#i kind of want to draw young mario and young luigi again

[multicolour-ink]

Young Mario, Young Luigi, and Inspector Palm redraw (across the years)

- - -

Context for those who don’t know: So I long time ago (when I was much younger and less experienced) I envisioned a scenario where Mario and Luigi grew up in the Mushroom Kingdom instead of Brooklyn, and the many adventures they would get into before their adult years. I created an OC they would interact off of; Chief Inspector Palm. “Inspector Palm is head of the Mushroom Kingdom Police Force, but ultimately acts a bit of a high boots. He's not a bad guy per say, he just doesn't trust that two children who are destined to become the famous heroes of the Mushroom World, can help him with his job. Thus he spends countless hours chasing them away; or ironically trying to catch them if they somehow (more than often) go against his wishes and try to "meddle in his affairs" anyway! Spoilers: he warms up to them eventually.”

(from my previous redraw in 2016)

As you can see, I had redrawn this before, but recently got nostalgic for this old idea from my past, so I decided to redraw it once again to see how far I’ve come!

I really do think that I’ve improved a lot 🙂 Although, looking back at the 2013 version, it doesn’t look as bad as how I thought it was back then 🤣😅

[willowisapillow]

☃️🍄 Goin' Down To Shroom Park 🍄☃️

Heyo, guys, gals, and non-binary pals. The most wonderful time of the year is upon us, so I wanted to start it off by drawing a winter-themed pic. And also to add it onto the list of crossovers nobody asked for but yet I deliver because I can 😌

And uh, kind of weird timing that I’m posting this considering everyone is currently harping on about Wapeach (or Walupeach or whatever the hell she’s called), so that’s neat, ig.

I'm not sure if y’all knew this about me, but I love South Park. It’s one of my favorite cartoons of all time and one of the few adult cartoons that I actually watch. I do love cartoons in general, but for some weird reason, I just could never really get into adult cartoons, despite half of the unhinged and crass stuff that I love like the Child’s Play/Chucky movies, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, and Panty & Stocking. The only ones that I really like and watch are South Park (as previously mentioned), Happy Tree Friends, Daria, and Drawn Together. Other than that, other shows don’t really interest me.

Though I have heard a lot of good things about Moral Orel, and watched a couple of reviews of it on YouTube, so maybe one day I’ll give it a watch.

Back onto the topic of South Park, I always knew about this show’s existence, but I definitely was not allowed to watch it when I was super young for… obvious reasons 💀

It wasn’t until 8th grade, which was my third and final year of middle school, was when I started really getting into the series. I came across a 107 Facts video about the series on YouTube, and clicked on it, despite knowing little to nothing about the series. And then I clicked on another video about the series. And then another. And another. And another. And another. And one thing led to another, and I eventually became hooked on the series. I was always interested in what wild adventure the boys would get themselves into, or what out-of-pocket thing Cartman would be doing this time.

It’s been a very long while since I’ve last watched the show, so my knowledge of it is pretty rusty, but I’m planning on watching it again after hearing about the whole Panderverse thing. Also I love the designs of the Panderverse girls, they slay ✨

I had a lot of fun drawing this, I just wanted to draw some of my favorite Mario characters as some of my favorite characters from the show. At first, I wanted to draw Luigi as Kyle because green hat, but I thought that Waluigi should be Kyle, and I’m probably gonna draw Luigi as Kenny in the future. Daisy would probably be Bebe, Mario is gonna be Stan, and I think we all know who our boy Warius would be lol

☃️ 💜 💚 ☃️

[batneko]

Details sink in slowly. It starts when Luigi finally meets Junior (only Mario had before) and feels like he looks really familiar. Sure, he looks similar to some other koopas, but Luigi can't shake the feeling that he's MET him before.

Eventually Bowser starts taking part in sports and racing events with the others, and this leads to occasional friendly (or at least non-hostile) conversations. Luigi is the easiest person for him to talk to, he doesn't annoy him in the way most other people do, especially humans. One day Luigi brings up how familiar Junior looks, and Bowser says, "maybe you saw an old portrait of me in the castle. He looks just like me when I was his age."

Luigi says, "maybe," but it doesn't feel right.

On a whim, Bowser goes looking for proof, and finds some old photos... and one of the posters Kamek made up when his little human friend first showed up. Luckily Kamek realized advertising that you have a lost child is a terrible idea so they never got put up, but Bowser saved one. It's the only picture he has of his old friend.

His old friend, who had a round nose, dark hair, and big blue eyes, just like...

But no. Luigi and Mario only arrived in this world a short while before Bowser met them. There's no way.

More time passes and Bowser becomes something like grudging friends with both brothers. They can team up if they need to, they have a good time when they compete... He can count on them. He hates it.

And then, in a conversation that he is only half paying attention to, Mario brings up Luigi's imaginary friend the dinosaur.

"I thought you didn't have dinosaurs in your world." "We don't anymore," Mario says. "That's why it was imaginary."

Normally this topic doesn't bother Luigi, but since it's non-family hearing it for the first time he feels the need to defend himself. "I was a kid! I barely remember it. Apparently I convinced myself there was a dinosaur that was my friend, and I got really upset when our parents couldn't take me to see it."

Bowser goes quiet, brow furrowed in thought. "How old were you?" "Very young. Maybe four?" Bowser mumbles under his breath. It sounds like he's counting. "That was a weird time," Mario says, coming to his brother's defense. "I got into dinosaurs too. You know, it's funny, the ones I used to draw kind of looked like yoshis." "Oh yeah, they kind of did. That's weird."

Bowser is quiet for a while longer. The conversation moves on, but sometimes Bowser will ask Luigi more questions. Like, "are there any dinosaurs in your world with shells?" or "you wanted to see the dinosaur again? You didn't want to be separated?" or "did you ever go missing as a child?"

That last one makes everyone nervous so the gathering breaks up shortly afterward. Bowser doesn't seem upset, just lost in thought, and none of them exactly understand how his mind works so they try not to worry about it.

Late that night, Bowser kidnaps Luigi.

okay SO, childhood friends idea inspired by a suggestion from @hyperfixatingonbowuigisohard and the Yoshi's Island games. I still don't have a story exactly but I do have a lot of Thoughts.

Mario and Luigi are around three or four years old, old enough to talk but not to really articulate what's happening or how they're feeling. It's during a time when the parents think grandma is watching them and grandma thinks the parents decided to take them after all, and when they get home everything seems fine so the adults don't bother to compare notes. But we're getting ahead of ourselves.

Bowser is a couple years older, and small kids develop so fast that most wouldn't want to play with one much younger ("that's a baby!!!") but he's so desperate for a friend even close to his own age that he jumps at the change to spend time with this strange child that stumbled into his castle.

But... little Bowser has been so spoiled by Kamek and the other servants raising him that he has no idea how to play nicely. Luigi is terrified of him at first and starts bawling the moment Bowser "orders" him to play. For the first time in his short life, Bowser has a problem that can't be solved by yelling, crying, OR throwing things. He has to control his temper and learn to - what's it called again? - share.

Despite that the week that little Luigi spends with him is the happiest Bowser has ever been, and even that short amount of time has such an impact on his personality that he almost seems like a different person by the end. He accidentally bumps into Kamek and says "sorry" without being prompted and Kamek is so shocked he has to have a lie-down.

But at the end of that week, little Mario suddenly shows up with a pack of yoshis who seem to know where the boys belong, and Kamek knows it's not right to just keep a lost child. He also knows that there's no way Bowser is going to agree to let his first-ever friend go away and maybe never see him again, so Kamek smuggles Luigi out while Bowser is asleep and tells him his family came to get him. It's technically true.

Bowser is devastated. He screams, cries, throws things, and finally begs, but there's nothing anyone can do, Luigi is already gone. He's miserable for months, but eventually the sadness turns into anger. If his friend wanted to come back, why doesn't he?

Time passes. The memories fade. He's left with equal parts fascination by and resentment of humans, and the subconscious belief that if you give the people you love any chance to leave you, they will.

Meanwhile Mario and Luigi have gone home, and both of them are suddenly talking a lot about dinosaurs. That's not unusual, kids love dinosaurs, the parents figure they saw a cool book or movie with one of their cousins. But while Mario seems to think of dinosaurs as big animals that you run around with, Luigi keeps asking when he can go see "the dinosaur" again. He gets upset when his parents don't know what he means, but he keeps asking, again and again, for months. Every time they think he forgot he asks again, and no movie or museum visit or plush toy seems to be the answer.

He draws a lot of spiky green balls in this time. Eventually the parents decide that "the dinosaur" must be his imaginary friend and try to play along. It doesn't work, Luigi is still upset, but he's young and eventually he really does forget.

Years later family members will still sometimes bring up "Luigi's imaginary friend the dinosaur" as a cute anecdote. It's a little embarrassing, but he doesn't mind it too much.

And then it's twenty-plus years later and Mario and Luigi find themselves in a world that's full of adventure and magic and - yes - dinosaurs. There's a feeling of déjà vu but there are bigger things to worry about at the moment, and neither of them have any real reason to think they've been to this world before.

The first meeting doesn't go well. Bowser kidnaps Peach, the bros come to her rescue, and it ends in a big fight. Bowser does have a moment's pause when he first sees the bros, but Mario takes that opportunity to attack him and it's downhill from there.

There are several more clashes as time goes on. Sometimes it's just Mario, sometimes it's both of them, but after enough meetings people start to notice... Bowser controls his temper better around Luigi.

At first Mario thought it was just because Bowser hates him specifically, but no, other people have noticed it too. For some reason when Luigi is there Bowser is actually capable of showing restraint. Not even Peach brings that out of him. It's weird.

(Mario does wonder if Bowser kind of has a thing for his brother, but he can't bring himself to say it out loud.)

Luigi isn't scared of Bowser either, not the way he probably should be, given the whole giant monster/serial kidnapper thing. It's too awkward to ask Bowser why he's different around Luigi, but Mario asks Luigi why he's not afraid, and Luigi can't put his finger on it. He just Knows that Bowser is more bark than bite. He's not sure why.

So that's where things stand; Bowser and Luigi are both more comfortable with each other than anything about their personalities or situation seems to justify, and nobody knows why.

...Except Kamek who, as the only adult in the situation, figures out who the bros are almost immediately and promptly decides to Keep His Damn Mouth Shut. That reveal is not going to lead to good things for him.

[makerof150papermasks]

Hamlet Mariofied Act 4 Scene 5

Bolded names refer to the Mario characters playing the roles. The character role names remain the same in the context of the play and its dialogue.

Luigi = Horatio

Peach = Gertrude

Boom-Boom = 1st Gentleman

Wendy = Ophelia

Bowser = Claudius

Koopa the Quick = Messenger

Larry = Laertes

Act IV, Scene 5

Elsinore. A room in the Castle.

Enter Luigi, Peach, and Boom-Boom. Cue Pipe Maze tune.

Peach. I will not speak with her.

Boom-Boom. She is importunate, indeed distract.

Her mood will needs be pitied.

Peach. What would she have?

 Boom-Boom. She speaks much of her father; says she hears

There's tricks i' th' world, and hems, and beats her heart;

Spurns enviously at straws; speaks things in doubt,

That carry but half sense. Her speech is nothing,

Yet the unshaped use of it doth move

 The hearers to collection; they aim at it,

And botch the words up fit to their own thoughts;

Which, as her winks and nods and gestures yield them,

Indeed would make one think there might be thought,

Though nothing sure, yet much unhappily.

 Luigi. 'Twere good she were spoken with; for she may strew

Dangerous conjectures in ill-breeding minds.

Peach. Let her come in.

[Exit Boom-Boom.]

[Aside] To my sick soul (as sin's true nature is)

 Each toy seems Prologue to some great amiss.

So full of artless jealousy is guilt

It spills itself in fearing to be spilt.

Enter Wendy, distracted. Music screeches to a halt.

Wendy. Where is the beauteous Majesty of Denmark?

 Peach. How now, Ophelia?

Wendy. [sings]

How should I your true-love know

From another one?

By his cockle bat and' staff

 And his sandal shoon.

Peach. Alas, sweet lady, what imports this song?

Wendy. Say you? Nay, pray You mark.

Sings with Story Box Music from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island playing in the background. He is dead and gone, lady,

He is dead and gone;

 At his head a grass-green turf,

At his heels a stone.

O, ho!

Peach. Nay, but Ophelia-

Wendy. Pray you mark.

 [Sings] White his shroud as the mountain snow-

Enter Bowser.

Peach. Alas, look here, my lord!

Wendy. [Sings]

Larded all with sweet flowers;

 Which bewept to the grave did not go

With true-love showers.

Bowser. How do you, pretty lady?

Wendy. Well, God dild you! They say the owl was a baker's daughter.

Lord, we know what we are, but know not what we may be. God be at

 your table!

Bowser. Conceit upon her father.

Wendy. Pray let's have no words of this; but when they ask, you what

it means, say you this:

[Sings] To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,

 All in the morning bedtime,

And I a maid at your window,

To be your Valentine.

Then up he rose and donn'd his clo'es

And dupp'd the chamber door,

 Let in the maid, that out a maid

Never departed more.

Bowser. Pretty Ophelia!

Wendy. Indeed, la, without an oath, I'll make an end on't!

[Sings] By Gis and by Saint Charity,

 Alack, and fie for shame!

Young men will do't if they come to't

By Cock, they are to blame.

Quoth she, 'Before you tumbled me,

You promis'd me to wed.'

 He answers:

'So would I 'a' done, by yonder sun,

An thou hadst not come to my bed.'

Bowser. How long hath she been thus?

Wendy. I hope all will be well. We must be patient; but I cannot

choose but weep to think they would lay him i' th' cold ground.

My brother shall know of it; and so I thank you for your good

counsel. Come, my coach! Good night, ladies. Good night, sweet

ladies. Good night, good night. Exit

Bowser. Follow her close; give her good watch, I pray you.

 [Exit Luigi.]

O, this is the poison of deep grief; it springs

All from her father's death. O Gertrude, Gertrude,

When sorrows come, they come not single spies.

But in battalions! First, her father slain;

 Next, your son gone, and he most violent author

Of his own just remove; the people muddied,

Thick and and unwholesome in their thoughts and whispers

For good Polonius' death, and we have done but greenly

In hugger-mugger to inter him; poor Ophelia

 Divided from herself and her fair judgment,

Without the which we are pictures or mere beasts;

Last, and as much containing as all these,

Her brother is in secret come from France;

Feeds on his wonder, keeps, himself in clouds,

 And wants not buzzers to infect his ear

With pestilent speeches of his father's death,

Wherein necessity, of matter beggar'd,

Will nothing stick our person to arraign

In ear and ear. O my dear Gertrude, this,

Like to a murd'ring piece, in many places

Give me superfluous death. A noise within.

Peach. Alack, what noise is this?

Bowser. Where are my Switzers? Let them guard the door.

[Enter Koopa the Quick.]

 What is the matter?

Koopa. Save Yourself, my lord:

The ocean, overpeering of his list,

Eats not the flats with more impetuous haste

Than Young Laertes, in a riotous head,

 O'erbears Your offices. The rabble call him lord;

And, as the world were now but to begin,

Antiquity forgot, custom not known,

The ratifiers and props of every word,

They cry 'Choose we! Laertes shall be king!'

 Caps, hands, and tongues applaud it to the clouds,

'Laertes shall be king! Laertes king!'

A noise within.

Peach. How cheerfully on the false trail they cry!

O, this is counter, you false Danish dogs!

 Bowser. The doors are broke.

Enter Larry with others.

Larry. Where is this king?- Sirs, staid you all without.

All. No, let's come in!

Larry. I pray you give me leave.

 All. We will, we will!

Larry. I thank you. Keep the door. [Exeunt his Followers.]

O thou vile king,

Give me my father!

Peach. Calmly, good Laertes.

 Larry. That drop of blood that's calm proclaims me bastard;

Cries cuckold to my father; brands the harlot

Even here between the chaste unsmirched brows

Of my true mother.

Bowser. What is the cause, Laertes,

 That thy rebellion looks so giantlike?

Let him go, Gertrude. Do not fear our person.

There's such divinity doth hedge a king

That treason can but peep to what it would,

Acts little of his will. Tell me, Laertes,

 Why thou art thus incens'd. Let him go, Gertrude.

Speak, man.

Larry. Where is my father?

Bowser. Dead.

Peach. But not by him!

 Bowser. Let him demand his fill.

Larry. How came he dead? I'll not be juggled with:

To hell, allegiance! vows, to the blackest devil

Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit!

I dare damnation. To this point I stand,

 That both the world, I give to negligence,

Let come what comes; only I'll be reveng'd

Most throughly for my father.

Bowser. Who shall stay you?

Larry. My will, not all the world!

 And for my means, I'll husband them so well

They shall go far with little.

Bowser. Good Laertes,

If you desire to know the certainty

Of your dear father's death, is't writ in your revenge

 That sweepstake you will draw both friend and foe,

Winner and loser?

Larry. None but his enemies.

Bowser. Will you know them then?

Larry. To his good friends thus wide I'll ope my arms

 And, like the kind life-rend'ring pelican,

Repast them with my blood.

Bowser. Why, now You speak

Like a good child and a true gentleman.

That I am guiltless of your father's death,

 And am most sensibly in grief for it,

It shall as level to your judgment pierce

As day does to your eye.

A noise within: 'Let her come in.'

Larry. How now? What noise is that?

 [Enter Wendy.]

O heat, dry up my brains! Tears seven times salt

Burn out the sense and virtue of mine eye!

By heaven, thy madness shall be paid by weight

Till our scale turn the beam. O rose of May!

 Dear maid, kind sister, sweet Ophelia!

O heavens! is't possible a young maid's wits

Should be as mortal as an old man's life?

Nature is fine in love, and where 'tis fine,

It sends some precious instance of itself

 After the thing it loves.

Wendy. [sings]

They bore him barefac'd on the bier

(Hey non nony, nony, hey nony)

And in his grave rain'd many a tear.

 Fare you well, my dove!

Larry. Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade revenge,

It could not move thus.

Wendy. You must sing 'A-down a-down, and you call him a-down-a.' O,

how the wheel becomes it! It is the false steward, that stole his

 master's daughter.

Larry. This nothing's more than matter.

Wendy. There's rosemary, that's for remembrance. Pray you, love,

remember. And there is pansies, that's for thoughts.

Larry. A document in madness! Thoughts and remembrance fitted.

 Wendy. There's fennel for you, and columbines. There's rue for you,

and here's some for me. We may call it herb of grace o' Sundays.

O, you must wear your rue with a difference! There's a daisy. I

would give you some violets, but they wither'd all when my father

died. They say he made a good end.

 [Sings] For bonny sweet Robin is all my joy.

Larry. Thought and affliction, passion, hell itself,

She turns to favour and to prettiness.

Wendy. [sings]

And will he not come again?

 And will he not come again?

No, no, he is dead;

Go to thy deathbed;

He never will come again.

His beard was as white as snow,

 All flaxen was his poll.

He is gone, he is gone,

And we cast away moan.

God 'a'mercy on his soul!

And of all Christian souls, I pray God. God b' wi' you.

 Exit.

Larry. Do you see this, O God?

Bowser. Laertes, I must commune with your grief,

Or you deny me right. Go but apart,

Make choice of whom your wisest friends you will,

 And they shall hear and judge 'twixt you and me.

If by direct or by collateral hand

They find us touch'd, we will our kingdom give,

Our crown, our life, and all that we call ours,

To you in satisfaction; but if not,

 Be you content to lend your patience to us,

And we shall jointly labour with your soul

To give it due content.

Larry. Let this be so.

His means of death, his obscure funeral-

 No trophy, sword, nor hatchment o'er his bones,

No noble rite nor formal ostentation,-

Cry to be heard, as 'twere from heaven to earth,

That I must call't in question.

Bowser. So you shall;

 And where th' offence is let the great axe fall.

I pray you go with me.

Exeunt

[coffeefueledauthor]

Fanfiction Ideas: Which do You Like?

Here is a list of all of my current story ideas that I plan on writing. As you know, my plot lines are generally kind of crazy. >w< But I will be sure to include more grounded, normal stories as well. 

PLEASE BE SURE TO LET ME KNOW WHICH IDEAS ARE INTERESTING TO YOU.

I will be writing the first chapter of all those that people show interest in. And if you REALLY like what you read and want to be REALLY awesome, please be sure to donate to my patreon. Because I will only be able to write all these tales if I can gather enough patrons to make this my full time job. Patrons will recieve plenty of exclusive bonuses and early access.

Title: Out of Place Fandom: Inside Out Style: Full novel Description: A young girl feels like her mind has been numbed, and she begins to blame it on the mysterious figures appearing around the house. Join Riley as she attempts to help these tiny creatures, who claim to be her own emotions, back home. But with cats, exterminators, and her own nosy cousin, the task may be harder than she thinks. Notes: This story is already posted up to chapter 44. Find it on fanfiction.net

Title: Always By My Side Fandom: Inside Out Style: Full novel Description: Delve into the mind of Riley's mother during her pregnancy. For while she is carrying the developing infant in her womb, her emotions are busy raising the childs five infant emotions. They have only 9 months to prepare the youngsters for life inside their new host with the pressure of their inevitable separation weighing heavily on their thoughts. Notes: This story has been plotted out for over a year. A sneak peek is available on Fanfiction.net

Title: Infected Fandom: Super Mario Style: Full Novel Description: Luigi could tell something was wrong. Mario never acted this way before. But he never could have predicted just how destructive this mysterious affliction would become. Luigi desperately attempts to find answers before his brothers entire mind is consumed by this horrible infection. Notes: Lots of crazy stuff happenning. This story already has 10 chapters. They will be posted to Fanfiction.net in the coming days.

Title: Wrong Place, Worse Time Fandom: MST3K Style: full novel Description: After a string of freak accidents, the Satellite of Love is forced to crash land on a far off alien planet. The bots attempt to relocate one another so they can repair thier ship and blast off again. But they happened to arrive during an all out alien war, and the invaders have taken Joel prisoner. To save their creator, they'll have to work alongside the planet's natives and win a war that they had nothing to do with. Notes: Originally The MST3K Manga, now rewritten as a novel. A mix of comedy and adventure as the bots bumble their way through a planet at war.

Title: Death Can Change in a Single Night Fandom: Grim Fandango Style: Oneshot Description: It had been a long day for both of them. They had only met earlier that day, and both had lost their jobs and found themselves setting off on some grand adventure. Glottis finds himself lost in his thoughts during their first night away from the department of death; deep in the Petrified Forest. As Manny rests, the demon wonders what might lie on that long road ahead. Notes: Just a wordless little story of Manny and Glottis after they find each other in the petrified forest and decide to travel together.

Title: Demons Don't Have Queens Fandom: Grim Fandango Style: full novel Description: A huge, unique, and powerful demon appears in the Land of the Dead claiming to be the Ancient Demon Queen. She rallies all the demons of the world, leading them in a violent uprising against their human soul 'oppressors'. Manny remains unconvinced, and Glottis loyally stays by his side. But when the demons assume control, it's up to Manny and Glottis to find a way to dethrone this ancient queen. But as they dig deeper into this demons backstory, things only get more complicated. Especially when they discover that, unlike bee's, Demons don't have Queens. Notes: A really wild adventure full of Manny's dry wit and tons of crazy plot elements. Takes place after the game, but I guess before Manny leaves.

Title: The Lost Testimony Fandom: Phoenix Wright Style: Full Novel Description: Shortly before he is to testify in a mysterious murder case, renowned Forensic Medical Examiner Dr. M. Balmer goes missing. Phoenix, the defense attorney for the case, takes it upon himself to locate the missing witness. But during his search, Phoenix is attacked and falls victim to the same fate as the disappearing doctor. Now a prisoner in what feels like the other end of the world, Phoenix must unravel the mystery behind this black market trade he's become involved in if he ever hopes to return to his normal life. Notes: Part of my suuuuuper old For the Birds AU. All characters are different species of bird, with Phoenix as (obviously) a phoenix. Weird AU, but interesting story with a crazy mystery and bittersweet ending.

Title: Not Our First Abduction Fandom: South Park Style: Full Novel Description: Alien activity isn't exactly unheard of in the lonely mountain town. In fact, Stan barely bats an eye when he and nearly a dozen other children find themselves forced aboard a rouge spaceship and taken to a far off planet. But things turn drastic when, in their grand escape attempt, one child fails to break free of the alien clutches. Finding help on the home planet of their captors seems impossible, but they'll have to try. With assistance, they'll be able to bust out their buddy and fly their stolen spaceship back home. Otherwise, they'll be forced to attempt to fly the alien ship themselves, leaving an imprisoned Kyle stranded on the floating rock forever. Notes: Though dotted with darker notes, a lot of effort is used to keep an element of humor to the story. Lots of craziness, but none beyond what we get from the actual show itself.

Title: END TRANSMISSION Fandom: Pikmin Style: Oneshot Description: While out on a mission to catalog the native plants of the nearby worlds, Hocotation Botanist Gotto ends up stranded with no fuel and only 30 days of life support. But by day 15, its clear that fuel is nowhere to be found. Accepting his fate, Gotto spends his last days doing what he loves; cataloging the beautiful foliage of the world that will be his grave. As his thirtieth day draws to a close, Gotto logs one last transmission to his 'blackbox', explaining his fate to anyone who stumbles upon the crash site and offering a final farewell to those he had loved. Notes: One of a slim few stories I have involving an OC. But I wasn't about to kill off Olimar, heh. Definitely one of my sadder stories.

Title: It's Only a Game Fandom: Psychonauts Style: Short story Description: A mans slow decent into madness as his repeated failure to win a simple board game breaks his fragile psyche and takes him from an insane asylum orderly to an inmate. Notes: I bet someone has already written this, but I wanted to take a crack at it, since he was always my favorite.

Title: Digimon: Of Chaos and Time Fandom: Digimon Style: Full novel Description: Just as before, eight humans are transported to the Digital World and paired with unique Digimon Partners. They are instructed by the sage Salvusmon to locate the digital Time God to save the Digital World from being consumed by the rapidly growing Chaos World. Though they start in high spirits on their journey, things begin to look bleak when they realize they arent the first Digidestineds to attempt this same feat. Notes: Much like its own season, this follows unique humans and Digimon of my own design. This is a story I have been working on since I was 10. A lot may have changed, but the heart of the tale never did.

Title: Asterisk Fandom: Oddworld Style: Short story/full novel Description: Abe never really saw himself as a hero. But now the role of 'savior' has been thrust upon him. Wandering through the Scrabania and Paramonia wilderness to recieve his Shrykull scars, he muses to himself about the way history will remember him after his no doubt unavoidable failure. The word Savior, he figures, will be marked with an asterisk. And the beings following him in silence are forced to agree. Notes: Depending on how crazy I'm willing to make it, this could either be much longer or much shorter. I haven't decided yet.

Title: Escape from Dimension Q! Fandom: Iz and Auggie: Escape from Dimension Q! Style: Video Game Novelization Description: Teenager Iz and robot Auggie are bandmates that find themselves with one shot at recieving a record contract from the biggest name in the business. But for reasons neither of them can explain, their instruments had refused to play their song, and they failed their audition miserably. They have little time to grieve, however. When two agents in black send them on a mission into an alternate dimension, Iz and Auggie realize that losing the contract was the least of their concerns. Notes: A direct novelization of a computer game by Headbone Interactive. Two chapters are already finished, and will be posted in the coming days.

Thats all the ideas I can remember right now. But I have way more to come! Let me know which ones sound interesting! Or let me know which fandoms I should think of more ideas for!

[thinkplay]

How Fandom Adds Meaning to Mario (and Other Characters): The Legacy and Impact of Fan Art

By Matt O’Keefe

A lot of games are fun , though entertaining, lack a sense of exploration. That probably indicates a lack of an “open world” to most, but in my eyes can also indicate an absence of exploration of character, theme, or purpose. Nintendo games are more susceptible to this trait than most. 2D Mario games, for example, usually take you from Point A to Point B to Point C, without much in-between. The same applies to Kirby and Yoshi and Star Fox titles. Even Zelda games are primarily dedicated to a core mission, though Breath of the Wild certainly deviated from that pattern. This piece is by no means a vilification of that style, but, because of the Nintendo properties’ straightforward A-to-Z progression, those franchises often don’t get the opportunity to explore the ways other games can. So that’s where the fans come in.

Deeply invested in the characters and worlds they grew up with, fans want to enrich what has already been put before them. Because Nintendo characters are often less developed on a character level, they receive the biggest [upgrades]. That’s why fan artists, whether they be illustrators, musicians, columnists, or another type of creatives, have been able to add so much to Mario and his Nintendo brethren. Keep reading to learn the many ways fans can and have supplemented and enrichened what so many gamers already love.

Character Development

Though the mainline Mario games are mascot platformers, they feature a mascot without much of a personality, especially compared to successive characters like Sonic and Ratchet & Clank. Mario is not someone to get to know over the course of your journey. You control him but never identify with him, which is why he’s often referred to as a cipher. Nintendo is putting his identity, along with his fate, into fans’ hands. Since the release of the first Super Mario Bros on the NES, maybe even earlier, fans have done their duty forging the red-clad plumber and similarly blank canvas Nintendo characters over the past 35 years.

The best example of the sophistication of simple ideas is perhaps the work of Zac Gorman. Gorman creates GIF comics featuring all kinds of video game characters. His Mario pieces are particularly poignant because they breathe life and purpose in a character who essentially has none.

Art by Zac Gorman

Messages, like pursuing your passions and overcoming fear, aren’t inherently complicated, but they can be poignant, especially aligned with artwork filled with emotion. The work Gorman and others have affected my own thoughts while playing, giving me new reasons to care. I trek across the Mushroom Kingdom knowing Mario loves his new gig, making his constant smile so much more meaningful. I sympathize with Luigi for being under the shadow of his more popular brother, which deepens his arc in Luigi’s Mansion as he sets out on his own for the first time. Just because a game doesn’t have a script on the level of The Last of Us doesn’t mean it can’t endear you to its characters, with a little help from the fans.t 

This kind of enrichment can also be done for characters with a little more agency. Link, the hero of Legend of Zelda, usually has some kind of backstory and motivation, but fans do a great job instilling more of both in him through their art. Zac Gorman has made over a dozen comics doing exactly that. Here are some of my favorites.

Art by Zac Gorman (again)

He’s not creating an amazingly rich and complex backstory, choosing instead to pinpoint the moments in stories that resonate and demonstrate fundamental ideas, foremost why Link is a hero.

Worldbuilding

The various games in Nintendo series were probably never meant to have cohesive histories. But fans wanted them, so they got them. Nintendo itself released Hyrule Historia due to the demand for a continuity to the Zelda series, but more often the worlds of video game characters are fleshed out by fans. There’s the Super Mario Timeline, a video tracking all the Mario games and trying to somehow make sense of how they all fit together. Artist Bill Mudron even sells gaming maps, depicting some of our favorite fictional worlds as cartography. One that hangs on my wall combines all the known parts of the Mushroom Kingdom from the NES and SNES eras.

Art by Bill Mudron 

You can debate whether the map perfectly matches what’s laid out in the games and their manuals (many have), but it’s a testament to the dedication of fans that things of this kind even exist.

Mudron has also created multiple maps of Hyrule. They’re a bit easier to get right people of the way Zelda games are _________, but still might not be exact. But there’s something special about that imperfection, which allows Mudron’s interpretation of the worlds of classic Nintendo franchises to [shine brighter].

Art by Bill Mudron (again)

Mudron’s maps and the timeline are examples of creations that require a lot of time, research and effort. But sometimes worldbuilding can be as simple as picking out the moments you don’t see in a game that make the world feel like a bigger and realer place, like this piece of art featuring a certain Italian plumber taking a lunch break on his construction job.

Art by ________

Or fan art can make us rethink parts of the world just by pointing out silliness we don’t think twice about when we’re immersed in the game.

Art by Zac Gorman (last time, promise)

Whatever the method, artists have enriched the world these characters inhabit in ways developers didn’t or couldn’t within the context of their games, and we should be grateful for it.

Style

The most obvious thing fan art can do is add a unique flair to the characters and worlds of video games. It’s a lot easier and a lot quicker for an artist to do a drawing of a character in their style than for a video game developer to create a game with a groundbreaking design choice. They’ve tried it on a few occasions, Nintendo recently with Yoshi’s Wooly World, but it’s more time consuming and risks alienating audiences that are already satisfied with the original molds.

My favorite cartoonist, Scottie Young, sometimes spotlights a Nintendo character with his Daily Sketches.

Art by Skottie Young

But there’s no shortage of examples of great, unique interpretations of game characters in media. I have a sketchbook of my own filled with artists’ takes on various Nintendo characters that I hope to share with you later. For now, here are more polished illustrations.

Art by Chrissie Zullo

Art by Nick Derington

Art by Riley Rossmo

Depth

Most Nintendo games aren’t trying to say something, but fans can say it for them. Talents across the world instill meaning within the games through their art. They can, for example, use satire to point out prejudice.

Art by Eduardo Salies

They can use a captivating image to advance social awareness.

Artist unknown

Or even force us to reflect on uncomfortable but important subjects, such as violence in video games.

Art by Nick Derington (again)

[Wrap up article here]

There are so many artists and creators that want to have an influence on the things they loved, and there’s very little that inspires more fandom than Nintendo. Keep in mind how they can change perception, add layers and bring the worlds alive when you’re scrolling through recent fan art. You’ll be glad you did.

Do you like what you just read? Do you know fan art that similarly enriches video game characters and worlds? Sound off in the comments below!

Cover image art by weremole

[trippingwrites]

For Starters

(For the VAA intro thread)

Holy shot, I Had this Account for four years??

Holy geebes louise, even I am surprised by how long I had this account lurking in VAA! Four years I have been missing in this site and the fun I didn't knew I was missing. It's a shame now thinking about it. Hopefully, may be this time around I'll hang around and meet cool new people and perhaps join some voice acting projects! I hope you guys will enjoy having me as I am excited to be with you!

I don't have a whole lot of experience with voice acting. I’ve record myself couple of times and even posted a short song on Youtube about a year back. I don't have a real feedback/criticism about my voice other than compliments from friends and family. I would love to hear some from folks and even their opinions to what kind of voice I have and kind of characters my voice may be best suited for. I have a feminine voice and I have a slight Asian accent that I am desperately trying to rid off for years!

Ah, I guess I can tell what I was doing in the last four years of absence and what I enjoy doing. So basically, I was in college studying various of subjects like animation and health. I worked a bit in between the studies. I have Tumblred my way from fandom to fandom. I enjoy drawing characters and have created my own to RPs. I'm pretty active in a RP forum called RPNation, and I have joined some incredibly fun groups and meet interesting friends. I would have liked trying voicing for my characters, but it is unfortunate that the majority of character I enjoy playing as are male. I know, weird : P

I would like to know more about VAA! Like how are you guys? I hope people have joined fun projects and met great people. I have yet to read all the stickied thread in this site, but where to people host(?) their voices?

Okay so I pulled this out from

For Starters 1. Okay, start with the classics: Pick a number. 4

2. Is that number your age? If not, what IS your age? Early 20s!

3. Are you more visual or audio-oriented?

I guess I am visually oriented. 4. You should have at least two chromosomes. Which two do you have?

One of each!

5. Wearing socks with sandals: stupid or sweet, bro?

Eh, I do it sometimes. 6. When you were five (assuming you are not, currently, five) what was your dream?

To be a teacher, then I realise how bad of a teacher I am. 7. If you could have a mythical beast as a pet, which beast would you choose?

I never thought of having a pet to be honest. I’ll just be very guilty of neglecting them, I think :/ 8. What would you name it?

Guildford. That was the name of my hamster. 9. Are you allergic to anything? If it's a food, do you want to eat it anyway?

I want a pet and I want to snuggle every cute creature on Earth! I just hate hives more than loving animals unfortu… 10. What was the last Halloween costume you wore?

A traditional Korean hanbok This Or That 1. Pancakes or waffles?

Waffles 2. Dogs or cats?

Cats 3. Light or dark?

Dark 4. AC or DC?

AC…? 5. Mamas or papas?

Mamas 6. Twist or shout?

Twist 7. Mario or Luigi?

Luigi 8. Tall or short?

Short 9. Cat poop or dog poop? Ew

10. Vampires or werewolves?

Vampire It's Random Time! 1. Okay, let's say you're a Mighty Morphin' Power Ranger. A putty patroller punches you in the face at the EXACT same time you're morphing. What happens? Does your helmet materialize and cut off his hand, does it form around the putty patroller, or does something else occur?

I think logically, the helmet servered the monster’s hand and now I am stuck with a hand inside my helmet! Rude! 2. Do you think the biggest threat to our world today are Dark Penguins (assuming you believe in Dark Penguins)?

Uhhh… no…? 3. A man on the street in New York offers to give you FREE COMEDY if you follow him into a dark basement. You do like comedy... do you go?

I think I would have planned out my trip in I'm in New York… It will depends on the summary of the comedy the man tells me. 4. Alright, take your SAT score (if you don't have that, estimate what you think you'd get). Multiply it by the number of the current month and then divide by how many posts are currently in this thread: do you think you could eat that many hot dogs?

Over time, no. Secretly, yes. 5. Okay, I'm gonna give you a pony for your birthday this year. It's a real rad pony, so I hope you like ponies. You're gonna need to take care of this pony: clean it, feed it, brush it's hair, make sure it gets plenty of exercise, clean it more. It's gonna be YOUR responsibility, young man/lady! So I hope you're ready. Also, favorite pizza topping?

Oh good lord, I'm going to kill the poor pony. This is a horrible choice of a gift, but thank you for your gift anyways. Hawaiian. 6. You stepped over the line and now SUPERMAN wants to beat you up! Who're you going to call to help you out with this fight?

MOM! Or the Batman will do. A relationship counselor will also do. We can sort out difference in a civilized manner. 7. You can be a walk-on role in any movie ever made. What movie do you walk-on in and what is the one line you deliver?

Titanic. I'll be that one Asian so out of place that I don't even need a line to be remembered. 8. Why would you want to ruin that movie like that?

Hahahaha, good question. I don't know. 9. Do you think I look good in this dress? Be honest. I can take it back if you don't.

Gurl, dresses are for everyone. Try this one, it'll bring out your shape! 10. Why can't I find a good henchman in this town? Are you interested?

Have you tried ebay? I heard they will be delivered within 24 hours. I would hate to be the one to recieve it though... Would You Rather... 1. Be able to fly or teleport?

Fly 2. Play as Ken or Ryu? Ryu?

3. Live on the moon or in Atlantis? The moon

4. Die in an explosion saving the President on live TV or die in a tsunami saving an orphanage, but no one will know?

Orphanage sounds more heroic, but drowning is a slower death than dying in an explosion… but then again who said dying in an explosion will be clean? I guess orphanage. 5. Win American Idol or Wheel of Fortune?

Wheel of Fortune. Give me the money! 6. Chicken nuggets, chicken strips, or soy chicken (you monster)?

Chicken Strips 7. Skim milk, whole milk, 2% milk, chocolate milk, strawberry milk, soy milk, or goat's milk?

There's too much option! I love milk! I'm also kinda lactose intolerance! 8. Live forever in the town you were born in but be given one year to see the world OR live forever in one city of your choosing but never be able to leave? Live forever in my hometown

9. Nintendo, Microsoft, or Sony? Nintendo

10. Skates, rollerblades, or GOLF CART? GOLD CART!

Are you... 1. Intelligent? Eh

2. Verbose?

In writing only 3. Deciduous? Yes

4. Monotonic?

Kinda 5. Swanky?

No 6. Semidictatorial?

True 7. Voluminous?

I guess 8. Bored? Often. Try not to though

9. Confused?

VERY 10. In love with me? Love is a scary thing.

If you could do the following and never get caught, would you... 1. Streak?

??? 2. Steal from the government?

Yes 3. Steal from the poor?

No 4. Punch a nun?

No!?? 5. Eat an old grandma's pie right off her windowsill? Yes…

6. Steal an old farmer's carrots?

May be... 7. Cheat in the Olympics in order to win a Gold Medal?

No 8. Yell "fire" in a crowded theater?

Yes. 9. Wear Crocs? Yes.

10. Rob a grave you know has tons of money in it?

Yes. Wrapping Up 1. Normally Celena would've asked if she was better than me. Since she's been gone, I'm obviously better. Is anyone better than me?

Not that I know of… So yes? 2. It's okay to admit I'm handsome and awesome. You do think that, right?

Oh shots I should have looked at the icon I stole this question air from! 3. If you answered "yes" to the first question or "no" to the second: what does it feel like to be wrong all the time?

All the time. 4. Are you kinda tired of answering all these questions?

It's 2 am when I'm filling this… Hopefully i am not when I post this. 5. Did the different sections do a good job of masquerading the fact that you have just answered SIXTY-FIVE questions?

I was not aware. Good job, but is there something significant about that number? 6. Are you glad you went through all of these horrendously stupid questions?

I like doing these question honestly, when I have the time. 7. Alright! This is the last question! I think I know the answer to this, but are you glad this is finally finishing up?

Hahaha yes and you lied to me. 8. Trap sprung. It's not over. How do you feel now that you've been TOTALLY had?

I already spoiled myself of the surprised by scrolling down. 9. Okay, the next question's the last one. Will you accept my totally weak apology? If not, WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET YOU TO LOVE ME?

:V 10. How long have you been AVAing and how long do you plan to continue?

I hope longer than my current record!