pop-up events titled "Stand with Mavuika" in several countries, featuring game demos, lotteries, and merchandise sales. [14] [15] At one event in Taiwan, a custom-painted motorcycle themed around Mavuika was publicly displayed for the first time. [16] [17] [18] Chinese influencer Mi Fei cosplayed Mavuika at one of the events in Taipei, interacting with attendees and taking photos with them. [19] [20] [21]

Mikako Komatsu, pictured here in 2016, provides the Japanese voice for Mavuika. [(Er Dai Mu huankiruXian Sheng -39)] mikakoshiDeng Chang !Yi Zhou Nian Te Bie Qi Hua 2 [(Xiao Song Wei Ke Zi )] (2).jpg
Mikako Komatsu, pictured here in 2016, provides the Japanese voice for Mavuika.

Regarding her voice acting, Mavuika's Japanese voice actress is Mikako Komatsu. [2] [22] In an interview with Weekly Famitsu , Komatsu revealed that during her first recording session, the production team did not immediately have her perform official lines, but instead tested her acting direction through trial recordings of a few lines to fine-tune the character's image—a process she noted was quite rare in voice acting. Throughout recording, she referred to the character's artwork and design notes while discussing with staff and experimenting with her delivery, gradually shaping the character's image. [23] Since Genshin Impact records voice lines progressively with the storyline, Komatsu adjusted her performance as the narrative developed; she highlighted that although Mavuika's youthful, dignified vocal tone did not fundamentally change, as the story advanced she deliberately added a sense of maturity to reflect the burdens the character carried over the years. [23] Mavuika's Chinese, English and Korean voice actresses are Li Ye  [ zh ], [1] Katiana Sarkissian, [2] and Kim Na-yul, respectively. [3]

Appearances

Appearing in action role-playing gacha game Genshin Impact in 2025, Mavuika was originally an ordinary human from Natlan. Five hundred years prior to the game's events, she won the seat of Pyro Archon (Natlan's head of state) via a victory at a warriors' tournament, taking the Gnostic name "Haborym". When the Abyss (one of the main antagonist groups in the game) swept through Teyvat, they invaded Natlan's Night Kingdom, the mystical location governing the cycle of life and death for the Natlanese. Mavuika led Natlan's people in a fierce struggle against the Abyss, eventually driving the Abyss from the surface of Teyvat. However, the Abyss still relentlessly invaded the Night Kingdom, a threat that demanded the strength of all of Natlan to repel, and it became necessary for Mavuika to utilize the power of the divine throne of Pyro Archon to conquer it. After long years of war, the people of Natlan were exhausted and weak, unable to sustain another campaign against the Abyss. After discussing it with representatives of Natlan's different tribes, Mavuika decided to postpone the war for 500 years, giving the tribes and Natlan time to heal, grow, and train, as well as to cultivate the power to resist the Abyss. This included six heroes, one from each tribe, who could stand on their own and provide key assistance when the time came. To make this possible, she drew on the power of the Ruler of Death to sacrifice herself and, when the tribes were ready, she would be resurrected and lead the war against the Abyss once more. [24]

At the beginning of the Natlan portion of the game's storyline, Mavuika has been resurrected. The Traveler, the game's protagonist, arrives in Natlan and meets many of its inhabitants, including a young timid warrior named Kachina. Kachina gets lost during a mission to the Night Kingdom. Mavuika tries to use a ritual known as the Ode of Resurrection to bring her back, but fails to do so, realizing the severity of the Abyssal incursion into the Night Kingdom. After Kachina is rescued by the Traveler, Mavuika rallies them and their allies to unite and fight the Abyss with the goal of gathering the six aforementioned heroes. This eventually leads to a successful resistance against the Abyss. The Abyss takes the opportunity to launch another full-scale war against Natlan, whose tribes suffer heavy casualties. However, with the cooperation of the Traveler and their allies, the six heroes gather together and successfully resist the invasion once again. [24] Mavuika and the Traveler defeat the Abyss in a decisive battle and eventually completely annihilate the threat.

Promotion and merchandise

Prior to her release as a playable character, her combat animations were leaked by someone with the online username Dim. The footage, which was deleted later, showed Mavuika using her claymore to defeat enemies and also showcased the two forms of her Elemental Skill. Bruno Yonezawa of Screen Rant described her animations as "very elegant and skillful" in terms of perceived combat prowess, adding that they go hand-in-hand with her background as a warrior. The footage reminded Yonezawa of his prior obsession with Xiao and made him think of Mavuika as "an absolute must-have character". He further described her as having "one of the most broken mounts among the Natlan character roster", referring to her ability to use her motorcycle to traverse different types of terrain. [25]

Mavuika was added as a playable character in version 5.3. [26] miHoYo opened limited-time pop-up stores called "Stand with Mavuika" that sold limited-edition merchandise. [15] Due to the limited quantity of merchandise, many players lined up before the store's opening. [20] Some players also expressed their love for the character through role-playing and cosplay. [19]

Critical reception

After miHoYo released the initial trailer for Natlan, some players were dissatisfied with the characters' pale skin. Kenneth Shepard of Kotaku and Michael Cripe of IGN speculated that Mavuika was inspired by Māori mythology. The community wanted characters based on dark-skinned people to have dark skin themselves; they saw Mavuika's skin as too pale. [27] [28] Some of the game's English voice actors also expressed dissatisfaction with this, as Mavuika was not the only character this happened to. [29] Polygon 's Ana Diaz expressed approval for Mavuika's color scheme, and compared her to the My Little Pony character Sunset Shimmer since they share a similar color scheme. [30]

After Natlan and its related storyline were implemented, Mavuika's motorcycle sparked debate and received mixed reactions. Gai Zi of Game Base praised the motorcycle as a cultural expression that combined Natlan's technology and tradition. [21] Game Daily reviewer Ah Qi similarly defended the motorcycle, arguing that given the existence of advanced technologies in the game's universe, a motorcycle was not out of place. He noted that the design aligns with Natlan's established aesthetic, which blends tribal motifs with modern contemporary elements. Qi believes that from a character creation perspective, the motorcycle perfectly showcases Mavuika's personality as a straightforward, powerful and decisive deity with a strong sense of duty and sacrifice. [31] He believes that as a proud warrior, the motorcycle symbolized her passion and intensity. He further noted that since Genshin Impact is a fictional work, overemphasis on realism would only limit the game's creative potential. [31] By contrast, Gabriela Jessica of The Nerd Stash criticized Mavuika having a motorcycle as inappropriate for her divine role, remarking that at first glance she "thought [Mavuika] was actually a tourist". Jessica argued that the motorcycle was too modern and overly realistic, whereas the machinery in Fontaine felt more in-line with a fantasy setting. [32] Both Jessica and Holly Alice of Pocket Tactics compared Mavuika's clothing design to those of characters from other games, such as Zenless Zone Zero and Wuthering Waves. [32] [33] Alice wrote "love the vibe, but save it for ZZZ's Burnice." [33]

Natlan's main storyline began with version 5.0 of the game, and continued through version 5.3. [24] According to Game Daily, prior to the 5.3 update players were highly anticipating the Traveler fighting alongside Mavuika, with many actively discussing future developments. [34] [35] In her analysis, Gabriela Jessica compared Mavuika's character arc to that of her Fontainian counterpart Furina, saying that Mavuika's depiction in the main storyline was too steady. She criticized miHoYo for relegating too much of her character arc to online animated shorts like "Sunset" (in which Mavuika's backstory was explored), rather than fully presenting it within the game. [36] Jisumarokku, a reviewer for Japanese gaming site Denfaminico Gamer, wrote that Mavuika's story was shown from different angles in the main storyline and in her personal Story Quest. In the main story, her family was only briefly referenced, while in her personal quest, her dual identities as a god and as a human were explored more in-depth. [a] In particular, the story of her sister Hine highlighted Mavuika's human side; Jisumarokku argued that though Hine was an ordinary person, her love and devotion toward her sister Mavuika, and the meaningful simplicity of her life, made the quest emotionally moving. Jisumarokku went on to argue that the Story Quest presented Mavuika as not only a national leader and deity but also "everyone's hero," and that the story was as emotionally powerful as that of Sumeru, and was the most moving plotline they had experienced in the game since Sumeru. [37]

Mavuika's combat gameplay has received generally positive reviews. She can be used as both a primary (on-field) and secondary (off-field) attack unit, and similar to the Raiden Shogun, she can cause a lot of damage even when not on the field. [25] [38] However, several media outlets have said her design leans toward either that of an on-field DPS, [39] or that she can function as either an on-field DPS or off-field sub-DPS. [38] Bruno Yonezawa of Screen Rant said that her build makes her a versatile character when forming a party. [38] Yahoo News believes that Mavuika is very powerful and easy to use. [40] VG247 reviewer Josh Broadwell also wrote that Mavuika is easy to build and does not require a lot to perform well. [41] The Nerd Stash reviewer Gabriela Jessica believes that Mavuika relies on being in a party with other Natlan characters, and is thus not as versatile as other previously-released characters. Other Archons, she writes, are "pretty universal and flexible" in combat compared to her. Jessica criticized the motorcycle's centrality to Mavuika's combat style, writing that it made her think the character felt out of place in Genshin Impact. Jessica went further on to say that although Mavuika can still use a claymore, that would be more suitable for a character in a sub-DPS role. [32]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Despite being human, she has the title "God of War" and is one of The Seven. The Seven are the group of gods who preside over the regions of Teyvat, each of whom is associated with a particular ideal and element (in Mavuika's case, these would be war and fire, respectively).

References

  1. 1 2 Genshin Impact (July 11, 2024). "《原神》引燃PV——「以燔燎铸名」" [Genshin Impact Ignition Teaser: A Name Forged in Flame]. www.bilibili.com (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 @genshinimpact (July 11, 2024). "Voice Artist Announcement | Mavuika | EN VA: Katiana Sarkissian | JP VA: KOMATSU Mikako" (Tweet). Retrieved September 14, 2025– via Twitter.
  3. 1 2 3 Genshin Impact [@genshinimpactkr] (July 11, 2024). "KR CV: 김나율 | JP CV: Komatsu Mikako" (Tweet) (in Korean). Retrieved September 11, 2025– via Twitter.
  4. ↑ Orr, Jessica (July 12, 2024). "Genshin Impact Natlan characters". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Genshin Impact Version 5.0 Update: Everything we know so far". The Economic Times. August 17, 2024. ISSN   0013-0389 . Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  6. ↑ "『原神』ナタ新キャラ「炎神マーヴィカ」の立ち絵公開！元素スキルでバイクに乗れる？魔女Bやファルカからの反応にも注目" ["Genshin Impact" Natlan's new character "Pyro Archon Mavuika" character portrait revealed! Can she ride a motorcycle with elemental skills? Also, pay attention to the reactions of Witch 'B' and Varka ]. インサイド (in Japanese). November 25, 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  7. ↑ Daro, Catherine (December 26, 2024). "Genshin Impact – New Character Teaser is Dedicated to Mavuika and Her Sister Hine". GameSpace.com. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  8. ↑ Rambhajue, Nicholas (December 31, 2024). "Genshin Impact Unveils Mavuika Trailer: The Pyro Archon Of Natlan" . Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  9. ↑ Wilson-Taylor, James (January 2, 2025). "Chrissy Costanza Drops New Song 'Blazing Heart' From 'Genshin Impact' Soundtrack". Rock Sound. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  10. ↑ Shutler, Ali (January 6, 2025). "Chrissy Costanza shares fiery anthem for 'Genshin Impact'". NME. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  11. ↑ CJ (January 6, 2025). "《原神》更新超人氣角色「瑪薇卡」實裝！特邀(G)i-dle 曹薇娟獻唱韓文版主題曲！｜TTshow 台灣達人秀" [Genshin Impact has released a new update featuring the incredibly popular character "Mavuika"! (G)i-dle's Cao Weijuan has been invited to perform the Korean version of the theme song!]. 台灣達人秀TTshow (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Archived from the original on June 9, 2025. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  12. ↑ Fierce Shark Fish King (December 31, 2024). "袁娅维为《原神》火神唱新曲儿!"袁神"+摇滚燃翻天 _ 游民星空 GamerSky.com" [Yuan Yawei sings a new song for the Pyro Archon in "Genshin Impact"! "Genshin Impact" and rock and roll]. www.gamersky.com. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  13. ↑ Rizwan, Rabiya (January 6, 2025). "Genshin Impact: Best Weapons For Mavuika". TheGamer. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  14. ↑ Fat Jack. "《原神》線下活動「與瑪薇卡同行」1/4微風南山廣場開跑，瑪薇卡主題彩繪重機登場" [The "Genshin Impact" offline event "Stand with Mavuika" will be held at the Weifeng Nanshan Plaza on January 4, featuring a Mavuika-themed painted motorcycle]. 4Gamers 官方網站 (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  15. 1 2 Tuting, Kristine "Kurisu" (December 27, 2024). "Stand with Mavuika event: How to win Mavuika's motorcycle | ONE Esports". www.oneesports.gg. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  16. ↑ "《原神》線下活動開跑！超帥瑪薇卡COSER、主題彩繪重機現身信義區 | ETtoday遊戲雲 | ETtoday新聞雲" [Genshin Impact offline events are underway! A super cool Mavuika cosplayer and themed motorcycles are spotted in Xinyi District.]. game.ettoday.net (in Traditional Chinese). January 7, 2025. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  17. ↑ Maryanne, Elisha (January 7, 2025). "Where Virtual Meets Reality: Ride with the Pyro Archon in Genshin Impact's Mavuika-Themed Motorcycle Giveaway" . Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  18. ↑ "当虚拟照进现实：《原神》送出玛薇卡主题摩托车回馈玩家" [When virtual reality shines into reality: "Genshin Impact" gives away Mavuika-themed motorcycles to reward players]. e南洋 (in Chinese (China)). January 9, 2025. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  19. 1 2 Edward (January 6, 2025). "《原神》「與瑪薇卡同行」主題活動展開 旅行者們共同見證揭幕儀式" [The "Genshin Impact" "Stand with Mavuika" themed event has begun, and travelers witnessed the unveiling ceremony together]. Bahamut (in Chinese). Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  20. 1 2 "咪妃cos《原神》火騎士 玩家：痛車太帥啦" [Mi Fei cosplays as the Pyro Archon from Genshin Impact: The motorcycle is so cool]. Yahoo News (in Chinese). January 7, 2025. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  21. 1 2 Lid (January 4, 2025). "《原神》5.3 版限時活動「與瑪薇卡同行」登場，咪妃化身火神揭幕彩繪重機與玩家一同「啟動」" [The limited-time event "Stand with Mavuika" in Genshin Impact version 5.3 has arrived. Mi Fei transforms into the Pyro Archon and unveils a painted motorcycle to "start up" with players]. news.gamebase.com.tw (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  22. ↑ Liu, Stephanie (July 12, 2024). "Genshin Impact Ignition Trailer Teases Natlan Characters". Siliconera. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  23. 1 2 "『原神』炎の国"ナタ"にまつわる魔神任務がいよいよクライマックス！ 「マーヴィカは私の理想のお姉様」炎神・マーヴィカを演じた小松未可子さんに彼女への想いを訊く | ゲーム・エンタメ最新情報のファミ通.com" [Genshin Impact's Natlan Archon Quest is finally reaching its climax! "Mavuika is my ideal older sister" - We asked Mikako Komatsu, who played the Fire Nation's Mavuika, about her feelings for her.]. ファミ通.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 8, 2025. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  24. 1 2 3 "Special Genshin Impact". Weekly Famitsu (in Japanese). 1 (81). Tokyo: Kadokawa. January 9, 2025. ASIN   B0DPMQ7TCG.
  25. 1 2 Yonezawa, Bruno (November 24, 2024). "I'm Excited For Mavuika's Leaked Animations In Genshin Impact 5.3 In A Way I Haven't Been For Any Character Since Xiao In Version 1.3". ScreenRant. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Genshin Impact 5.3 livestream date and time, 5.3 Banner leaks". Eurogamer.net. December 18, 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  27. ↑ Shepard, Kenneth (July 15, 2024). "Genshin Impact's Latest Controversy Has Gotten So Big Its Voice Actors Are Weighing In". Kotaku. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  28. ↑ Cripe, Michael (July 15, 2024). "Genshin Impact Voice Actors Join in Criticism of Upcoming Natlan Region's Character Designs". IGN. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  29. ↑ "《原神》納塔角色掀文化挪用爭議？砂糖、雷電將軍英配音員呼籲米哈遊正視 | udn遊戲角落" [Genshin Impact's Natlan characters spark cultural appropriation controversy? Sucrose and the Raiden Shogun's English voice actors urge miHoYo to address the issue]. udn遊戲角落 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). July 16, 2024. Archived from the original on July 10, 2025. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  30. ↑ Diaz, Ana (July 13, 2024). "Genshin Impact's Natlan trailer has fans divided". Polygon. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  31. 1 2 Qi, Ah (November 29, 2024). "《原神》为什么要给火神塞一辆摩托？ - 资讯 - 游戏日报" [Why did "Genshin Impact" give the Pyro Archon a motorcycle?]. news.yxrb.net. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  32. 1 2 3 Jessica, Gabriela (December 25, 2024). "Why Mavuika Might Be the Worst Archon in Genshin Impact". The Nerd Stash. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  33. 1 2 Alice, Holly (August 28, 2025). "Wuthering Waves' latest character design is what Genshin Impact's archon should've had". Pocket Tactics. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
  34. ↑ Qi, Ah (November 21, 2024). "新部族、龙伙伴悉数登场，《原神》5.2版本带来哪些全新体验？ - 资讯 - 游戏日报" [New tribes and Saurian companions are all on the scene. What new experiences does "Genshin Impact" version 5.2 bring?]. news.yxrb.net. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  35. ↑ Vargas, Diana Velásquez (November 25, 2024). "Genshin Impact Officially Reveals Mavuika's Playable Release". Game Rant. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  36. ↑ Jessica, Gabriela (January 2, 2025). "After a Great Start, Genshin Impact's Natlan Archon Quests End up Being Underwhelming". The Nerd Stash. Archived from the original on June 12, 2025. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  37. ↑ Jisumarokku (January 9, 2025). Jisso (ed.). "ナタのストーリーって、サイド任務を網羅してから読むと面白さが段違いって本当？ サブクエ嫌いの私が、実際に『原神』ナタ編のサイド任務を網羅しながら史上最大規模のメインストーリーに挑んでみた" [Is it true that Natlan's story is much more interesting if you read it after completing all the side missions? I hate side quests, but I actually tried to complete the main story of Genshin Impact's Natlan chapter, which is the largest in history, while also completing all the side missions]. 電ファミニコゲーマー – ゲームの面白い記事読んでみない？ (in Japanese). Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  38. 1 2 3 Yonezawa, Bruno (December 28, 2024). "Genshin Impact: Best Mavuika Builds (Weapons, Artifacts, Team Comps, Stats)". ScreenRant. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  39. ↑ Leclair, Elara (January 1, 2025). "Genshin Impact: Mavuika Build Guide". Game Rant. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  40. ↑ "《原神》新角色火神「瑪薇卡」攻略- 聖遺物、命座和配隊推薦" ["Genshin Impact" New Character "Mavuika" Strategy Guide - Artifacts, Constellations and Team Recommendations]. Yahoo News (in Chinese). January 3, 2025. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  41. ↑ Broadwell, Josh (January 3, 2025). "Genshin Impact Mavuika build and teams". VG247. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
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