Top 10 WORST Character Design Tropes (And I Draw Them All) || SPEEDPAINT + COMMENTARY

[@vamp-up_thejam]

duchess, you don't get it: the high collars aren't a signifier for evil characters, the high collars ARE the evil characters. lelouch was just your run-of-the-mill guy when one day, he pulled the wrong coat out of his closet... and he was never the same.

[@himbosuplex]

Okay but like, this makes sense so much because the X-Antibody form of Myotismon/Vamdemon from Digimon? He's not the body - that's a distraction. The ACTUAL Vamdemon X-Antibody is *the animate, sentient coat.* THE VAMPIRE COAT IS LITERALLY THE BRAIN PILOTING THE BODY...

[@zaytaz9331]

the fact he was always the same in the plot..

[@marcosgonzalez4207]

The high collar is for Kick Buttowski

[@Musicallison]

@@marcosgonzalez4207 LMAO

[@robincollinallred5756]

though I would argue Lelouch is an exception to that trope cause he's an anti-hero not a villain... I mean down the road he presents himself more like a villain but in that scenario, the imposing stereotypical evil outfit actually works to his favor cause he's canonically trying to appear evil

[@Haunting_Spirit]

As an evil vampire, the high collar is a stereotype that our evil vampire community finds quite hurtful. It is founded in the equally hurtful stereotype that all evil vampires bite necks, so we cover our necks to show our evil vampire brethren that we are one of them

[@Ne34_erin]

For the last one, I feel Saiki K is a perfect example of what the main character should be like compared to others. Saiki has the green glasses pink hair and antenna things, so we know he’s the main character. But in a lineup of a lot of the other characters, he stands out just enough to know he’s the main character. Other characters have crazy coloured hair, and design quirks that make them unique. A lot of the time they’re all in uniform, but character quirks are portrayed by how they wear their uniform. For example Hairo has no sleeves because of his athleticism. Teruhashi literally glows. Kaido has the spiked hair and bandage. And nendo has the weird looking chin and hair and just face in general. The crazy colours of hair even has a in universe explanation, where Saiki genetically modified the whole world so he would be considered “normal”. Realistically, we as viewers can tell that saiki’s appearance fits in as “normal” in his world. Anyways uhh rant over

[@TrinityJules-l9l]

i agree

[@blackban4689]

The fact that Teruhashi LITERALLY glows will forever be one of the funniest things in the show for me 😂.

[@EveryonesFavoriteProblem]

PREACH!!

[@IrisBevan]

I was gonna mention Saiki K as well, because I think it's also a good example of a show that's self aware of this trope. Saiki was born with pink protagonist hair while everyone else had normal hair because he's a psychic, so he modified the entire world and that's why everyone has silly anime hair now! It comes up with explanations for tropes that are usually left unexplained in anime.

[@kingofcrowzz]

YES this was literally one of my first thoughts thank you!!!!

[@konigderschumler3989]

I highly disagree, the big collar is a gift sent down by heaven to bless us

[@MusicFan752]

More like a gift sent by dracula.

[@Lalaland666-k3x]

@@MusicFan752even better

[@EdalynAnarchy]

​@@MusicFan752maybe that's just Bram stoker. O wait-

[@tami7992]

As someone who loves that trope: absolutely

[@backgroundartist1879]

Agreed. High collars are PEAK character design.

[@adeljuarez5044]

-hides my overall farmer oc in a large haystack-

[@CrystalCatArt]

lol its ok, her opinion, but I absolutely LOVE farmers in overalls i think they're so cute! I always but my character in overalls in Stardew cuz it just feels right and I think they're so cute~

[@rubyeverred_]

​​@@CrystalCatArtvery real and true! One speculation I have regarding the common use of overalls in farmer designs actually ties to the cuteness aspect :P since people living in more rural areas instead of highly populated ones might have less competition among other humans in any form, they might instinctively become more cooperative therefore more hospitable and generally cuter :)

[@Bandikit]

Same, except mine is a gardener

[@BlMB0.D0L]

​@@rubyeverred_maybe in fiction the characters in rural areas are "cooperative" but in real life absolutely not, being from a rural area myself people here are very competitive and do not get along

[@katykat8866]

I like to think the reason why Donald Duck wears a towel after he has gotten out of the shower is the same reason people wear towels after their done swimming in a pool, he just doesn’t want to get the floor wet.

[@angrybidoof847]

That's cute

[@ThePsychicClarinetist]

That's an actually good point that I never considered! That said, the times he acts embarrassed when the towel falls away is weird, LMAO. Like yeah, I get that it's played for comedic effect because of the implications it creates for humans watching IRL, but it makes no sense in the context of their societal norms. 😂

[@JoeBradley151]

Also, Donald was a sergeant in the US Navy. His shirt was part of the uniform (formally recognized by the actual Navy). The pants could have been problematic with his body type. Or it could could have been his ptsd/ shell shock, canonically.

[@Melllie]

As a sapphic with a large chest myself, I have to agree I’ve watched multiple anime where no matter much I like a character I can’t pay any attention because HOW ON EARTH ARE THEY FIGHTING WITH NO BRA, CORSETRY, OR STRAPS IN SIGHT???

[@ssweettthingg]

The neckline is glued...... /j

[@marcosgonzalez4207]

The silicon is pretty more stable than fat

[@Devulini]

As someone who doesnt have large chests... i still agree with you.

[@hype_ksss]

This is literally so real

[@siriuslywastaken]

as a sapphic with a relatively _small_ chest, i still can't jump around and move quickly without pain when there isn't support. please, artists, please make it make sense

[@torokami1109]

I respect Bluey so much for not giving their main characters obvious "girl features".

[@just_cheíri]

Tbh same, since biologically it makes sense

[@lil_doggo_of_doom]

Its also caused arguments on whether they were or weren't girls, hell half the fanbase didn't even KNOW they were girls.

[@ly_sho]

​@@mnmnrtWhen the fictional blue dogs don't look like mature human women with long ass lashes: 😡😡😡

[@Musicallison]

Don't forget the OG Blues Clues

[@genericname2747]

Bluey is peak

[@AuroraPaintBrush4444]

I vaguely remember an unhinged rant about Minnie Mouse being "woke" because she wore pants... They were angry a "female mouse" wore pants in an animated commercial. But all I thought was, "this person has a panty fetish." Seriously Minnie Mouse flashes panties and wears no shirt...

[@AuroraPaintBrush4444]

@@mnmnrt Minnie Mouse doesn't need an up skirt. Heck, she doesn't even need a windy day. Her bloomers/panties can be seen a mile away.

[@lucymiau5700]

I only remember that there was a discussion when she whore a business suit. Which does not fit her supposed girlie character and broke the established silhuette. Minnie is not Barbie, she has no multiple outfits.

[@AuroraPaintBrush4444]

@@lucymiau5700 I disagree. The movies/shorts have her in different outfits. She was a princess/queen in multiple shorts and movies. She has a waitress outfit in the House Of Mouse TV show. Swimsuits, ball gowns, the Christmas Carol movie, peasant rag outfit. She wore plenty of different outfits in Canon animations So, no, Minnie Mouse can access the whole world or clothing, or are you saying that a pair of pants will melt off of her?

[@AuroraPaintBrush4444]

@@lucymiau5700 Are you saying a Queen dress is the same silhouette? Are you saying a waitress outfit is the same silhouette as a skirt with BLOOMERS SHOWING? a Swimsuit? She has worn a bikini, and a one piece. She has worn a Hawaiian grass skirt. Is that the same silhouette? Oh I remembered she was a cowgirl! She has worn hats, she has worn bows, she had authorizatied designs without bows or hats.

[@lucymiau5700]

@@AuroraPaintBrush4444 the most iconic silhuette is that of a girl with a dress or a skirt. And all your clothing you mentioned are linked to activities in free time or hollydays.

[@puraidoeustass]

Oooh, yeah, the villain collar. I should make a series where the collar grows the more evil a character is, and eventually, the main villain is revealed and it's basically a giant collar three meters in the air. Peak character design.

[@nanny_uhh]

This is amazing, please do so

[@ajch22]

I think the only main one I could disagree with is the farmer stereotype. Is not that it is not possible to use different ways to represent a farmer, but it is taking away core elements from what is both a reality and an already preestablished concept that might not be 100% for everyone, but that everyone still comprehends. It's kinda like saying you want a character who is a construction worker, but you don't want them to have a helmet or a reflective vest. And if you google "Indian Farmer" you will realize the stereotypical outfit over there is vastly different from the one you would find in the USA or Canada, but in truth, unless you specify the farmer you are presenting comes from that culture or is based on that culture, it is a hard sell to put them in those clothes and convince the rest of the world that character is indeed a farmer.

[@marcosgonzalez4207]

I do not know, but in my country, and in hispanoamerica in general, the farmers looks like cowboys We even call "cowboy" to the jeans, because it was a work pant for them in the past

[@howdidigethere9061]

@@marcosgonzalez4207right! In Mexico if you are a ranchero or a farmer you would look like what people know as a cowboy. With the hat, button down, jeans, belt, and boots. With accessories of their choice. That’s what I think of first since it’s my culture then the stereotypical American farmer.

[@vtheory7531]

@@marcosgonzalez4207 I live in New Zealand and the kiwi farmer stereotypically dresses in a tank top, stubbies (shorts), black puffer jackets, a bucket hat/beanie and gumboots :) I think it could be fun to have different farmer outfits based on other cultures

[@odinlindeberg4624]

The 'stereotypical' way to depict a Norwegian farmer would have to be green and black coveralls. But; said stereotypical farmer probably wouldn't wear said coveralls while buying groceries. At that point they'd bring out a wool sweater and whatever the English word for overtrekksbukse is. Basically gore-tex pants that are designed to be worn over a different set of pants.

[@mari9339]

To the big chest no straps trope I have to add characters who wear jackets as capes (you know without putting their hands in sleeves) and it doesn't fall off like it literally defies laws of physics

[@blokvader8283]

Yeah I've got a character who does wear something like that, but she also wears a modified jacket that goes down the sides but windows the upper chest, because I thought it looked unique and cool lol

[@anusaukko6792]

To be fair, a jacket cape is one of the coolest things any character can wear. There are probably some series where you can come up with excuses like them using magic or their powers etc, but the most important thing is that they look drippy af.

[@blokvader8283]

@@anusaukko6792 I just realized like half of all the marines in One Piece wear their coats like that and the all look so fucking cool

[@anusaukko6792]

@@blokvader8283 Yeah absolutely, it's actually what I was thinking of while commenting since it's one of the best examples.

[@faybonsels473]

One of my biggest design pet peeves I often saw in girl cartoons is something I like to call ‘Fashion doll syndrome’. (Action figure syndrome for masculine characters) It’s basically when all the female (and possibly male) leads have the same basic body type, only with different hairstyles, skin tones and accessories, much like fashion dolls! Take Winx for example. It’s one of my fondest childhood shows but i can’t help but notice how they all have identical proportions and somewhat similar facial structures. Many beginning artists often have fashion doll syndrome, but how do you overcome it? Simple. Practice body variety! Start off with simplistic designs based on shapes and practice to where it better fits your style! Edit: thanks for opening my eyes on why so many animated shows, especially the older ones, have fashion doll/action figure syndrome. I ignored the fact they had strict deadlines and budgets, and that’s a very valid reason for having this way of designing characters. My rant about this design pet peeve mainly goes out to all the artists who have all the freedom and little to no budgetary constraints (including myself). Even the most subtle form of body variety could change a lot about your characters design wise, as it helps make them stand out from each other and bring out their personalities with the combination of what they wear and their pose.

[@marcosgonzalez4207]

We live in different times, so now, we can see male characters that are look like female dolls with short hair

[@beesnquackers]

i’ve heard same face syndrome being talked about commonly amongst artists with anime-esque art styles but i love the term fashion doll syndrome!! funnily enough at lot of shows fashion doll syndrome are literally for the dolls hahaha same with “action figure” shows (dolls but for boys 💪😤)

[@heyitsnyixie_1559]

Sometimes, in shows like the Winx Club, this is intentional because it makes it cheaper to produce show-accurate dolls

[@anonyme4881]

To defend Winx despite never seeing the show to begin with : Winx is a PURELY animated series that chained 56 episodes in like 1 years. With that kind of insanely fast production in animation having similar looking character help reducing the budget cost and time passed to animate the show by making a single catalog of key pose/frame and painting your doll over it. Especially in 2005 when animation software wasnt as developped as nowaday Animation is totally different than drawing. Sure, in a simple picture/bd you can do whatever you want it will be without consequence. But in animation you need to put 24 pictures per second to create the illusion of moovement. Too many different character design or too complex design will hurt the production, hence why animated show tends to simplify and harmonise character design Especially in older shows. 56 episode of 22 minutes means a whoping 1 774 080 pictures were needed to put up this show, in 2005 with extremly non optimized software. In one single year While also recording voice acting and sound editting every episode. Thats actually quite insane

[@beesnquackers]

@@anonyme4881 ye animation takes a lot of time! however i will bring up the old PPG show and kim possible as shows targetted towards girls but are still action. they both have simplistic designs and limit movement, but they don’t really suffer from fashion doll syndrome because there wasn’t a desire to promote dolls with it! i’d even argue winx has a lot more complicated animation due to the magical-girl-esque transformation sequences! not that it’s inherently bad for shows to have fashion doll syndrome, but character designs are not just simplified by having the same base model. they can also be simplified with more basic shapes and limited movement. all depends on marketing and target audience! in shows like Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure, My Little Pony and Ever After High, they use tweening! meaning less time to draw things frame-by-frame, if at all! that way they can make more complicated designs, even when they’re shows that also promote dolls! i say all this because people are usually discussing aesthetic preferences when talking about all this, which is fine, they can watch another show! with the recent AI protests coming from animators however, we might be able to let the have the creative freedom to not be strained by marketing in order for them to make projects they’re passionate about while also affording a living!

[@sometimessomee3535]

I think this channel got me into a bungou stray dogs hyperfixation

[@zenerunene]

It just fuels mine ‼️🙏

[@illumiEclipse]

​@@zenerunene real. The bigger the bsd hyperfixation the better 😌

[@zenerunene]

@@illumiEclipse True true

[@Pl-iNK]

ONE OF US

[@IAmSchwi]

Real

[@alexsnakelet7663]

I audibly giggled when you mentioned how the high collar makes them look like a vampire after Akutagawa was shown as an example.

[@Pikasachiko]

And she said to look like an edgy teenager... Like bro at this point Akutagawa is basically both (I know he's 20,but... Hes basically a an edgy teenager) edgy teenager vampire villain= Akutagawa.

[@alexsnakelet7663]

@@Pikasachiko he's having his emo phase a bit late you see

[@stupidmangoz]

I love when they nitpick designs but it's like "Yeah dude, that's the point of it." Also that coat was literally from a WORSE person by comparison

[@WindiestRat3]

@@alexsnakelet7663he was too busy “training”

[@duckafarts]

All I gathered from this video is that Celestia has nice handwriting

[@vanoki6978]

I would be interested in you showing examples on how to improve the “worst tropes” for example showing how one can design a character in poverty without using the pauper patches, or how to convey a character’s anxiety without the comical fish eye lense, regardless I enjoy these light hearted videos :)

[@lenabach3047]

I hope you don't mind me offering a couple suggestions. poverty: ragged clothing, fringed edges, faded colours, "off-brand" logos, loose strings, stains, patches like the ones with designs that you can iron onto your jeans, simplistic clothes compared to other characters, wearing the same outfit very often, not many accessories, small holes anxiety: small pupils or visible veins in the white part of the eye, slightly open mouth or tightly pressed-together lips, close-up shot of the wide eyed and distressed facial expression, clutching their own body, putting their hand over their mouth or grabbing their own hair/head, shaky lines around the character that imply they're trembling, pale face, hunched body posture English is not my first language but I hope that all made sense.

[@Garden0flowr]

A character in poverty could be portrayed as wearing things with very plain colors and patterns, if any patterns at all Simplistic things they could get ahold of The patches could work if theyre someone whos likely to tear their clothing up in one way or another If they somehow didnt learn the life skills of how to make sure your clothes dont fall apart (pretty easy to get your hands on thread and needles, clothesmakers have been portrayed as poor in a lot of media) You could give them torn holes and frayed edges

[@rubyeverred_]

​@@mnmnrtthese are great alternatives that I also use quite often in my own designs and drawings! One other alternative I could also recommend for adding any kind of tension to a character is by adding clenched teeth which I may or may not be overusing a little on my characters that have mouths :P

[@Yes-hn8mg]

My family where I'm from is poor, not extremely but they don't have money for much clothes and stuff, so my grandpa wears those free ad shirts people give out, or is cheap 👍 so that's also something

[@ignisvis8867]

For Donald Duck design I think the main reason is they didn't want to hide the duck tail or the yellow legs. Also not giving him the shirt would make the design look too plain and mostly white, also making it hard to tell apart the characters. Same reason why they gave Mikey pants but not shirt. It's just to fill the empty space and make the siluette more readable while keeping the design simple. Keep in mind they were made for animation so clarity and easy to draw design are the most important factor

[@tell-me-a-story-]

Maybe the animals don’t need clothes, but they like to express themselves through clothing sometimes. The clothes are more of accessory than anything.

[@marcosgonzalez4207]

There is a short film were Mickey and Donald got banned from a restaurant because one got no shors and the other no shirt, and Mickey gave his clothes and hide because it was a shame to be naked

[@playfulwriter9796]

I’m a simple girl, I see Mori, I see worst and I click

[@silent_reaper999]

Why?

[@playfulwriter9796]

@@silent_reaper999 He’s a pdfphile??? I don’t understand the confusion?

[@playfulwriter9796]

@@silent_reaper999 Cause he likes little girls??? I don’t under the confusion?

[@sakasama_55]

Who is this mori dude??

[@Noe-t_here]

@@sakasama_55 He's from a manga/anime called Bungo Stray Dogs. He is.. a pretty bad dude

[@kaylaHat]

On the cartoon animals; It's cartoon laws, it dosent matter how little sense it makes as long as it commits to the bit and looks nice. The law is just commit to the bit and look visually interesting

[@dearqueen6795]

10:54 Celestia forgetting about animal crossing XD

[@XDLR]

Yup lol

[@Slomurr]

Nothing is more boring than giving the villain/ antagonist scars, deformities, or disabilities while the hero is abled body, flawless skin, and beauty standard sexy. Like I love me my scarred villains, but media portraying the antagonistic characters only with disfigurment, disability, and scaring really does not give a good vibe ngl.

[@lucii_tan]

I personally think the overdesigned protagonist AND the underdesigned protagonist are both funny. On the latter, all the other charaters are super flashy and with cool designs while the protagonist is just some dude/girl.

[@SillyGnome]

My favorite obviously dumb character design trope is what I like to call random Dracula. Where the antagonist dresses a few hundred years out of fashion for absolutely no reason and nobody even really addresses it. Yeah I’m talking about you Miles Edgeworth

[@zoey-oey-oeyd4020]

excuse you, miles edgeworth dresses the way he does for a very clearly established canonical reason-the fact that he studied under manfred von karma, an antagonist who dresses a few hundred years out of fashion for absolutely no reason

[@ClowncoreisCool]

You when you learn about Victorian Goths: 🤯😱🤯

[@c-o-b-o-2010]

13:49 You know, I never realized that until you pointed it out. Why don’t heroes wear armor like the villains do? It ain’t a very smart thing to do, you know?

[@yourdad5799]

​@@mnmnrt These 2 aren't mutualy exclusive. Armors are so cool

[@genericname2747]

I mean. Many heroes do wear armor

[@c-o-b-o-2010]

@@genericname2747 but a lot don’t after they fight the villain who has armor It’s like… why don’t you wear armor too? Those that do are being smart while fashionable.

[@genericname2747]

@@c-o-b-o-2010 they are stupid

[@jakkees]

for that, always make up some excuse so having armor would be impractical in some way and/or didn't suit the heroes at all like that the clothes are made from some nuovo fabric thing so you can be both impenetrable and drippy as hell or that the aesthetics and the grand looks are more prioritised than pure practicality

[@midnightgamer-21]

I love FNAF, and a lot of the animatronics can double as cute OR scary, but it all depends on the lighting, and I mostly find them cute. Even the Nightmare animatronics are weirdly endearing to me for some reason.

[@rubyeverred_]

I feel like that more so has to do with more human facial expressions while the lack of them makes characters way more unsettling (at least to me-)

[@marcosgonzalez4207]

I saw some people blaming of how FNAF+ designs were forced terror But they are pretty friendly compared to the franchise that inspired FNAF, Chuck'e Cheese

[@midnightgamer-21]

The FNAF+ designs definitely felt forced yeah, honestly kinda happy it was cancelled cuz the characters didn’t look cute enough to be actual ENTERTAINERS like the Classics from FNAF 1

[@marcosgonzalez4207]

@@midnightgamer-21 bro, look at Chuck 'e Cheese animatronics close enough, they are living nightmares

[@howdidigethere9061]

Is it weird I find most animatronics creepy cute? Even as a child I thought so. That’s why I’m sad to hear they’re being phased out in chucky cheese locations because I genuinely i found them fascinating as a child. They’re the closest thing to robots I’ve seen. The few times I’ve seen when I was kid I was captivated

[@pinkpearl9848]

One example of the hollywood fat trope that really gets on my nerves is Moxxie from helluva boss. The other characters are always calling him fat when bro is literally the size of a toothpick 😭

[@just_a_dude75]

REAL

[@Nyanneko667]

that literally gets on my nerves too 😭💀

[@Catz_idk]

seriously bro every main character in that show built like a twink how tf did that joke even exist

[@tell-me-a-story-]

They call him fat? He’s skinnier than most of the other characters.

[@ddollvst]

i don't think he was ment to be fat, i think it was just blitz and loona trying to piss him off for no reason actually

[@ihoardjars]

the Hollywood Pudgy trope pisses me off so much; I've had body issues before and now I always look out for shows with good variation in physiques, bonus if it's regardless of gender entirely (Dungeon Meshi is a great example). drawing a character with perfectly healthy/average proportions and calling them fat isn't even a joke it's just stupid imo like you said, if you're gonna call a character fat, make them fat! give me a round squishy character who I can love with all my heart

[@caimanthechimera679]

Me, overhearing this comment as I make random little sketches of one or a few of my many chubby OCs: “Allow me to introduce myself”

[@autisticbraindamagedmoron]

barely disguised fatfetish

[@Zejoant]

Dungeon meshi is japanese. Japan is one of the leaat fat countries in the world. Everyone is super skinny. It makes total sense that anyone slightly bigger would be called fat in japanese media.

[@goopst3r]

@@ZejoantI get what you’re saying but I think they were saying Dungeon Meshi was a good example of the first point, no so much the second point

[@Kei_TsukishimaSimp]

I thought that you were going to roast Akutagawa for no having eyebrows 😭🙏

[@throneisbed7833]

For the characters constantly referred to as "fat" when they're actually quite average, I really don't understand why people do this anyways. I mean, granted I used to struggle with this quite a bit, but part of figuring out how to draw good anatomy comes with figuring out how fat works, and besides, plus size characters are so fun to draw! I mean, I'm still no expert at it, but learning is part of the fun of art, I think!

[@Zejoant]

I understand why japan does it at least. Its one of the least fat countries in the world and someone slightly bigger would probably be seen as fat there.

[@himaxx_x]

The upturned collar for villains is so completely valid but I just love me a spooky upturned collar 😭 There are a couple that work and some others are just- too much 😀

[@ghastlygavin]

I only ever gave my persona an upturned collar Listen if there's someone gonna dress spooky in this place, it's gonna be me

[@bonbonpony]

Reminds me of Emperor Sprout from "My Little Pony: A New Generation" movie: He wore just an over-the-top collar, and the collar only. I'm pretty sure the character designers knew all well about this trope and made it deliberately that way to poke fun of it and make it look ridiculous :)

[@Vamp_Aku]

Wait because i love akutagawa's design sm..

[@Pochi-kyun]

your pfp 😭 how cute

[@_that_one_gacha_kid_]

Me too

[@BungouStrayDogsOfficial]

YOUR PFP IS ADORABLE

[@YourFellowTrashEater]

SO DO I, HE IS LITERALLY SO SO AMAZING AND HE IS SUCH A CUTIE AND AHHHHGG AKUTAGAWA IS LITERALLY THE BEST AND HE DESERVES SO MUCH BETTER

[@freakystrawberry]

HES SI G9RGEOUS IN THE MANGA TOO

[@angieangelinaabc16]

13:21 not just that, but animal characters having a female figure and boobs, even though it wouldn’t make sense for the type of animal, like an animals who don’t even supposed to have boobs, Like a bird.

[@marcosgonzalez4207]

Women are not suposed to have boobs, that was a completely accidental part It allows to keep the baby warm, but that was also an accidental feature

[@PGbutalsofourteenplus]

Most people of any fender had , They're biological blot accidental@@marcosgonzalez4207

[@SugarTheBee]

I saw my precious boys Kenji and Ryuu in the thumbnail and clicked out of sheer anger first of all: I get the overall thing, you get a pass on that one but I LOVE THE VILLAIN COLLAR- also I'd argue that Ryuu is an antagonist and/or an antihero, not a villain

[@stupidmangoz]

He is most certainly NOT an antihero While he is doing the best with what he knows, it's not like he's doing it for the good of mankind, he just following orders of a guy who acknowledges he's the villain

[@laureldreams4108]

When it comes to the patches, I have an Oc that has jeans made specifically of different patches of other jeans, not because they're poor but, because they're a nature and fashion loving individual that would rather reuse parts of jeans from when she was seven and sew tham up together and then paint or do embroidery on said patches to have a unique and enviromentally friendly ouftit than spend 70$ on puspusefully torn up jeans.

[@nick-tz5ur]

Nothing in the world is funnier than Celestia explaining how it’s completely normal for the protag to have a *little* differentiation from other characters while the Timelapse cuts to her drawing a wolf cat angel princess chosen one hated child overly decorated character design (23:52)

[@KharisAriadne]

I get the weight/pudgy trope. At this point it has become less a joke and more of a way for cultures to push their beauty standards while making those who don't fit it feel worse. There's a lot of people who have bad body confidence from that and society as a whole. Thank you for pointing it out!

[@jeremiahsacks2868]

My pet peeve is when the knees are placed way too high. This is especially prominent in robot/mecha designs, but I still find it a lot on more humanoid characters as well. I take one look at characters that do this and just have to ask "how does bro walk/run/sit/kneel/crouch/ do anything that requires the use of their legs?" And by extension this also applies to arms, but I dont see misplaced elbows as often as knees.

[@jeremiahsacks2868]

@@mnmnrt gundam, transformers, a lot of beginner artists. Keep in mind that the thighs are supposed to be longer than the shins, yet these examples can often be found doing the opposite.

[@yourdad5799]

​@@jeremiahsacks2868 I understand living creatures and people but like seriously? You think the robots need to have acurate knees?

[@jeremiahsacks2868]

@@yourdad5799 yes. My pet peeve, my rules.

[@yourdad5799]

@@jeremiahsacks2868 don't let bro see armored core

[@jeremiahsacks2868]

@@yourdad5799 definently part of the problem. The biggest portion of why I take issue with this is because it is reflected on toys, meaning that when I try posing the toys I have to account for almost completely different leg anatomy.

[@Dark_Boba-chan]

What about the "rock and roll is evil" trope or the "Stockholm syndrome romance" trope? Because both of them drive me up the wall

[@MellyTheCatLover]

Those are more writing tropes rather than design tropes tbf

[@Dark_Boba-chan]

@@MellyTheCatLover ok but the first one can be done in designing. Like the villain being put in rocker clothes

[@MellyTheCatLover]

@@Dark_Boba-chan Fair

[@dim_sam3475]

I 10000% understand the last one and why u dislike it. It makes perfect sense. With that being said, I SWEAR OVERDETAILED DESIGNS ARE FUCKING EYECANDY FOR ME! I don't care if the details have a meaning or they are just random meaningless shit, I just love it

[@herowither12354]

Make everyone overdetailed, and it ceases to be a problem.

[@dim_sam3475]

@@herowither12354 fair

[@Cooper-Radio]

The poor patches thing now makes me want to see someone who does the bad stitching on purpose. Not because they are poor but they just love the look of them and they see every hole in their outfit as a chance to make it more colorful

[@leafy_5]

22:54 as a thrifty person with only the barest minimal sewing skills, this is exactly how I patch my clothing 😂😂😂 maybe I do it because of all my favorite childhood characters?

[@IEatpaints]

You have simultaneously roasted 25% of my favourite characters making me ready to angrily defend them but made me respect you for the other options you had and now i don't know what to do

[@sweaterweatherlady]

My children's book protagonist, Hadley, was designed without eyelashes! Her pink skirt, star sticker on the face (I have not seen this on the opposite sex at all, but I hope it's embraced), and hairstyles are the visual "girl" cues. Her design doesn't scare away any boys that have picked up my book, and no one has strictly called it a "girl's book," either. I am happy my girl is reaching girls AND boys with her colorful yet tastefully neutral design!

[@SatiricalSheep]

i like how you don't like the overdesigned main character because i have a story that is the exact opposite of that. It's just this normal everyday guy in a world of anthropomorphic cats, dogs, fricking pancakes or whatever you can think of. His best friend is literally a humanoid dragon while he's just some dude

[@herowither12354]

That's not just a common trope, it's a whole genre. It's Isekai.

[@SatiricalSheep]

@@herowither12354 thanks for making me realize my silly cartoon concept is actually secretly an anime and that's awesome 😭

[@lordknightalex]

lmao i always took the whole thing abt half-dressed anthropomorphized animals still covering up being a visual gag, like, the fact it doesnt make sense *is* the joke

[@sevenequalsoneheart6710]

I think the "half-clothed" anthropomorphized animals is less annoying with what i call the "Sly Cooper method" (there is probably a better example that came prior to Sly Cooper but shrug) where Sly Cooper's naked bottom half gives the illusion that he is wearing bottoms. Same with his partners in crime Bentley the Box Turtle and (prior to drawing attention to it in advertisements for Thieves in Time) Murray the Hippo. Bentley obviously pulls it off better given that the exposed part of his shell can be mistaken for shorts. As for Murray because of the Belt he wears its supposed to give the illusion of him wearing pants or some sort of bottoms. Maybe if they removed his bellybutton and gave him a wrestling outfit coloring beneath his normal outfit since he is the Brawn of the Team of thieves it would be less...what it is currently.

[@amesstarline5482]

Agreed, or alternatively, having it vary character by character. That some prefer wearing full outfits, some are pantless, and it's not exclusive to gender. It's probably my main complaint about Sonic designs- not varrying it up, thus making Amy seem a bit weird. (I'd note that I am aware of Charmy, Preboot Sally, and Sonic thr Comic designs, but this is more regarding mainline.)

[@prettyprincesslexi]

Reminds me of Darwin from Gumball

[@sudetecaramel]

I LOVE the slay ass villain collars 😂 they look great and are really fun to draw

[@kierenaster]

Ultra low neck lines are possible. It’s called boning, which is a stiff addition to the top that keeps the fabric from flopping. Corsets and stays have boning, but you can have dresses and tops with boning, too. Thicker fabrics can also be stiff enough, even when flopped, to hold a shape well enough to stay in place with the appropriate belt (like that one kimono art piece. Her obi is tied right under her breasts and kimono fabric is thick and stiffer. I have owned both cotton yukata and heavy silk kimono. The way that was tied, even the lighter yukata would have kept my chest covered with the off-the-shoulder flop.)

[@kris1123259]

A good example of the not really fat fat trope is the How Heavy Are the Dumbells You Lift ? anime. The whole premise is that the MC gets chubby so she decides to join a gym to get back in shape, needless to say we never actually see her or any other characters actually being overweight. The only anime I can think of that actually embraces chubby designs is Plus Size Elf

[@tinyetoile5503]

My most hated design trope is probably the single pant leg. Drives me up the wall.

[@nanny_uhh]

OH YEAH!!! Like, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOUR LEFT LEG?? Is it itchy? Have a wound on it? 😂😂

[@ZarBluestar]

I remember when Homer Simpson being 250lbs was seen as comically overweight…

[@Starry-Sparkler]

The farmer one gave me flashbacks to that story I wrote for school as a kid where a girl moves from a farm to the city, and every other line was about her obsession with straw hats. I think at one point I mentioned her using wrapping paper with straw hats on it. It was SO BAD XD

[@Sappysappster]

9:16 okay so I'm glad im not the only one lowkey bothered by that design trope The weird thing about furry designs and clothing is that you dont think about the logistics of that stuff until someone points it out Like why do male Sonic characters not wear anything but female sonic characters wear clothes? Are the guys naked? Are the girls being extra? Sybil from Pseudoregalia is a character I love alot but anytime i see her alt costume where she wears black pants (i prefer it btw) and compare it to her default outfit, I cant help but think: "Wait so is she just butt booty naked the entire time or..."

[@clumpofdirt1193]

sega actually has it in their RULES that male characters cannot wear pants. but there are girls that dont wear full outfits, like sally acorn who just has an unbuttoned vest

[@Sappysappster]

@@clumpofdirt1193 that just makes it more confusing and funnier actually 😭

[@androsstarzv_v]

I was not expecting bsd to be the thumbnail but here we areee

[@ThunderberryArt]

As someone who has gotten into the TMNT franchise over the last several months, the rant on "half-clothed animals" amused me greatly. (I can only speak confidently for the 2003 series, but at the very least, the implication there seems to be that for the most part, the turtles only wear what is absolutely necessary IE belts to carry their weapons around and joint pads to protect their elbows and knees, and dislike wearing more clothing than they have to otherwise.)

[@zetafish7347]

It is indeed pretty strange that male anthropomorphic characters can seemingly get away with not wearing clothes while females can't. Like its clear they don't have anything to hide, yet the idea of a nonhuman, shirtless woman is still taboo?

[@An0nym0usM_0]

This acutualy has an explanezion, it depends by the era the character is created, for exemple Bugs Bunny he was created in the 1930 where all the anthrofomorphic characters where naked with just gloves while Lola Bunny was created in 1996 aroud the time people started putting clothes on the anthromorphic caracters. Also there is a shirtless female anthromorphic character Sally Arcon from Sonic (i know only one isn't mutch but atleast we have one)

[@marcosgonzalez4207]

Mini Mouse is shirtless the 99 % of times

[@PGbutalsofourteenplus]

​You mean she wears a dress​@@marcosgonzalez4207

[@marcosgonzalez4207]

@@PGbutalsofourteenplus at the end he says "shirtless doman is still a taboo"

[@Josue_S_6411]

I think it's even weirder when the males wear shirts but no pants while the female wear full outfits. Usually in real life it's only considered acceptable for men to be topless, so why don't they make the male shirtless instead of pantless? If I made any piece of fiction with anthropomorphic animals (likely a video game), I would probably stablish that it's acceptable for the animals to be naked and they may just wear clothes for style and personal preference, and females are more likely to wear clothes because woman usually (though not always) care more about fashion. Maybe a tomboy character wouldn't be fully dressed.

[@itsdantaylor]

14:38. One thing that kind of added a bit of immersion to me regarding this was Conan the Barbarian. You first see James Earl Jones (RIP) in some intimidating armor and weapons. However every time you see him after the begining he's in nothing but robes (which conveys his transition from a conquering warrior to a pseudo religious figure). Also Conan doesn't even have a epic dual with him, he basically sneaks up behind him and cuts off his head with one swing.

[@pastelskittlesboy]

I actually have a "villain" character with the most absurd labcoat collar with the purpose of him looking pretty ridiculous! He plays into the edgy teen role (despite being 23) but he's just a wacky character in general :)

[@BowsandAros]

17:51 hi! Stage theater kid here! It is possible with body glue and will power(plus whatever magical body glue adjacent they have) Also, I’m like 95% convinced Lust’s outfit is part of her body via alchemy, almost like a second skin.

[@79bigcat]

>Adding to the armor thing: Main characters rarely keep their masks/helmets on if they DO wear armor. I get it's to allow them to be expressive without resorting to Power Ranger pantomime. >To tell a character is poor resorting to patches on the clothes: have them wear flannel shirts out of season and they AREN'T a farmer.

[@Biittle]

Upturnt collars are quintessential camp, and nothing brings me more joy than a campy villain

[@Syiepherze]

For the "no pants" thing with animal characters like Donald Duck, I think it's fine when you remember that they're just animals. Think of it this way: You are creating a cartoon animal character. You personify and anthropomorphize it to an extent so that it can talk, express emotion and behave like a human, so that human viewers can relate to it. But the animal is naked. You know this is not a wild animal, this is a person who lives life like a human. It needs clothes. But how many articles of clothing are enough to convey the animal's identity, without erasing the "animal" or the "person"

[@vicentequezada2874]

19:45 You dare to challenge Megamind? Oh you're a villian upright, just not a SUPER one

[@v3nus.st4r.s]

finding this channel during the peak of my bsd and art hyperfixation overlap was the best thing to happen to me

[@TheDaphinator]

Not sure what topic of tropes this would fall under since I have mostly seen it in sitcoms, yet a trope that always peeves me is when a flashback or memory of the main characters from years ago occurs and everyone has wildly different designs as a joke. The visual gag of character X with an afro or character Y with dyed hair and a graphic tee is supposed to be hysterical, yet it just annoys me when it is obvious that they are trying too hard. Sometimes, I think it works fine (example being the flashbacks in Friends to the gang’s high school/college days) yet other times it is clear when a show tries too hard for a cheap laugh that is not funny outside of shock value.

[@blokvader8283]

Nahhh I'm thinking Captain Holt from Brooklyn Nine-Nine's flashbacks to the 70s when he has an afro and a mustache, it's amazing every time

[@marnadnay]

On number 3, I used to do that bow-eyelashes combo when I was younger, especially since i don't draw skirts or dresses but, without thinking about it, I transitioned to giving characters longer lashes depending on personality and represent some lore. Like, I have a nephilim OC so I gave him the longest lashes to represent that angelic beauty while I also have a half demon OC and I use pointy under lashes to represent their demonic nature (like in Devilman Crybaby). It just feels right, I truly enjoy giving lashes such meanings, as well as ears. Certain ear/eyelashes shapes I use for kind hearted people while other shapes are for more cunning personalities and others for shy people, etc. Those two things bring so much to the characters IMO, going beyond gender.

[@IDKLOL-qj7sl]

HUGE appreciation to you, for being someone who has seen Willie's Wonderland.

[@vtheory7531]

22:20 Honestly I never thought about it before, but designs in anime do seem too perfect and can be samey. I'm far from rich but I have taped up my headphones when the casing broke because I didn't want to pay for a new one (esp since my headphones still work fine it was just cosmetic damage). Maybe little imperfections on a character's belongings can provide some hints for a character's personality or financial situation. Some fraying in a poor character's bath towel, cracks in a character's fav mug, scribbles on the cover of a mom character's book, things like that. In saying that, one design pet peeve of mine are excessive band aids or bandages on a character's body, especially if it doesn't have a clear background like an injury. I just don't like it

[@WTB_Bunnies]

2:09 Anime Protagonist?! Dazai!!! Bro @🍣 really a side character in his own show… 😂

[@Alex-samakek]

About the poor patching up their clothes part, what annoys me is that the patching is usually overdone or done in very unlikely places. Like for exapmple what are the odds of getting your clothing to tear on your back and not on your knee? Or in your belly and not on your elbow? Sometimes people just do more patches than the actual clothing to give emphasis, but sometimes it serves no purpose. Also many time people didn't bother to fix it, they just let it be torn since it is in a place hard to sew with a patch (like the shoulder)

[@SomeBlokeOrWhatever]

The "pauper patch" trope, especially when the outfit is otherwise pristine, bothers _me_ because it is _costume-y_ -- It brings to mind people who are otherwise wealthy dressing up as "poor" for a play or something.

[@LargeFound]

I once did patch work clothes on a character for the aesthetic and the character was lazy and doesn't care for how they look, the sibling of that character had the same thing but less noticeable (matching colours and stuff like that)

[@shen8406]

Well, the fully armored villain vs no armor or almost no armor hero is a easy and fast way to show that the villain don't just have the physical power, but have enough money afford for a full set of armor and even more richier if they are on a full set of super special magic alloy they can get in their world. Maybe the heroes can't get a armor to protect themselves, but they can go after an weapon or technique to break through the armor or just find a cleaver way to force the villain to fight without is armor... Just to discover that the armor was something the villain uses to keep is power in check so they can enjoy a longer fight.

[@kunikidas.hairtie]

i see my pretty princess aku and i click

[@Dragmiredraws]

10:12 I LOVE these vids solely because these are the questions I always ask myself when anything happens in any media 💀💀💀 17:16 I draw this on both men and women! NO SHAME!! 🤣🤣 My least fav design, bikini armor! I hate it because not only is it impractical, it’s literally doing the opposite of its job. The battle dress is impractical but at least it’s covering stuff up!!

[@henryfleischer404]

I don't like bikini armor because it's boring.

[@marcosgonzalez4207]

​@@mnmnrt is a horrible aesthetic

[@srg24601]

With the superhero thing I always thought it should come down to if the hero's identity is secret or not. If you're not public then where would you hide armor while on a trip to the grocery store? Meanwhile a simple cloth or spandex costume can be worn under civilian clothes, or taken off and easily stashed somewhere. But heros who don't hide their identity and refuse to wear armor annoy me.

[@TevvoWevvo]

19:42 This one is SO FUNNY to me because I immediately thought of a villain character from an obscure little game I play called Sekaiju: a World of Creatures. His name is Mr. Googles and he is a penguin in a lab coat, but not just any labcoat. Yes, the collars are literally bigger than his massive stupid penguin head and I point and laugh at him. He’s an extremely relentless and gruesome villain who has committed literal war crimes, but OH MY GOD IS HE SO GOOFY LMAOOO. It’s an intentional part of his design. He is supposed to be a little egotistical menace, so him and his 8ft tall fuckass labcoat collar get a pass 😂

[@ethanoneill5316]

I feel for the 'Creepy Mascot' trope, FNAF worked (at first, 1 and 2 for sure) because the Mascot suits were realisic mascot suits but Bad 'Creepy Mascot' Looks like FNAF+ or JR. fail because they try to make the Mascot's creepy looking. Like if you look at Fnaf+ Chica, No kid would actually like that character or Jr.'s massive teeth. FNAF worked because the character worked as both the creepy killer animatronics and the family family verison barring fnaf 3, and 4.

[@Josue_S_6411]

FNAF 3 also works because the main animatronic is clearly damaged, giving an unintended (in-universe) creepness, and FNAF 4 may or may not be a nightmare, wich would explain the animatronic designs.

[@arlequinelunaire418]

The pantsless animal thing reminds me of how, back in the 80s, Disney once threatened to sue Marvel if Howard the Duck didn't put on pants (he was getting confused with Donald). Which Howard did... for a single issue

[@RascalCreations]

Lmao, I’m deffo guilty of the half dressed anthro trop, but usually in my worlds clothing is like accessories and everyone is a furry (lol). This also applies to stick figure worlds where the characters are a lot more human like. Idk lol

[@ArbitruaryLemon35]

Pertaining to the impoverish often being depicted with patches, it also gives the implication that patches are exclusive to people who can't afford to replace their clothes. This is not always the case. When I was growing up, we lived quite comfortably, but my parents wanted to be practical about my wardrobe since I was constantly growing. We would buy my clothes a couple of sizes bigger so I could wear them for longer, and if I got a whole in anything, my mother would just patch over it. Usually, she would take me to an arts and crafts store to pick out cute iron-on patches, but there were a few times in which she just used scrap fabric she had laying around.

[@Notabear6810]

I agree i always felt bothered by that animal design trope like why are they wearing pants to the beach but letting their junk hang out elsewhere The collars trope i do like it is it goofy yeah that's why i like it it's a perfect combo of goofiness and coolness

[@jvever4904]

Honestly, I'd rather have an over-designed protagonist than another 100 bland isekai male protags with black hair and the most basic fit imaginable, while everyone else around them has cotton candy hair and eyes and stunning clothing.

[@DeathLadyShinigami]

For the half clothed animals one I actually have a specific pet peeve with it. And it's not that they're half clothed. Its that if the 'males' are only half clothed the 'females' are fully clothed. It wasn't always this way (no top Mini, no bottoms Daisy (disney old cartoons and shorts) and vest and boots Sally (sonic satam) come to mind). But now the guys are still allowed to be half dressed but the girls must be fully covered. Mini and Daisy wear full dresses at minimum while Mikey is top less and Donald is pantless and Sally has a zipped up vest and shorts while Sonic is a shoes and gloves only guy. I Hate the double standard!!!

[@TobyStan]

Portraying a poor character is done really well in Saiki k. Saiki is full of overly exheggerated tropes for comedy sake but its done REALLY well to the point that they dont even feel like usual tropes anymore. Mera is very poor, Saiki explains that her glasses are missing a lens which in the animation style we cant see. Her gym/beach clothes bear someone elses name to indicate that theyre bought second hand. Shes also ALWAYS busy due to the many jobs she has but seemingly never has enough money. She has like 8 siblings and always goes hungry. Another person pointed it out but the overly designed main character trope is also amazing with Saiki as he obviously sticks out at first glance but is explained by how he just mind controlled everyone i to believing it to be normal, genetically mutating everyone to be born with crazy hair colors which also lead to some other crazy physics like how when someone easily rips somebody elses clothes off only the crotch seems to stay covered.

[@ーテイル]

Im amazed at how long it took to explain the mascot suit one for the sole reason that... I never found them scary. I created characters that have one, and generally speaking they're either: Really chill person who just happens to use it for work//Really powerful character that uses it because i dare you to say something when they can punch you through a brick wall 😂 Never i imagined people are actually scared of them.

[@txy_73]

(Hides my stereotypical farmer OC and my low neckline OC [that CANONICALLY has strapless bras] rapidly)

[@devinsauls9137]

13:03 Did Duchess Celestia just threw shade at Mr. Beast?! 🤣 Also, I 💯 agree with you with this one Duchess Celestia (16:00) cause I've seen characters like Junpei/J.P. from Digimon Frontiers for example be called Fat by the other kids and Digimon & I'm looking at him like "Wait a minute, he's not even fat at all! Maybe a little overweight, but I wouldn't call him fat. Plus the other kids look like twigs compared to him anyways." That has always bothered me, despite never having to worry about being overweight myself due to my fast metabolism and always being the person that walks and run a lot. So seeing characters that are perceived as fat, but aren't really rubs me the wrong way!

[@MusicFan752]

Never really saw JP as far, just more so stocky or broad.

[@devinsauls9137]

@@MusicFan752 Yeah and he deserves better

[@aaronkelly1762]

My cousin owns a ranch, and her husband is literally a cowboy. From my experience, there are no other examples to make it clear someone is a farmer. Granted, not every farmer I know dresses like that… I think. I mostly just see them in church, it’s a little hard to see how people would casually dress there.

[@jinxed_yaart1142]

Oh nah, she pulled out the demon angel princess who ran away cause she was born to be the super weapon to stop the war because of her blood is sacred and should've never been born type shit for the last one..

[@zelenka6984]

i absolutely love the overalls on farmers and high collars on villains tropes *exactly* because they're so overused and goofy!! it works when the character is also intentionally made so that you can laugh at them. i love seeing a character who wears a random silly outfit *and* is goofy, to match :]

[@GloomyFish]

I honestly hate the "Hollywood pudgy" trope with a passion

[@sinfulloccultist950]

I feel like the only time a low cut chest piece works in design is when its clear that the bodice is structured like a pair of stays or corset (since those are even better at holding up the girls than a bra) but all the designs ive seen with this trope have the boobs going this way and that that I'm surprised that they havent taken an eye out

[@marcosgonzalez4207]

I used the high collar on my school uniform as a child (on my country the polo is the most common design for uniforms), not to like a villain, but to look like Kick Buttowski

[@samsquatch7880]

My interpretation of the “half-clothed anthro animal character” is that it relies in context. If your cute animal character is jus a lil guy, then wearing just a shirt or accessory is more of an adorable “awww we dressed up the kitty!” moment If your anthro animal cartoon character follows human social etiquette closely or has clear maturity, then don’t do that, it gets weird

[@qweeesh]

I feel that second one, I never drew satyr characters with pants no matter the gender because fluffy legs covers the junk amd was baffled when people told me most people give the satyrs pants??? Pants don't seem easy for a satyr to put on and centaurs don't need to wear pants!

[@GloomyFish]

Giant collars are the best imo

[@ieatdeadcatsbodies]

Fr

[@MissSun23]

15:58 : i have attachment to Assassination Classroom but you're very right, Sumire Hara is done so dirty and treated so grossly by the narrative. I wish she had focus apart from fatphobic jokes at her expense, and perhaps a design representing a larger body.

[@Musicallison]

I'm curious about your thoughts on animal crossing lol. Also I never really thought about some of these tropes so I'm glad you brought them up! (particularly the antagonist armor, farmer overalls, antagonist high collar, and homeless character patches/gloves) I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for these now bearing in mind some exceptions. The teenage mutant ninja turtles have nature's armor (shells) so they're good in my book. Akutagawa is also an exception for me- BSD's illustrator Sango Harukawa is renowned for his purposeful character designs. I don't feel like doing a deep dive atm but I will say that BSD designs take inspiration from classical literature and elements such as color scheme and types of clothing are derived from independent character themes alongside overarching story themes. One final exception I have is with the last trope you mentioned- specifically when a MC stands out too much among their plain classmates. If a Japanese MC is involved in any kind of street culture then I can understand why they would stand out. Wind Breaker is a great example of why I consider this set-up an exception since the MC Sakura functions as a self-fulfilling prophecy largely because of his looks/design.