huni-bii

[huni-bii]

"(Maybe later we can get into a whole thing about whiteness being the standard for beauty in My Time games & how that's informed by contemporary attitudes)"

ur right and u should say it

Hoooooo buddy, let's get into it. This is probably gonna be a bit rambling but go off ig.

DISCLAIMER: Obviously, I love the My Time games and Pathea as well, but that doesn't mean that we can't also have meaningful, critical discourse surrounding those games. (I'm literally halfway through a massive Logan fic right now) Engaging with the media we love critically helps us to understand ourselves and the world around us better.

I'm focusing mostly on Sandrock here, as it's been a hot minute since I played Portia, but I will reference it here and there. Rambling below the cut :)

So when I say whiteness is the standard for beauty in My Time games and that it's informed by contemporary attitudes, what does that really mean? Well, consider for a moment all the different books and magazines you've read, music you've listened to, movies and tv shows you've watched. How many times have you seen blonde hair and blue eyes shoved to the forefront of the narrative, or highlighted as especially attractive? Now compare that to how many times you've ever heard anyone romanticize brown eyes. This is a small example, but once you start to notice it, you can't really un-notice it anymore.

We as a culture, have a tendency to value "white traits" as the standard for what we consider beautiful. Blue eyes, light or blonde colored hair, small noses, thin yet plump lips, and of course, pale complexions. If you want a more in-depth analysis on how colonialism has influenced beauty standards around the world, check out this thesis.

Obviously, since these games are set in a solarpunk, post-apocalyptic world, we can't go through and identify the ethnicities and races of characters with 100% certainty, so I'm not even going to try. What I'm looking at is the physical features alone, as well as which romance characters are given the most attention by Pathea, and then of course which are given the most attention by fans. It should be fairly well-established by this point that Pathea does take a lot of fan feedback into account & will actively shape their games around fan preferences, as we've seen so far with Evershine's development. So there's a lot of interaction between the global fanbase for the games and the creative minds actually behind them, meaning that I'm not here to point blame at any single party, or to really point blame at all. Ultimately, these games are just that: games, and while it's good exercise and practice to engage with them critically, if you find yourself upset by this, I'd recommend spending your time worrying about real-world action instead.

But onto the My Time games! Which characters tend to hold the most prominence here? The romanceables, of course. So let's break it down. In My Time at Portia, there is a total of 28 characters the player could possibly marry. 28!! Comparatively, Sandrock has 21. Of the 28 characters in Portia, we see a few discernible ethnic traits with the septuplets, Lucy, Mint, Petra, Sonia, Aadit, Remington, and Xiu. Of these more diverse characters, the darkest skin-tone we find is Petra's. Now, out of all these characters, which ones tend to get the most screentime and the most love from fans? Over the years, lots of names will pop up, but far and away the most popular candidates are Arlo, Gust, Aadit, and Mint.

Now let's look at Sandrock. I will say, Sandrock does a much better job with diversity, both in skin tone and facial feature variations. However, consider who gets the most romance content and screentime in the game: Logan and Fang for sure, followed by Unsuur and Nia, to the point where at times, it feels like the game is trying to tell you that either Logan, Fang, or Nia are the "canon" options. Which makes sense, but I also find it pretty wild that characters like Heidi and Justice - who, because of their roles, have arguably, just as strong claims to being "canon" but are not treated as such.

Consider the two architects we get to interact with across the games: Heidi and Gust. Of the two, Gust is the wildly more popular option with his blonde hair, blue eyes, and mean disposition. In contrast, Heidi is heavily involved in the Sandrock storyline, and without her, the town would never have been able to recover the way it does in-game. It would make sense, then, that Heidi and the Builder would share a much more profound bond simply based on the relationship inherent to their roles. In Portia, if Gust and Albert were not present, it stands to reason the town could probably still get on fine with just their builder. Not so for Sandrock. It's a similar concept with Justice. Without him as Sheriff, Sandrock doesn't survive. But if Arlo weren't in Portia, again, the Builder can fill in that gap decently enough.

Despite being so critical to the story and Sandrock's infrastructure, Heidi and Justice simply aren't given a proportional amount of screentime and romance content. Heidi is the architect who works with the Builder the most, and Justice is literally the Builder's Civil Corps superior and comrade. There's a lot of potential there for relationship-building and compelling dynamics. In short, they're not treated as viable candidates when compared to Logan, Fang, and Nia (also wild since Nia spends a majority of the game not in Sandrock). And it's not like they're not interesting characters either. Heidi, while friendly and fun at first, is also shown to be extremely competent and has a healthy temper (and the right hook to match, hoo mama). She's shown to be complex, trying to juggle her own sense of what is right with what her mentors have been telling her is right. Her story is about getting back to her roots and trusting her own instincts and judgements despite having better opportunities back in Atara.

Justice as well is an interesting character, struggling with his insecurities and trying to fill his old mentor's shoes while also trying to keep Sandrock safe on a shoestring budget. He's consistently shown to be incredibly resourceful and creative, with an incredibly strong sense of, well, justice. He even takes his own name upon joining the Civil Corps! (It used to be Maurice, thanks Viv). He's shown to have faults in his treatment of Unsuur as just some weird kid, and you as the Builder get to help him come to understand Unsuur better, which creates a really sweet moment in-game. (To all the fic writers who insist on putting Justice down to favor Unsuur, y'all can catch me outside)

But for all these qualities, Heidi and Justice just don't seem to resonate with fans, and it really begs the question: Would they be more popular if they were designed more like Logan, Nia, or Fang? If they had more "white" features, would they get more screentime from Pathea? Would they get more attention from fans? Of course, we can't say for certain if that would change anything, but judging by the way I've seen fans treat these characters (Justice especially in builder x unsuur fics) I'm inclined to think that yes, if they were whiter, they'd be more popular. Side note here: Yes I realize Fang comes from Seesai, the in-game analog to irl China so it's not like he's not ethnic, but look at his sperm donor. Blonde hair, blue eyes.

As we've established, there's a very reciprocal relationship between the fandom and Pathea. Fans got to vote for which characters will become core romanceables in Evershine, as well as which Sandrock characters would make cameos in the game. And which characters do we see absolutely blowing up across the Evershine socials? Avery, Ragnar, and to a degree, Stev. Hardly any news is coming out about Waylan, but until the game actually releases, there's only so much we can read into the romance options at this point.

My whole point with this essay is to show that, while characters in My Time games are becoming more diverse and well-fleshed out thanks to Pathea, we as the fans are also reinforcing a pattern of creation and storytelling that heavily favors whiteness as a standard of beauty. I think it's awesome to see Pathea taking so much fan feedback for the games, but as a creative myself, I think it wouldn't hurt them either to stand on business and make creative choices that favor a diverse, interesting cast of characters over which ones are the most fuckable according to horny people on the internet. (It's a similar phenomenon to what happened with Wyll's character in Baldur's Gate 3) We can all do better; we should all do better, and that begins with taking a critical look at the media we consume and the way we engage with that media.

Thank you for coming to my ted talk. I'd love to hear y'all's opinions on this as well!

[huni-bii]

PRESS RELEASE: STORY OF SEASONS: Grand Bazaar Revealed on Nintendo Direct, Opening for Business on Nintendo Switch™ and PC Aug. 27, 2025

Marvelous USA Showcases Advancements to the Cozy Farming/Life Sim Series Including Gorgeous Graphics, Richly Voiced Story, and Expanded Gameplay; Physical Pre-order Available Soon for Nintendo Switch

TORRANCE, Calif. — March 27, 2025 — Revealed during today’s Nintendo Direct, Marvelous USA formally announced STORY OF SEASONS: Grand Bazaar, the next installment in the beloved farming/life sim series, is in development and will release for the Nintendo Switch™ system and Windows PC via Steam on Aug. 27, 2025. Originally teased on Marvelous Game Showcase broadcasts, STORY OF SEASONS: Grand Bazaar takes inspiration from the original handheld release in North America in 2010. This new interpretation expands on the content and feature set of the original, while modernizing the visuals and design, leaning into the title’s focus on the theme of “renewal” as players set out to revitalize Zephyr Town’s bazaar and return it to its world-famous glory. The title will be available soon for physical pre-order on Nintendo Switch™ through participating retailers and on the Marvelous USA Online Store.

Zephyr Town’s bazaar was once one of the grandest in the world, drawing customers and peddlers from all four corners of the globe. These days, though, the bazaar has more tumbleweeds than customers. It’s up to Zephyr Town’s newest resident to turn its fortunes around! Players will raise animals, harvest crops, craft rare delicacies, then sell wares at their very own stall in the bazaar. As the bazaar business grows, new goods and services will arrive, which players can use to improve their farm. Help return prosperity to the bazaar, settle down for a cozy life and start a family, and Zephyr Town is sure to thrive once again!

Inspired by the classic handheld title, the new STORY OF SEASONS: Grand Bazaar builds up and improves on the original in every conceivable way. The world is bigger and more alive than ever thanks to incredible new visuals, new characters, an expanded story, and full character voice work in story events—a series first. Take advantage of Zephyr Town’s unique weather, using the wind to make travel and farm tasks a breeze! The winds of change are coming to deliver a new life in STORY OF SEASONS: Grand Bazaar.

Key Features

Cozy Living Reaches New Heights: The magnificent beauty of Zephyr Town shines with gorgeous graphics while a richly voiced story carries the player on a rewarding journey of farming, friendship, and renewal.

Ring the Bell and Sell, Sell, Sell: Farm produce and goods take on additional importance as the heart of players’ business at the lively weekly bazaar. Players can customize their stall and take charge of their sales to build up buzz and power up profits.

Take the Leap and Ride the Winds: Harness the power of the wind! Use windmills to create new products to sell, and effortlessly travel across the town on the brand-new glider. Players can use the new jumping skills on their farm or when exploring the town to access new locations. Who knows what they might find!

A Beautifully Cozy Life: Enjoy a rich life amongst a colorful community of characters, from friendly townsfolk to magical Nature Sprites. Build yourself a home, grow relationships, and even find love and start a family.

Marvelous USA also revealed physical editions coming to Nintendo Switch™ with pre-orders to be available soon through participating retailers and via the Marvelous USA Online Store. The title is available in a standard physical edition for an MSRP of $49.99, and a physical Premium Edition including a copy of STORY OF SEASONS: Grand Bazaar, an adorable plush Suffolk sheep, a cloth poster, a physical art book with over 115 pages of cozy art, and an original soundtrack CD, for an MSRP of $69.99. Details on digital availability will be announced at a later date.

Developed by Marvelous and published in the Americas by Marvelous USA, STORY OF SEASONS: Grand Bazaar will launch for the Nintendo Switch™ system and Windows PC via Steam on Aug. 27, 2025. The title will be published in Asia by Marvelous Inc., and in Europe by Marvelous Europe. This title is rated “E for Everyone” by the ESRB.

For more information about STORY OF SEASONS: Grand Bazaar, visit the official site at https://www.storyofseasons.com/grandbazaar/, and follow the series on X and Bluesky.

Information about Marvelous USA’s products can be found at www.marvelous-usa.com. Fans can also check out the latest videos from the Marvelous family of titles on YouTube and get updates by following on Facebook, X, Instagram, and Bluesky.

[huni-bii]

Artwork and 3D models for the candidates of Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar, including two new candidates!

[huni-bii]

Update me, disturb me, tell me about your day, I love all that.

[huni-bii]

thought I was muted and just had this exchange with a coworker on a zoom call

[huni-bii]

sunsetoned on ig

[huni-bii]

[huni-bii]

Marilyn Monroe on the set of The Prince and the Showgirl (1957)

[huni-bii]

[huni-bii]

Sandrock family pins in the official style merch ✨️

[huni-bii]

pink ice cream // please don’t delete the caption

[huni-bii]

[huni-bii]

sorry for romanticising the mundane. i have little else

[huni-bii]

by emilie.hofferber

[huni-bii]

A drawing of Rosemary I did a while back for @huni-bii 😚💕 I love her sm and her dreamy eyes.

[huni-bii]

princess tutu: die jahreszeiten 🌸

kind of a companion piece to my 2022 ptutu drawing | it's on inprnt

this print was at anime north; next con is otakuthon!

oops so my hand slipped and i made another princess tutu drawing. i admittedly don't watch that much anime so my catalogue of work is gonna be the same 5 animes LMAO. what can i say, i love "dark" fairy tales, and i've been really enjoying the more fine art approach to a lot of my drawings as of late (and the watercolour brush i've been using has been so perfect for that...!)

as my first princess tutu drawing is now 2 years old, there are some areas i've grown to have ... qualms with... although both drawings as a whole are pretty much exactly what i envisioned, and that's always satisfying!

both of these were drawn in roughly a week's time (yes really...) for con crunch period (and i went back to this drawing after the con to touch up some areas that were a bit rough!). i wanted a different approach to this new pt drawing, with the focus on the line work, rather than on colours and lighting in the 2022 drawing.

this drawing had 2 goals: to continue the style i adopted in my witch hat atelier "lantern bearers" drawing (which i promise i'll post in full soon as soon as all of the zine artists get their go-ahead to post their pieces!), and to emulate the art nouveau movement's heavy emphasis on line work, albeit not a 1:1 style replication of course.

the seasons also aren't a 1:1 representation, as i didn't necessarily pick flowers or colours that are most strongly associated with the season (e.g. summer being a dark tone is a bold choice?). but it's kinda whatever, as i said before i drew this in a week, there may be more appropriate flowers with better meanings. i couldn't spend too too much time drafting and researching.

FLOWER SYMBOLISM:

- spring: apple blossoms, tulips - the apple blossom is a quintessential spring flower, and thus symbolize the arrival of spring. spring is a season of change, which ahiru/princess tutu is a force of, instigating change in her friends and unravelling the story around her. the flowers below her are tulips, and there are many meanings to tulips depending on the colour, due to their ubiquitous nature. i narrowed on one, and intended for them to symbolize happiness. princess tutu's pose is one in which that is open, inviting, and warm - reflecting her nurturing nature in the series, and her willingness to help others achieve happiness.

- summer: deadly nightshade flower, yellow rose - i chose for rue/princess kraehe to symbolize a fiery summer's night instead of the typical dazzling heat of a summer's day, a rather bold and unusual choice. the warmth of sunshine didn't quite fit, as the character is quite dramatic and passionate, with her intentions often hidden in shadow. next, the deadly nightshade - atropa belladonna - has a lot of mythological associations, a lot to do with poisoning, as the flower is toxic. the flowers bloom at night (another reason why i picked a nighttime backdrop for "summer") and also outwardly match rue's dark design scheme, as the cherry on top. yellow roses, at the bottom of her frame, are the archetypal flower depicting jealousy (as with many yellow flowers are), and at one point in the story, rue only wished for her own happiness at the misfortune of others.

- autumn: douglas fir needles, orange calla lily - autumn is another season of change - although much more tumultuous, as this season is traditionally taken to prepare for a long winter ahead - fitting for fakir as the role of the storyteller. the douglas fir is not a flower of course, but is a tree - with many different parts of this tree offering many benefits in advance of the winter season. i wanted the versatile nature of the douglas fir to reflect on fakir's dependable personality. next up, the calla lily is a flower with a dual meaning - on one hand you have life, on the other you have death. a storyteller quite literally can grant both at the tip of their fingers.

- winter: birch tree, snowdrop - winter is a rather still and unchanging season, a lull in the passage of time. this symbolizes mytho's passive nature at the start of the series, especially with his doleful pose here, as if almost in hibernation. to contrast, mytho is perched on the branches of a birch tree, which means new beginnings and renewal - as mytho is one of the characters that undergo the most change throughout the series (i'd argue the most?), regaining pieces of his heart. under mytho's frame is the snowdrop flower - and if you've read my witch hat atelier: seasons piece symbolisms, one of the snowdrop's meanings is rebirth, with connotations to the bible, bringing hope, when all had forsaken eve. the snowdrop is one of the first flowers to bloom even when the snow has not yet fully melted, further echoing mytho as an analogy for rebirth.

[huni-bii]

don’t!!! fake!!!! your!!!! interests!!!! to!!!! make!!!! someone!!!! like!!!!! you!!!!