The Voices (me) Wants Gold And Purp Sibl Bonding 👻👻

Oh, ohhh my poor vv...

Something I noticed in Showdown

There's one tiny scene in Showdown that always facinates me. After RGBY were all killed in front of TSC's eyes, his reaction was very interesting.

He did not charge at TDL blindly in grief and rage, he did not break down crying for his friends, he did not dwell on his friends' deaths at all. Instead, he turned to TCO immediately.

When he saw Chosen was surrounded by the swarm of Virabots, he still reached out a hand towards Chosen, then promptly got pierced in the back by Dark's virablades.

For me, this tiny detail made Second different from those typical fearless, hotheaded anime protagonists. This scene alone made Second a fleshed out, realistic character more than anything else in the entire season.

Yes, of course he grieved for his friends' death, but at that very moment, the fear for his own life surpassed everything else. He saw that powerful monster brutally murdered all his friends, and he knew he's going to be next. So he reached out to the only person he knew that could save him, and made a desperate plea:

"Please, help me. I don't wanna die."

Second was many things. He was a talented animator, an insatiable learner, a brave leader, a seasoned warrior. But at that very moment, on the brink of real, permanent death, he was just a scared child calling someone, anyone, for help.

And that made his conscious decision to protect Chosen all the more powerful, because it shows how brave Second really is. He knew his chance against Dark was minimal, he was scared, terrified even, but he still chose to put himself between Chosen and Dark, just because it was the right thing to do.

And that is true bravery. Bravery doesn't mean the absence of fear, it means feeling the fear, but choose to do it anyway.

Hewwo guys :> It s been while -v-/ I hope youve been good

Be I miss something :0

Been thinking about Agent for a while and how he's really the character - character ever. I'm really enjoying what they're doing with his arc of survivors' guilt and vengeance.

His design is so extensively simple that it's a bit intimidating. Glued to his profession of business and fixated on his target, Chosen. He is as stern as he is anonymous as a person. And then it's with appeal that you note how he is in this position of authority between these new cast of animations - primarily the word of command and the follow up of Victim's line of leverage. With how gorgeous and elaborate the cast is, your eyes stay intrigued towards this one character. Despite the simplicity he pops up as unique.

It's rather how he's always the bold and center of the cast in every shot. Always held high with precision. He acts as the voice of control in the animations; a carrier. He has a strong passion for his ambitions. And then you get to his objective for Chosen, but with the longer the sequences carry on, it appears as more.. personal when referenced towards his role of precise profession. Especially in comparison to the rest of the group.

And of course; his abilities with the Adobe tools. He's fast, strategic, intelligential, and quite proud of his judgement. He pirouettes around combat with such ability - you can beg that he has much experience. All the animations have such uniqueness and natural abilities and quirks. And then you have Agent; who comes just as skilled in compliment despite the set of tools being just an add on towards his attire. His great combat makes up for the comparison. But with such a manner, why would Agent gain such a material, and how come him as this executive messenger and leader out of the cast? When factually compared to their abilities, he's left as the most.. uninspiring.

But then you get to the topic of his relationship with Victim, and suddenly the idea becomes much more clearer. Agent being this predecessor of delivery. How he is noticeably walking in the same accuracy as Victim; side by side. Everyone else but behind. And Victim allows it. He's moreso comfortable with Agent out of the entirety; directly giving him more flexibility, space, authority and commands. He trusts him and he treats him as though he's on the same level as him, because that's what he believes. Everyone else below their invisible barrier. Agent is very evident with what he's given. Hyperaware of his surroundings and with the implements and gear.

With such bounded delicacy it pushes scenarios and questions. Who is Agent without his occupation in mind, but as a person. What is he like? Or rather much, was he like? If you ask me, I think it's worth asking as much as it is cryptic in context.

And then it strikes you all too somber.

As a role of a security guard for Victim, Mitsi and their blooming business of quick and improved repairs - he's still so expressive. And surprising enough, he's so, so close towards the couple despite his working position. He truly admires and cares for the two. And it's mutually returned. It's so oddly affectionate when steaming from someone who you familiarize as so utterly closed off and precise.

These strange origins passed off as he's stranded - downright frozen in fear from the terrorism and murder of Mitsi and hundreds (if not thousands) of others. Only looking up when it's directed towards the source, Chosen. (From his perspective after all.) And despite being someone of a role who does nothing but help and protect; he's left so small and useless. All he can do is run.

Time and time again, memories replaying over and over again. It's this obsession. Everything that he could of done in a loop, everything that he didn't do lingering close by. And he won't be that same person who does nothing.

Even when it's not at all his fault. Far from it.

And then everything just.. clicks in a way, no? His odd relationship with Victim, Victim's utter trust in him, his personal introduction and conflict with Chosen, his strict combats, his weaponry?

When you think Agent would stem from a place of deep turmoil and lament and act out towards these, he proves you wrong. He's so utterly petty, cocky and a bit immoral when finally opposed to a scenario of karma. When you think he stepped an area of low, he goes lower. It's honestly quite humorous. In my opinion, Agent's greatest offense is Second.

Agent is relentless when it comes to irrational interference, it shows in how he handles Second. He has no basic compassion or regard for the poor kid, nor any sympathy to spare for him either. He's ruthless. There was no other reason to humiliate and tease Second the way he does other than it being for his own satisfaction after finding out Chosen cares for him. And it's quite sad even.

And then, really? The huge, intimidating terrorist who was the source of sleepless nights, trauma, destruction and such influence is an irrational, confused fraud. His hazard reaction brings some odd amusement towards Agent.

An evident narrative callback is how Agent looks up towards Chosen, frozen. Under his reign, he's powerless. And now when finally up against this source, he can only ever look down on him.

Sometimes I beg if Agent can bitterly empathize with Chosen. The only difference being how Chosen is strong willed and desensitized - willing to push bounds if it means he can protect a loved one. Something that Agent can reminisce with. Envy of the audacity, it really reeks. And he freezes him on spot; a bit similar to how he was that day. It doesn't feel good, now does it.

But at the same time he leaves it up for Victim. He really holds him valuable and prioritizes him. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to say it roots from a place of guilt of the downfall of the buisness, or Victim's utter change in demeanor, or the thousands of suffering animations from the tragedy. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

In this very small way, he's a bit like him.

We popped off @reluctantlyanimating (She did Purple and the compositing <3)

AND SMEAR FRAMES + KATIE DOODLES

My take on c00lkidd being a survivor heheheh

Please revise the stats if u want I'm not that good at making stats since I'm like really REALLY new to forsaken :3

Yesterday, I decided to use AvM as an example for "Expression through Body Language in Animation" so I thought; why not share it over here?

Expressing EMOTION through Body Language (Using AvM as an example)

Body language is actually very important in animation. The use of it can help express just about anything! Sometimes it doesn't have to be facial expressions or strong voice acting to make a point about how someone is feeling.

For example, simple movement, like throwing your hands in the air or jumping around, can express joy,

confusion,

and even woe and sadness.

Sometimes, the complete use (or lack) of movement can be very telling of an emotion. In the picture above, Purple is standing completely still at his mother's grave, head cast down in sorrow.

Did it take any line of dialogue or facial expression to make his grief clear? No! All it took was simple body language.

It even helps differentiate one character from another, in terms of how they walk,

(Green skipping dramatically just SCREAMS theatre kid in The Wishing Well short:)

how they pose

("Blue" posing in a way that the REAL Blue most likely wouldn't in The Witch:)

(and Red’s aggressive movements vs Green's cocky ones from The Prank; you can tell by the way Red stomps up to Green that the poor guy is getting mad)

their fighting styles, too; where Red shows his aggressive and impulsive nature in the way he fights, compared to Yellow taking a more defensive stance in 'Green's Channel';

And even how they sit! HOW THEY SIT!

The animation team could've easily had them all sit in the exact same way, but no! They had them sit differently, in ways that give them all more personality.

And later on in the same short, they expressed frustration differently!

Red's pose here being some sort of pout, Blue’s feeling more of a "damn it!" while Yellow is a classic thinking pose; showing that he's possibly coming up with ways to succeed in another try.

And it didn't take a single word, nor a FACE, to get this point across! All it took to convey emotions was how they move! It's actually really interesting to think about. It didn't take voice actors or faces or even character design to show emotions and personality, all it took was a good understanding of body language and movement. Props to the Alan Becker team for that!

Before I go, here are some other examples of how simple movement conveyed emotions in AvM.

Blue's shock turning to horror in the Omelette Short:

Green laughing in Fruit Ninja and Wallpaper:

Orange tiredly rubbing his eyes in Ragdoll to show that "He didn't get enough sleep for this nonsense":

And finally, Red, Green and Orange leaning differently during a race in "Carrot on a Stick"

That's all I have, thank you for your time <3

I genuinely admire how the animation team managed to pull off body language so amazingly! It's so cool how you can express so much about yourself through your movements alone.

owls + apples 🍎

pink and navy divorce

(alan becker)

Pink and Navy are Divorced!

bought some new pens here's chosen