monkey love language

i absolutely adore just how aggressively physical monkeys can be with affection. they just fully press their heads into each other, lots of tugging and pulling, almost throwing themselves at each other when they want attention. i bet it takes Wukong some adjustment so he doesn't use his full force when he gets grabbed by the need to just squeeze someone lmao, but just as much as the others need time to get used to a monkey perched on them every now and then. plus grooming is often a bargaining chip and a way to build relationships and a show of affection and trust. so, a bit of monkey love for each of the group! :D

aaaand Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing face reveal!! working on a fullbody lineup to show off their heights as well, so consider this a teaser ;3

Bajie is half wild boar, half babirusa. I love the four-tusk situation babirusa have going on, but his bristled mane is too iconic to handwave away. plus, pigs that go feral grow tusks and thicker fur, so i wanted to capture some of that with the half-and-half design.

as for Wujing, he's a complicated one to explain, but for his face i really wanted his beard to stand out as well as the six skulls necklace. i'm going for a "intermittent waters" concept with him, since he's originally connected to a desert before being made into a river demon, so i'm drawing on mudskippers for his ear fins and face spots.

My friend @lunar-wandering mentioned that Wukong and Ao Lie have the same vibes as Shane and Ryan from Watcher and my brain spiraled from there

happy year of the dragon! 🐉

Últimamente he estado escuchando El Cuarteto de Nos y hay algunas canciones que me recuerdan a Wukong jjfkwjfka

some journey to the west doodles :D

👀👀 ooh ao lie I'd love to go on a flight with him. On a side note, in his dragon form, is his eyes pure black there as well? Are there any more changes to his dragon form besides the eyes?

It's mainly just his eyes and an area/spot on the back of his neck that's covered by his hair(/fur?). :D

King of the Clouds [Animatic]

WAILING

Our little dragon warrior! 💞🌹

YEAR OF THE DRAGON! 🥳🐉💚

The Missing Bai Longma Incident

seems like someone forgot to warn their hosts that Tripitaka's horse is also one of his disciples and can't quite have classes in the stables (it was Wukong). luckily that's a quick fix, unlike a kidnapping of some sort.

aaaand Tripitaka and Ao Lie reveal uwu

i like to picture dragons having just So Much Hair in human form because it's their mane all condensed on the top of their head. it feels fitting that Lie would also wear some sort of curlicle headband himself, and the fancy topknot is still there since he IS a prince. the long nails/talons is also a nobility signifier, so it works out.

as for Tripitaka, he gets earrings to weigh down his earlobes and well, he's the son of a nobleman. i gave him a different backstory (but only slightly) so instead of missing a pinkie toe, he has a scar on his head. I'll go into deets later on when i have a proper ref for his outfits since he got a couple in this au uwu

Just a bunch of doodles from season 4

Also, I am surprised that no one gave the Demon Accountant a name!

a thousand years, in perfect symmetry (a thousand years, no getting rid of me) 🌊

Heya Macaque! What do you think about the others?

“Let’s see… Xuanzang… or the Tripitaka… is very nice! Much nicer than I thought he’d be. I heard his previous incarnation had a bit of a sharp tongue.”

“Sandy is scary on the outside, but I’ve only ever seen him act gentle. I think he was the first to overlook my misdeeds. I don’t know why though.”

“Wukong gives Pigsy a lot of greif, but I think he’s really funny! Though I can’t say I understand his obsession with women.”

“LongMa, our horse, is harder to pinpoint. He’s so mysterious and quiet! But between you and me, I think he just enjoys being a horse more than being a dragon.”

Stuffs from Twitter

"Master, do you mind joining me on a flight? You'll just have to hold onto me."

Perfect drop time for the year of the dragon-

And with Ao Lie being your green Jedi/Sith champion, that rounds up all the champions I had planned to add. :)

Though, having Jin and Yin join in as orange and grey champions, or I guess gold and silver champions in their case, would also be a very fitting option. But that would really boil down to how many would actually be interested in having them on the team though. Due to their mirrors, they would still be lovable dumbasses when together, but would be acting kinda different- Especially on their own.