Toy Girls - Shelf Series 129: Vambre Marie Warrior

I’m so happy for bringing this work, and not being in another stupid hiatus. I’m the Master of Cuteness, mickeyelric11, and this is another work for Toy Girls’ Shelf Series. Please, don’t forget either my Donation Pool or the Official Toy Girls Facebook Page. Also, please, follow me on Twitter. Use the hashtag #CutenessShallLast

    You know what’s annoying as fuck in media? Seeing two siblings bicker and bicker and bicker! I loathe it with all my heart, especially if it’s between a sister and a brother. I understand siblings fight once in a while (Hell, all human being do), however, it’s such a burnt out cliché, and I despise the implications with it. I find so insulting that writers imply that siblings only can communicate through feuds, and it’s incredibly insulting between sisters and brothers: it’s basically saying that, if two opposite-sex people can’t fuck with one another, they must hate the other’s guts. This is particularly obnoxious with Sister-Brother Teams. 1/3 of the time you will see them fighting against the villain or completing the mission, and the rest is totally dedicated to the sister nagging and beating the shit out of her brother, and the brother doing stupid, immature and reckless crap. You see in “The Incredibles”, in “Martin Mystery”, in “Rocket Power”, in “The Simpson”, etc. I hate it with all my heart! But then, you find those TV Shows where they do the exact opposite: having the siblings get along. Yeah, in this works the writers are smart enough to realize that seeing two siblings fighting and wrangling all the time is fucking annoying, so they take that out, and create a healthier relationship. We can see this in “Gravity Falls”, “Miles from Tomorrowland”, and this cartoon, which gave us this beautiful lady. For this Friday:

    Vambre Marie Warrior, from “Mighty Magiswords.

I don’t care the reviews, or the asshole of the creator, I love “Mighty Magiswords”. It’s one of my favorite Cartoon Network shows of all time, along with “Steven Universe”, “Regular Show”, “Kids Next Door”, and “Ed, Edd ‘n Eddy”; I still need to watch “Samurai Jack”.

It’s the story of Vambre and Prohyas Warrior, two swordsman in the Medieval-style kingdom of Rhyboflaven, which opened their own business, “Warriors for Hire”. What do they do? Anything adventure-related, in other words, they work as mercenaries which take missions related to defeat a bad guy, getting a valuable object back, serving as escort, and anything else which is dangerous and exciting.

Something iconic of this work is that it was actually the first original online series created for Cartoon Network Videos, only getting its status as a TV Show a year later.

When you see this work superficially, it doesn’t look like anything spectacular, and you almost spot many elements that could easily poison it: a world very inspired in “Adventure Time”, goofy protagonists, even dumber weapons, and the creator is infamous for being very unprofessional at the time of taking criticism, and even being a troll with “detractors”. However, once you give a try, you find so many great things.

Yes, it’s settled in a Medieval World with out-of-time elements like smartphones, fast-food restaurants and modern technology with vintage touches like wooden refrigerators; something similar to the universe of “Adventure Time”. However, the world presented here is so well built, so memorable, and even enough complex that you just end up loving it. Aside of Middle-Age elements, there are also a dinosaurs land, pirates, an ice zone, etc. Also, aside of humans, we got anthropomorphic animals, witches, sentient dragons, skeletons, talking animals, etc. Man, it’s almost like “Dragonball”.

Speaking of the world, even if it sounds pretty stupid, the Magisword concept is actually very solid too. Here, in order to reduce the violence, the Magiswords, the trademark weapons in this cartoon, are artifacts with a special ability depending of the kind. The powers they bring go from offering a special kind of tool, a specific attack, or even to spontaneously create things like food, water, snow, etc. Ironically, very few of them can actually be used like battle blades. However, again, the TV series treats them with so much seriousness and respect that you can accept them.

However, the main strength of this show are the characters. Like with “T.U.F.F. Puppy”, this is one of the shows where I absolutely love each one of the characters. They are all so likeable, tridimensional, and memorable. They are not assholes for free, they aren’t annoying, and I just want to have a beer with any of them.

About the episode, they are great too. The stories are simple, and a little formulaic, but very funny and even with strong morals. Something I adore is that this show, even being a comedy, never sacrifices its messages for a stupid joke, which is something expected in cartoons with this look.

And speaking of look, I adore the animation. Even if the media used in other modern CN shows is incredible, it’s always welcome a Tex-Avery style show, with recurrent use of slapstick and very exaggerated expressions. I can even see an influence from “Ren & Stimpy”; even fi the creator doesn’t want to admit it.

Also, this cartoon really surprises us with something I never thought I would find: continuity. Yes, I’m aware of shows like “Adventure Time” and “Steven Universe” where the continuity is strong, however, with a show like “Mighty Magiswords”, you would never believe it won’t forget its plot points, much less expect that. It just sums a lot of value to this cartoon, and earns a lot of my respect.

A popular criticism against this cartoon is the pacing. Many experts say that the show is too fast, and throws a lot of jokes at the time. I won’t…deny that, but this something I don’t care seeing all the strong former positive points.

I love this cartoon, and I can’t wait to see, legally, the dubbed episodes of the Second Season when it finally airs here in Mexico.

I think we better talk about Vambre now.

The second I knew the protagonists of this cartoon were Big Sister and a Little Brother, I shout: “Shut up and take my money!” This is a feature I always look for in a cartoon, but with so much caution.

Like I said, many TV Shows and film had the stupid costume of making Sister-Brother Teams where the idiotic siblings are always bickering, insulting and hitting each other, and never shutting up. And, with how this show looked, I was afraid it was going to be the case, especially for the tropes each character got.

However, I luckily was wrong; very wrong! Vambre and Prohyas are one of the best Siblings from Fiction, and their relationship in this show is amazing.

No, they aren’t Tibetan Monks. First, each one has their unique personality: Vambre is a though woman who isn’t afraid of getting dirty, she is pretty reckless, she encompasses a really doubting attitude, and she has a great contempt for pants, but a bigger fond for literature, while Prohyas is a warm gentleman with a big love for the accordion, bears a giant appetite, possesses a terrible hygiene, and has a nurturing instinct for weak beings.

Obviously their personalities contrast at times, however, what makes this work is that Vambre and Prohyas adore the presence of the other. They don’t have the same personality, but they interact amazingly and in a very organic way, showing genuine solace for the other almost all the time. They got their fights and get annoyed for the actions of the other, but they always look for a solution, or at least a trust.

You believe they love each other, because they act like that.

Vambre obviously bears the trope of the Strong Girl, by not flinching from action and fighting the bad guys. However, thanks the Lord, she is not a stupid tsundere Mary Sue.

Even if she is a competent warrior, she is not afraid of being feminine: she likes novels directed to a Feminine Public, she is careful with her diet, and she is not ashamed of crying. Also, at difference from many works, she participates a lot in the slapstick and in the humor of the show, and she isn’t immune to pain. She is unable to overcome some obstacles once in a while, she gets hurt often, and she has many funny Kricfalusi-Expressions, which require her to sacrifice her beauty to make a hilarious joke.

Speaking of that, Vambre is so fucking sexy. Man, this lady sure is drawn beautifully. Aside of a pretty face, her body is so amazingly sculpted and developed. I’m so impressed her leotard passed censorship, seeing we can see her crotch and butt thanks to it.

So, because all of this, it was a giant pleasure to draw Vambre Marie Warrior as aToy Girl.

While in the Porcelain Series I drew her as her normal self, here I drew her little kid avatar. My God! She is so adorable!

Remembering a scene where we discovered why she is so afraid of squirrels, I put her sitting on a wooden swing with some acorns at her side.

I feel I could have made her more adorable.

Sadly, I think this show won’t get a third season, and this is pretty sad. “Mighty Magiswords” is such a well made TV Show with so great elements to enjoy. I just hope this is only a rumour, because “Cuteness shall last”.

    Well, I’m so glad for finally bringing this work. See you all next week. And speaking of which, what is awaiting for us next week? A little question for you, have you ever wished to be a famous Hollywood Star? Have you ever wanted to be the center of attention, everyone desiring to be you, and giving autographs to all your fans? Have you ever desired to have all the fame, wealth and legacy it comes with it. Well, according to this cartoon, you’re very lucky for not being one. Actually, it shows is as the worst possible outcome. If you don’t believe me, you can ask it to my friend. Back in the 90’s, he was in a very famous TV Show.

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