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raymantogether · 4 months ago

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Rayman Together Community Spotlight #1 - Rayman Collectibles & Merchandise

This exciting new series hopes to introduce you to Rayman Fans across the World on a more personal level and make you the reader feel more connected to the community. I look forward in the months ahead to showing you the many faces of the Rayman community and some of the exciting projects and accounts they are working behind. If you are interested in becoming a part of the Rayman Together Community Spotlight in the future please feel free to reach out through Twitter.

Rayman was published by French video game publisher Ubisoft in 1995. Since Rayman debuted on PlayStation and Sega Saturn, the series flourished after receiving outstanding reviews from critics and multiple publications. Rayman went onto spanning decades of videogame releases. Rayman was a Ubisoft Mascot until later years, when its various franchises such as Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Tom Clancy, and the Rabbids stole the spotlight.

After almost a decade, Rayman has slowly begun to creep back into the spotlight thanks to his return in Rayman in the Phantom Show. Ubisoft has begun to drip feed the loyal and patient Rayman community with various releases with collaborations from its multiple partners, such as Flyos, YouTooz, and Netflix. Rayman has made a major appearance in the Ubisoft Netflix series Captain Laser Hawk: A Blood Dragon Remix, Flyos is publishing the eagerly anticipated Rayman: The Board Game, and Youtooz has created Rayman figures and pin sets. YouTooz are even working on more figures, including an upcoming plush toy, collaborating with someone within the Rayman community.

Although it may seem Ubisoft never supported the franchise outside of digital releases until now, a lot of you may be unaware that during the "Golden Era" of Rayman, Ubisoft released often rather obscure and bizarre merchandise that was exclusive in Europe or often released without public knowledge.

I recently discovered the TikTok page RaymanCollectibles&Merch, which is managed by the extremely passionate Rayman fan Natasha Quinn from the United Kingdom. Natasha has collected various collectibles and merchandise throughout Rayman's history. I am delighted today to take an opportunity to showcase the Rayman Collectibles & Merchandise account as part of the very first Rayman Together Community Spotlight.

Please Introduce Yourself: "Hi I'm Natasha Quinn I live in Hertfordshire Stevenage in the United Kingdom."

Tell us something fun or interesting about yourself? "I have been collecting Rayman merch since 2016 but sadly lost most of it due to moving so restarting again in April 2023 where i have acquired a lot more then my childhood collection."

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? "I have two small dogs called dexter and Bailey which compete in fun dog shows. I also love to spend time drawing and making crafts in my spare time."

4. What are three things that make you smile? "The three things that make me smile are anything animal-related, cute videos, etc. I'm a huge animal lover. 2 Rayman (of course) 3 playing retro games from my childhood, reliving the memories mostly the PS1, PS2, and Game Boy handhold"

5. How did you get into the Rayman series? "I first got into Rayman when my dad got me an atomic purple GBC, which he called the game Rayman to go aside. I fell in love with the adventure and the colorful levels as well as the character Rayman himself, which I thought the fist throwing was a cool design! I remember getting excited about completing a level I would show my dad."

6. What is your favorite Rayman game and who is your favorite Rayman character? "Choosing a favorite Rayman game is hard, but I would have to say for memories and nostalgia alone, it would be the GBC version, although I realize it isn't a popular opinion, but closely following would be Rayman 2 & 3, as they are great games too! My favorite Rayman character is Rayman himself or Ly the fairy."

7. What is your favorite piece of Rayman merchandise you own, and why? "I think my favorite piece I own the last plush. I was lucky and won it in an auction, and weirdly enough, the smaller version went up for sale the same week, so I was lucky to own the pair!"

8. What is the rarest piece of Rayman merchandise you own? "The rarest piece I own is the Rayman Grimace mushroom figure given to staff members working on the Rayman 3 game, and only 100 were made. It's a beautiful statue, and I had to get it shipped from another country. I feel very lucky to have one."

9. Is there something in your Rayman collection that you don’t own? "I would love to own the 25th anniversary coin. I have been searching each day, and I still have hope."

Thank you, Natasha, for participating in the very first Rayman Together community spotlight. It has been a pleasure getting to know you. I am a huge fan of your account. I look forward in the future to seeing what else you can collect. Hopefully, in the future, Ubisoft will help you get a Rayman 25th Anniversary Medallion. Who knows, maybe next year there will be a 30th Anniversary Medallion. If you enjoyed this spotlight and would like to follow and support Rayman Collectibles & merchandise, I have included links to her social media platform below.

Thank you for reading everyone and I look forward to seeing you in future Rayman Together Community Spotlights.

#rayman #ubisoft #nintendo #playstation #xbox #video games

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magicalgirlagency · 7 months ago

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Opinions on mickey mouse?

I love him as a character; he serves his purpose as a cute and marketable mascot, much like Nintendo's Mario. Not to mention that mice are also really adorable animals themselves. I used to have a Mickey plush when I was younger (it was the Sorcerer's Apprentice one, because my mom loved Fantasia). I just get upset that he's often associated with Disney's evil megalomaniacal plans, being called "The Rat" and such. I mean, it's like he's some sort of scapegoat for people to unleash their wraths upon, instead of targeting the REAL villain, who is Bob Iger, its current CEO.

What if he and his friends are actually creative and talented, but are unfortunately eternally bound to their contracts with Disney and are unable to escape this Hell (hence why Steamboat Willie is on Public Domain, but NOT Mickey himself)?

I sincerely believe that he deserves a much better fate than being a puppet for some wicked, soulless and greedy megacorporation. But at the same time, I find it hilarious that in an unexpected turn of events, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Mickey's long lost brother, has become an unofficial anti-Disney symbol, given that he's such an obscure character.

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everlasting-rainfall · 7 months ago

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PLEASE READ!

Hey, everyone. I'm on mobile right now so excuse any problems with what I'm doing

I have a request for all of you, and it's about requests. I'm requesting you to send more in but of specific types.

Im going through some stuff currently and it's very stressful...

So I'll get to the point. I'd like you all to please send in requests about certain things so I have something comforting to work on.

Im gonna answer them once everything has cleared up and gotten a bit better

Its something to keep me occupied when I'm bored of other things.

Now then the types of requests I'd like you to send in are basically things that bring me a lot of comfort

Ask me about my OC's like something simple like "What are their worst fears?", "How do they deal with *insert scenario*", and "What would happen if *insert scenario*?"

I do have a post about them and I do have a recent post about them that includes their designs. Plus a few old ones that describe in detail.

I don't know if it's in the masterlist though... Sorry!

Also I do have some other new ones too like Esme the Angel whose Nika's wife, Tender the Skeleton whose T-Bones Wife, Dot the Slime Girl whose Paulie and Iceberg's wife, etc

Another thing is to please send in requests for comfort characters of mine. I'll warn you though that some of my comfort characters are probably odd.

Theyre comfort in the sense of big scary evil thing that could and would squash you like an insect is kind hearted and soft with someone...

My comfort characters are the following...

-Figarland Garling

-Joyboy

-Imu

-Nika

-Gorosei

-Obscure Characters (It is always fun to write them!)

Another thing for comfort characters would probably be like platonic/familial yandere scenarios meaning no romance

My comfort characters for these are different of course and they're the following

-The Vegapunks

-The Marines of Navarone (G8)

-Movie Characters

-Accino Family (Ice Hunter Arc)

-Shanks and his Crew

-Straw Hats

-Kozuki Family

-Any Seven Warlords of the Sea Characters

Remember that there won't be any romance for you with these characters if you ask for platonic or familial

Another thing is that I like to write for new concepts. Since I don't have time to explain any of my AU's.

I'll list them off with a tiny summary and let you pick one that sounds interesting. Feel free to ask questions and I'll answer them when my internet is back on

-Crane Game AU

Reaching into a crane game to grav something only to be grabbed and pulled into a plush world

-Love Apocalypse AU

A virus turns people into zombies focused on love, you got it and wound up with someone. What happens when the virus is cured and the person doesn't wanna let you go?

-Fiction into Reality AU

Fictional character winds up in your world and wants to take you back with them

-Mystical Forest AU

Living in a town surrounded by a giant forest on all sides, it's full of monsters and one of the monsters decides they like you.

-Containment AU

Monsters have returned to be the dominant species of earth as humans hurt the earth. Monsters have been captured and it's basically SCP Foundation.

-Pastel Broadcast AU (Beware, this one is based off the Dark Web)

Being sold to someone on the dark web who hosts a pastel and cutesy broadcast where they do typical dark web stuff. You think you're next until they say the new episode of their broadcast is about introducing a new character. You.

-Coraline AU

Self explanatory I feel

-Time Traveller AU

Invent a time machine, go back in time, get mistaken for someone who passed away. Time is slowly modifying to turn you into that person for real.

-Toon AU

Find an old animation studio that brought its mascot to life. The mascot brings you to their world and you slowly are turning into a toon like them.

Those are the au's and you can suggest familial/platonic for any of these by the way.

You also don't have to request my comfort characters if you really don't want to

And that should be all that I have to say. Thank you so very much if you decide to send in a request.

And if you don't then still thank you for reading this.

See you later! And thank you again!

#minors dni #rainfall rambles #my aus

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desideriumdaydreams · 2 years ago

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Plushophilia/Plushum/Pelusexual FAQs

Plushophilia + plushum are simultaneously well-known and obscure, where most people online have likely heard of them before but haven’t known many people who have the paraphilia. So, I thought it would be fun to make an “FAQ” or “guide” about them!

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

☀ What is it?

Plushophilia is a branch of objectophilia, which is an attraction to objects. Plushophilia is an objectophilia with a focus on stuffed animals and/or plushies, with inflatables sometimes included.

Additionally, some definitions include mascot costumes or animal costumes, which would thus include fursuits, however not everyone who enjoys fursuits would call themself a plushophile. Modernly (the 2020s) I’ve also noticed an uptick in attraction to puppets in pop culture, which could be included in plushophilia.

I also found a connection to an even more obscure kink called texturephilia, which is a paraphilia with a fixation on specific textures.

Wikipedia and Wikifur say that plushophiles and plush enthusiasts call themselves “plushies,” just like the toys, however I haven’t personally seen anyone call themselves that modernly. I believe this is an old term used by plushophile furries, as it’s inside the 1994 plushophile newsgroup FAQs.

Plushophilia has old, old connections to furry fandom but not every plushophilie is a furry.

☀ What About Autoplushophilia?

Autoplushophilia is just a subcategory of plushophilia in which one wants to be the plushie. For example, fantasizing about being a plush and being cuddled or intimate with. You can see examples of this in some transformation art where someone's character is magically transformed into a plushie and used.

☀ It’s a “paraphilia” so that means it’s unhealthy or bad, right?

Even though it’s called a “paraphilia,” there really isn’t anything extreme or dangerous about it. Attraction or sexual usage of a plushie is about as extreme or dangerous as the usage of a sex toy. And honestly, a lot of information and studies on “paraphilia” (including plushophilia) are outdated or biased, so be careful what you read.

Its also important to note that the DMS-5 (2013) has made a distinction between paraphilia and paraphilic disorder. This means when you see a kink called a paraphilia it doesn’t automatically make it an unhealthy or obsessive kink.

☀ What’s the history?

Because of how little research there is on it there really isn’t any older history on it other than the history alongside furry fandom. And sadly most of the modern “research” on it is lacking adequate sources or may be bias. For example, even the 2013 book “Pleasure’s All Mine: A History of Perverse Sex” claimed plushophilia was an “obsession” and that plushophiles “disdain” furries, and I have no idea where the author would ever get that...

But here are some fun history points (remove parenthesis and spaces from links to use them):

🧸A reference to P.L.U.S.H., a 1993 “first attempt” at a plushophilie community. Found on an old lexicon list. (velocity.) (net/~galen/plushlex.) (html)

🧸 The first mention of sex with plushies on alt.fan.furry was July 20, 1993, and also referenced P.L.U.S.H. Seems P.L.U.S.H. may have been an irl plushophilia vendor/club(?) with a bulletin board system, but little online presence. (groups.) (google.) (com/g/alt.fan) (.furry/c/w8htgBi0EKY/m/-PQe3sI_M9EJ)

🧸 de.alt.fan.pluesch, a German plushophile newsgroup, was started on Jan 3, 1994. The prevalence of the brand Steiff on some old plushphilia sites may be related to this. They also called themselves plueschies, the equivalent of plushies in English furry plush fandom.

🧸 alt.sex.plushies, a plushophilia newsgroup, was started on Aug 9, 1994.

🧸 1996, a copy of the alt.sex.plushie FAQ as it existed on the newsgroup, seen autoposted by Dr. Cat, the co-creator of Furcadia (first furry MUCK). (groups.) (google.) (com/g/alt.) (sex.plushies/c/J2z1h3dy3pc/m/eokII9laAl0J?hl=en)

🧸 In 1999 the “PlushYiff Survey” was opened, likely on alt.sex.plushies and other relevant newsgroups. The results were updated in 2001. Results compiled from 80 respondents. (velocity.) (net/~galen/presults.) (txt)

🧸 In 2002 there was a planned event at someone’s house (after not finding a restaurant they could rent) to bring their plushies to, and to provide a large plushie for NSFW time with. (web.archive.) (org/web/20021028181304/) (http://www) (.sixsixfive.) (com/469.) (html)

🧸 An article in 2007 uses the word objectum-sexual, and Objectum-Sexuality Internationale website created in about 2008.

🧸 The word objectum is used in a 2009 graph by a sexologist. (waihili.) (tripod.) (com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/marshspectrum.) (pdf)

🧸 In 2012 r/plushlove is created on Reddit for plushophilia.

🧸 In 2013 the DSM-5 finally makes a distinction between normal, healthy paraphilias (the fetishes we pretty much see online daily in NSFW spaces, which do not affect or harm our daily lives) and paraphilic disorders.

🧸 In 2018 the word pelusexual is coined on Tumblr by genderplaylist.

🧸 In 2019 the word plushum is coined on Tumblr by fairycheesecake.

☀ Why do people become attracted to plushies?

I’m not a psychologist nor kink expert, but I do have a lot of experience with kinks- in part as a special interest! There are dozens of hypothesizes for how fetishes form.

Attraction to plushies would go along with the theories for the development of any other kink, but especially objectophilia. As uncomfortable as it may be to think about, some theories suggest many fetish fixations begin in childhood, and for plushies and object empathy this seems doubly so as plushies and toys are such a large part of most children’s lives (and indeed I attribute my plush attraction to my kid self).

Though only my own thought, it may also be a part of neurodivergence to become attached to or in love with an object/plushie. “Object empathy” is a known part of neurodivergence, especially autism (and I’d assume ADHD by proximity). For some, this object empathy could lead to love, romance, and/or sexual attraction to beloved objects as they become sexual mature adults.

But, also like other fetishes, these things are complicated and complex and it’s likely different for everyone. Not everyone forms fetishes based on something that happened while growing up. Sometimes, attraction is spontaneous, multifaceted, and difficult to explain.

☀ What’s the difference between plushophilia and plushum?

They are essentially the same thing. However, I’ve noted “plushum” is a broader used category and contains more romantic and SFW interactions with plushies. While “plushophilia” does include romantic attraction the -philia part usually implies sexuality more heavily.

Plushum was coined by fairycheesecake on Tumblr on 03/20/2019 and likely coined to mirror the much older word “objectum.”

☀ What is pelusexuality/pelusexual?

Pelusexual and pelusexuality were words made up in 2018 on Tumblr by a minor named genderplaylist. It likely comes from the French word for plush, which is peluche, so pelusexual literally means plushsexual. It’s not commonly used, but I have seen a very small few use it.

☀ Are all plushophiles/plushum sexual or kinky?

No. Their relationships with their plushies are as varied as real ones, with some plushies being friends, lovers, or sex objects, or some combination. While one plush may be their main object of sexual attraction, another plush may only be a comforting friend.

This is where the word plushum or pelusexual/peluromantic come in. Someone may choose to use plushum or pelusexual when they don’t want their love of plushies to be seen as a kink or as something “dirty.”

In these cases, plushum or pelusexuality are being used like other sexuality terms, for example homosexuality or asexuality, which we know are not kink related. This means to some attraction to plushies may not be a kink at all, but how they experience all of or a large part of their sexuality.

The 1994 plushophile newsgroup said it best: “Probably the most common thing plushophiles do with their plushies is to simply cuddle them.”

☀ Do plushophiles “like” animals?

A plushum attracted to a plushie that looks like a silly cartoon dog does not find real dogs attractive, they only find the cartoony plushie attractive. Plushophiles being attracted to animals is a rumor as old as the furry fandom itself (and plagues the furry fandom even more so) and still just as wrong. There needs to be fabric, stuffing, plastic eyes, buttons and zippers, etc.

That is to say- no.

☀ What about... kid stuff.

I do not engage my plushies in things like diapers, cub art, or daddy dom/little girl (DDLG). But yes. You will see some plushophiles do engage in it, particularly furries on Furaffinity.

I think you will find the majority of this conduct occurs specific to furries rather than plushophiles at large, and that’s consistent with furries in general. So, I do not think it speaks about what plushophilies enjoy so much as it does about conduct common with kinky furries.

So- yes, you will come across it, but it’s almost always furry related so I don’t think it reflects plushophilia at large.

☀ Are plushophiles/plushum “just lonely?”

I can’t speak for everyone, but no, because that’s one of the points of attraction to plushies and objects. They make their owners less lonely and more happy. In my experience, most plushophiles and objectophiles are very happy and fulfilled with their loved objects, and also have fulfilling partnerships with human friends/lovers at the same time. Some couples may even engage in plushophilia together.

You wouldn’t/shouldn’t be unkind to someone who talks to themself, and it should be no different with someone who speaks to themself through a loved plush or object.

★ ★ ★ NOW WHAT? Aspects of Plushophilia

☁ I think I just realized I’m a plushophile/plushum. Now what?

The “obscure” part of plushophilia means that sometimes when someone first discovers plushophilia they may make fun of it or misunderstand it, so you may come across plushophilia disgust or shaming online. Lots of “ew look at what I just found! Gross!” or pitying someone for loving an object. So, you might feel weird or ashamed if you suddenly realize you are attracted to or feel romantic towards a plush, but you shouldn’t feel ashamed for loving something made to be loved.

You may not even feel sexual towards your plushies at all, you may simply love and care for them in an above average way, like they are real. Whether platonic, romantic, or sexual, there is no reason to feel ashamed.

Loving a plushie or plushies is different for everyone, so it’s up to you how to handle it. Some focus on a specific species or brand of plushies (I love sheep for example), some may modify their plushies to be more sexual with, some may have only one or two special plushies they care for. It’s up to you and how you feel.

☁ How do I show my plush chaste love?

There is no right or wrong way to love your plushie, but a good cuddle or time spent together can be very comforting. If you’re looking for sweet ideas, here are some:

🧸 carry your plushie around, such as in a pocket/bag, to other rooms of the house, or outside on a walk

🧸 take turns giving different plushies cuddles so no one feels left out

🧸 keep your plushie close while reading, watching something, or playing a game, so you enjoy it together

🧸 let your friends know you care about your plushie, so they will understand and you can carry your plush around easier

🧸 take photos of your plushie doing fun things and share them online

☁ How do I show my plush more intimate love?

Sexual contact can be as simple as rubbing yourself on your plush, just like humping a pillow. Some cut a hole into their plush, while others may not want to “hurt” their plush, or may even have a no-liquids policy to keep them clean.

There is a community of plushophiles who modify their plushies specifically for the sexual aspect of the kink. Additionally, there are craft artists who will sell modified plushies or take commissions to modify plushies. This usually involves adding a SPH (strategically placed hole) or a SPA (strategically placed appendage).

A SPH is a bit like a comfortable sock sewn into a slit of the plushie that can be inserted into and cleaned, so the stuffing and outside doesn’t get dirty. Some SPHs have fleshlights inserted into them. A SPA can involve modification to give the plush a phallus, either a fabric one or a dildo. Others just use a strap on harness, no modification needed. Some modifications also involve adding plush breasts.

☁ How do I clean my plushies?

There are guides and tips out there if you look! But in general, it depends on what your plush is made of and how dirty it is. Most modern plushies are made of synthetic fibers (plastic) such as polyester. That means most modern plushies are vulnerable to high heat and you should avoid fabric softeners. Older vintage/antique plushies may be stuffed with paper or straw, so they’re even more delicate.

Though some plushies may be sturdy and their tag may suggest it, usually you will not want to wash them in a washing machine or dry them in a drier, because of risk of damage, stuffing clumping, and mold. Some tools you can use are lint rollers, slicker brushes and detangling brushes, and a simple bowl of warm water with a clean towel for surface washing.

When in doubt, read the tag and Google tips for your specific plushs’ needs.

☁ Are there other resources?

Yes! Plushophilia is old and grew in popularity (if you consider obscurity popular) alongside the furry fandom, so there are resources, plush modification markets, and communities for it.

In an effort not to get this FAQ hidden, the links have been chopped up. Darn Tumblr and its hatred of certain external links (but a small price for better spam control). Simply remove any parathesis and any spaces to use the link.

🧸 (plush.) (yiffru.) (xyz/?p=links) - A list of resources from a plush love forum

🧸 (velocity.) (net/~galen/) (plovefaq.) (html) - Plush Love Mini-FAQ

🧸 (velocity.) (net/~galen/) (asp-faq.txt) - alt.sex.plushie FAQ

🧸 (captainpackrat.) (com/plush/plush3.) (html) - Another link list

🧸 (reddit.) (com/r/Plushophile/comments/m5hkyp/where_to_get_a_plushie_with_an_sph_strategically/) - Some places to get modified plushies

#plushophilia #plushum #pelusexual #pelusexuality #furry

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tobaeus · 11 months ago

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If I had a nickel for every time someone offered me money to design and create a plush toy of a slightly obscure but still beloved game show mascot, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice.

#dr doofenshmirtz #sorry but I'll probably only be able to do this once in my life #not actually sorry though

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flutteringfable · 1 year ago

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1 - minecraft, specifically the xbox 360 edition. i've put so many hours and even years into several creative worlds with my cousins and little sister, it means a lot to me.

2 - pokemon alpha sapphire. my first ever pokemon game! i have a torchic plush i bought when i was like 11 because it was my starter <3

3 - animal crossing new leaf. new leaf has been a big part of my life for a while now, and i even have a town still running to this day (sorry for not checking in often, isabelle...). felicity was the first villager i grew attached to, and my baby 10 year old self was devastated when she moved out.

4 - bendy and the ink machine. some kids had a fnaf phase, i had a bendy phase. batim was the first mascot horror to really hook me, and it was a fixation of mine for quite a while.

5 - buildabearville. my first virtual world, and one that's a little obscure? i miss it with every passing day, and i hope someone gets a rewritten project up and running for it eventually. i used to listen to the like 2 cody simpson songs on the playlist that was built in. the bearville songs still go hard though; magic bear world and be beariffic will never not be bangers.

#fable talks 💫

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weirdmarioenemies · 4 years ago

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IT’S TIME TO TALK ABOUT BUGSNAX

Do you know about Bugsnax? You gotta know about Bugsnax! Everyone’s talkin’ ‘bout Bugsnax! The game that baffled viewers of the PS5 reveal, leading to many sarcastic jokes about it being “game of the year”, and leading so many to convince themselves and others that it MUST be secretly a horror game.

And that’s BOGUS! Even kind of rude, if you ask me. Isn’t it sad how so many simply cannot accept that something so unabashedly silly, so proudly whimsical, can exist without a twist? That the core concept, that the developers put so much passion into, isn’t seen as “enough”, and that it apparently must be a sort of cover-up? I sure think it is. It’s basically the new “were they on DRUGS when they made this”!

Of course, when I saw the reveal of Bugsnax, I knew the truth. That this was like a game tailor-made for me specifically. A creature-collecting game where EVERY single creature is not just food with googly eyes (which, by the way, puts EVERY Bugsnak on my Best Ever Characters List), but EVERY single one is based on some sort of invertebrate! Not a SINGLE collectable creature here that I dislike, or even not like that much!

And as we learned more, the passion only grew! Even the regular characters are funny creatures... there are mysteries to be uncovered... there’s a boatload of LGBT+ representation, even! There’s a non-binary character who’s just as prominent as everyone else, who everyone else effortlessly uses the correct pronouns for!

At this point, I’ve not only become a quite prominent member of the Bugsnax fandom across the wiki and official Discord server, but I’ve now finally played Bugsnax, and it is my favorite piece of media ever. I am not exaggerating. Please, if you get the chance, play Bugsnax (by Young Horses Games, creators of Octodad, by the way!). I could go on for so long. But this is not a game review, it’s a creature review! And this is not just a Funky Friday. It’s Flavor Friday this week!

So I’m going to be talkin’ ‘bout a bunch of Bugsnax! Both some of the most major ones, as well as some of my top favorites. Each Snak’s name will be a link to a video of all their lovely voice clips! I will not be talking about any plot details, but some Bugsnax discussed will be ones not “officially” revealed at the time of the game’s release, so keep that in mind if it may concerns you!

STRABBY

We will start with Strabby, the first Bugsnak ever seen, as well as, without a doubt, the mascot! And I think it’s perfect for the role. It’s simple, it’s iconic, it’s cute, it’s silly, and I would probably say this about any Bugsnak if it were the mascot, but Strabby is the one with an official plush, so here we are!

Strabby is based on a ladybug, and maybe it doesn’t resemble one THAT much, but I still think it makes sense, as a red little “bug” with seeds resembling spots in a way, and being conventionally charismatic overall.

Also, say hello to Sprout! This baby Strabby in a ball is entrusted to the player to take on their adventure, and can be directed with a laser pointer to access small areas, and help catch other Bugsnax!

BUNGER

Strabby may be the mascot, but Bunger is, without a doubt, the breakout star! All Bugsnax are silly, but Bunger is absolutely goofy. This fast food rhino beetle runs around without a care in the world, saying “bungerbungerbunger”, and gleefully knocking any other creature it sees into next Tuesday. They also knock away any traps in their path, but their recklessness and love for ketchup is key to capturing them!

CINNASNAIL

Strabby and Bunger may be the only ones with dancing gifs (for now), but now we enter my FAVORITES! Starting with Cinnasnail, who is absolutely perfect in every way, and of course my number one favorite. A cinnamon roll snail is even a creature concept I’ve come up with and drawn myself over four years ago, and seeing Bugsnax have the same idea for my favorite creature was really magical! Of all the Bugsnax, Cinnasnail not only has my favorite “bug” basis, but maybe also my favorite snack basis. I do not eat cinnamon rolls very often at all, but they are so splendid. As a snail, it is of course rather easy to catch, but it tends to be JUST out of reach... you will need some way to retrieve the trap before it escapes!

FRYDER

Fryder may be cute like all the others, but it’s also really dang cool! I really love the visual of the ketchup cup being the main body, but also like a sort of obscuring hat. Fryder is based specifically on orb-weaving spiders, and unfortunately its ketchup webs did not make it into the final game, but it still behaves uniquely in that it lurks on cave ceilings until tempted with ketchup to come down!

DR SODIE

Dr Sodie is one of many Sodies throughout the game, all delightful and based on specific canned drinks, but Dr Sodie in particular is my favorite, thanks to its name, implying this Sodie has a medical license. At this point, you may be questioning how this is a snack at all, but Bugsnax are only KINDA bug and KINDA snack! This is 100% edible and 100% Bugsnak, baby! Sodie’s anatomy fascinated me even before I played the game, and hearing it SING made it for sure one of my top favorites! It is also one of the ones I was most confused on the bug basis for, until finding out that Sodies are shrimp! I think they have some of the most interesting behaviors, too. They swim happily around, but unlike most Bugsnax, they HATE sauce of all kind, and spray water to wash it all away! How inconvenient... or is it?

CRAPPLE

a CRAB! a CRABAPPLE! Delightful! It’s a bit hard to see here but yes, it does have eyestalks. Crapple is important to me on a personal level, you see. Every day, I eat an apple with peanut butter for breakfast. And Crapple’s favorite sauce is peanut butter! You can even cover Crapple itself with peanut butter! I can make peanut butter apple IN this game! As if it wasn’t perfect enough. Also wonderful is that Crapple is a curious creature and likes to pick things up and bring them back to its lair!

I really do have a lot to say about Bugsnax. But I think this is a good point to stop at for now, given the length of the post! There will be a part 2 in the future, and this one will probably be soon!

#bugsnax #funky friday #not mario #mod chikako

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crierofirony · 3 years ago

Note

Precure for the fandom ask thing!? I have others I wanna ask, but this one comes first

Hi friend! Thank you for sending me an ask :) This will be general for all the seasons, instead of focusing on a single one. I hope that’s okay.

• blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most)

Lock and Kuroro :)

I also really like the Fresh! Precure team, and the Go!Pri team. Them and the Splash Star! team, including Michiru and Kaoru. But the Futari Wa girls are also some of my favourites, and the Yes! 5 team.

Two characters besides Lock and Kuroro that I think about all the time are Haruka and Kanata as a pair.

I also think about Dark Precure from Yes! Precure 5 and Heartcatch Precure.

• scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped)

Kuroro!! I draw him a whole bunch, I drew him with geometric minimalist shapes, I drew him a touch chubbier, I drew him in a rain coat. He is just so Shaped :)

Moforun and Kururun! I’m a sucker for plush mascots. because plushies and stuffed toys hold such a special place in my heart. Kururun does fuck all, and I love that for him.

Oh oh oh! And Tarte and Chiffon! And Azukina! They were such pleasant fairies for the season, and I can’t help but smile whenever I think of Tarte and Kaoru’s friendship (The Kaoru from Fresh Precure, and not Splash Star’s Kaoru)

• scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave)

Kuroro :( No one draws Kuroro, and he’s mostly forgotten, or thought of as Lock’s alter ego, like the Bad End Trio from Smile. But he’s a separate fairy, he wasn’t transformed to be evil, he was being controlled by Lock. Big difference.

So many people are sleeping on Cure Muse!! She’s amazing, and I think she was the perfect addition to Suite!

I’m going to get actual hate for this, but Cure Rosetta and Cure Ace are among some of the best Cures of the series and they get so much undeserved hate. (Not Rosetta, but Ace does)

I want to include a villain too, I’m gonna say that an underappreciated villain is Pissard. He was my favourite member of the Dark Zone.

Also Hikari’s younger brother from Max Heart!

• glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week)

You know what, I love the bug kid from Tropical-Rouge! Yeah, it was a filler episode, but I think he was just the cutest, him and his friend.

I will scream when Mephisto appears on screen. He’s such a dad and I love him. His love for Ako is admirable and so endearing, and he loves his wife so much!!!! He also has stupid elf shoes. Love him.

• poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave)

Man, I hate to say it, but I really liked Daruizen. He was terrible to Nodoka, he as selfish and wanted to live, even if it meant almost killing Nodoka again. I think he’s a great villain, and I also just like his type of character. If I saw him on the street though, it’s on sight.

Close. I love the Three Dusketeers. Close, Shut, and Lock were such a good trio. They had a dynamic, and that dynamic was thinking the others’ were unnecessary and wanting to show the other up. Love them. I think I mentioned it before, but I love the ending to Go!Pri, it was similar to Suite in the fact that the bad will always exist, but there will always be the good to fight it, and that both are necessary to live your life. Close was such an important part of that cycle, that I can’t help but love him. I think he fits more under the pathetic category, at least his appearances from Ep.1-9.

• horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason)

This is a hard question to answer. I’d only ever leave this category to the villains and big bads. Never any of the main girls’ and their friends, families, classmates, etc. . No one really comes to mind.

• eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell)

Daruizen, Guaiwaru, Dyspear, and Joker 100%. For being mean >:(

But above all, Shadow from the Yes! Precure 5 movie. He’s a super meanie.

#precure #pretty cure #ask meme #ask game #bean ily thank you for sending this in

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clanwarrior-tumbly · 5 years ago

Note

I saw your post about what the animatronic performances that animatronics rented from CBEAR do, and was wondering if you could do something like that but for AR?

Ooooo! Yes! This’ll be a long & frequently updated list as more animatronics/animatronic skins are added to the game, but here we go!

Freddy

As the most basic animatronic, he’s in high demand.

His primary function is playing the music box--which has numerous tunes that can be played.

Usually he’s recommended for people with restless children to help soothe them to sleep.

Bonnie

Entertains with music facts.

He's also well-equipped to deal with energetic/hyper individuals.

Did have his guitar at some point, but it was removed after complaints of Bonnies destroying stuff in people's homes.

Misses it, but will be happy if you gave him your guitar.

He'll treat it with care and automatically knows how to play it.

Chica

Encourages healthy eating.

Though she is programmed with the recipe for FFP's signature cheese pizza (which is in the shape of her head) and pink cupcakes.

Carl can come off the plate and be held (though anytime that happens, she's always nearby).

Foxy

Not very popular among users due to his difficulty capturing, mocking disposition, and his overall dangerous appearance.

There's some good to him, though.

He enjoys singing sea shanties and telling tales of mermaids, treasure, the kraken, etc.

You might wanna put a rubber cap on the tip of his hook so he doesn't accidentally scrape anyone or anything.

Balloon Boy

A balloon vendor, of course.

Not really much to him besides leaving balloons around the house.

They're all striped like the one he holds, but can be various colors.

A storage tank in his body is where he gets them from

Circus Baby

Has all her original functions (singing, dancing, inflating balloons, ice cream dispensing, etc).

Finally can live her dream as an entertainer again without having to wait till be rented or being stuck on a lonely stage.

Most of Elizabeth's spirit has gone to rest, so she's not a danger to her owner(s) after being shocked whatsoever.

Springtrap

Was originally programmed to just sing, but obviously...he is far from willing to or even capable of doing that.

He IS, however, willing to kill and kill again.

Being shocked does allow Springbonnie to be back in control. And no effort on William's part can override that.

So he begrudgingly goes out to salvage, though he does find joy in scaring other people.

That's the only way to really keep his spirit satisfied.

Endo-01

The standard animatronic that is used for plush suits.

On its own, though, it doesn’t really do much besides explore its owner’s house. Just to get a feel of its surroundings.

It’ll only readily perform salvaging/attacking duties afterwards.

Toy Freddy

Like Freddy, he takes song requests on his music box.

He's pretty much the same fun and goofy bear-- always cracking lighthearted jokes to get his owner(s) to smile.

Very protective, though. So don't cross him or his owner(s). He won't play nice.

Toy Chica

Educates on healthy eating like Chica does, though she gets tired of going over the same programmed lines all the time.

She's more interested in keeping up her shiny and pristine looks if anything.

Reluctant to go out to salvage/attack, and freaks out if she returns broken.

Acts cold and sassy, but really she's just afraid to be abandoned.

Toy Bonnie

Takes song requests, usually rock or country.

His owner(s) can order his red guitar or banjo separately.

He’s more suitable for energetic/talkative individuals.

Craves constant validation.

Mangle

They're basically a take-apart-&-put-back-together attraction.

Though now they have more free will and actually CHOOSE to play with their owner(s).

Like in their encounter they'll scatter their parts and have you find them.

They can be mischievous and hide them in obscure places (fridge, under the bed, behind that one area of the dresser that you can't quite reach)

RXQ

A spirit that haunts phones after too much shadow remnant is collected.

He actually uses those to protect the light remnants--children's souls that are just wandering on their own.

Hates the idea of the FFS making ppl use them to power up their animatronics.

That's why he steals the most of it back if he isn't repelled

Frostbear

Made to keep people company during the holiday season.

Can make an ice-skating rink with his coolant spray if you wanted that in your house.

But for the most part he just likes to hum songs and play Christmas tunes programmed in his music box.

More info about him here!

Shamrock Freddy

Like Frostbear, he keeps his owners company with St. Patrick’s Day festivities and trivia.

More info about him here!

Choco-Bon & Easter Bonnie

Both of them were mascots of the Candy & Sweets Shop.

They have vast knowledge of Easter and encourage their owner(s) to partake in the traditions of egg hunting/painting.

If you had them both, sometimes they’ll argue over placement of the eggs and just have a sibling rivalry of some sort.

But for the most part, they get along well.

Arcade Toys

Video game-themed variants of the Toys (sans Baby) that act the same as their counterparts.

They do have their own personalities (VRTF, SETB, HSTC, & 8BB)

They aren't fully corporeal, and so they glitch on their own and can glitch around the house.

All have vast knowledge of gaming, especially arcade games.

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bluepoodle7 · 7 months ago

Text

#CKSnacksFoods #CKSnacksFoodsCheezeKurlsMunchsterMonsterPlush #MonsterPlush #MascotPlush #JunkFoodSnacksMascot #ObscureMascotPlush #Plushies #PlushPals

This is a 2000 CK Snacks Foods Cheeze Kurls Munchster Monster Mascot Plush and this plush is pretty unique.

This plush and the very company is really obscure and this company is still in business but they seem to have removed this cool mascot from their packaging to make it streamline boring and even be more obscure than it was with the mascot.

I like it that in the past up to the early 2000s that if a company had a product and they want to get more eyes on it before the internet was a popular thing to use that the company made small batches of merch of their mascot like plushies, stress toys, and statues.

I really like this mascot's design and this mascot gives me dollar tree you randomly find it in the chip area vibes.

This mascot also gives me Bigg Mixx creative monster vibes and obscure food mascot video game platformer vibes.

I know this creature's nose is a baked real cheese cheese ball snack but is this creature supposed to be a dragon monster?

I really like this plush's purple, light blue, and red target like belly this plush has and gives me looney tunes mixed with Foodfight! the movie vibes like this character could have been a Ike character.

I wonder if this little friend had a commercial?

This plush looks like something I would randomly draw in design.

I wish this mascot could return on the Ck Snacks Foods packaging and the might get more eyes on theses snacks while making this company stand out.

This company does have a youtube but hasn't uploaded with a new video since 2021 and this company is in Michigan.

I wonder what these baked snacks taste like since this company seems to not be selling their snacks online like Amazon which would be a good thing to do for this company or they will stay obscure.

The CK Snacks doesn't have any outside social media except a youtube channel the company doesn't use that much but they do have their own website.

They do have a shop but seems like this company never bothered to update it but has a coming soon on it.

I wonder how long that coming soon has been on that website?

I would like to try and compare the CK Snacks Foods baked snacks to the Dollar Tree versions and other brands to taste test.

This plush is 8 inches from the tip of the horns or the cheese ball nose to the foot.

The plush is super soft to the touch but the horns, belly, and the claws on this plush seem to be made of a different material than other parts of the body.

The horns, belly, and claws feel plastic like but not the material that peels off.

The plush's belly and butt area is lightly stuffed with beans or plastic pellets in it.

The plush's dragon like tail has a wire in it similar to the Timmy the Tooth plush in the arms and I will rarely mess with the wire in the tail to keep it mint.

This plush has it's hang and tush tag but not the baggie these limited edition plushies are usually in.

This plush can wear both the hobby lobby glasses and the build a bear glasses.

Images and videos not mine but links are there

Cheeze Kurls - Cheeze Kurls updated their cover photo. (facebook.com)

Cheezekurls – A leading manufacturer of popcorn and extruded snacks (cksnacks.com)

Home – Cheezekurls (cksnacks.com)

CK Cheeze Puffs | Snacks, Chips & Dips | Lynn's Dakotamart (lynnsdakotamart.com)

CK Cheeze Kurls | Snacks, Chips & Dips | Matherne's Market (mathernes.com)

Ck Cheeze Pops | Popping Corn | D&W Fresh Market (shopdwfreshmarket.com)

Ck Cheese Balls $ | Snacks, Chips & Dips | Schmitz's Economart (schmitzeconomart.com)

CK Cheeze Balls (taquitos.net)

Cheeze Kurls Butter Pops Hull-Less Popcorn Snacks Bag Munc… | Flickr

CK Snacks Cheeze Kurls Facility (youtube.com)

Product Capabilities Packaging – Cheezekurls (cksnacks.com)

#CK Snacks Foods #CK Snacks Foods Cheeze Kurls Munchster Monster Plush #Monster Plush #Mascot Plush #Junk Food Snacks Mascot #Obscure Mascot Plush #Plushies #Plush Pals

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eirikrjs · 5 years ago

Note

What if the biggest problem with Persona 5 is style over substance? None of the main characters or main villains were memorable. I feel like the Confidants in Persona 5 were far more interesting than the Phantom Thieves. What I am trying to say is that the Phantom Thieves felt more like corporate mascots than actual characters.

I mean, sure. There was that discussion from months back questioning the meaning and motivation of the game’s final arc. It seems like most people agree that the earlier chapters are better than the latter ones. As an outside party to the game, what I’ve gathered is that P5 has pretensions rather than genuine aspirations.

Also, that any such flaws don’t matter because people want the characters. Mascots? Well, I suppose. The Persona series definitely has what I’d call ephemeral character mascots. Teddie replaced not-exactly-mascot Koromaru, Morgana replaced Teddie, and P6′s magical friend (because it WILL have one) will eventually replace Morgana. Each mascot is important until you suddenly don’t see them again. Like, I have a Teddie plush I keep on my game shelf that has been my primary reminder of his existence the past few years, when he was everywhere to an obnoxious degree pre-P5. Jack Frost as corporate mascot appears largely inconsequential to the Persona community, certainly less important than the P-mascot of the day.

I’d imagine the main cast is the same way; you’ll see them in various spinoffs until they’re milked of most of their value, necessitating Persona 6′s new cast. Joker, et al, replaced Narukami, et al, and just like P3 or P4, the Phantom Thieves will in the future exist only in crossover spinoffs. It’s a formula that prospers via the character archetypes Atlus uses (silent Gary Stu, annoying friend, mascot, demure girl, not demure girl, high-status girl, etc.); similar, familiar personalities and roles with fresh coats of paint. Different scenarios in each game also obscure the similitude, but pushing back from the opposite direction is the limiting factor that these are still all just high school students. For a series where story and characters are so important, you’d think they’d more aggressively shake up this formula--like, make the protag initially friends with a quieter, nerdy guy instead of the overbearing guy. It’s something I don’t understand, but I digress.

This rotating character consumption will steam ahead until a new cast is deemed inferior to its predecessor, but such condemnation will only result in fragmentation of the community. Thus far, in P3->4->5, Atlus has been lucky and this cynical cycle continues.

#persona #p5

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princesstadashi · 5 years ago

Note

For the ask game: How about Fred or Tadashi?

Awwww, thank you!!!! :D I just did Tadashi so I’ll do Fred!

Give me a character and I’ll tell you my headcanon for:

What they smell like: I feel like Fred isn’t super into scented products, so probably he tends to smell like pizza? XD But once he finds out that Tadashi likes the scent of sakura he would totally start using sakura soap and/or shampoo :)

How they sleep (sleeping position, schedule, etc): He tends to be pretty sprawled out on the bed, unless he’s sharing his bed with Tadashi in which case he’s curled up with him :) He has several plushies from his favorite shows/movies that he rotates out on who gets to sleep on the bed with him to make it fair :) (At some point Honey Lemon totally makes him a little Tadashi plush, though, and at that point any other stuffed animals have to share the bed because the Tadashi plush never leaves unless actual Tadashi is there XD) Fred is also a night owl, maybe even more so than Tadashi, but that works out well for them--if they’re in the Nerd Lab they end up getting time just the two of them after everyone else has gone to bed :) Tadashi at least tries to keep them accountable and not stay up too late if they have classes in the morning (he has a harder time making himself go to bed, but he and Fred both make sure that the other one gets some sleep!)

What music they enjoy: I think Fred has very eclectic taste in music--he bounces around from genre to genre, whatever tickles his fancy, he has a lot of playlists on his phone with different types of music depending on his mood. Someone once made the mistake of putting his phone on shuffle while they were on a road trip--never again XD (I feel like the one artist he really loves is Weird Al, he’s a big fan of parody songs!)

How much time they spend getting ready every morning: At least before Tadashi he would usually sleep in what he was going to wear the next day so maybe ten minutes? But post meeting/dating Tadashi he started trying to make a bit more of an effort which got him up to about twenty/thirty minutes :)

Their favorite thing to collect: Comic books and nerdy memorabilia, of course!

Left or right-handed: Right handed

Religion (if any): Probably none--he respects everyone’s right to believe as they wish and he has some beliefs in things like the Force and maybe some various mythologies that he finds interesting but doesn’t really tie himself down to any one set of beliefs.

Favorite sport: Mascotting!

Favorite touristy thing to do when traveling (museums, local food, sightseeing, etc): He likes finding cheesy tourist traps like wax museums or parks with giant concrete dinosaurs--things you wouldn’t be able to see just anywhere! Also he likes to look for local comic book shops where he might be able to find rare comics or merch!

Favorite kind of weather: He likes a day with lots of sun so he can be out and about if he wants to be or so he can enjoy sitting near a window and have good light for reading!

A weird/obscure fear they have: Zombies, if that counts? He tried getting into the zombies/apocalypse genre before he was ready for it as a kid because of some friends and couldn’t handle it, still doesn’t like it to this day. Also there’s one or two places in the mansion that he’s pretty sure are haunted by his ancestors (including that statue out in the garden which Baymax smashed) and he avoids them like the plague.

The carnival/arcade game they always win without fail: Fred is surprisingly good at games of chance--he just has a lucky streak (or else knows how to game the system but would never admit to it!)

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raygirlramblings · 6 years ago

Text

Being a collector for a relatively underrepresented game mascot is suffering. It’s so hard to put a value on items that seem rare but that you know would only appeal to a small subset of people.

Take that Rayman quadpack. The only people who would be interested in that pack are Rayman collectors and collectors of obscure PS2/game memorabilia. Yes it’s unopened and as a Rayman collector I’d love to get my hands on it, but for £300? An item that is probably never going to be worth that much to anyone other than another collector, and even then the box looks battered and yellowed. Is it really worth that much?

While I have seen the individual elements (the controller, the pen) appear on eBay occasionally I don’t think the combined price added up to anything close to £300, and yet I have no other sealed packs as a reference.

You can’t even use another similar items from a different franchise (Sonic, Crash Bandicoot etc) because we have no idea the rarity of THOSE items compared to the Rayman one.

Sure I could put in an offer for a lower price but where does one even start figuring out how to barter on this? If it’s not worth £300, is it worth £200? £100? £50? There’s not getting ripped off and then there’s not realising the actual worth of an item.

And on top of all that there is no proof that the item is officially licenced by Ubisoft. Is a rare bootleg still worth the same as a rare licenced product? Is the Rayman Rocket plush (which is not licenced btw) comparable to the Rayman mushroom statue (official) based on rarity alone? Are we Rayman collectors supposed to just accept outrageous prices because our area of interest is so narrow?

I would love to hear from any other collectors of obscure/small fandoms to see how they deal with this. There just aren’t enough Rayman collectors in the fandom for us to have a cohesive network and brainstorm this stuff.

Being a Rayman collector is suffering.

#Rayman #raygirl's ramblings #collecting

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britesparc · 6 years ago

Text

Weekend Top Ten #369

Top Ten Favourite Things About Teen Titans Go!

One of the funny things about life is observing elements of circularity. For instance, nearly twenty years ago, my younger brother really got into the original Teen Titans cartoon, and I sort of got into it with him (having a brother ten years younger than yourself is very good for keeping your oar in with kids’ content when you’re supposed to be too old for that sort of thing; as a result, I got to thoroughly enjoy Justice League, Samurai Jack, Harry Potter and lots more stuff that may have otherwise passed me by). I knew who the Titans were but hadn’t read a lot of their comics; the cartoon was my introduction to most of those characters. It was really good, benefited from a tremendous theme tune, and – for its time – quietly revolutionary in how it incorporated anime aesthetics into a western cartoon. Plus it had a cracking voice cast, which – not that I knew it at the time – would become as synonymous with those characters as Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, and Kevin Conroy had done with cartoons I’d watched as a child.

(that’s Optimus, Megatron, and Batman, in case you’re wondering)

Anyway, here we are, eighteen-or-so years later, and Teen Titans is just a beloved long-gone cult classic but bizarre comedic spin-off Teen Titans Go! is a minor phenomenon. The same characters, the same actors, but wilder, weirder, funnier, crazier, way more violent, and – bizarrely – far more integrated into the wider DC Universe. And my kids – especially my eldest daughter – bloody love the show. It is huge in our house. We’ve seen the film, we listen to the songs, they draw their own comics, they roleplay the characters; we have a home-made Raven costume, for god’s sake. I have a six-year-old who knows who Tara Strong is. This is incredible.

As a result, I’ve seen an awful lot (not quite every episode) of Teen Titans Go!. It’s fortunate, then, that it’s fantastic, easily one of the best comic-book cartoon adaptations ever made. It’s not just how funny it is; it’s madcap and self-referential and full of many (many) MANY DC comics references. And great, great songs. And – like I said before – tremendous performances. Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is a great, great movie with great, great songs and many great, great gags, and it’s a mixed blessing that it ended up being released in what may well be Annus Mirabilis for superhero movies: it’s great that it’s mixing it up with Infinity War, Black Panther, and Spider-Verse, but I feel it got overshadowed a bit. Say what you will for the slightly more “serious” original Teen Titans series, but it was the barmy chibi-inspired stepchild that got a movie.

So this week, I’m celebrating what has become my second-favourite superhero cartoon of all time (after Batman: The Animated Series, natch). My ten favourite things about Teen Titans Go!. Enjoy!

The Songs: I tried to pick a song, or some reference or line or scene, but really it’s impossible. The songs are sublime. So great, in fact, that I’ll probably do another Top Ten at some point listing my favourite TTG songs. Really catchy, great lyrics, supremely diverse, and full of references not just to DC but to, well, everything. There’s a song about America that includes the line “Samuel L. Jackson on the stamp”, which makes no sense as far as I can figure, but is just wonderful.

Deep, Deep (DEEP) Cut DC References: it started with the Darkseid doll. A little plush Darkseid doll that’s always leaning against the couch. How cute, how funny; Darkseid, the literal embodiment of evil, but as an adorable snuggly. And then it got deeper, and weirder, and more wild. B’wana Beast. Alternate universe Robins. “That movie where their moms are both called Martha”. The Haunted Tank. The Haunted Tank! What kind of kids’ show references The Haunted Tank?! And then there’s the fact that The Comedian’s blood-stained smiley face badge is on display in the Batcave. Let’s go back over that one: there are Watchmen references in this cartoon for six-year-olds.

Batman and Gordon: the original Teen Titans cartoon pretty much never mentioned any aspect of the universe outside of the five characters, barring one fleeting visual reference to the Batcave and the episode where you meet the Doom Patrol. TTG has no qualms about explaining that, yes, Robin is Batman’s sidekick. So we see the Batcave, and Wayne Manor, and Alfred. But it’s Batman’s relationship with Gordon that’s golden. Not just stoic men’s men who diligently work alongside one another, never questioning, never needing to; no, they’re best mates, giggling schoolkids who want to shirk off all work and just sit in their PJs watching crap on the telly. Like a superheroic version of Beavis and Butt-Head, they’re often there, in the background, goofing off, playing games, undercutting the narrative. It’s such a perfect inversion of Batman’s usual persona and a great way of referencing – in supremely silly terms – the deep bond of affection between the two men in most Batman fiction. I especially like when Superman gives Gordon to Batman as a birthday present.

The Night Begins to Shine: I know I said I wouldn’t single out one song, but we do need to talk about The Night Begins to Shine. More than just a cool song in one episode, it blossomed into a whole weird parallel universe filled with bizarre references to ‘80s heavy metal and, well, Heavy Metal. Almost coming off like a primary school version of Mandy, the multi-part epic about Cyborg fighting a giant dragon in the “Night” universe, complete with cameos from people like CeeLo Green and Fall Out Boy (as Transformers!), is just a thing of absolute beauty. Truly, the level of reference and artistry on display in terms of writing, composition, and animation won’t be understood by the kids watching now until they’re quite a bit older. They’ll come back to this in ten, fifteen, twenty years and think “wow, now I see what they were doing; that’s so, so weird”.

The Holiday Mascots: belligerent Santa is the king (“you garbage kids!”), a fat psychopath trying to take over every other holiday, but let’s spare a thought for the other representations of holidays, too. The creepy Tooth Fairy, who eats teeth. The turkey from Thanksgiving who is horribly mutilated. Uncle Sam. And the Easter Bunny. Oh my god, the Easter Bunny. Genuinely unsettling. Words can’t describe. Seriously, check it out, it’s some Babadook-level freaky shit.

Raven’s Legs: a little bit worrying when you’ve got two kids under seven watching it, but the fact that Raven is not just hiding very, very sexy legs underneath her cloak, but is also capable of becoming an entirely other superhero who uses her legs as weapons, is very, very funny. Watching Beast Boy go full Tex Avery when he sees Raven’s legs is one of those gags that, I guess, works on different levels if you’re a child or an adult. Regardless, turning snarky sourpuss Raven into golden-costumed Lady Legasus is a nice move.

Breaking the Fourth Wall: they only really do this explicitly once or twice, I think, but overall the show is incredibly self-referential. From Control Freak trying to get them rebooted or cancelled, to jokes about the animation or the writing, it’s beautifully self-deprecating. This reaches its apex in the 200th episode specials, when the Titans journey into “our” world. It’s hilarious to see them interact with their own voice actors, but for me it’s the note-perfect representation of directing voice actors that’s really funny, almost as good as Toast of London in its depiction. Plus the gag about everyone who works on the show being ultimately replaceable. A scathing indictment of the animation industry, wrapped up in an animation; like The Simpsons in its heyday.

Genuinely Quite Upsetting Violence: I don’t think I’d ever seen a cartoon for small children before that quite regularly featured its main characters having their bones visibly broken. And by “visibly” I mean “cutting to an X-ray of their limb to show the bone shearing in half or crumpling to dust”. It’s almost rare for an episode to go by without one or more of the Titans experiencing life-altering injuries. I’m honestly not sure how they get away with it. but it is funny. Apex moment? Oh, undoubtedly them beating the shit out of Shia LaBeouf in the movie.

Real-World References: clearly the people who make Teen Titans Go! are in their late thirties or early forties; people who grew up in the ‘80s and absorbed ‘80s culture. People who liked Transformers and Star Wars and Back to the Future, who listened to rock music, who liked toys and videogames. They probably grew into teenagers who were fans of obscure animations, cult movies, sci-fi, fantasy, horror. They are, basically, me. I think I would get on quite well with the creators of TTG, based on the things they reference. But beyond cultural appropriation, it’s the references to daylight saving’s time, “shareconomics”, American politics and history, “The Man”, and more, that is so wild and weird to see in a cartoon for young kids. They handle these topics beautifully (I’m honestly not sure if my kids think the things the Titans are talking about are real or not), but as a grown-up it’s really funny to see these gags in a kids’ cartoon. I mean, the Titans fight the Illuminati in one episode. They reference “lizard men in Congress”. It’s bonkers.

Nicolas Cage: in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, Nicolas Cage plays Superman. That’s it. I mean, what more do you want? The guy whose whole career almost seems to have hinged on playing Superman finally gets to be Superman. The guy who was nearly – oh so nearly – Superman for Tim Burton is now, at last, Superman. The guy who named his kid Kal-El is now Superman. The guy who was namechecked in The Ultimates about eighteen years ago (“this guy wants to be a superhero almost as much as Nicolas Cage”) is now Superman. It’s such a meta-gag, such a high-level gag. Stunt casting taken to its nth degree. It’s even funnier than Billy Dee Williams playing Two-Face in LEGO Batman. And it got better – this part, I concede, beyond the purview of the TTG creators – because the same year he played Superman, Nicolas Cage also played (an alternate universe version of) Spider-Man in Into the Spider-Verse. And, as I alluded to above, starred in his own version of The Night Begins to Shine when he made Mandy. It all links!

There we go. my favourite things. This was tough, I had to leave a lot out. I’m particularly saddened by not finding room for Cyborg’s tiny body made up of wires whenever he removes his head. And The Jeff; gutted I missed The Jeff. Or the episode that references all the movie incarnations of Batman, including a dumpster full of Batman Forever and Batman & Robin stuff (I’ll save my argument that TTG serves as an even better comic analysis and deconstruction of the meta-character of Batman, and of Robin, than the much-ballyhooed LEGO incarnations for another day). It’s really a great show. I love it to bits. Go watch it.

#top ten #teen titans #teen titans go #teen titans go to the movies #cartoons #dc #comics #robin #starfire #raven #beast boy #cyborg

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