Pinoko - Tumblr Posts
Jean-Baptiste was used to having apprentices with odd speach patterns, sometimes because the only French they knew was a thick gallow slang nobody outside of their cast properly understood, the other was speech defaults created by exessive inbreeding.
Something told him that there was no way Pinoko had been a normal human being for eighteen years. Having to baby sit her...Was fustrating.
On some level, it would have been nice to just sent her playing with his own kids...But, Charles-Martin was dissection obsessed, for the sake of household discipline it would be better if she didn't befriend little Nicolas-Gabriel II, and Louis-Cyr Charlemagne, although he was at her developmental age. Sending his eldest daughter to the catacombs for an "immunity enforcing expedition" would do good, if the magistrature didn't insist on purging the catacombs, or rather accuse any living girl or woman within the vacinity of a decomposing corpse of being a prostitute, and then send her to the Hôpital Général for it, where they would soon join the corpses of the mass graves.
"Sorry, Pinoko, but you surely do not act like you are grown up."
Jean-Baptiste dragged himself with his cane a little bit closer.
subiysu-chan
The puny, tiny cancer turned intelligent (and somewhat delusional human being) was asking him why she should improve her speech. "So you can learn to speak like a grown up and people can better understand and respect you." as his awnser. Jean-Baptiste was somewhat perplexed by the presence of this child inside his house. He wasn't that experienced with children who weren't his or those of his colleagues. Instead of being easily frightened by those who weren't family, she was boldly imprudent. He himself was not the most reassuring presence, and he somewhat knew how to comfort smaller kids, although it was odd to meet one who wasn't afraid of him. Children outside his cast were somewhat of a mistery to him, as they all, without fail, have a lacking self-preservation instinct, even at an age were they should be aware of their mortality. No matter how much their peers outmatched them, or even towards adults, they weren't expecting rejection or mob action. No, not being mobbed as a child seemed to have a detremental effect on the outsiders, since many of them grew to be neglectful of their own progeniture, and seem to consider them litteral garbadge. As children, they were completely unafraid of crowds, which was just asking for trouble. Black Jack wasn't like that...but Pinoko.
When she and Black Jack first stepped into the Sanson mansion, Pinoko was, well. . . . . . . anxious coming across the Sansons, especially Jean-Baptiste and his mother, the scary-looking witch Anne-Marthe. However, Pinoko quickly adapted to French doctor's presence and she was now speaking to him face-to-face with her usual boldness. She stole glances of the other children of the house, but never really thought about meeting the rest of them, except the eldest son, Charles-Henri Sanson, out of curiosity. The other boys were too young, the eldest daughter too reserved, and the only other girl that looked around Pinoko's "age" - physically speaking - was Marie Joseph Sanson, but Pinoko doubt the kid would be interested in a young lady regaling her and Doc's medical adventures. . .
Pinoko crossed her arms and huffed, though if it was meant to be intimidating, it failed. Her response came out more like a complaint than anything.
"Pinoko's awready a gwown up, ya know! If people can't undershtand Pinoko, then that'sh their pwobwem, not mine."
I really like how distinct you made the designs, particularly the silhouettes and I like the integration of colour into their designs, as opposed to just being clothing.
The greater emphasis on their bodies is also great, it feels like it allows for more expressive poses (like blossom and buttercup in the top right) while still being simple enough to allow for punchy action during fight scenes. It really feels like a good mix. I also like how you’ve blended fingers with the classic “nub” hand designs (specifically with Bubbles in the bottom left). And of course the varied skin tones are a welcome addition (Personally, I’m always particularly fond of that on robots or other forms of engineered life, because it’s such an easy thing to justify not having, so having it anyway is just lovely).
I also really like the design of Professor Utonium but I’m not really sure why. I think it’s because both the original and this one are Dad-coded, but whereas the original is more “standard, clean, respectable” this one’s more “battered, flawed and human but trying his very best”. I assume that’s the Dr Tenma influence (especially with the implications of the robot hand), but it’s a wonderful take nonetheless.
Also, since you decided to draw these as explicitly robotic, I’m curious as to what the Powerpuff girls are in the original series. I don’t think the series makes a big thing out of it but I wonder if they count as Androids? (Following the old logic of Android = A robot that was created chemically)
Also hey, if you wanted to take Inspiration from a different one of Osamu Tezuka’s works, might I suggest Pinoko, from the excellent Black Jack? (Though it can be a little grisly)
Was inspired by @wolfsvile's (twt) ppg iteration and decided to draw around its concept with my own take of how they came to be :)
tried to stay loyal to their og shape language while straying further from the simplicity of the style, and picked up a few things from astroboy and my life as a teenage robot
I swear this is a canon panel from the manga
Black Jack OVA (1993)
Official Art by Haruko Ichikawa drawn back in 2013 for Osamu Tezuka’s Black Jack’s 40th Anniversary (source is @/saiko_pu on twt)