Bodies of Water ~ Animated Short Film

[@ShiraCheshire]

"Wait... that's not a metaphor?" was such a great moment. We're so used to seeing so much weird metaphorical stuff in indie animation that this caught me completely off guard. An actual literal lake monster- one that seems to target specific victims, judging by the missing posters all over the area.

[@0XBlondie96X0]

I thought the posters were of him pre-transition?

[@ShiraCheshire]

​@@0XBlondie96X0 While I can't be sure, they don't seem to resemble him. We see four posters close up. The first girl has similar ears, but also freckles and a totally different nose. Second girl isn't seen in much detail, but doesn't have any obvious resemblances. Third girl has a totally different body type when compared to either Lake or the other missing girls, and a distinctly different haircut from what seems to be Lake's style. The last one has a hoodie on like him and hair that seems more his style, but that's it. I could always be wrong, but I didn't see any obvious resemblance.

[@GoddoDoggo]

@@0XBlondie96X0 The missing girls are all different people who look vaguely similar, they're probably supposed to remind him of when he looked similar and it makes him uncomfortable. I think the implication is that the lake monster targets young women and has "identified" Lake that way, which is also why it grossly crawls up his binder, as if it's "checking to make sure." So it IS a metaphor, but also real. That's what I got from it, anyway.

[@marenking1946]

Yeah that caught me off guard in the best way! It’s so funny and original and I love it 😄

[@V1DE0-STARZ]

@@GoddoDoggooh that’s extra creepy

[@randomacountboy]

"What are your thoughts on body horror?" "As far as I'm concerned, having a body at all is body horror."

[@erissummer8613]

🎶I'm so sorry that you have to have a body🎶

[@ghost.and.gills.]

@@erissummer8613AJJ!!

[@Marakuje1]

😂 👍

[@GL1TCH1NG_0UTT]

@@erissummer8613I’m very sorry that u have to have a body oh yeahhh

[@Aldersnap]

Literakllyyy maybe this is part of why i enjoy body horror, i feel seen by it :0

[@barke4051]

I really like how everything in Lake's life is portrayed in a very dull color scheme, while Mac is the one thing that adds some life to it, some vibrant colors.

[@whitoutanameiseverythingokay]

I hadn't noticed it, but it's really funny in the end that Mac is with colors that are a little more dull than the room jahdjs

[@sophiaolszewski64]

I love the bait and switch of the hoodie, becoming his sword instead of his shield, and how the extra long tassel he made from being anxious was tied in.

[@thatoneweirddudeinthecorner]

“Tied in” I see what you did there

[@faeryfeathers]

Yeah that literally brought me to tears

[@sophiaolszewski64]

😏

[@grosebud4721]

I also really liked how he tied the string right around the lungs, like how sometimes binding can be dangerous for breathing but people feel like they have to to be comfortable in their own bodies😢 it was really clever attention to detail

[@DonDeeley]

The chill beat monster attack is such a great contrast. The ambient insistence that everything is okay while there's real horror present amplifies the tension. What a great choice

[@sournoodl]

Haha yes! Just like in real life :D

[@PixelsPolygonsNPetrichor]

​@@sournoodlwhat

[@maximodiaz802]

​@@sournoodl🌚🤨🗿

[@BigSweatyBaWls]

@@PixelsPolygonsNPetrichorit’s symbolism

[@xxrainbodkidxx5508]

​@@BigSweatyBaWlswait that's not a metaphor

[@jacki3_lant3rn]

Lake: *witnessing eldritch horror* Mac: "im fuggn drunk"

[@Shroomliing]

twin??

[@sadpatheticbardboy]

mac is so bf coded like why he like that he is so cute

[@crazyleafeay]

EXACTLY​@@sadpatheticbardboy

[@nereamaringoncalves8978]

"What are you waiting for" "Surgery" That really caught me out of guard

[@Goose-dw2ct]

He said “top surgery”, which is a surgery many trans men get to remove their breasts.

[@nereamaringoncalves8978]

@@Goose-dw2ct I know, I found it funny. Im non binary btw

[@brute1604]

​@@nereamaringoncalves8978 why was it funny to u? I'm ftm btw. Just curious.

[@nereamaringoncalves8978]

@@brute1604 Idk the way he said it was hilariou, like: I'm not doing anything until then

[@samiraalighieri]

@@Goose-dw2ctno really

[@zyfigamer]

Please don’t remove this from the internet forever. This is art.

[@person420]

I miss read this and thought you were an asshole

[@ptaszor9779]

If this is art then socrealism is the God's creation XD. Nonetheless the technique necessary to produce such a cartoon is impressive.

[@lynx_pinata]

👍 agreed

[@stulvus]

@@ptaszor9779 tf this is art. animation is art, stfu

[@faberadult1925]

@@ptaszor9779​ what

[@DandysWorldart]

I love how the missing posters have only girls on them and them saying stuff like "girl where?" and "no lady" or smth like that. Really smart

[@7792pnaurfr]

Yep, that was the point

[@TobiasSchneien3825]

I believe it was meant to show that the lake thing targeted girls and the trans conundrum that comes with that

[@Muffin86700]

I can’t escape Dandy’s World

[@DONTTELLMEWHAT2DOGRR]

​@@Muffin86700That is so real

[@beetlesaretrying4621]

This animation is somehow cozy, depressing, horrific, funny, inspiring, and hopeful, all in one Adult Swim show style. I want more of these two paling around and causing problems.

[@veronicafromtallyhall]

ey 1.4k likes and no comments?

[@rayyanalikhan955]

Not funny at all

[@disposablealienbrains7010]

Putting in the "Adult Swim style," cartoon? How about it's a good cartoon.

[@quengren]

God I think this is my favorite thing ever. The art style, the voice acting, the pacing, the world building through the dialogue, the everything. I love it.

[@spcyndles]

we need a whole show fr

[@junellebyrd5504]

Literally had me in awe with how good it was ❤

[@RonjaRiihimäki]

we all do, we all do

[@windwalker7154]

"Wait, it's not a metaphor ?" Great horror potential in that line.

[@Lucifersfursona]

- he looks exactly like me - that’s the exact way dysphoria feels. A big creepy lump of meat that follows you.

[@Tearssssssss]

You're pretty/handsome

[@Nacruledge]

Yeah, this video played it perfectly. Honestly, This whole thing is an absolute masterpiece.

[@berrysnowyboy5251]

I felt the second part. Also feeling a disconnect from your body and feeling like you're a soul inhabiting a body with some human parts that show in the wrong places since the first puberty.

[@SkylarThompson-mu1qs]

@@Nacruledge I noticed the monster looks like something I won't say here but it exemplifies the pain of gender dysphoria for trans men and some nonbinary people who don't and don't want to identify as a certain gender (it's also valid if people don't hate their stereotypically assigned features and assigned features but a lot of people get dysphoria from them if not cisgender.) since gender dysphoria is like a horrid thing that tells you you aren't something enough and reminds you of your assigned gender. I theorise gd exists in trans people (they're still trans since you don't need gd or dysphoria or both to be trans) due to society being horrid and rigid and it's a biological thing we don't know the answer to. We know it can occur due to environments and trauma but for people who aren't traumatised or traumatised that way, we don't know. And gd shows it's true form under as an evil thing that hurts trans people and points out and criticises trans people in a horrible and negative and destructive their mannerisms their voice and the way they speak even their looks or really personal stuff. Also the alien metaphor is good since gd is an external thin that affects thoughts and self perception and so is biological/assigned gender which is what gender dysphoria tries to force on the guy in the water.

[@smkinwed]

When I was 17 I re-transitioned back to a girl because of work, but when I was 16 I looked exactly like this guy. This honestly made me miss enjoying looking myself in the mirror and being happy with how I looked. Now when I look in the mirror I don’t even know who I am

[@Beesthataregelatonas]

Dude the chill ass music while he’s experiencing the worst e moment of his life.

[@saiphrivas1437]

mac is so cat-coded. literal kitten. cat energy all throughout.

[@nalinphatj3252]

Golden retriever

[@helixxia9320]

orange cat man

[@aspwillow]

Golden retriever, more

[@toast_2375]

orange cat

[@wellIhavenothingbettertodo]

Golden retriever energy

[@Addo1000_dragons]

2:07 And ill reward you with... ✨️the normal guy beverage✨️

[@Forgotten-Eclipse]

I'm still laughing 🤣

[@bogbert7019]

I loved all of this but I’m especially living for that scene transition where he’s dragged across the ground by his hoodie

[@Wh0re_milk_]

"what are you waiting forrrr?" "top surgeryyy" relatable buddy

[@Soggycheeseee]

ikr

[@Prismate]

ok "@Wh0re_milk_"

[@tablescissors]

Ur perfect already

[@Fr0gy_Z3r0_4ever]

Same I’m trans

[@Monderoth]

I'm transfem, but I felt that line so much. XD Swimming is the worst.

[@candlefox99]

As someone with severe emetophobia, thank you so much for not making the vomitting detailed or noisy. I know it's not the point of this short and I'm not even sure you did it on purpose, but I appreciate it so much

[@frogfish1567]

Was just about to say this!! I have really severe emetopobia but somehow this didn’t trigger me at all!

[@katehucks774]

Same, I always appreciate when it’s depicted as nothing more than a literal “bleh!”

[@DN-fs2kb]

Yeah i have it too, usually it would scare me but this time it was just funny

[@eymegusta]

same !

[@queenchaosyet]

Me as well! I was very pleased with how it was handled 👍

[@yujifa_]

"I haven't been in water since I was 12" was so relatable it caught me off guard. I swear I used to like swimming but now the last time I've been is... ages ago. I love everything about this so much the way the dysphoria is shown just feels so right, how it feels so overwhelming and intense but nobody else shares the distress at all. Also my first thought was "lake what a cool name maybe I could add it to my list of possible names" before I knew this was about being trans

[@Stella.22g]

Why do you want to be the opposite sex so bad? Just work hard to accept yourself as you are already or you never will after deforming it with plastic surgery and artificial hormones

[@pendlera2959]

Head's up, Stella.gs22 is a troll. They've been copypasting this comment everywhere.

[@zleepydude]

​@@pendlera2959i find it weird when people hate on trans people :/

[@Alastora_The_Radio_Demon]

​@@Stella.22gare u dumb?

[@AbeTheGreatt]

@@Stella.22g agreed.

[@chasedbyvvolves9256]

The string going around the lungs and him knowing how much it fucking sucks to have your ribs/lungs crushed by a binder hit dude

[@zacharynguyen7286]

Hope you are doing good and staying safe. If you need to talk to someone or need help, there are people who care. Sending support and hearts. ❤️❤️❤️

[@crustyshrimp1761]

I love how lake uses Mac's own line against him "its just water and meat and some shit" 0:33 and 6:42

[@Trivial_Thread]

somehow I'm only now seeing this. the pure discomfort to the point where you just have to sit in a bath with a hoodie on is one of the most accurate things I've ever seen. and i love the real horror aspect of it, its a really amazing film with some great animation

[@Stella.22g]

Why do you want to be the opposite sex so bad? Just work hard to accept yourself as you are already or you never will after deforming it with plastic surgery and artificial hormones

[@pendlera2959]

Head's up, Stella.gs22 is a troll. They've been copypasting this comment everywhere.

[@redwolftrash]

@@Stella.22g smartest jschlatt fan

[@desleitor]

@@Stella.22gThis is the difference between a trans person you. Its not that we don’t accept ourselves for who we are as biological males/females, its just that we can’t help but to feel disconnected from our bodies and cant help but to dislike the body parts that makes us male/female. Its a horrible feeling that i cant really express which is why ‘gender dysphoria’ is a mental disorder. We cant help but to think this way and nobody can change our minds. We know, very damn well that we can never change our sex which is why we transition to look like the opposite sex to make us feel better.

[@pidge5193]

I know this is about dysphoria but as someone who ain't trans it's also pretty relatable for days of severe body dyspmophia and the general feeling of disgust at the idea of revealing your body and having to look at it when it isn't what you want it to be

[@TheAussieShalien]

youre seen and loved.

[@RedPilledAsFuck]

@@TheAussieShalien we don’t want to be literally seen tho ☠️

[@TheAussieShalien]

@@RedPilledAsFuck I want to be respected as a trans person personally. I want respect and acceptance from my family. not all trans people want to be seen, not all trans people not want to be seen

[@RedPilledAsFuck]

@@TheAussieShalien this comment specifically isn’t talking about trans people. i want to be seen emotionally but physically i do not want to be seen. i would like to be comfortable enough to be seen, but i’m not.

[@Dyanafog]

I still cant tell what biological, or intended gender this stories protagonist has, help

[@jus7mile421]

As someone who isn't trans but is trying to learn more about it, dating someone who is, as well as having many close friends who are, this was an eye opener. Just seeing the monster go under his binder made my chest feel all gross and weird. And when I physically reacted and tried to "wipe" it off myself, I realized just how much more intense the feeling of dysphoria can get. I can't even imagine the discomfort trans people feel in the slightest but this just helped me understand just a smidge the amount of discomfort and how "gross" it can feel for someone living through this feeling everyday. This short film was an amazing depiction and the art-style and pacing of it was different in the best way possible.

[@l4-l4-l9]

Wow. You really get it. Thats a good comment

[@todidatwee4571]

@@l4-l4-l9 your name is a joke right? like you still think that cis people are ok?

[@ghost.and.gills.]

Very cool comment

[@IlTaolI]

As a trans person I'm really impressed of how well you understand the topic. I hate my body, how it looks, I don't want to be this way and it hurts, puts me in a uncomfortable position, im glad at least some people try to understand it.

[@starsforleo2347]

thank you so much for trying to understand

[@zachialadams9279]

Dontcha just hate it when your in a dysmorphic slump and your good-natured friend seeks to help you unwind and escape your headspace with external validation, only to encounter a mass of amorphous entrails in the pond? Such a bummer of a weekend tbh.

[@sadpatheticbardboy]

happens all the time really

[@sgvdjsk]

happens to me way too often tbh

[@gugoluna]

Fr one encounter and weekend's ruined

[@NotRemmyCormo]

The symbolistic monster being real for once? I like this change of pace.

[@bayvee7427]

I love everything about this, I always love this art style reminds me a bit of Night in the Woods

[@sournoodl]

Ohh absolutely, NITW had a big influence on my art and atmosphere in general

[@Maukiki]

Nitw supermacy

[@goose1114]

Ah, that's what it was

[@pretzelwolf1204]

I love NITW and it’s been a few years since I played, but I got hit hard with nostalgia for it like two minutes into this. I thought it was just me! 😁

[@x_rio_x]

Yeahhh someone else sees it too! 🙏 < cisn't NITW lover highfive

[@amberkatanimations6585]

3:11 I love the fact that one hoodie lace is longer than the other- showing that he's been pulling on it, as he was doing when he first got to the lake. I also love the fact that the film wasnt outright like "Oh, he's trans!" They left it to the viewer to figure it out through what they were saying. Stuff like this film is AWESOME.

[@untitledbeing6898]

As a trans dude I sensed he was trans almost right away because of how well written he is and how I relate to him

[@awkwardukulele6077]

That "one shitty chromosome" and "X-istential crisis" joke was what did it for me. It had real "Your cis friend is trying to make you feel better about dysphoria by being a goofball and it doesn't quite work but you still appreciate his effort."

[@fauxhuman0]

also him pulling on it was probably what saved him, he was able to reach the string because it was longer

[@ontopofbottom]

They made it pretty explicit that they were trans. Unless you're 9 and don't understand what top surgery is, then you know immediately they're trans.

[@fauxhuman0]

@@ontopofbottom but it still didnt use the word trans or shove it in your face. if you know lots about being trans youll know immediately, but plenty of people are never educated about this type of thing and will take longer. they still never outright say hes trans

[@DemonicStrawberry99]

"i havent been in water since i was like 12" is so real 😭

[@rrrrrrrrrr9354]

honestly i dont think ive ever seen an animation like this before........... the color palette and shapes are so neat. also i apreciate the trans themes i can relate ALSO IS ............... lake............ the missing person😳

[@sournoodl]

thank you so much!! metaphorically he definitely is ;D

[@chriswilkinson9400]

@@sournoodl Is funny cartoons characters

[@anteater-muravyed]

I thought the missing person was the main character before he transitioned (and also the lake at the same time) I'm terrible at explaining, but yeah :D

[@RedBloxStudios]

Okay good I'm not the only person who immediately thought "TRANS" when they were wearing a croptop

[@redleaderdemon841]

​@@RedBloxStudios If you mean when he took his hoodie off, it's a binder, not a crop top. It compresses the chest to make it look more flat. /info

[@gwen6263]

i really adored all the symbols in this. the X X on his pants were the first thing i noticed and it's so well done how when the "X-istential crisis" is brought up, he covers them. also, i like how the monster was reaching for his chest (maybe partly) because he was binding, and restricting it- so then to defeat the monster he restricted it's chest. i just thought that was a really cool detail. also the missing posters all specifying something about a girl- it really emphasized the dysphoria! also, i don't know if it was intentional but i like how any squiggly line in this (like his hoodie strings) reminded me a bit of chromosomes and maybe i'm looking into it too much but it was so cool

[@unknwnerror1616]

so does Lake have Klinefelter Syndrome or is trans?

[@Malpractice101]

@@unknwnerror1616 I think the implication is that he's trans, but art is up for interpretation

[@AlexChavez-x6n]

2:55 is so real. "Whatcha waitin for?" "Top surgery" like bro same

[@hardpack187]

Mutilation, you mean?

[@madelynjohannes8045]

I can relate to this so much. I remember when I first went swimming in my binder I felt so weird and disgusting but my friends didn’t look at me any differently and didn’t even bat an eye at my binder and it made me feel so good and so much like I really am who I am…I loved it :,) and I love how the two guys in the vid are such good friends and opposites

[@Stella.22g]

Why do you want to be the opposite sex so bad? Just work hard to accept yourself as you are already or you never will after deforming it with plastic surgery and artificial hormones

[@ragdollinballin]

​@@Stella.22gyou dont know whats better for some internet stranger youve never met before.

[@0verpricedcoffee553]

Stella gotta be the laziest troll out there, like, mf come up with better insults instead of the exact same comment 🙄

[@YellowCrewmatePlushie8281]

I noticed that on Lake's pants there's the XX on the knees and then when him and Mac go to the lake the trees and their reflections in the water make the XY. I love it. 100/10 :]

[@jessicapaulin1173]

I too have a golden Retriever friend that tears the fabric of reality

[@skumpkin5191]

“Wait… this isn’t a metaphors?” Is the best meta joke I’ve heard in YEARS

[@Her-sf3kj]

this feels more like a episode in a cartoon then a short (i wish there was more)

[@rubispub1s]

To me, having the monster being 'killed' by the string tightening around the lungs is a representation of how binders especially when binding unsafely can be hard to breath in. and i think that was a cool detail.

[@_leaf-3525]

weelll? what are you waiting forr? topp surgeryyy absolute mood right there

[@cheesycruster666]

Literally me

[@hollowsbest]

really loved the 'wait that's not a metaphor' line, and the friend's drunken attempts at assisting. a unique little film, loved it lots. the sound design + music track were perf, and the wiggle lake's lines did when he got into the water was such a solid design choice. (and his hoodie becoming a sword, rather than a shield. the string he'd partially yanked out with anxiety becoming useful was quite neat :> )

[@lidiadediu6793]

Love how someone is credited for the idea of making mac sink in to the flamingo 7:12

[@CDsCartoons]

You really connect with the characters in a short period of time. Clever, aesthetically pleasing, and so cool and chill overall. Great job!

[@cgh100]

Love the little detail of lakes hoodie string getting longer on one side meaning he must have been twirling it around his finger to depict the anxiety abt getting in the water

[@Newisnowgirl123]

I screamed when the tentacles went under the binder. Fucking violation.

[@ASHE581]

You...audibly screamed? I get gasping but you screamed, really?

[@Narine7326]

@@ASHE581 who cares, move along

[@Blu_Jay13]

Honestly, it wasn't like, triggering, but it definitely reminded me of smth.

[@mothcraft]

The portrayal of the uncomfortable feeling of dysphoria is amazing. You captured it perfectly. It feels like someone is speaking my language

[@bbyounk7ns856]

never have i seen an animation depicting transmasculinity/being a trans male. i love the representation. thank you. this is excellent. made me very happy.

[@Stella.22g]

Why do you want to be the opposite sex so bad? Just work hard to accept yourself as you are already or you never will after deforming it with plastic surgery and artificial hormones

[@gus6829]

@@Stella.22gthat’s not how it works. grow up, cope, and seethe

[@knightofthenorth926]

​@@Stella.22gplease educate yourself on trans people. They aren't choosing to be another gender, just like cis people don't choose to be cis. It's just the way you're born, and you can probably relate to that.

[@maesaliva]

@@Stella.22gbro even if being trans wasn’t real literally what harm does their existence cause you

[@theswissmiss69]

@@Stella.22g🤦

[@onlyravioli]

2:50 "weellll, what are you waiting for?" "toopp surgery" AAAHHH THIS IS MY FAVORITE THING EVER

[@ooze_tube_gaming939]

Tf is top surgery

[@hikarusolar]

@@ooze_tube_gaming939removing breast tissue to look more masculine

[@ooze_tube_gaming939]

@@hikarusolar Ew

[@hikarusolar]

@@ooze_tube_gaming939 thats rude?

[@RabidCannibal-vx6lm]

​@@ooze_tube_gaming939Ah, you seem much too young to be here. Stop being so sensitive about something that isn't affecting anyone else.

[@CupOPhrogs]

"Wait that's NOT a metaphor?!" I love the 4th wall break (aka: I'm very happy I watched this because it has made me, as a 17 yr/o trans man, feel more seen than any speech, therapist(love them tho), or really anything. The chill music combined with the monster and the characters' "Uh alright let's go I guess" reactions feel oddly relatable, while also putting forth the idea that everyone pretends shit is fine, while there are real problems right in front of them is an awesome touch. All of that, AND the fact that the art and animation are super cool and stylized in a way that scratches my brain just right! Thank you so much for making this and making me feel seen and heard and REAL. Have a wonderful day to all you incredible people who worked on this

[@art3misplays265]

This perfectly communicated the feeling of chest dysphoria. It made me think about how I've been feeling lately, I want to stop feeling like i'm trapped inside the wrong body and feel more content with my transition.

[@berrysnowyboy5251]

Me too, fellow human... me too🫂🤝

[@RTTSau]

The little paddling when he was going to grab the hoodie was so awkward yet precious! 😂 5:36

[@dragonslayer101]

As a trans person this has to be one of the best depictions of gender dysphoria I've ever seen. It's so well animated and awesome. I love the character designs and voice acting. Pretty much everything about this is awesome. Good job!

[@accie.]

as a transman i couldnt agree more. i have had the EXACT SAME EXPERIENCE when it comes to water nyself so i feel super called out and relieved to know i am not alone in just being unable to being myself to even get in water.

[@skeletized]

hate it when my dysphoria is bad and the organ amalgamate monster appears

[@MikxPerson]

Frrrr the giant organ monster still attacks me too!!

[@sososo1704]

@@accie. A big monster appeared and you killed it with your hoodie?

[@dragonslayer101]

@@accie. Omg same here too! I haven't taken a bath since I was 7 before puberty ever since then I just take showers since they are immensely less dysphoric. Plus I don't have to battle a giant monster in lakes either since I don't like swimming.

[@Bad-Sir]

1:23 is one of the best scene transitions I've ever seen

[@Itz_Zagha]

Idk why, but i found it really funny the chill and simple song playing, the characters acting completely normal, not panicking and talking normally, while they have to fight with one of the most gross and disgusting creature I've ever seen 😭😭

[@grandmasgopnik9642]

Man as a trans dude pre top surgery something seeing something going under the binder genuinely was like no no no. My husband and I went on our 10 year anniversary to the Caribbean and that was my biggest fear. I haven’t been swimming in public since I transitioned years ago. We live in Florida so swimming and water sports (lol) was a big part of my life beforehand. It felt a lot like this to be honest.

[@ijustdocomments6777]

Dude I'm not even trans and I was going "no no no" that was some hentai-esque shit.

[@Stella.22g]

Why do you want to be the opposite sex so bad? Just work hard to accept yourself as you are already or you never will after deforming it with plastic surgery and artificial hormones

[@struanpeat5116]

​@@Stella.22gL

[@SabTheBean]

@@Stella.22g Please kindly shut up

[@marmoff.]

⁠@@Stella.22gwhydo you feel the need to respond to so many comments like this? it’s condescending and ignorant bruh. why?

[@flamminia]

Man this is DOPE!! I loved the scene transitions, the lines when the characters shiver, also the fact that the music was chill while there was a monster? Very cool and filled to the brim with personalty

[@ikaroony]

Even as a cis woman, I haven't been swimming in a while. I can still relate to the fear of your own body. I don't want to confront my feelings today tho. Good work noodl!

[@CheetehZ]

i've genuinely never enjoyed a student film so much before

[@flowersgamingg]

Cool seeing you here

[@Blu_Jay13]

THIS WAS A STUDENT FILM??!?!? Nuh uh this is ✨Cinema✨

[@bradbradleyart]

Holy shit... Holy shit... I dont know where to start. This is masterfully done. I feel so emotional about this video. The timing the anim the acting the sets the shapes JUST... Seeing dysphoria explored like this and broken down in an honest and human way. Im gonna cherish this anim forever. Thank you for sharing this one.

[@ibroplatin4915]

Your comment made me laugh for some reason

[@JoshBrooks-y2h]

oh.. my gosh. the realization of what this was about hit me like a truck. "im waiting for surgery." "Its okay dude, wear a binder,” and him looking over at the missing girl posters. holy shid, dude . . edit: i keep getting comments saying “they literally said it at the start!” I didn't realize that. thats all. so, please dont comment that, its starting to bother me. :') second edit: please stop.

[@elephorofonius]

i’m worried you know more than i do can you tell me what the realization was

[@JoshBrooks-y2h]

@@elephorofonius when i started watching it, i didn't realize Lake (the one in the tub) was trans and struggling with.... Body dysphoria? Is that what its called? And Mac (the drunk guy) was comforting him. Idk, maybe I'm just dumb, this is the first video i watched off this channel

[@brute1604]

​@@JoshBrooks-y2hok this is a month old, but I'm also FTM (Female to Male trans) and you are totally fine! Yeah, dude was having issues and thankfully he had a friend there for him

[@hinamiravenroot7162]

He literally told the audience at the beginning. "My body is so gross" "Nah, you're just like any other guy to me"

[@JoshBrooks-y2h]

@@hinamiravenroot7162 yeah but im slow. sorry-

[@Endtherinbetween]

I’m a trans guy and this is a great depiction of gender dysphoria i’ve seen also it’s just completely chill the entire time

[@Stella.22g]

Why do you want to be the opposite sex so bad? Just work hard to accept yourself as you are already or you never will after deforming it with plastic surgery and artificial hormones

[@Endtherinbetween]

@@Stella.22g It’s not something that i can work towards making myself feel comfortable with the gender I was born as, I’ve tried that already, why can’t you people understand that I can’t feel comfortable like this, did you really not get the point of the video?

[@dragonslayer101]

@@Endtherinbetween Don't mind it. It's a stupid bot/troll. Everytime someone says "trans' it responds.

[@Endtherinbetween]

@@dragonslayer101 ik lol i checked the other comments afterwards

[@stanleystove]

​@@Endtherinbetweenthe amount of delusion you have is enormous. And instead of period helping you, they're supporting it to make it worse. There's no "born in the wrong gender", pseudo science, not even science. You're just insane

[@tiddelyfish2413]

You did a great job, I remember when my cousin came out to me as trans and I think I was the first person he told. I said I honestly didn’t care as long as he was happy aaaand 8ish years later he has a better beard than me :)

[@Stella.22g]

Ew

[@cable_g0re]

​@@Stella.22greported

[@misterchef2107]

@@Stella.22gEw being a transphobe.

[@RushWheeler]

Testosterone works wonders bro.

[@MK-xr4rf]

@@Stella.22g it’s almost 2024, could we maybe mature a little?

[@Sebastian_Wolfy13]

"What are you waiting for?" "Top surgery." REAL BRO REAL-

[@Sugar_C0oki3]

This honestly captured the struggles and fears of being trans, while having SUCH BANGER MUSIC HOLY SHIT (Not to even mention the voice acting and stunning animation)

[@Stella.22g]

Why do you want to be the opposite sex so bad? Just work hard to accept yourself as you are already or you never will after deforming it with plastic surgery and artificial hormones

[@fin8094]

@Stella.gs22 that’s not how it works bro

[@anonymouscamel64]

@@Stella.22ggiga Chad spotted

[@EvelynKlima-jy5bc]

@@Stella.22g bro like no. Nuh uh, that’s definitely not how trans works.

[@Stella.22g]

it literally is whether you like it or not, kid @@EvelynKlima-jy5bc

[@HeliogoboAnimation]

A new fan here. This work deserves a lot of attention to the public.

[@EmptyBox68]

I completely agree.

[@blueberrydragon5160]

This oughta be shown in film making classes imo.

[@thisiswhymyfriendshateme8169]

It’s crazy how I knew exactly what this was about when I saw him in a tub with a hoodie on. It’s crazy the heat I would stand just to wear a hoodie to cover my chest. I started to hate hoodies in general because of it.

[@raspberriesrrandom]

"What are you waiting for?" "Top surgery" Same Lake, same

[@bubblegum03]

the "that's not a metaphor?" part made me cackle. It must be tough living in a cartoon where stuff like that just happens.

[@njmoonfrost6145]

So I’m nonbinary and this is the reason I can’t go swimming. It feels dirty and wrong. If I wear baggy clothing then no one can tell what I am, neither can I. So when he shouted for his hoodie, I felt that. I love your art style and how you tell a story. Well done

[@SilverSerpent705]

Oh my god is THIS how dysphoria feels like? I'm sorry you guys have to deal with that. Also the metaphor joke made me think of how the world building works here - are metaphors common things that are mostly immaterial and only one person sees them? That would be really cool to explore.

[@Barkyfortress]

Fuckk.. a film made for me. Cis friends and family can just never understand the urgency we feel in our desperate times, depicted so well by the snail's place with which his friend crawled across the screen and threw his hoodie just short of his reach, even though he was technically helping it was just... barely enough. That organ monster was so disgusting, I wanted to throw up for him and rip it off when it started crawling up his binder... way too real. Fantastic, incredible work. Thank you so much.

[@SketchingStuff0]

This is absolutely gorgeous and i completely get Lake, the "what are you waiting for?" "Top surgery" is rhe most relatable thing ive heard!

[@miikesobi]

WOWOWOWOWOW ok first of all love this but the "Wait this isn't a metaphor?" bit was truly amazing...literally this rules great job!!!!!

[@kainaris]

So _THAT'S_ how it feels like. I understand it better now. This was such a great animation for many reasons.

[@scyphoz0a]

This is the coolest thing I have ever stumbled apon, the way everything feels like its just happening, there's not a big dramatic thing around the lake monster there's just a lake monster makes this whole thing so incredible. It feels like waking up every day just because you have to, not actually living but just floating through life. Thank you.

[@eggowaff3379]

The fucking terror I felt when the monster stared to get under his binder. I have never felt so connected and genuinely scared for a character

[@kardemomme7896]

nothing short of amazing! the style, the animation, the scrumptious backgrounds and color palette! the transness! the queerness! and the fact that you did this almost all by yourself! just incredible.

[@redaurora8602]

I really love how you tackle topics in your work. It's makes for such a unique experience that still lets you absorb all you need to know without expository dialogue. The missing person posters? Chef's kiss, just amazing. I also love the whole message it sends, shedding the hoodie but also using it to battle a monster. This might be reading too much into it but I also love how he started in the bathroom, submerged in water with his hoodie on and facing up (maybe not to see his reflection?) and ended without his hoodie and in front of the mirror. TL:DR - I love you visuals and storytelling, keep it up, and new subscriber gained!

[@griffyt209]

As a Trans man myself, this is amazing to see. Have been binging all of your work and youre definitely one of my favorite animators now!

[@dragonslayer101]

Yay you and me both! :D

[@Stella.22g]

Why do you want to be the opposite sex so bad? Just work hard to accept yourself as you are already or you never will after deforming it with plastic surgery and artificial hormones

[@F1CTI0N4L]

@@Stella.22gI don’t think you should share your opinion like that. You might cause a serious fight here. Welp!, I wish the best for you in the upcoming war!🫡

[@dragonslayer101]

@@F1CTI0N4L No don't talk to it. It's a stupid troll trying to get attention.

[@RushWheeler]

​​@@Stella.22gfor your own sake and the sake of everyone else who's going to reply to you in the next week, please delete this comment

[@Mike-bm1xv]

deleting this og comment because you can't behave yourselves in the replies. go outside, to the people who wanna argue. and to those just tryna defend their life: stop trying to convince these people. they don't care about us or the struggles we faced. they want us to live our lives the way they deem fit. i am who i am, and that's not bad.

[@MrSophire]

And this is why most people are against Trans treatment as of now. It really isn’t fixing the actual issue or problems. All it does is destroy a perfectly healthy body. Most people don’t hate trans people but we hate that the “medical “ community (anyone in the medical community that objects to this treatment gets shut down) putting people who really need help into a path that’s very harmful. I hope you feel better. You will always be a woman and it was of people cruel to say you could have changed. I am sorry you’re going through this.

[@milli5968]

​@@MrSophirepeople like you need to play in traffic

[@Murmeska]

I'm not trans, but I do relate to this in some way. All my life I've been told I was fat or not skinny enough even when I was slim. But the thing is even if I've achieved my "perfect" self I still would have been unhappy with myself. I would've still find things to hate about myself. It take a lot of work to see yourself in the mirror how you truly are without self loathing.

[@ranchustars3050]

@@MrSophirekeep your transphobic nonsense out of here and never return, you are helping no one.

[@banheezone]

​@@MrSophireHe is a biological female, His gender will always be male as long he wishes so.

[@Catmatia]

Oh man this hits, i’m trans girl not a guy, but man the crossover is real. We all got that dysphoria hoodie don’t we. I remember almost having that exact conversation, (although just a bit different) with a friend of mine. Hopefully it will get easier for all of us. Awesome work!

[@bezel_kisser]

"What are you waiting for?" "top surgery." THATS SO REAL

[@jackjd41]

no

[@bezel_kisser]

@@jackjd41 fuck you mean "no"???? is that you attempting to make a hate reply, or are you just a strange little fellow???? a rebellious little skunk????

[@bezel_kisser]

IM CACKLING HE DELETED HIS COMMENT

[@michealmiller-v4h]

"im tired of being stuck in hoodies all the time." STORY OF MY LIFE BRO BRO :]

[@nihilistic_yanek]

I am pausing this at 1:30 to comment that I've enjoyed every second of this so far and it just gets better and better :)

[@beanaharhar]

Almost fucking cried when it went under the binder. I also am waiting for top surgery, if you catch my drift. And the fucking tears in his eyes when it happened- God. This is amazing, thank you for the representation.

[@nekori_adrian]

This DEFINITELY went under my binder (or skin, if you will-) Amazing story telling and GOSH I could feel the disgust and fear Lake felt at the moment the... thing, attacked him. I really didn't expect it to go like this tbh; it's not an stereotypical/ideal "overcoming your fear" story, it's weird and awkward and beautiful. Really enjoyed this, man

[@Stella.22g]

Why do you want to be the opposite sex so bad? Just work hard to accept yourself as you are already or you never will after deforming it with plastic surgery and artificial hormones

[@nekori_adrian]

@@Stella.22g Are you lost? Posting a transphobic reply under a trans-themed video? But to answer your question, I did not choose this. I didn't wake one day being "I want to be the other sex". I woke up looking in the mirror and wanting to vomit at the sight of my chest, etc. I've been fighting with this since 7 years now. I like myself, I am charming, I am relatively fit, I look good (good body proportions, a nice face, soft hair), I just don't like those two areas. "Don't like" being an understatement. They don't belong there. They don't belong to me. They are disgusting me and I prefer dying over living with them with the rest of my life. I don't expect you to understand tbh. No one can TRULY understand it. Because this feeling is so unique and different that you can't relate unless you've felt it.

[@nekori_adrian]

@@Stella.22g I hope my other reply helped explain it some. But if I had to put it into your words; I am not deforming my body with plastic surgery, it is already deformed since the moment I was born, since the very moment I received that X-chromosome. And I'm not sure if hormones rlly are "artificial' to begin with. They are a natural product that I decided to consume because my body is physically unable to produce it. I don't see anything wrong with that.

[@0verpricedcoffee553]

​​@@nekori_adrianstella commenting under a trans affirming post and obv affirming community is like kicking an old person in a retirement home. Like- how were they expecting to get away with this shit 💀

[@nekori_adrian]

@@0verpricedcoffee553 idk man, I feel like they are very very lost 😂 idk what these type of people think their comments cause because I could honestly care less? 🤷‍♂️ I’m not sure if the deprecative choice of words is meant to be hurtful but eh I’m fabulous as I am LMAO

[@TimelessKn1ght]

Mac is the legit epiphany of the human version of Patrick Star and I’m here for it :)

[@thegoblinking.]

Maaan, I love this animation. It’s just very real to the trans masc experience. I’m getting top surgery later this month and waiting these last few weeks for my appointment has been pretty agonizing. It’s made me realize how much my chest dysphoria affects my life. How self conscious/ uncomfortable I am in any top even with a binder. After all this time, I just got used to it. My surgery date can’t come soon enough.

[@avacadotoast5571]

Best of luck with your surgery!

[@RainyDelaneyy]

PLEASE THE "Wait, it's not a metaphor" WAS SO FUNNY I REALLY LIKED THIS IS WAS CUTE

[@Weird_personlive]

This makes me so happy to see a video based on dysphoria.

[@hamsandwich1628]

Welp. Just stumbled into your work. Your art is amazing. All the visual representation you worked into this. The posters, the shivering lines, the color. You know damn well what you're doing. Also the comedy in this is absolute gold. "Wait this isn't a metaphor?" got me rolling. I feel this all on a personal level and I'm happy the algorithm brought me your way.

[@blueberrydragon5160]

When you’re chillin on the internet and casually stumble upon the modern equivalent of a yet undiscovered genius…

[@SalemSingsStuff]

HOLY SHIT THIS IS SO GOOD??? The transmasc relationship to bodies of water!! Using lung constriction to mimic binder constriction & emotional strife & to defeat the monster!!!! BRO BRO BRO

[@RandomRichie-ke7bf]

"What are you waiting for?" "Top surgery." "Just come here in a binder your chest is probably flatter than mine" is crazy-

[@yukyers7198]

"What are you waiting for? 😝" "Tooop Surgeryyy~ 🙄" I want the dynamic they have

[@wisdomaxolotl2766]

The slow knee slap is a mood

[@redron2350]

I want a hoomie like Mac. He is the true guy, their friendship is amazing and honestly I wish I can get a friend so supportive and care free. He clearly doesn't have the same issue, nor he understands it. But he knows it's hurting his friend so he tries to help

[@blueberrydragon5160]

Things like this right here is the reason why I love the medium of animation. In such a short timespan you convey so much about the topic of body dysphoria. I’m not trans, but I’ve had my own share of feeling very gross/ too fatty/ too idk… and I know the feeling of hiding yourself. 1) The music is a little dissonant, but still soothing. Coupled with Mac’s and Lake’s friendship and the humour it helps to keep the viewer grounded and not slip into straight up body horror 2) Some visual storytelling that KILLED me: - the parallels of Mac’s floss detritus and him totally being unafraid of who he is and later on… the meat residue in the hoodie. With Mac now… kinda getting it? That our bodies and our identity/ state of mind are interlinked. If shit happens to your body, shit might happen to your mind and vice versa. - Lake killing the monster with the hoodie strings. He probably always used to tuck the hoodie tight around his face to hide and it made him hurt having to do so. Now he uses the thing that metaphorically strangled him (the hoodie) to strangle the monster. - the way this stylised cartoony monster feels so real and threatening… crawling up the protagonist’s torso… had me shivering! This feeling of unease is elevated immensely by the great sound design (the “splosh” of Lake breaking free) and the excellent line delivery. 3) The humor/ subversion of tropes is just… immaculate! I only got it upon 2nd viewing, but the pun with the character being called Lake and the… lake, ya know? The “the monster’s not metaphorical?” How Mac physically drags a soggy Lake into the next panel. Mac not being able to get out of the pool thingy so he just let’s himself plop into it…helps to keep the tone if not light, at least surreal. Just kinda what it feels like irl. In 7:30 you encapsulated a very hard to grasp feeling of self-loathing/ body dysphoria people make whole movies/ TV-shows about. That, to me, is the condensed might of animation (your character designs and linework/ style help the animation so much, too!)

[@queenkobra7054]

you could hear lakes voice slightly change when they were panicking, that mixed with the fact that they still have to hear a binder may imply that he hadn't medically/hormonally transitioned yet, which is probably why they hate how their body feels, which I, as a transmasc who hasn't hormonally transitioned yet, relate to a lot. 10/10, I love the the music, animation, character design, color pallet, and overall message, and would definitely recommend to anyone who needs to learn a little more about what it feels like to be transmasc.

[@charolettepatterson965]

Are you saying that the undershirt jackets guy was wearing was a weird bra?

[@queenkobra7054]

@@charolettepatterson965 what? no, I'm saying it meant he most likely still had breasts, since he still had to wear a binder, so he probably wasn't on T or had just started T, and having boobs is probably causing him gender dysphoria.

[@charolettepatterson965]

So it was a bra?

[@musicplaylists6718]

​@@charolettepatterson965it's a binder, kind of similar to a bra. It flattens breasts

[@charolettepatterson965]

@@musicplaylists6718 thank you! That is very much more explanatory

[@scj6693]

this is excellent and i hope you keep making more like this

[@BeansOnToast-23]

“What are you waiting for?” “Top surgeryyy” THATS SO REAL