Raccoon Series: Parts 1-5 - Audio Roleplay

[@gemtlethem]

I just found out today that raccoons can purr. I trust the public knows what to do with this information.

[@Atychiphobiamylove]

fun fact, I found a pic of a cute raccoon online, printed it out, put it in a frame, and now he watches me sleep. His name is Gerald😃

[@happyface728]

Say hi to Gerald for me pls

[@linoonehat1392]

glad you and Gerald found eachother :)

[@haley7571]

😳🦝

[@moomoobaby_hmp]

Hi to Gerald from my side 💙

[@Kellil_Mitren]

All hail thee almighty Gerald

[@O.Ivett.V.]

When the "I want to take them away and protect them from the world" is fulfilled

[@bagotoast]

I LOVE MY SON!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@mebert1008]

It seems like he has a bit of OCD. Sweet guy, just wanting to help out and be useful. I'd give him hugs all day long!!!

[@theratinyourgarage6856]

MITCH YOU DESERVE THE WORLLDDDDDDDD

[@kreativcafe1619]

Mitch need to be protected at all costs! He is so precious 🥰💕

[@redacted665]

It this the end of the series or a “hey you’re new,this is what’s happened” playlist?

[@MageBunkshelf]

End of a series, but just because a series has ended doesn't mean we won't see the characters again, just means we've reached the end of the story arc. Aru and Mitch will 100% return!

[@redacted665]

@Mage Bunkshelf …does this mean we’ll still get a thing for Mitch’s birthday?

[@MageBunkshelf]

I'm not sure yet if there will be annual birthday audios for Mitch, I don't want it to get stale

[@redacted665]

@@MageBunkshelf That's definitely understandable. Are we gonna at least get the courtesy of a Christmas audio for Mitch?

[@scooter6104]

Man, this series never fails to make me emotional. I flipping love the found family dynamic (especially with this raccoon and human). I loved the way this raccoon has grown and changed with each episode. Also, as much as I'll miss when this series would upload every so often, I'm glad it was wrapped up the way it was. Solidifying that bond and also leaving areas open in case we came across Mitch some other way on the channel (or elsewhere considering the connection to another character on a different channel). All in all, amazing job as always, Mage! Thank you for sharing this lovely raccoon dude with us!

[@haley7571]

🥹🦝I FLIPPING LOVE MITCH! I play this whenever I need to hear something cozy and comforting. Hearing Mitch’s character is like a fuzzy raccoon hug!

[@muchachu69]

I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER HOW MANY TIMES I REPEATED THIS SERIES, I GOT ATTACHED TO HIM

[@HippyDigger]

I must have listened to this collection over a dozen times, it's so wholesomely soothing! I can't help but wonder though, now I've heard it a lot, given how he reacts at the start, seeming very unbothered he's been caught he quickly seems to get more and more scared (but trying to cover it) the more the listener seems to go 'off script' from what he's expecting (Getting chucked back into the rain). The listener getting close to him, taking him into their room for new clothes and he doesn't quite manage to sound like he's joking when he says 'I'm at your mercy'. Up until he got to eat the whole pizza and started to trust the listener, how terrified was he that something bad was going to happen to him? It might not have been your intention at all and if it wasn't please accept my apologies, your voice acting is amazing and it's easy to read layers into it! (Also, making the rain louder when he's deciding whether to take the listener up on their offer or not was superb, that increasingly prominent reminder of what he'd be going back to if he says no was really powerful!) I love this series and his character development, (his recall with the books is AMAZING!) I cannot wait for more from him and the bakery adventures! 😁

[@MageBunkshelf]

Aaaaa thank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed the series! Pretty much the main theme of this channel ever since I started was exploring personal insecurities. A lot of Mitch's arc at the start was centred on his inability to accept love, because he's not used to it, he doesn't accept that he deserves it. He can't help but be distrustful of it. As in, why? What's the catch? Is this a trick? Is it going to be taken away again? He's likely been hit and injured before, he's not had the best time of it. There's a pretty huge power imbalance going on, especially when these two meet. The "I'm at your mercy" line was kind of to drive that home. Mitch is saying "okay I'll go along with this for now," even just being allowed to sleep on the floor by the front door is better than nothing, but yeah here he's just saying truce, I'll stop, what do you want? But it's worded that way to make the listener uncomfortable (writer's intent more so than Mitch's) because it drives home that imbalance, which he doesn't deserve. The shirt scene was also there to make the listener uncomfortable. Mitch doesn't have a lot of modesty so he doesn't entirely understand the look he gets, but I imagine he's probably got quite a few scars and bruises under that baggy shirt. The night scene at the end of part 1, I think of him like a cat; he can't express it, but he really wants a hug, he needs the reassurance, but by morning he's gone and probably won't talk about it again. At least that's how he was near the start of his arc. Mitch has been an absolutely delight to see grow ^ ^ Mitch will of course return next time the cafe is mentioned!

[@HippyDigger]

@@MageBunkshelf Thank you for taking the time to reply in such detail-, I'm sorry, KZbin didn't notify me so I've only just seen this! All of Mitch's responses in the first part are heart-breaking, I thought he sounded very on edge and suspicious because of previous experiences but I hadn't even considered what the listener would see when he took off his t-shirt, that he'd been treated with violence. Poor guy, it makes it all the more understandable why he'd be so unwilling to accept anything at face value, expecting a hidden cost that is going to cause him misery. The power imbalance is loud and clear and it is uncomfortable which is why I love how at each point the listener confounds his expectations, they listen to him, they let go of him, stop towelling him, make him food and insist it's all for him then they DON'T take it away from him. They offer him a hug instead of forcing one on him, they don't touch his ears when he asks. They give him safety and comfort and space. It's obvious in the story that the listener is realising that they are being seen as threat so they are deliberately trying to put him at ease. The disbelief in his voice all the way through shows what a rough time he's had. "I get my own couch?!" breaks my heart every time! I love that he sought comfort at the end, even if he didn't want to acknowledge it. Mitch's development over the series has been a genuine joy to listen to, from the first morning not being able to understand why the listener was so upset and worried about him having disappeared all day, it speaks volumes at how he's been treated before to being told that actually he is worthy of their friendship and care and affection. It feels really natural how he oscillates between being comfortable in parameters he understands, like, he's allowed in the living room so he plays his computer game there, he's starting to learn how to cook so being in the kitchen is safe for him but when he's presented with something different like the friend visiting it shows just how insecure he is and how much he's expecting to be discarded. The "I'm nothing, I can't do anything worth anything" is desperately sad. That he up until this point doesn't understand that his human just wants him in their life, because they like him and care about him as a person. I love how every time the listener is reassuring, they never tell him he's being stupid, they just provide him with security. "Am I enough?" followed immediately by "YES" takes him by surprise, the little shocked "oh" always takes me out. The fact that he starts asking for hugs shows how far he's come. The fireworks scene was devastating but that he got the comfort he needed and accepted it, that he'll have noise cancelling headphones next time shows how much he is cared about, (I do love that he organises things to calm himself down, to give himself the feeling of control-him reorganising the human's books felt like he was doing the only thing he thought would be appreciated to show that he valued being there and that he was genuinely trying to help!). The birthday section was adorable, it really felt like the culmination of his acceptance that the listener loves him like family. Honestly, his growing confidence and acceptance in his situation makes this such a comfort listen. I like to think he bakes treats for his human now he knows what he's doing too! Thanks again for making this adorable series that has so much emotional maturity and development, I can't wait to see how his story continues to develop!

[@KuraiYamino]

Oh my gosh I have needed to re watch this in forever. Mitch is adorable. The little sound effects in the bg are just amazing.

[@Nina0837]

GUYSSSSS HES LIVE RN WAKE UPPPPPPPP

[@isaiasv9925]

OMMGGG G OOHHHH H THE RASCOONNNGGG'

[@cherryblossem3]

Me wen mitch says rwacoon insteed of racoon :💝💕💋❤💖💞💘💓

[@strawberym0o]

When*

[@Im_your_problem_now]

Please don’t take this as an insult. It is intended purely with sincere curiosity. Did you write Mitch with any intention for him to have autism? Speaking as someone with high functioning autism (professionally diagnosed) I’m seeing quite a few similarities. Aversion towards fireworks and hair brushing as well as his unique way of and need to organize/reorganize everything. His reaction towards the fireworks really hit home with me. Like I said purely curiosity. But he’s just a sweet little guy and I promise he’s in safe hands 😄

[@MageBunkshelf]

Great question Honestly not entirely intentionally, but I suppose to a degree. A lot of my characters and scenarios are based on personal insecurities, mainly my own, it's pretty much the main theme of the whole channel. Mitch for instance is about self value / self worth. But yeah many characters have parallels with my own psyche to a degree. I've never been tested for and diagnosed with autism so I don't feel comfortable saying that it's how I am, but honestly wouldn't surprise me. So while any parallels aren't strictly intended, there could be a good reason they're there! Ofc just because they're not intended doesn't mean they're not there! Honestly if that's how you interpret the character that's awesome! Your comment made my day

[@bubblec6h4cl2]

smol

[@JOEMAMA_06]

Why does "smol" translate into "bad luck"‽

[@MageBunkshelf]

@JOEMAMA_06 Mitch is an ill omen (and us proud ^ ^)

[@keyholder6234]

Tiny boy sooo CCCUUUTTTEEEE😢😢😢😢😢

[@happyface728]

I AM SO SUBSCRIBING EEEEEEKKKKK!!!!!!!

[@isaiasv9925]

oooohhhhhh mmmnggg hhomnhhh :3