<![CDATA[This study examines the transformation of Nyai Rara Kidul’s meaning through two Kadita skins in Mobile Legends: Ocean Goddess (2018) and Heart of the Sea (2024). Roland Barthes’s semiotic approach is employed to analyse the denotative, connotative, and mythical meanings embedded in the skin illustrations. The findings reveal that Ocean Goddess maintains a close symbolic association with Nyai Rara Kidul through its representation of Javanese femininity, dominant use of green, kemben-style costume, and the title “Queen of the Southern Seas.” In contrast, Heart of the Sea reframes Nyai Rara Kidul through the visual identity of a Balinese woman and transforms the dark and threatening marine atmosphere into one that is bright, warm, and tropical, while retaining a sense of danger. Both skins recontextualise the sacred figure of Nyai Rara Kidul as a fantasy avatar that can be controlled, played, and commercially exchanged. This transformation demonstrates how Mobile Legends mediates Nyai Rara Kidul’s identity through Kadita, presenting it not as fixed or singular but as continuously evolving.]]>
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