Does Naija have scales or flesh?

[Aristobulus]

It just struck me, not too long ago, that I have no idea if Naija has scales like a fish or flesh like a dolphin. Looking up art doesn't really clear up the issue either, and I've even seen some fanart that has scales so clearly people just go with whatever...

Any thoughts? Do we have any way to actually KNOW or is it just a guess?

[BishopKayn]

an interesting notion as she definitely has Webbed feet. Hm. Though honestly i would say skin, otherwise wouldn't lucien look more fish like? eh heh heh. I forget not everyone has trounced Creator. (SPOILER) so sorry. hence me not explaining.

[Alphasoldier]

Bishop puts out a good point, she DOES have webbed feet.
I would've thought she had rubbery skin like a dolphin, but that wouldn't fit with the webbed-ness.
I'd guess normal skin when thinking about it, I mean she DID do stuff with Li and unless he's into some freaky stuff... xD

[Aristobulus]

Doesn't normal skin have issues with being underwater so long, though? also, is there some reason having webbed feet and such prevents her from having scales on other parts of her body?

[Alphasoldier]

What about the skin of seals or any other underwater creature has that's not a fish.

And well, I know quite some amphibians and lizards have webbed feet and stuff, but I'm not sure.
If Naija would have had scales, wouldn't she be a bit more shiny?

[Aristobulus]

I'm not sure about other creatures, but don't seals and such spend a lot of time above water, too?

The only thing I can really comment on is that it's not necessarily the case that scales would mean she'd have to be rendered shiny - it's just artistic liberty there, that she could have scales and not be rendered shiny.

The thing is the sprite is not specifically detailed enough to make a call one way or the other, it doesn't make it impossible that she has scales. The thing about scales is that rendering them is a detail so exact that it can be jarring to an otherwise simple graphical style - similar to gills that were on earlier versions of concept art. It is probably safe to assume that Naija has gills, but they aren't displayed because it wouldn't mesh well with the graphical style of the sprite and the game. Scales are probably similar.

[BishopKayn]

Wow alpha, here I am kissing yers again. XP I really am inclined towards skin at least in her normal form, even beast form im more inclined towards skin. Otherwise her characteristic shoulder freckles would have been much more obvious, larger perhaps as such markings would match many other fish and species. Dolphin like skin seems likely but a (spoiler warning) unlikely one. Dolphins can't be out of water for too long without drying out. Lucien definitely left the water with little intention of returning. Hence a seal like skin makes more sense. Besides, the shape shifting abilities would make Naija much more akin to selkies.

[Aristobulus]

Referring to Lucien isn't as strong of an argument as you might think, because anything he gains like the ability to leave the water for a while could just as easily be said that it's a trait he got from Li, and is not something Naija has to be able to do.

I mean, Lucien isn't as fullblooded fishperson as Naija is.

[BishopKayn]

However Li himself appears to have lost the ability to do so, never following Naija to the surface after their kiss 

[Aristobulus]

Merely gameplay limitations, I wouldn't take that he doesn't follow you if you jump out of the water too much to heart.

[BishopKayn]

though you must admit his fascination does distract him often enough. he rarely finds his way to naija let alone the surface.

[laila55]

an interesting notion as she definitely has Webbed feet.
Hm. Though honestly i would say skin, otherwise wouldn't lucien look more fish like? eh heh heh.
I forget not everyone has trounced Creator. (SPOILER) so sorry. hence me not explaining.
Thanks,,

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[Arachne]

I've wondered that too. Long before I played Aquaria I was trying to write a story with a semi-aquatic race, and couldn't decide whether their webbed feet should have scales. Anyways, I don't think Naija has scales, but it's not really specified one way or another.

[trojanpooh]

If you look at the art on the soundtrack its pretty photorealistic, and not a scale to be found.  I'd say its pretty likely that she has skin
http://infiniteammo.bigcartel.com/product/aquaria-original-soundtrack

[Zoko]

I don't think that webbed feet call for scales. Frogs don't have scales. Naija is pretty obviously a mammal, so I would think that she has dolphin-like skin. This doesn't have to be scientifically accurate, because with magic the verse everything is possible!