#hedgehog spike post might be one of the last things I do before I buckle down do start packing for the move

[ceiling-karasu]

Helmets Again

I've been looking at the variation in helmets in the show, and seeing how they change over time, and what rank appears to be wearing what. I have a few drafts on how I am thinking of drawing them, based on comparing the helmets to real life and other helmets seen in media that appear similar.

Then I am comparing them to the head shapes.

For the first type of helmet, in the earlier episodes, the characters have more of an oval head shape as compared to the round heads later in the series. Hedgehog quills are also quite large in comparison to later, as well.

There does not appear to be a lot variation between the factions.

Easy enough to draw a circle or oval and a line across the top, and then a half circle where it meets on the sides, funny enough. Making another bit of a half circle over top for the rest of the helmet for where the straps come out (and erasing what doesn’t match up anymore), and then making the chin area match up is a bit of a process, though, since it destroys the circle.

Although I don't know if creating a basic head and helmet shape for me to reference from now on is cheating somehow? I would still have to work fairly hard to avoid everyone having the exact same head shape, hair and quill type, and other similarities. I would still have to create side and back views as well.

Mice and weasels appear to keep this more more uncomplicated helmet throughout the series, if they don't have a hat. At least some of the soldiers appear to have a white stripe across the bottom, mostly the higher ranking members.

I want to say that these are all WW2 helmets, since WW1 Helmets have a noticeably wider rim.

Later, the Flower Hill Helmets get a stripe across the bottom, which allows for more designs, such as Scout Goseumdochi's camouflage leaf helmet.

Funny enough, some of the mice and weasels also have the criss-cross design.

One would think that Aekku, as the scout commander, would have a crossed helmet, but instead it is Chief of Staff, so it is not a camouflage design, at least for the Weasel Unit. It still might denote ranks, which brings into question why a seemingly regular mouse soldier would have one, unless he prefers to or is made to practice with those under him.

Later in the series, the heads are more round and easier to just draw a circle and go from there. The helmets, however, are more complicated, as they are PASGT and ACH helmets, and I don't like how loose they appear in real life (for ear pieces I guess, but the ears in the show are higher up and NO ONE wants to draw a helmet like that I think). They do remind me a lot of Warhammer 40K Cadia helmets, though, which are closer to the head, and there are tutorials and manuals on how to make those, which was fun.

The quills on the hedgehogs are a lot smaller as well, although I am not sure if it is because of the larger helmet, the smaller face, or both.

This is a nice reference photo, but when compared to the fanmade helmet, it kind displays that Commander Goseumdochi appears to tilt his head to a left a bit in certain scenes later in the series. If it is not an animation error then I wonder if he isn't slightly hard of hearing at this point, or if he just tilts his head when he is curious about something/concentrating intently.

On Flower Hill, it appears that helmet designs from the start of the series are still around, along with some other styles.

I previously talked about the amount of spikes on the helmet displaying a hedgehog's position in the military, with less spikes possibly meaning a higher rank. While the number of spikes, the ability to differentiate between hedgehogs and squirrels quickly in battle, and the possibility of combat are still possibilities, here, for this context, I suggest that the simpler helmet design denotes a lower rank, while the style with the elongated sides suggests a higher rank, and then those can be differentiated as well.

I am not sure why Juldarami appears to be wearing an ECH helmet in this scene, since those are primarily American from what I understand.

Also the headphones appear to be where a human would have ears, not a squirrel. I don’t think it’s helmet material that is attached to the back.

Then again, as helmets became more modernized, they did get those flaps along the sides, up until later where some of the flaps were shortened and included headphone looking devices with the ECH. There are specialty headphones made specifically for blocking out loud and sudden gunshot sounds that still allow you to hear everything else around you. I assume those are them. I would also still assume that anyone wearing such a helmet would be considered lower rank on Flower Hill than an ACH since they would be closer to the action.

Hovever, this can all be debatable, and Commamders Darami and Goseumdochi have been known to slip into the field themselves, so they might have the more specialty helmet for that.

Anyway, I figure these helmets are drafts to start looking at making a consistent head and body style that I might like, instead of starting from the ground up every time, which takes weeks.

Reconstructing full side views and the ducks will come later.

Hedgehog quills are also the bane of my existence. I am working on trying to create a nice consistent style. Right now I have about a dozen or so quill styles I have been working on for the past few weeks, each on the earlier and later helmet styles. I'll post some of the some I like sometime later.