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sunflowhamato · 3 months

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𝑳𝒆𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒊: 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝑵𝒐𝒏-𝑪𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒉𝒊𝒑𝒑 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂 𝑵𝒊𝒏𝒋𝒂 𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝑺𝒂𝒎𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒊 𝑹𝒂𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒕. 𝑨𝒏 𝑨𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝑭𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒎, 𝑼𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔, 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔.

My first language is not English, use a translator, so if there are mistakes, I apologize. Most of the analysis was translated by

All credits to her.

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As I began watching Rottmnt, I was surprised by several aspects, most notably the widespread belief within the fandom that Leo was gay and in a relationship with Usagi. This rumor piqued my interest and became one of the main reasons for following the series.

I eagerly awaited the "chapter" where Usagi would make her appearance, anticipating to understand the basis of this relationship. Like many other viewers, I was shocked to discover that Usagi does not actually appear in the series, leaving me baffled.

Although this revelation was disappointing to find that there is no interaction between the two characters, my curiosity was intensified.

I asked myself: How did this shipp come about and why is it so popular? Despite my initial bewilderment, I found myself without answers as to the origin of the shipp. Although I can speculate, I believe a deeper context is required to understand its emergence.

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-🅲🅾🅽🆃🅴🆇🆃 🅻🅴🅾🆂🅰🅶🅸-

In 1984, the Ninja Turtles, created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, achieved great success in the world of comics. In the same year, Stan Sakai began publishing Usagi Yojimbo, a series following the adventures of the samurai rabbit Miyamoto Usagi in Feudal Japan.

The friendship between Stan and Laird led to a crossover between the two series in 1987. Since then, Usagi has appeared in various Ninja Turtles-related media. In these crossovers, Leo and Usagi develop a close relationship, being considered better than the other two. friends on some occasions, depending on the version. This bond led to the emergence of a "shipp" between the two characters, becoming one of the most prominent non-canonical Ninja Turtles shipps.

Although they have had encounters in the comics and in the 1980s series, the 2003 series delved more deeply into the interaction between Leo and Usagi, showcasing several significant moments that strengthened their connection. The 2012 series did not explore this relationship as much, as it focused more on Usagi.

With the premiere of ROTTMNT, the series received mixed reviews, and drew attention to Leo's attitude, leading some people to speculate about his membership in the LGBT community.

In 2022, "Samurai Rabbit," which follows the story of Yuichi Usagi, a descendant of Usagi Miyamoto, was released on April 28, ending on April 1 in September of the same year. A few months earlier, on August 5, "Rottmnt: The Movie" was released. I couldn't find out exactly who came up with the idea of joining the two characters from different series, but it had a significant impact on the fandom of both. Thus was born the "Leoichi" marking a major shift in fan perception.

The Leosagi is widely recognized as the shipp involving Leonardo and Usagi Miyamoto. On the other hand, the Leoichi is completely different, and many gave it a unique name to avoid confusion.

To clarify, Usagi Miyamoto is not Yuichi Usagi. In this thread, I will focus exclusively on Yuichi and Leo.Since the characters have no official interaction, I will focus on my personal experience and share how I discovered this shipp.

I will quote some stories, comics or illustrations from talented artists, and from there, I will start my analysis to try to explain why this shipp is so popular and appreciated.

🅼🆈 🅵🅸🆁🆂🆃 🆁🅴🅰🅳🅸🅽🅶

I began my immersion in shipp content by reading stories, and one in particular caught my attention due to its popularity and the positive feedback it was receiving. I opted to start with "When Worlds Collide" by the talented celestiangel, fortunately already completed, which allowed me to read it in one sitting. From this story, I will take a few points related to shipp. However, I would not recommend reading this story at the beginning of your shipp exploration, not because it is bad, quite the contrary, but because it can generate confusion. In my experience, I read it before watching "Samurai Rabbit" and was quite confused, although that was my mistake. It is simply a small recommendation for those who are just starting to know this shipp.

🆆🆆🅲 🅰🅽🅰🅻🆈🆂🅸🆂

I will give a mini analysis of this beautiful story, so if you haven't read it yet, I recommend skipping this part, as I will give spoilers for the ending.

"Set in the first season, Yuichi is tasked with romancing Leo to get information about the dark armor for Draxum, but falls genuinely in love with him, generating conflict and pain between the two."

"When Worlds Collide" (WWC) stands out by addressing aspects that many other stories do not explore, especially as it relates to Yuichi's altering of history. Although its narrative differs from "Samurai Rabbit," the character remains the same, maintaining his prankster and rebellious nature.

The story dives into deep themes, focusing mainly on self-love and forgiveness. Yuichi is the central focus of the plot, allowing readers to delve into his thoughts. Although at first he seems disinterested in Leo, the story subtly reveals that Yuichi is deceiving himself and the viewer. This aspect requires a second reading to be fully understood.

I was surprised to discover at the end that Yuichi accepts his feelings, despite expressing his distaste for the situation in earlier chapters. The way you approach the subject of self-love is admirable. Leo's acceptance of Yuichi marks a subtle change in his personality. Unconsciously, Yuichi teaches Leo his true nature.

They both show affection without expecting anything in return, being a key driver for Yuichi to change and make the decision to risk his life for the person most important to him. The story culminates with a beautiful lesson about forgiveness. Although Leo does not immediately forgive Yuichi due to the pain of betrayal, he gives him a second chance.

Yuichi, now accepting himself, is determined to rebuild Leo's trust. The story highlights self-love, as Leo prioritizes his well-being before granting forgiveness, while Yuichi accepts himself and is willing to start over without making similar mistakes.

From here I will take several aspects to analyze, starting with

🆃🅷🅴 🅵🅸🆁🆂🆃 🅼🅴🅴🆃🅸🅽🅶

In the context of the fanfic, a detail to highlight is that, both characters feel attracted in the first meeting, or in the first chapters (like a love at first sight), the way this meeting is portrayed in the story does not feel forced in any of the two parts.

While it may sound cliché, the narrative manages to make it fit naturally, reflecting the idea that love doesn't always need concrete reasons to emerge; it just happens.

The concept of "good chemistry" also ties in with the above. From the very first moment, there is a palpable connection between the two characters, regardless of the plot. Even considering a more "canonical" approach, the chemistry between Yuichi and Leo, according to my perspective would be very similar to how the fandom describes it.

The similarity and difference between the two characters are exceptionally balanced, reflecting the essence of lasting relationships. The presence of this chemistry is a charming element that resonates with viewers when two characters manage to connect convincingly.

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Sharing similar interests and characteristics can lay the groundwork for establishing any kind of relationship. Both Yuichi and Leo share several affinities, such as their love for the sword as a weapon, their fascination with comic books, a strong belief in their abilities that could be interpreted as a certain degree of egocentrism, leadership roles in their respective teams.

Both characters experience arcs in which they learn to accept responsibility and improve as warriors. They also share moments of madness, showing that they would follow each other's example. In addition to their awkwardness and a certain antisocial tendency, evidenced in their difficulty to make a good first impression.

One more detail in common is that blue is their favorite color. Despite these similarities, having absolutely everything in common could prove difficult, as a relationship also involves both parties showing how they see the world differently.

Leo could introduce Yuichi to innovative aspects such as technology, skyscrapers and the vibrant life in New York, as well as sharing his love of pizza and keeping up with fashion trends. On the other hand, Yuichi could teach the importance of constant training, knowledge of one's own history (especially in relation to Yokai), and provide perspectives from someone who lived on a farm.

He could also share the beauty of life in the countryside, such as the ability to see the stars. Both characters would become reciprocal teachers, showing their respective worldviews and learning from each other.

🆂🆄🅿🅿🅾🆁🆃🅸🅽🅶 🅲🆁🅰🆉🅸🅽🅴🆂🆂 🅰🅽🅳 🅳🆁🅴🅰🅼🆂

In all the stories, comics, or whatever medium I've explored, I've noticed canonical events that always occur in one way or another.

One of them is that Yuichi always laughs at Leo's jokes, no matter how terrible they are or if no one else finds them funny. He manages to get a genuine smile out of Yuichi, even playing along on several occasions.

The acceptance and support for each other's follies comes across as genuinely charming. Another canonical event is that they both support each other's goals.

They have full knowledge of each other's capabilities and never judge, but rather take pride in each other. Leo can hear Yuichi's goal of becoming the best samurai, and confirms his admiration through multiple compliments of his skills.

In turn, Yuichi is aware of Leo's skills and is always willing to listen to him and give him a little push for any problem he may face.

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Although there are several stories in which Yuichi becomes Leo's emotional support, there is one crucial aspect in all of them: Yuichi simply listens to problems without judgment or opinion.

This approach reflects the realization that, as one grows older, one realizes that sometimes people just need to be heard to vent their problems. Therefore, it is preferable to offer advice only when it is requested. The aspect is handled effectively in several stories, where if Leo doesn't ask Yuichi for an opinion, the latter simply listens.

Both characters shoulder problems together, but this does not imply that the other will automatically solve the partner's problem. Rather, they provide a little mutual boost, as they both know what they are capable of and fully trust themselves and each other.

Loving someone and learning to face problems together involves not only trusting in oneself, but also in the other's ability to be supportive.

-🅲🆁🅸🆂🅸🆂-

Most fanfics address Leo’s PTSD, some in detail and others more generally. IMO, I couldn’t say if they portrayed it correctly or not, but the inclusion of details and respect for these moments and tensions, they make them feel authentic and moving.

In these situations, usually one of the brothers or Yuichi provides precise support, which is relevant and can resonate with anyone who has faced similar situations. It is particularly notable that the support that Yuichi offers, although Leo also offers the support.

Yuichi never leaves Leo alone and is willing to help him through these difficult times as many times as necessary. This representation highlights how, when you love someone, you learn to cope with the conflicts and problems you may face.

Yuichi's unconditional support adds a layer of authenticity to the narratives and reinforces the idea that true love involves being present and supporting the person you love during difficult times.

-🅻🅾🆅🅴 🅿🅰🆂🆃, 🅿🆁🅴🆂🅴🅽🆃 🅰🅽🅳 🅵🆄🆃🆄🆁🅴-

I've read several stories where Yuichi loses his family during the Kraang Invasion, or this "mistake" on Leo's part is addressed. The interesting thing is that, although a conflict may be anticipated, none of the characters take the blame. nor does he recriminate the errors of the other.

This reflects the idea that one should not judge without first knowing the full story. When you love someone, you do so with all of their past, as well as the possibilities that the future holds for them. The Leoichi becomes a great representation of this, since none of the characters are judged for their mistakes.

They accept each other and love not only who they are in the present moment, but also help and support each other in their personal growth. They are anxious about the future ahead, recognizing that the past experiences are an integral part of the person you love. This approach shows how love involves accepting the loved person in their entirety, with all their imperfections and mistakes, and supporting their evolution and future development.

And I feel that a great example of this is one of the fanfics that best portrays Samurai Rabbit. So In Love And Yet Nothing To Talk About by rosesofenvy

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“Leo wants to find his soul mate and is willing to throw himself (and his siblings) headlong into a new mission to achieve it.”

The story in particular handles the relationship between Yuichi and Leo exceptionally well. HE takes into account the story of "Samurai Rabbit" and incorporates its characters in a more meaningful way. This fanfic stands out as one of the few that actually considers Yuichi's story, elevating it to a broader level and giving it considerable relevance.

Both protagonists go through problems related to the respective invasions they experienced at the time. If you are new to consuming content from the shipp, I would definitely recommend this fanfic as your first choice to read. Helps to better understand the history of both characters, and the theme of soulmates, which is something new in the universe of both series, will surely awaken your curiosity until the end.

The well-developed plot and careful integration of elements from both stories make it a great read. enriquecedora para aquellos que buscan sumergirse en este shipp.

-🆃🅷🅴 🅿🆄🆁🅸🆃🆈 🅾🅵 🅻🅾🆅🅴-

One part that captured my attention and only made me fall more in love with the shipp was the extraordinarily sweet way the relationship between the characters develops.

People often associate love solely with kisses, but this fanfic stands out. that love can manifest itself in various ways and does not have to be rushed to work. Both characters act clumsily when falling in love, which makes sense since they are not experts on the subject.

In several fanfics I have noticed that, although they both fall in love in the First chapters, they take their time to express their feelings. There may be moments where they show their affection for each other, such as when Leo taps Yuichi's head or when Yuichi moves his ears.

This representation of pure and innocent first love is important and tender. Since they're teenagers, there's no need to rush things, and this is one of the main reasons I love this shipp. The content addresses this aspect without becoming cloying, allowing you to enjoy consuming the content and become attached to it. with both characters in a unique way.

It is also notable that in some stories, they can take until the end to kiss, highlighting the idea that everything has its proper time. Although it is clear that there is content intended for a more mature audience, it is less frequent.

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As I mentioned, being teenagers, it is logical that many of the actions of both characters in the shipping content are childish and clumsy, which is adorable. It's like reliving first love, where we do crazy things for the other person.

This is a recurring element in each type of content, whether it is a story or a comic (although there are exceptions). We will always see Leo trying to tell a joke to make Yuichi smile, or Yuichi trying to demonstrate his skills as a samurai. Overall, the Leoichi relationship begins innocently and sincerely.

Both characters learn along the way what it means to love someone, which contributes to creating a charming and touching atmosphere. The clumsiness and innocence that characterize his actions faithfully reflect the experience of first love. making the connection between both characters more authentic and endearing.

-🅲🅰🅽🅾🅽🅸🅲🅰🅻 🅴🆅🅴🅽🆃🆂-

It is interesting to note that in many shipp stories there are recurring events that we could call "canonical events", as if they were characteristic elements that are repeated as a game.

Some notable examples include: Choosing a Picnic as a setting for a date or meeting is common in many shipp stories. It is common for the characters to meet in "Run of the Mill", and in several of these stories, Yuichi works in said place. Although there are few exceptions, in most stories, Leo is portrayed as the first to fall in love. In some plots, one of the brothers becomes overprotective regarding the relationship between Leo and Yuichi. It is common for both characters to be the last to realize the attraction they feel for each other. Although in a way curiously, on many occasions, it is Yuichi who suffers the most, and may even die in some plots. Events involving joint training or a fight between Leo and Yuichi are recurring in these stories.

The follies of both characters often result in some kind of disaster or comical situation. These recurring elements could be considered part of the "formula" that defines the dynamics of the relationship between Leo and Yuichi in the ship, offering readers a recognizable set of situations and events that they contribute to the charm and familiarity of these stories.

-🅻🅶🅱🆃 🆁🅴🅿🆁🅴🆂🅴🅽🆃🅰🆃🅸🅾🅽-

The topic of inclusion has gained relevance in recent years, and in Rise, diverse representation is evident, with Leo being the main focus and universally considered part of the LGBT community.

Labelling the characters or questioning whether the Representation is adequate may seem unnecessary, since each person is free to decide or change their preferences over time. While some stories deal with serious and realistic topics in exceptional ways, others may focus on engaging the audience without going in depth. in these aspects. What I highlight in the Rise universe is that it does not seem to focus on demonstrating the sexuality of each character.

Everyone is free to decide their preferences, and these do not seem to generate conflicts. Whether April is lesbian or Splinter is bisexual, the story does not create dramas around these elections. It is crucial to normalize these terms without the need to question each individual's attractions, recognizing that tastes can change over time. Works such as Sakura Card Captor or The Owl House address this topic in a way that conveys the message that "love is simply that, love." Be yourself without the need for labels.

The Leoichi has stories that touch on this topic respectfully, providing interesting information. Although it is not the central focus, when it is addressed, it is done in a way precise and accurate. It is an LGBT ship that manages to captivate without depending exclusively on being a representation of the community, showing the diversity of relationships in a natural and authentic way.

-🆁🅴🅲🅸🅿🆁🅾🅲🅰🅻 🅻🅾🆅🅴 🆆🅸🆃🅷🅾🆄🆃 🅴🆇🆃🆁🅰 🅳🆁🅰🅼🅰-

The Leoichi stands out for its balance of love, respect and empathy between Leo and Yuichi, showing a healthy and authentic relationship. When we explore love stories, elements of drama are often included, such as the recurring love triangle.

Fortunately, the Leoichi avoids this cliché. Although there are stories that address the topic, they focus on it from the beginning. Instead of falling into typical clichés, the Leoichi adopts different approaches, such as family overprotection, distance or conflicts related to the villain's plot. Overall, Leoichi avoids common clichés that could be considered unnecessary.

-🅰🅽🅰🅻🆈🆂🅸🆂 🅾🅵 🆃🅷🅴 🅽🅾🆃-🆂🅾-🆂🅴🅲🆁🅴🆃 🆂🅴🅲🆁🅴🆃 🆂🅰🅽🆃🅰-

IMAGE

BESIDE LEO IMAGE TEXT: it is my moment. mine of me To all the assholes who underestimated me, you will see romantic Leo

BESIDE USAGI IMAGE TEXT: You're not going to believe who touched me in Secret Santa. I knew I was God's favorite.

“Where Usagi gets to be Leo's secret santa and vice versa. “Both boys believe this is the perfect opportunity to declare themselves.”

Are you a person who looks for new and innovative things to tell a story?

This story offers an innovative narrative by following the events leading up to Yuichi and Leo's declaration. The unique way tweets and conventional storytelling structure are intertwined is captivating. Unlike many narratives, it shows that it is not necessary to address sad or deep themes to create an attractive story.

The plot focuses on the relationship between Leo and Yuichi, exploring their own thought worlds and their connection with friends. What is notable is that the story is not limited to Leo's perspective, as is usually the norm, but also considers Yuichi, providing a more complete view.

The plot unfolds in an understandable way, and manages to get several laughs on multiple occasions, which is evident by the positive reaction of readers, even those who do not fluent in Spanish have made efforts to understand it, highlighting its significant impact. In short, I don't think I have to explain why I would recommend this story (It's great).

Offers a distracting experience that brings smiles, uniquely exploring both characters, as well as others, maintaining the reader's interest and leaving the feeling of wanting to continue reading more.

-🅰🅽🅰🅻🆈🆂🅸🆂 🅾🅵 🆃🅷🅴 🅲🅾🅼🅸🅲 🅱🅸🅶 🅼🅰🅼🅰'🆂 🅲🅷🅸🅻🅳!-

“A ROTTMNT and Samurai Rabbit AU mainly inspired by Tangled, where Leo is separated from his family and becomes Big Mama's son”

The enveloping plot of this story is fascinating, although it is inspired by "Tangled", it manages to infuse it with your own touch of originality.

The mysteries surrounding the characters, especially the relationship with the past between Leo and Big Mom, keep the reader intrigued. At the same time, Yuichi is not marginalized, since he contributes with his own story, adding layers of mystery surrounding the Hamato and exploring the intriguing topic of Jei.

Unlike the base story, this story broadens its horizons by touching on topics just as serious as the film, such as the separation of the brothers, the representation of Big Mama as a fearsome villain, the Yuichi's connection to the Hamato, as well as the stories of his friends and the world where they live. The plot also addresses the theme of death, adding complexity and depth to the narrative.

Characters' unique reaction to challenges contributes to the uniqueness of history. The way the plot unfolds and envelops the reader is impressive, and the fact that the story is told not only through narrative, but also visually, with beautiful drawings and a fluid rhythm, adds a significant plus. Details like the colours, clothing and surroundings combine to create a fascinating and captivating experience.

-🅵🅰🅽🅳🅾🅼-

Leoichi content, created by the passionate fandom, stands out for its support and positivity. As an upcoming artist, entering this space is an incredible experience, with notable support for content creators. The connection between stories and art is palpable, with artists expressing their appreciation through visual creations inspired by the plots.

This appreciative environment towards writers, cartoonists and other artists is unique and rewarding. The community has made a significant impact, and being a part of it is a source of pride, since the Leoichi, although small compared to what the entire TMNT fandom encompasses, reflects the constant support for creative projects, providing an unmatched feeling of support.

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It is disappointing to see problems in the representation of Yuichi in various media, and it is essential to advocate for change. The lack of knowledge and understanding about this character highlights the need for further investigation.

Yuichi is a character notable with a fascinating story, which is told in Samurai Rabbit, and deserves fair and accurate representation. Advocating for a deeper understanding of characters and their stories is key to overcoming these challenges.

-🅾🆃🅷🅴🆁 🆂🅷🅸🅿🅿🆂-

It's notable how many Shipps exist in the fandom like the "Donsagi", and I personally enjoy this type of content. It brings freshness and generates interesting stories with new concepts, earning my full support as a multishipper. It is common for them to raise diverse ships in fandoms, and respecting each person's preferences is essential. If someone does not share the preference for the Leoichi or other ships, that is their right, but it is crucial to avoid negative comments towards those who support it. As long as you don't follow tcest or any sick shipp, there won't be any problem (Don't support this type of content, seriously- Sunflower) (I also do not support this content. -Tiny)

-🆁🅴🅲🅾🅼🅼🅴🅽🅳🅰🆃🅸🅾🅽🆂-

Although I haven't explored everything in the Leoichi, I would like to recommend a few stories that I think stand out and could be ideal if you are discovering this Shipp or already know it. These recommendations are only a small sample, since the complete list would be extensive.

-StarBlind by WeirdNCrazy: It is one of my favorites, although it is not over yet, it really manages to make me scream at several moments, and although its focus is not entirely Leoichi, it is a very interesting Alternate Universe story that I recommend

“Leo has been blind since he was mutated by Draxum when he was a baby turtle. Although the plot remains similar to the series, it develops in a unique way due to this circumstance. Additionally, more complexity is added with the arrival of Yuichi and his friends.”

-Midnight Blue by TugboatExpress: Although it is a One-Shot, it really portrays the dynamic in a unique way for both characters, having tense, sweet and funny moments. I laughed a lot at this story and each character has their moment to shine, which only makes it more special. It has a second part, which is also one of my favourites.

“Leo faces death in a hostile dimension, but the next minute he finds someone special. “This is the life of Hamato Leonardo.”

-It's Worse to be Nothing With You by CheddarCat20: The dynamic between siblings, the problem of long-distance relationships, and the theme of a band. This fanfic has many things that I love, and it cannot fail with the moments or complications that Yuichi and Leo face, it has a satisfactory ending, although it makes you want more of this AU.

“I read andHis brothers, the band Teenage Mutant Ninjas, seek help from Usagi Yuichi, a famous Japanese musician. “What starts as a business becomes something more meaningful for Leo.”

-Ghost of New York by jamisafan: This is one of the few fanfics that manages to perfectly detail the Yuichi's personality, Leo's subtle background plot that will be important, and their relationship from hate to love.

“Usagi had wanted to be a ghost hunter ever since she could remember, it was where she belonged. Finally, the aunt sends him on his first solo mission, where maybe I’ll make a friend along the way.”

Believe me when I tell you that I have more favourite stories, but I didn't want to go overboard with this thread. I will leave the links to the stories, and I will also leave the link of users who make content that I recommend from this Shipp (I must clarify that they are not all the ones I would recommend)

-🅻🅸🅽🅺🆂-

-When Worlds Collide-celestiangel:

-So In Love And Yet Nothing To Talk About-rosesofenvy:

-StarBlind-WeirdNCrazy:

-Midnight Blue-TugboatExpress:

-It's Worse to be Nothing With You-CheddarCat20:

-Ghost of New York-jamisafan:

- El santa secreto no tan secreto:

-Hitok´s (Big Mama's Child AU and Villain!Usagi AU comics artist):

-🅵🅸🅽🅰🅻 🅾🅿🅸🅽🅸🅾🅽-

What can I say?, I LOVE THESE TWO!, and I think this thread is proof of it. The Leoichi is one of my favorite Shipps, it really manages to hook you from the first moment, you can feel identified with any of the two involved, all the content that I have consumed and continue to consume is a gem for me and brightens my days, there are several reasons To love the ship, I love the whole story behind it and that precisely this analysis has come out only because of the content that the fandom has made (Which is admirable). I have to mention that I have not named as many recommendations as I would like, but if you are an artist or writer If you want to make yourself known, you can leave a comment in this thread (Here we support everyone <3).

Also with the analysis of this beautiful Ship, I considered the option of starting to analyse its content, really the analysis that I gave to When Worlds Collide is very little of what I have in my mind, and I would like to give it an appropriate analysis with every detail, going deeper into the theme it addresses, the character arcs, the final teaching, etc. I feel that it would be a good start, and in that way move forward to analyze other stories or comics.Many credits to the talented artists who made the illustrations I used in this thread <3

Without further ado, thank you for reading the thread, if you have anything to say regarding everything I have mentioned, you have your right, all with due respect wait for the analysis of When Worlds Collide soon <3

PD:It doesn't let me put links to some talented artists who make Shipp content, but I leave the link to my profile so you can see the thread (There are links to the artists)

#leo x usagi #rottmnt #rottmnt usagi #rottmnt leo #yuichi usagi #leosagi #leoichi #rise leo #fanfic #artists on tumblr #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #samurai rabbit #character analysis

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badass-queer-couples-battle · 6 months

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Sword gays showdown preliminaries

Propaganda:

For Kazuma Asogi:

ok so he’s not CANONICALLY queer but it’s ace attorney. so… he does, however, canonically have a katana! a sword so integral to the plot it gives me shivers just thinking about it. the sword also has a name, it’s karuma (translates roughly to karma) and it gets passed onto the main character, ryunosuke naruhodo (who he calls partner), after kazuma (spoiler alert) dies in case 1-2. except (SUPER spoiler alert!) he isn’t dead! he comes back in case 2-3 and would you look at that he has ANOTHER SWORD, a more european sword (cause he ended up in england after his amnesia brain said he REALLY had to go to england). once he gets his memories back, ryunosuke gives karuma back to him and proceeds to use it to destroy the wax figure of his dead presumed serial killer dad (long story), and now he has, you guessed it, TWO SWORDS! for the next two cases he wears both swords at his sides, and also he broke the tip off of karuma attempting to murder someone (he didn’t actually murder anyone but still) and then turns out karuma’s hilt has the REAL serial killer’s will in it. very VERY important sword. in the end, kazuma gives karuma back to ryunosuke which is really symbolic but that’s besides the point, and they cross swords and it’s a whole big thing. 10/10 gay sword guy.

For Raiden:

Man catches knives with his heels and uses a sword to cut through robots 20 times his size

He's such a tragic character! Raised to be a super soldier from birth and is constantly being exploited by the government. As for the lgbt part him and his rival in the latest game he's in have so much tension it's unreal (gay). I headcanon him as trans too because he has a feminine figure, his voice gets more masculine as the series goes on (testosterone) and his entire body gets replaced with cybernetics (trans allegory...)

For Claudine Saijou:

Fights with a longsword! Should be number 1 for this line alone: “For heroes, there are trials. For saints, there are temptations. For me, there is you”, said to def not her girl crush but rival btw (stream Revue of Soul) Vote for my disaster theatre kid its what she deserves!

Her gay levels are off the charts. She has a homoerotic rivalry with another classmate (Maya Tendo/Tendou Maya) that is integral to her character, as she was always first until she met Maya. She’s also half-French, but that’ll be important later. When she’s looking at pictures of Maya stretching (to study her form of course) and another character asks her what she’s looking at, she panics, blushes, and says none of your business. Her and Maya have a heartfelt conversation while stretching with Claudine’s face pressed into Maya’s chest (between her stomach and breasts). Some art from a magazine has Maya pushing Claudine into a deep stretch, but it looks like something a lot different (Claudine blushing doesn’t help. Also I realized that there’s a lot of gay stuff related to stretching with these two).

During a two on two duel (I know it’s not a duel), they fight together. Not only that, but at one point they hold hands and take a pose typical of romantic partners in dancing. For no reason. They just pause and do it to show off. They aren’t even fighting. Anyways, when they lose, Claudine starts crying, not because she lost, but because Maya lost. So, of course, Maya starts speaking to her in French, with one of the things she says being “You’re cute even when you cry, my Claudine.” All of this is stuff that’s happened in the series (except the magazine thing).

Now for the gay stuff in the movie. Their duel with each other is so dense with sapphic undertones they can hardly be called undertones. For starters, the song that accompanies this revue is called “A Beautiful Person, or Perhaps it is.” While this title is incomplete, the director states that he wanted the watcher to fill it in and this removed the end of the original title. That title is “A Beautiful Person, or Perhaps it is a Love Song.” The duel is framed as a fight between a hero (Maya) and a devil (Claudine). Maya is in an outfit reminiscent of Renaissance Italy and Claudine is in a suit. Thus, Maya signs a contract giving her soul over to Claudine, as is the case with marriage. With her own blood, in the shape of Position Zero (an important symbol in the show), which happens to look like a T, for Tendou. After a few minutes of fighting, Maya disappears and monologues, appearing in a white dress. This means that Maya has signed her soul over to Claudine, and they are now both wearing a white dress and suit. Not beating the gay marriage allegations. Maya finished her monologue with “For heroes, there are trials. For saints, there are temptations. For me, there is a devil.” They continue to fight, Maya proclaiming herself emotionless and empty. Maya then cuts the medallion from Claudine’s chest (they wear medallions and you lose the duel if it gets cut off).

Claudine falls. Maya attempts to claim victory by stabbing her sword into Position Zero, which is then covered by steel doors. Claudine sits up and reveals she has another medallion in her mouth, which she does by sticking out her tongue in a uhhhh. Anyways, after a bit of back and forth, Claudine tells Maya that she’s full of arrogance and pride and envy and longing. She then says that “No matter how many times I die, I will revive! Tendou Maya! To beat you, my rival, into submission!” She then makes her stage entrance, taking Maya’s usual entrance speech and mocking it. She also says “I fill myself with exploding passion, now, and bash it into your heart!” After some talking, Maya makes her stage entrance, taking Claudine’s usual entrance speech and mocking it. Up until now, they have been playing characters, but still letting their own emotions shine through. Now, they are entirely themselves.

They begin to fight again, running downs white aisle before clashing swords, with Maya saying “Such an ugly, emotion drenched appearance-“ and is cut off by Claudine, who says “Show me more, Tendou Maya! Right now, you’re the cutest you’ve ever been!” To which Maya responds “I’m always cute!” The song starts up again (duels are accompanied by songs), with Maya singing “With a grin of deception I’ll tear this piece of cloth.” Deception in Japanese is mayakashi, a reference to Maya’s name. Maya then sings “I want to show you my feelings becoming dyed in black.” Black is Kuro in Japanese. Claudine, in Katakana, is Kurodine, with her nickname being Kuro, so that line could also be interpreted “I want to show you my feelings becoming dyed in you.” Claudine then sings “Only me, always, forever,” before they sing in unison “You only need to look at me,” as they lock blades. Some fighting happens and they’re falling through the sky, holding onto each others clothes and Claudine says “Only I can make you lay everything bare!” To which Maya responds “I’ll expose my everything, on the stage!” Claudine shoots back with “There’s a partner you can expose everything to, on the stage!” At this point, there’s a short time with independent vocals for Maya and Claudine in addition to their talking. Maya has been singing “If I’m on the stage, if I’m in front of you,” for the last two lines of dialogue. Claudine sings “Be it ugly or beautiful,” as Maya sings “I will expose, anything and everything, all of me, all of me.” As this happens, Maya is saying “We love the stage,” which is continued by Claudine saying “And we can’t part from the stage!” Maya calls them both “Pathetic clowns!” To which Claudine corrects “No, rivals!” Maya says “If you’re there, I have to strive higher!” Claudine says “You make me even more beautiful! Maya!” Maya then yells “Claudine!” Claudine yells “For heroes, there are trials!” Maya continues “For saints, there are temptations!” Then, as one, their swords crossed, faces inches from each other, yell “For me, there is you!” Over top of this, their voices sing a line in unison: “Forever and ever, I’d like to cross swords with you.”

Claudine’s sword stabs through the contract, through the Position Zero in blood, which may be Maya’s family name, and Maya says as an aside “Saijou Claudine… You are beautiful.” Claudine cuts the medallion from Maya’s chest, finally beating her rival.

#sword gays showdown #claudine saijou #raiden #revue starlight #metal gear solid #kazuma asogi #the great ace attorney #shojo kageki revue starlight #mgs #ace attorney

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beezelarts · 25 days

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Okay, I've had those thoughts for a while and I need to get this out of my system:

Sometimes (quite often, actually), I hope that the ship I'm rooting for doesn't become canon.

This especially applies to non-canon LGBT ships because, let's be honest, most of them are.

(I also hope that nothing happens that directly contradicts it, like one of the characters being in a romantic relationship with another character outside of the ship.)

The reason for that is that the best thing about being in a fandom is the fanfic culture. Especially the fanfics around the "getting together" and the characters' origins. It's such a nice empty space that can be filled by the fans and so many great ideas. Making a ship canon takes away so much empty space, so there's less opportunity to get creative. It's just my opinion because I love the stories in which the characters finally get their shit together and go on a date.

Making it canon, though, means that the dynamic and history of the relationship are already mostly discovered and determined.

It's nice to have Hollywood acknowledging that LGBT people exist, though.

But I'd be perfectly content if the actors/creators of the books/series/movies simply gave us enough material that heavily implies that there is something between the characters without explicitly confirming it. The actors/creators supporting it would be another bonus.

This is the inspiration for this post btw.

Also: Action movies need more women. I want more lesbians!!! And shipping non-canon in romantic books/movies/series is really fucking hard.

#ao3 #top gun fanfiction #hangster #icemav #wolfstar #sambucky #stucky #stony #penelope x eloise #eleven x max

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hajimedics · 9 months

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On Puppets, Agency, and Fate

I’ve been writing this thinkpiece for around a week while looking further into Welcome Home’s symbolism through queer/neurodivergent lenses; strengthening my belief that its themes of freedom and fate cannot be separated from the struggles the characters face as queer/neurodivergent folks.

This writing is going to be a mix of canonical content and my personal interpretation as I make many connections to various readings. Not to mention that the story is very far from done according to the words of the creator himself, so please take the things I say with a grain of salt.

You can view this thinkpiece in Google Docs format here.

CW: mentions/discussions of homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and abuse

I've always adored explorations of humanity and their deteriorating, fluctuating psyche through characters constantly challenged by the narrative (example: Phos from Land of the L*strous, Kris from D*ltarune, Guts from B*rserk, Mae from N*ght in the W*ods) and how they struggle to find their place in the world and freedom. To progress, humanity has always desire freedom. Freedom of expression. Freedom to think. Freedom to honestly, unapologetically be who one wants to be. Humans and humanity are not always synonymous. Welcome Home is a case of this too, its ensemble cast consisting of puppets.

Clown has stated that themes of being queer/neurodivergent are very integral to the story in many aspects, from the characters to the metanarrative. I want to talk about the things I've noticed, the analogies they carry, and how every character's identity contributes to the themes or the story.

First off, the neighborhood.

The neighborhood in general

From the perspective of Welcome Home Puppet Show’s creators, the neighborhood is the idea of a perfect, idyllic community through the lens of cisheteronormavity from the 70s. It is something out of a children’s dream with the colorful imagery, the peaceful yet eventful neighborhood filled with fun activities where everyone in the neighborhood is happy and there are no realistic problems like capitalism, oppression, relationship problems, sickness, and death. Of course, it’s the given obvious because this is a puppet show we’re talking about. A show aimed at kids.

Everyone has a role to play in the neighborhood – the shopkeeper, the mailman, the baker, the bug nerd – they all fit the traditional, stereotypical, cartoonish American mold of what the dream urban life is like in the 70s (and it still is in my small hometown, in Indonesia! We’re quite traditional in a sense) especially with the lack of serious overarching threats of aforementioned human problems.

Welcome Home first aired on 1969 and abruptly ended on 1974. A possible theory is that they cannot keep up with the competitor shows at the time (Sesame Street started on 1969 and The Muppet Show started on 1974, fun fact!), but seeing the amount of merchandise they put out and the way it stood out from various angles, this theory can be thrown out the window. The “about” page for WHPS also describes the show as well acclaimed and doing well during its runtime.

Another one is that the sentience of the puppets (and their desire to have autonomy over their own lives) have possibly impacted the writing of the story, given how they have their own identity outside of the one given by WHPS’s writers to them. Even more when you take into consideration that WHPS is produced during the era when LGBT history in America is at a major turning point. As cited from The Atlantic:

“Those years that followed, the decade of the 1970s, represent a remarkable period of transformation for gays and lesbians, particularly those living in America's coastal cities. At its core, that transformation was about visibility. During those years, there was the first gay television movie (That Certain Summer); a sexy on-screen kiss between two men in Sunday, Blood Sunday; and the release of Cabaret, which has been hailed as the first movie that "really celebrated homosexuality.

There were gains in politics too: Edward Koch, then serving in Congress, "became one of the first elected officials to publicly lobby on behalf of the homosexuals of Greenwich Village," Kaiser writes. Gay Pride Week was established. Perhaps most significantly: In December of 1973, the board of the American Psychiatric Association* voted 13-0 "to remove homosexuality from its list of psychiatric disorders."

The laws that no longer criminalizes or dehumanizes queer folks are being written. Changes are made. Even when LGBT movement was going on a fairly optimistic path, oppression and bigotry towards the community was still rampant. After all, oppressors just can’t change their views in a whim! Their hatred comes from their own thoughts and not because the higher ups told them so.

I won’t turn this into a writing about queer history instead of focusing on Welcome Home. Though, I think it's all worth mentioning given the things I'm going to discuss here and how Clown stated that these themes will become prevalent throughout the story. I decide to write this thinkpiece as an outlet for my thoughts and how I connected many of the story's aspects to the themes of freedom – both from their status as puppets and their identity.

Now that the overview is out of the way, time to bring in the big guns.

The neighborhood and Playfellow Workshop

If we take Playfellow Workshop's involvement in the characters' lives outside of episode recordings, Welcome Home becomes a huge transgender allegory, wrapped in a neat colorful package called "being puppets whose view on the world is much more narrow and simple in which they are controlled by beings above their comprehension".

Playfellow Workshop is the company that creates WHPS and owns its characters. They act as the "parents" to the "children" – WHPS' characters – in this comparison. They house the characters, have them as their responsibilities and assets, and, as any show production goes, they most definitely have staff that takes care of the puppets to see if there are any rips or tears in their bodies, making sure they are fit for the show production. It's just like how parents house their children when they cannot afford housing or live on their own, taking care of (or rather monitor) them, giving them shelter and food.

They are controlled both literally and figuratively by Playfellow Workshop – former because they're hand puppets made for children's entertainment and latter because of their status binding them to their duties. Just like how a parent has authority over their children under the guise of “you live under my roof, you live under my rules.” The rules in questions are the episodes which are produced on story scripts, and the puppets follow said scripts.

Playfellow Workshop is extremely important to the puppets, whether the company is taking a positive role, a neutral role, or an antagonistic role. If the puppets were to break free from their grasp, who would take care of them? Who will place them onto their cases, or fix their rips and tears, or make sure they're in good shape? Playfellow Workshop may have taken a toll on the puppets, but no one can take care of the puppets better than Playfellow Workshop.

You might be wondering, “But Senja, this can be read as a typical controlling parent and clueless children dynamic. Why so specific about it being a trans experience?”

It can be read like the former! I made more connections and thus thought "Hm. This is so true to my trans experience".

There are multiple transgender characters in the story such as Frank, Poppy, and Julie. I was struggling on how to put my thoughts into words about the ways the producers of WHPS (could it be that they thought about the puppets not being cis?) can write in trans characters in WHPS, but I believe Clown himself and the wikipedia page for Gonzo from The Muppets said it best.

A similar case for the puppets can be applied to the trans characters of Welcome Home! Still, the way the puppets present themselves to the audience is also ultimately a decision made by Playfellow Workshop, especially during episode recordings. Clown also said that they won’t reveal much about it since he doesn’t want to give out spoilers. Perhaps regarding to the nature of Playfellow Workshop, too?

The puppets and the scripts can also be a stand-in for how trans folks who still live with authoritative adult figures (especially those that don't accept them or begrudgingly does) are handling autonomy over their own bodies and actions. Although not shown for now, I predict there’s going to be an eventual identity dissonance between who the puppets truly are and who the puppets are according to WHPS’ writers. It reminds me of my experience of when I was much younger, being a closeted trans person who often struggles with disassociation, looking into the mirror and feeling like me and my body are not one. Not myself. It's like they're two separate beings, "me" who is what I truly am, and "my body" that is dictated and dressed up by my parents. As much as I love my body, little me wanted to claw out and break free if it means I can have a semblance of independence over my life. (Things are much better these past few years, though!)

Again, I don’t like accusing Playfellow Workshop of purposefully mistreating the puppets or even taking pleasure in hurting them because we are just getting started; getting to know the personalities and character dynamics between each character. Authoritative parents won't exactly be abusive to their children. Maybe Playfellow Workshop is just doing their job. They take care of the puppets because if they're damaged, the show won't go on. They act indifferent towards the puppets because well, they're just puppets. No personal feelings. That's just how business goes.

We do know that Playfellow Workshop is a big problem regarding the WHPS’ cancellation and the puppets’ worrying fates.

Playfellow Workshop aside, what about the community regarding the puppets?

The neighborhood is a small town consisting of nine residents. Everyone knows each other, and it’s hard to keep secrets from one another with just how tight-knit everyone is; the experience of living in a small town rings true to mine. Almost everyone in my quaint hometown knows many details about each other and their families because our community strongly believes in the importance of bonds and our culture is built on the word "family".

The neighborhood is a family that does not fit the general criteria of what the traditional structure of a family is. There is no concrete "father" or "mother" or "siblings" assigned here – they're also not the typical found family where they meet one another by chance. They are placed inside the set by the creators of the WHPS, lives already decided by its writers (like a traditional family), but they find solace in each other, having their lives intertwined with one another through bonds that they also take part in building, even outside of the show's production (like a found family, as seen in the "answer" pages). They are friends. They are family. Not to mention how the neighborhood is called "Home", a place where a family lives.

But they also cannot get out – as in get out of WHPS instead of just the neighborhood. I will be covering connections to freedom for each character later on (Sally falling from the sky, Poppy as a flightless bird, Howdy as an adult caterpillar) but the way their existence is bound by the colorful stage sets and rainbow props can also be seen as a small analogy that traditional families are expected to always stick with each other no matter how bad things are.

Themes of family aside, I’ll talk about how the so-called “long lost and unknown of number” episodes. WHPS’ episodes start with Wally leading the viewers through the cacophony of the neighborhood. Then other characters join in, with many of them having notable activity segments. The episodes then end with Wally, who has finished journeying with the viewer, when the day has ended. It is most peculiar and harrowing that the agency of the puppets regarding the show is dependent on Wally and the time of the day. Wally plays the central figure of the story, first being placed in the position as the protagonist and most important character in WHPS, then having to act as their savior because he is the only puppet thus far that has contact with the restoration team and you, the viewer. He is akin to a child who has to take the lead as the head of the family even though he is not prepared for it.

Nobody remembers Welcome Home. Nobody remembers who the puppets are. At the time, the puppets only have themselves and each other to rely on for support. Then again, it’s not even clear if they are with each other when they went missing or scattered around.

Now that I've covered the connections I've made regarding the neighborhood as a whole, I’d like to analyze its residences one by one.

Wally Darling

Wally is a very complex character and by far the most – ironically – human out of everyone in the cast. The word "freedom" is written all over him and the word "love" is sewn into every inch of his body.

Wally is shown to show little to no interest in romance or dating. He allowed his friends to get touchy-feely with him (examples being sleeping with Barnaby and getting hugged by Eddie) and doesn’t hesitate to show his affections to them, but it’s been said that he never found them romantic. Wally’s lack of interest in romance gives me the impression that he is in the AroAce spectrum. Clown even mentioned that he doesn’t know what to do if someone confesses their love to him. Wally knows what romance is, he knows what romantic love is, he just doesn't see himself finding a partner anytime soon.

Wally's view on love not only ties into his queerness, but also his neurodiversity – his autism. He is not good at reading social cues or acting "as accordingly" to the situations presented to him. Clown also suggested that Wally cannot process emotions “the way humans do”. They also entertain the idea that Wally is “emotionless”; but I’d rather interpret it as Wally having low empathy and possibly alexithymia, traits shared by many autistic folks (including me).

He expresses his love in a way that accommodates his neurodiversity: real actions.

Wally has been shown from time to time as someone who absolutely, truly loves his friends. The way he loves others cannot be categorized into simple boxes such as “romantic” or “platonic” or “familial”. Wally loves his friends dearly and it is deep and true, simple as that. He also loves you, the viewer, and a hidden page in the Welcome Home page says that "Wally is your best friend". When he was communicating with you, it read to me more like fascination, curiosity, and cries of help instead of macabre obsession as I normally would expect in psychological stories such as Welcome Home.

All of this makes the struggles he faced after WHPS' cancellation and getting separated from his friends more tragic.

Having the world that he knows ripped away from him must've been traumatizing to him. The world that he has always known is gone. The people that he knew and met everyday are scattered everywhere. Although there are many image file names that suggest he has contact with some of his friends, he doesn’t know if everyone is fine. He’s now left to pick up the pieces and try to stick them back together. He has so much to think about, too much to think about, and so he decides to reach out to you.

When you take into consideration that autistic folks often rely on self-made sets of rules, Wally's situation turns from sad to depressing. Autistic folks rely on schedules and routines (also seen through Frank) to give them a sense of control over their lives and help them ground themselves in reality. When Wally's "routine" is ripped away from him, he has to immediately make sense of his situation and make himself accustomed to a life full of uncertainty. His adaptation to change isn't simply about comfort – it's about surviving. His struggles don't only stop there.

Wally's intentions are read wrongly, some people interpreting him as "creepy" or "malicious" instead of just "awkward" or "desperate". Interestingly, this flanderization and misconception of his character comes from the internet's view on him instead of from the audience/staff in-universe. His autistic traits that cannot be deemed "cute" enough (the way he stares, his mannerism, how he talks slowly, or his fixation on the viewer) is considered creepy in a way that appeals to the fandom and thus extrapolated into something more extreme; him being a lovesick obsessive love interest, him being a religious cult leader, or him being the overarching villain of the story. The way that people outside his universe are the ones demonizing him is poetic in a way – reflective of the world that we live in where ableism towards autistics are so embedded even in the way we view tragic characters with low empathy.

Maybe Wally’s mannerisms are written that way because it’s to add more mystery, but knowing that Clown likes to play with secrets and says that neurodivergency plays a huge part in the story makes me think it’s also the other way around. His behavior as an autistic and traumatized character is what makes people believe that he's the villain. It’s unintentional on his part, but people who fail to read between the lines can think otherwise. It reminds me that when autistic folks cannot express emotions "correctly” or act a certain way that is expected regarding certain social situations, neurotypicals immediately jump into bad, unsavory conclusions about their intentions.

In reality, Wally is a desperate person who just wants the viewer to know and realize his presence and (assumedly) save his friends. Sure, he isn't straightforward in his words when communicating to us through hidden audio files, but his intentions are getting more clear to me. He’s thrust into a situation where he now acts as the guardian for his friends instead of Playfellow Workshop. He wants to get in. He's not a saint. He's not a villain. He's a struggler.

Sally Starlet

Sally! Her name is a fun one. She’s a star. She’s also an actress/play writer, related to the phrase “star of the show”.

So far, Clown hasn’t confirmed anything regarding her sexuality or gender identity, but the interactions she has with other characters from various audio files gave me some clues.

Her interactions with male characters are comedic or bossy in a comical sense, definitely stays true to her bombastic personality. She's not particularly fond of having Barnaby or Howdy star in her plays – the former not taking it seriously while the latter advertising his products in the middle of her plays. She also likes bossing Eddie around as shown in Eddie's Big Lift and is entertained by his antics, from him calling her "ma'am" to him not being able to refuse any of her commands.

Sally is noticeably more mellow around women like Julie and Poppy, notably the latter. Despite getting tired of Julie messing up the script of her plays, she isn’t annoyed with her and thinks of her antics as amusing rather than annoying. She is also patient with Poppy, not getting deterred by her always worrying nature and talks to her calmly. She encourages her ideas, help her to be more confident in herself and is very supportive of her! Their personalities bounce off one another really well, and she is just so sweet. Sally also endearingly calls Julie “Juliet” and Poppy “dear” and “darling”, something she doesn’t do with the male characters.

She gives me the impression of being a lesbian. She reminds me a lot of Lady D from RE VIII who’s a canon lesbian, calls Evan “manthing”, and speaks/acts in the same sophisticated manner as Sally, haha!

Besides her queerness, I found an interesting connection to freedom from her backstory. Sally was originally a star from space that falls to earth in order to pursue her interest in acting. She fell from a place that is vast and endless to a place surrounded by trees and predetermined fates. Also her working with play scripts… the show running on episode scripts… hm…

A falling star has a close definition to a meteor, burning brightly due to the pressure but then losing its spark and mass during its journey, ultimately burning into nothingness. Possibly just a coincidence, but the symbolism when related to Sally is sad.

Frank Frankly

Amidst the cheerful technicolor citizens of the neighborhood, Frank stood out the most by having grey skin and a constant frown on his face. He’s the bookworm character archetype of the show and is described as “arguably the smartest person in the neighborhood”. He’s also one of the handful characters that doesn’t have any information regarding where he was before he came to the neighborhood.

Frank is autistic. As I’ve mentioned in Wally’s part of this thinkpiece, Frank relies on routines and familiarity to give himself a sense of agency and control over his life. He likes arranging things in the order they’re supposed to go, he has a keen eye on organization and structure, and he wants things to be done right in his own ways. “This is the way things should be done, not that way.”

There are drawings Clown made depicting him stimming and infodumping about his special interests, those being entomology and insects.

Frank and Julie are paired together in many Welcome Home-related content. They are best friends who does things together and spends time playing together. They perform a comedy duo; Frank is the "straight man" to Julie's "funny man". His friendship with Julie is very important to both the show and the overarching story. They are something more than simple friends, something less than lovers, and something just right and deep for the both of them. Not that Playfellow Workshop thinks much about that.

The animation cells for “Julie-rella” has given me a very thin theory that themes of cisheteronormavity will be at play as the story goes. Frank is the prince charming, while Julie is Cinderella – fated to be together when the story ends. Well, maybe it’s just Sally, being her over-the-top self and her reenacting a classic fairy tale with her personal spin, but I just can’t help but think harder about the implications of it. Frank is not a cishet man, and Julie is not a cishet woman. I have talked about it in this short writing I made about Eddie and Frank.

Frank is canonically nonbinary and gay. He and Eddie are each other's love interests, something that isn’t outright shown. One can argue that they don’t exactly “act” like a typical couple from what we’ve seen, and their interactions in WHPS’ audios and merchandises gives off the feeling that they’re amicable at best (referring to the link I embedded above). They are noticeably closer in the “answer” page, though. It is not certain that their relationship at the time WHPS was still going and before Welcome Home Restoration Project’s involvement was already established or they’re just starting to get to know each other – though many audios in the WHRP website leans more towards the latter. Either way, it reminds me of the way some queer people have to hide their relationships in public to avoid getting hate or persecution.

You know that one art of a terrified Frank with a bright red rectangle and many appendages surrounding him that can be found in the staff-only page? Regarding his status as the bookworm character, I have a feeling that the phrase “ignorance is bliss” will come at play here, subverting his character.

Poppy Partridge

This sweet, poor bird who is always shaken by everything around her. Poppy grew up in a nest with her family, though growing up to become the biggest bird out of everyone, eventually leaving the nest and moving into the neighborhood, living inside a barn and rarely leaving it because of her anxiety. Poppy is described to not be based on just one bird, as Clown said. She is said to be a mix of “flamingo from father’s side, hen from mother’s side”, fitting with how unique everyone is in the neighborhood.

It is heartwarming that she is surrounded by people who are understanding of her anxiety. Nobody makes fun of her fretfulness or forces her to be “more social”, Howdy brings her groceries to her barn, and she even has her own baking business! She’s not the greatest at the things she likes doing, but it’s nice to see that she founds joy in them.

Poppy is canonically a trans lesbian. She’s very close with Sally, whose personality is a stark contrast to hers. Poppy feels like she can trust Sally with handling the jobs she’s supposed to do and Sally encourages her to be more true to herself. Poppy feels at ease whenever she’s around Sally and even seems to act more flustered around her – a possible love interest between the two. It’s also cute that Sally likes to drag Poppy in her antics, with the latter not being too bothered about it. They trust each other very much. Also their dynamic is also just really good, y’know?

Connected to themes of freedom in this story, Poppy is a flightless bird, yet another symbol of her state of freedom as a puppet to Playfellow Workshop. Many birds have the ability to spread their wings and fly away to the places that they desire while Poppy cannot. Like the rest of the cast, her world is limited by the trees around the neighborhood. She also left her nest not because she has big dreams like Sally or ambitions like Howdy, but because of the circumstances she cannot control on her own.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, Poppy grew up to be the biggest bird out of her family and it became the reason why she left for the neighborhood. And when she got there, she prefers being inside her own barn instead of going around and socializing with everyone.

Howdy Pillar

Ohhh my god. This guy. He originates from an apple as a teensy little caterpillar, then leaving the place where he was raised in because of his dreams (similar to Sally, different to Poppy). He is shown to be very proud and confident in himself, having a clear ambition on opening his very own shop and takes great pride in what he does. He’s a great talker and can easily convince even the proudest people in the neighborhood to purchase his wares, and his character gives me the impression that he prefers being around people that understands his dreams.

I cannot find any notable queer readings regarding Howdy, but his interactions with Barnaby gives me the impression that they’re close to one another. Howdy considers Barnaby his favorite customer, and is seemingly happy that Barnaby is willing to listen to him ramble about his family gossips.

I do find connections between his physical appearance and the story’s themes of freedom.

In a caterpillar’s life, when they’re about to reach their adult stage and move on from their juvenile stage, they turn into butterflies. Not the case with Howdy. He’s an adult caterpillar whose family are a bunch of butterflies. Like Poppy, whose symbolism of lack of freedom is the same as Howdy's, he cannot turn into a butterfly and fly away from the grasp of Playfellow Workshop – outside the neighborhood, outside the town surrounded by colorful trees and dictated by scripts.

Unlike Poppy however, Clown mentioned that Howdy has the possibility of turning into a butterfly someday. Poppy is also an adult bird, the last stage of her life cycle, while Howdy is an adult caterpillar, the beginning stage of his life cycle. A possible foreshadowing for his fate regarding freedom later on…? Or maybe just a fun little trivia.

Barnaby B. Beagle

Barnaby, the comedic relief who's the most emotionally intelligent. The jokester who knows that something is amiss when the situation calls for it, the comedian who can be honest and straightforward in what he finds amusing and not, the humorist whose appearance is always met with cheers, claps, and boos, as if he’s the main character of a very long winded sitcom.

As far as I’ve noticed, there aren’t as many connections to themes of freedom regarding Barnaby as there is on other characters. Though I can say that Barnaby can stand his ground more than Eddie, another character who is usually put in situations where he gets the boot to the head and usually lets people do as they please. I cannot put these into concrete words, but Barnaby has an air of professionalism to him despite his character archetype being the comedic relief.

Barnaby is close with Howdy (see the writing regarding his character above!), sharing jokes and puns with him. Barnaby is also considered Howdy’s greatest customer, always making the latter crack up and their personalities bounce off one another really well.

Another resident that Barnaby shares a close bond with – closer even – is Wally. Barnaby is very close to Wally. They are best friends, and many art for Welcome Home depicts them together a lot of the time. Barnaby includes Wally in the things he does like getting hotdogs together or sharing jokes. Besides Home, Barnaby knows Wally the best. He is also quick to notice changes in Wally’s demeanor, getting concerned about him when he doesn’t react to his words the way Wally always does in the last “answer audio”.

Clown also said that in any universe, Barnaby and Wally will always become best friends. They are the definition of soulmates. Platonic, romantic, whatever you call it – but like I’ve said earlier, the puppets’ view on love are not as complicated as humans’, and I can say that they love each other deeply, simple and true as that. Like someone once said, they’ll find each other in any universe. This makes me fear for their relationship even more, given that Wally and Barnaby are most likely not near each other when WHPS ended.

Eddie Dear

Eddie! Neighborhood’s creative, kind, and hardworking mailman. He has a good eye on arts and craft, and is more than delighted to lead the viewers of the show with the things he wants to create.

As Clown have stated, Eddie is a gay man. I’ve covered most of the things I’ve said regarding their (blooming) romantic relationship in Frank’s section of this thinkpiece however, so I implore you to go back there if you don’t want me to rewrite the whole thing all over again here, haha!

A recurring trope with him is that despite his adherence to work ethics and schedules, Eddie tends to forget a lot of things. The Welcome Home website says that he hails from a town far away from the neighborhood, but he always gets the name of the town wrong and oftentimes mentions names of places that doesn’t exist. He talks to inanimate objects to aid his forgetfulness (also for endearing character traits) and Frank once suggested that he ties strings to the things he doesn’t want to forget, but this doesn’t always work. Eddie also doesn’t remember where he came from and his character profile says that he and the post office appeared out of nowhere one day.

Eddie is also accident-prone, always getting himself into situations (a bug landing on his paper chains, getting chased by Barnaby) and is mainly depicted as the unwilling comedian. Many of his character aspects are depicted as a source of comedy, even by himself. Eddie also has tendencies of prioritizing what others want before himself because of his even-tempered nature. So far, Eddie doesn’t express any serious frustration over this, but with the themes of agency recurring in this story, I’m afraid that it’s going to be a matter of time before we see Eddie express discomfort over this.

Throwback to what I have said: Frank is a smart person who constantly searches for logical answers to things, while Eddie is more laid back and isn’t very focused on finding the right answer and just wanting problems to be handled. This contrast on their personalities and how their backstories are foils of each other (Frank coming from unclear origins, Eddie not knowing the name of the place he’s from) make me think: Is ignorance bliss to Eddie?

Julie Joyful

The sunshine of the neighborhood! The bringer of rainbows in Welcome Home! Julie stays true to her surname, always depicted with a bright smile on her face. She is the one that can turn Frank’s frown upside down. She is the one that can bring a tinge of comedy in Sally’s tragic dramas.

Julie joins the side of the neighborhood that has clear origins. She once lived inside a cave with her siblings, but ultimately leaves under her own volition to find life for herself. Regardless, she is a character that is known for her constant interactions with other neighbors, notably Frank, her best friend.

Her friendship with Frank is extremely special for both of them – if you want to read about it, you should go to Frank's section of this thinkpiece as I've covered most of my thoughts about Frank and Julie's friendship there, but I want to add a few more things.

She is the "funny man" to Frank's "straight man", forming the neighborhood’s comedic duo. She drags him into her shenanigans, like the time they played “Business Woman In The Big City”. They’re also quite competitive when participating in the games that Julie conducts. She brings out the best in Frank, always making sure he feels included and happy in any activity they do. Julie is the “spontaneity” to Frank’s “routinity”. Julie is the “fun” to Frank’s “frown”. They’re inseparable from one another, like Barnaby with Wally.

As stated by Clown, Julie is genderfluid and bisexual. She doesn’t have a love interest set for her, but what’s important is that her character is emphasized with her connections with others. When Frank couldn’t play with her, she plays with Sally and enjoys spending time with her and even stars as the main character in many of the latter’s plays. There are lots of love inside her, after all! She is also said to be quite touchy with her friends, often hugging them and encouraging them to go through with the things they want to do. It doesn’t always have to be seen as “romantic”, like I’ve said before.

Onto her status as a puppet for Playfellow Workshop. Something funny is that Julie has a tendency to go off-script as shown from her interaction with Sally while practicing for a play. She has issues getting into the mood of her plays, making scenes that are supposed to be emotional… comedical, instead.

Is this supposed to symbolize something further? Is this habit of hers pointing towards how she’s going to express her unwillingness to be a mere cog in the big machine? The puppets are very much sentient, but I am not sure if they are aware if their actions in the WHPS episodes are controlled by the script. Time will tell, and perhaps, Julie too.

Home

Finally, we get to the last but one of the most important characters in this story – Home.

Home is the ninth residence of the neighborhood, though it’s not a puppet but a stationery character. It houses Wally, the main character of this story. Unlike the rest of the cast, Home talks in onomatopeias, like creaking its doors or opening its windows to produce sound as means of communication. Its eyes are very expressive and is constantly moving. Unlike other houses in the neighborhood, they’re very expressive.

Their importance isn’t only limited to being Wally’s house or being the only character in Welcome Home that cannot walk or talk.

The mobile characters of Welcome Home never expressed annoyance for Home’s non-verbal trait and instead put in effort to understand them and include them in their activities. They accommodate for Home, making sure they feel comfortable, wanted, and not left out. Home feels… at home around them.

Wally writes for Home to help it communicate and makes his canvas face Home whenever he’s painting, Julie teaches it how to hula hoop, Eddie makes small talk with Home, Barnaby makes jokes and laughs with Home, Frank tries to include home in games of chess, and so on! Home isn’t just a building like the rest of the cast’s houses. They are part of the family. It makes me so happy to see that their existence isn’t considered a burden or an annoyance or have their traits be seen as sources of comedy. It hits close to home for me as a physically disabled person.

Regarding the overarching story outside of WHPS, Home is a character that plays a significant part in Wally's journey. Wally loves Home dearly. He takes care of Home and makes sure he is in great condition. He is the caretaker for Home and becomes its communicator when the situation calls for it. In return, Home makes sure Wally is safe and sound inside their cavity and expresses their love for Wally through communication from creaking noises and even lightly squishing him between their door and door frame. Home is also quick to notice changes in Wally’s behavior and shows their concern for him, signifying just how deep their relationship is.

As I’ve mentioned many times before, their closeness cannot be boxed into the usual types of love humans are used to. You just know they are extremely linked to one another and that their relationship is not only important in WHPS, but also the story as a whole.

Home and Wally are inseparable from one another. They have their separate personalities and are distinguishable from one another, but ultimately they will always be one. Home is Wally’s fortress. Home is the shield to Wally’s sword. Home is the pericardium to Wally’s heart. After all, “Home is where the heart is”, right?

Afterwords

Yay! Whew! Congrats on making it to the afterwords! I’ve spent more than a week writing this whole thing and having my friend @rxveriecaeli proofread this thinkpiece (Morfe if you’re reading this I love you bestie). Huge HUGE shoutout to them because I’d be lost without them giving the finishing touches!

I know, some people will say that I’m reaching or thinking too much about this story, but hey! That’s why it’s called a thinkpiece and not a theory or concrete proof of X or Y. I cannot say that I’m 100% sure about where the story is heading or what Clown has in mind for certain characters, but I just want to think and love making connections and my brain just keeps producing questions after questions after questions. Are the feelings they have with each other theirs and not the byproduct of the script commanding them? I believe so.

What if Poppy is a flightless bird because she's based on Big Bird and not because it's an analogy for her not being able to fly freely away? What if Howdy is an adult caterpillar because he just IS and not because it's an analogy for not being able to turn into a butterfly that can fly? These options might be so, but even if Clown someday confirm that their design choices are simply because they're inspired by other puppet characters, I'm just happy that I manage to find symbolism that I can connect to their character designs.

I think it's too early to assume that the puppets are surely seeking freedom. At most, they just want to be saved from the tragic states they’re in, and Wally is on the lead. I mean, the show's canceled and they no longer live by following the scripts made for them! We don't even know the true fates of them aside from being nearly forgotten to time. And even if the puppets do achieve freedom, what will be of them? The producers aren't around anymore, the employees that treat them as toys but also take care of them aren't there anymore, and they have to fend for themselves in the big world.

I am not a native English speaker and I cannot put some of my thoughts into words both because of my language barrier and my ADHD. I do not intend on expressing malicious or harmful subtext through this writing, but do tell me if I had worded anything incorrectly and I will fix it. I would love to hear your thoughts about this thinkpiece too, so don’t hesitate to leave comments or tags in the reblogs (though please be patient with me!). Not that I will tolerate hateful or bigoted comments, however!

Please do not start accusing me of spreading the rhetoric that “being queer/neurodivergent is painful and constantly suffering and if you don’t suffer you are not part of those groups”! Being queer is fun and liberating. Being neurodivergent or disabled is something to take pride in. I’m proud of who I am and I encourage others to be so too. The experiences of queer/neurodivergent won’t always be easy, though, and I made this analysis and the correlating connections based on my own experience as a queer, autistic, and physically disabled person.

That being said, thank you for reading!

Fun little trivia! The characters' favorite colors form a rainbow when put in respective order, just like the colors of the original pride flag :]

#LONG POST AHEAD!!!#welcome home #welcome home puppet show #wally darling #sally starlet #frank frankly #poppy partridge #howdy pillar #barnaby b beagle #eddie dear #julie joyful #home #senja writing

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