The Amazing Digital Circus - Western Isekai that probably will become Hazbin Hotel killer

[BigJoey41X]

This episode is pretty good ngl, this is what I consider a solid execution of "show, don't tell", particularly in regards to Gangle, now we didn't get crazy shit this time, which was the point of minimum wage labor, with the pace is much more slow-burn.

I like how Gangle finally gets fleshed out of being the one-note gag character she was prior, that she had a job she had no choice to but to settle for in her previous incarnation, even before entering the circus.

That makes me think, what if Gangle willingly entered the circus as a desperation attempt to get out of her miserable life?

Other notable moments:
- Stoned!Ragatha is funny as shit
- Pomni/Gummigoo moment is so sweet, its hinted that he also retained his memories for her, but wisely knew not to make it obvious as to not get caught again, true, certified OTP.
- Zooble being debatably the most functional one of the group out of all people is a surprise when she actually puts the effort of "playing along", nice to see her also being given more fleshing out after that was the disappointment in ep3
- Jax is too miserable to even start fucking around, not even he can handle working in fast food, its nice to see how he acts outside of being a dick

That said, this felt like a bottle episode, and I doubt this one has any larger implication for the larger narrative unlike the previous ones.

Overall rankings(Best to Okay):
2 << 4 << 1 << 3

 

[Mystery Spy]

It was much better than I expected actually. Zooble definitevely became more likeable than her supposed "focus" episode. I am sure the fans will analyze this from by frame but I liked the little tidbits they gave from all the characters. This episode broke the formula when it came to character dynamics.

The Jax stuff was great, how he finally was punished and shown a side of him that wasn’t smug asshole, but I also really liked how they deconstructed Ragatha’s character. Most of us met someone like her in real life. Ragatha seems like the nicest and most approachable. But the issue with people like her is that they aren’t very genuine. Toxic positivity types. Makes 100% sense Gangle feels closer to Zooble. I honestly felt that.

 

[Sparky Lurker]

I will be honest and say that I legitimately doubt Gangle will improve as a character after this episode, Zooble maybe will but is mostly because of self-insert status.
The episode had way too many awkward pauses, this is a more subjective point to bring considering its theme but I still think fast-paced scenes are better for this kind of animation.
It should have focused more on Jax/Gangle dynamic and scrapped the entire drunk Ragtha side plot, that really felt pointless.
Seeing returning NPCs is nice, hopefully this will lead to something important later on and not fizzle out.
Most important "reveal" is probably that Caine and Bubble are the same entity.

 

[ReceiveAndAsk]

If we go over the cringe you feel every time Zooble is called 'they', so far the show has turned out way better than it has any right to be.

 

[Meghan Sparkle the Second]

Eh. Better than the last episode, I guess. It was fun to see characters from previous episodes, and I liked the slower pace.

This show is just so different from what I expected when watching the pilot. Pomni gave up on chasing after the exit, apparently. She was shown to be an anxious mess on the verge of a breakdown when she first appeared, but she's just a kinda generic protagonist now. She's clearly the one who is handling the adventures the best out of the cast.

Also, this episode along with the previous one confirms the crew remembers their previous life. Which just gets me thinking... I don't understand why they make such a big deal out of Pomni's relationship with a NPC she had one conversation with, but we never get to see any glimpse of her previous life. Did she not have any friends or family ?

 

[Rome's rightful successor]

I like how realistic the spudsy's looks.

Some youtube comments noted some interesting details from it.

I love how each of them kinda represents “that one coworker” that every job has. Pomni being the sort of newbie who does their job but is a bit uncomfortable because they're just starting out. Jax being the coworker who's been working there for way too long and is desperately trying to get out of there. Zooble being the coworker who doesn't like their job but understands that they're there to work and may as well do it right. Gangle being a former coworker promoted to manager whos having trouble leading her new team who don't see her any differently. Rageta being the one who came in high and is just making shit harder.

I actually really like how Pomni wasn’t the one who comforted Gangle at the end, instead it was Zooble. Pomni did comfort her just before that, but Zooble was the one who really helped Gangle with her depression. Not only is the friendship between Gangle and Zooble just really cute, it makes the digital world of The Amazing Digital Circus feel like a world filled with real people rather than a world that revolves around Pomni

Gotta love the foreshadowing when Gangle talks about not having the time for creating Manga and then in the last scene you see her drawing it. She was projecting her frustrations.

1. The Pomni unicorn reference was gold. 2. Ragatha getting high and proceeding to casually say what she usually holds back when talking to the others was oddly satisfying to hear. 3. Jax getting astronomically humbled this episode was funny. 4.Oh damn Gangle was projecting during that training video, huh

As someone who used to work in fast food the attention to detail here was S-Tier. Caine mentioning non-slip shoes, those weird rubber floor mats with the holes, the little drawers for the finished burger patties... Even Gangle's line "If you have time to lean, you have time to clean!" I've had people tell me that exact thing, word for word.

 

[BigJoey41X]

If we go over the cringe you feel every time Zooble is called 'they', so far the show has turned out way better than it has any right to be.

everyone's headcanon is that nobody in universe knows what Zooble's gender is actually (though its kinda obvious lmao) and just refers to her as a they/them

even in the fandom itself, people are fine with referring to her as a she (nobody ever uses the male pronouns), so there's this awkward and unspoken agreement that everyone sees zooble as a girl but nobody says anything too much about it as to not stir the pot.

She was shown to be an anxious mess on the verge of a breakdown when she first appeared, but she's just a kinda generic protagonist now. She's clearly the one who is handling the adventures the best out of the cast.

Pomni is the designated everyman audience surrogate, we know just as little about this new world as her

While everyone has formed out some quirk after spending time in the circus long enough, she's still fresh enough to not deviate from normalcy just yet, I don't mind it, there's a reason this trope works, someone has to be the "grounded one" in a cast of colorful people and its almost always the protagonist.

As someone who used to work in fast food the attention to detail here was S-Tier. Caine mentioning non-slip shoes, those weird rubber floor mats with the holes, the little drawers for the finished burger patties... Even Gangle's line "If you have time to lean, you have time to clean!" I've had people tell me that exact thing, word for word.

Goose was definitely writing from experience, looks like someone worked as a wagie at some point, i wonder if the reason this episode's setting and premise was made is because he wanted to express how much he fucking hated that job.

I can relate brother.

 

[Tardy Tard]

That said, this felt like a bottle episode, and I doubt this one has any larger implication for the larger narrative unlike the previous ones.

Caine becoming unstable when left alone feels like an indication that something will happen. That and Gangle’s sad face now showing different emotions

If we go over the cringe you feel every time Zooble is called 'they', so far the show has turned out way better than it has any right to be.

I think that decision was a huge mistake: Zooble is clearly written as a woman (mainly the “goth girl” archetype), voice acted by a woman, designed as a woman (primarily pink color scheme), yet the script really wants you to believe that the cast can’t tell whether she’s a man or a woman. Granted, the voice actor did a good job this episode at making her sound more “boyish”. But I do believe that the decision is a bad idea, especially since the “unknown gender” thing barely works in execution, unless your character is an undeveloped person with zero personality like undertale’s protag.

I don't understand why they make such a big deal out of Pomni's relationship with a NPC she had one conversation with,

Despite being an AI, his personality is easier for her to realistically deal with in comparison to the barely-functional people she has to live with. He’s literally just “some guy”, who happens to look like an alligator.
I think they’re setting up that the cast isn’t human anymore: they’re digital copies of the people they used to be. So they aren’t that different from Caine or the more advanced NPCs (princess lady, yellow/green gator, ghost lady)

 

[Bob Barbas]

So how are you going to autistically over-criticize this episode, Kiwis?

Can't lie I kind of wish I could go into some deep sperging like I did with Murder Drones but that show was a really special case in that it checked a lot of boxes for me that made me think "Okay this has potential to be something cool." and then they fumbled the ball so hard it fell into the shredder.

The Amazing Digital Circus just doesn't tickle my fancy as much as the wasted potential of Murder Drones did. I honestly can't really come up with many things to say that wouldn't sound like me reaching for something to complain about. So far anyway. Until the series is over that is always subject to change but for now I don't really have any large enough grievances with the show itself to go on long winded rants like I did with Murder Drones.

I will say though I can feel this becoming the Undertale of Indie animation. As in, people are going to praise the fuck out of this show to the point it becomes ridiculous. So far the show isn't terrible but I wouldn't say it's like the best thing ever either but people will make it sound like it is I'm sure just like they did with Undertale.

 

[Trollblade69]

Speaking of Undertale, we didn't get a new Deltarune this year. Wonder what Radiation's been up to.

 

[Rembrandt]

Pomni was indeed blatantly flirting with the NPC

Gotta feed the fandom crowd something

people are fine with referring to her as a she

Isn't Zooble supposed to be Goonworx's self insert? That'd be quite transphobic and heckin problematic of the community not to obey the pronoun game.

 

[Doctor of Autism]

I will say though I can feel this becoming the Undertale of Indie animation. As in, people are going to praise the fuck out of this show to the point it becomes ridiculous. So far the show isn't terrible but I wouldn't say it's like the best thing ever either but people will make it sound like it is I'm sure just like they did with Undertale.

It helps that both Undertale and Digital Circus pretty much accomplish what they set out to do and tell stories with a vibrant set of characters, but both have pretty cringeworthy fandoms.

 

[Metallic Blood]

So how are you going to autistically over-criticize this episode, Kiwis?

Kinger only has one line of dialogue and never appears once in the main adventure, absolutely trash episode, 0/10.

Nah, but overall, this is the weakest episode and I think it's fine, it traded comedy and spectacle for way more character development, which is lovely to see. They actually made me Zooble likeable for once, and I liked seeing Gangle's arc of not faking herself and bottling up her emotions.

Ragatha seems like the nicest and most approachable. But the issue with people like her is that they aren’t very genuine. Toxic positivity types

I honestly don't fully blame her considering everyone knows the circus is pretty much hell, so trying to be positive and making feel people wanted is maybe the only thing she thinks she can help with. If her fake attitude is a good or bad thing... well, it's bad, but again, I can't really blame her.

Doesn't help that the last guy got abstracted 3 days ago, so she probably feels bad about failing to do her "job".

I will say though I can feel this becoming the Undertale of Indie animation. As in, people are going to praise the fuck out of this show to the point it becomes ridiculous. So far the show isn't terrible but I wouldn't say it's like the best thing ever either but people will make it sound like it is I'm sure just like they did with Undertale.

I know dang well if this show got released when I was 14, I would be so overly autistic about it like I was with FNAF. It doesn't help that I can't really think any other popular animated shows that are happening right now, and those other shows are at least as competent as TADC.

As an adult, it's a good and solid show, but I can see how my fellow 14 year olds would think it's anything more than that.

 

[ReceiveAndAsk]

There is a reverse Bechdel test for children's media. 'Is there a positive, masculine figure in the piece of media?'.
Caine's brain is fried, Jax is a mean spirited bully. But surprisingly, Kinger passes this when he's not schizophrenic.

 

[Doctor of Autism]

The biggest irony of Digital Circus is that despite not having swearing and its colorful, childish appearance. The show is intended for older audiences (according to gooseworx), and given all the existential dread, I can definitely see it. Especially with the latest episode since I feel like you can't really relate to it unless you have some of those experiences someone who grew up could have. But the show does work around that it still is enjoyable even if you don't really get all that stuff.

But honestly between this show and Smiling Friends, it is nice to see creative people from the internet actually make it and make good content.

 

[Mystery Spy]

I honestly don't fully blame her considering everyone knows the circus is pretty much hell, so trying to be positive and making feel people wanted is maybe the only thing she thinks she can help with. If her fake attitude is a good or bad thing... well, it's bad, but again, I can't really blame her.

Doesn't help that the last guy got abstracted 3 days ago, so she probably feels bad about failing to do her "job".

I don’t blame her either. I don’t think she is a bad person. Not as far as we know at least (supposedly all of them did things that made them deserve being there according to Gooseworks). But I do think being a little double faced was a character flaw of hers even before she got into the circus.

I don’t think she is secretly an asshole. But, like she has hinted at, she has a pathological need to be liked. I do think she is genuinely nice to an extent. But I also think she is also very insincere to the point of toxic positivity. Denying reality. This flaw is why she can’t truly make genuine connections with people like Gangle hinted.


Now that I think about it, I gotta admit these characters do have genuine depth, and have been well written so far.

 

[wtfNeedSignUp]

It's interesting that people have different rankings for the episodes. Personally really likes it because it switched around a lot of characters after they've been rather monotone since the beginning. Jax especially when he was forced to act normal and he is actually not as unlikable. Also it seems like the adventures react to subconscious feelings of the cast.

So far the series is good. Plenty varied, the cast is fun and it doesn't go too far either into darkness or heckin wholesome.

 

[Mystery Spy]

I don't know if Goosework is being stopped by someoneone high up. I have known many woke writters that seem great but are actually wrangled and start to suck the instant they are free to do whatevever. But I gotta admit I've been pleasantly surprised so far.

It's not been perfect as Zooble is the obvious trans/current day BS metaphor. I do think it's odd someone like Jax would respect pronouns (in the suggestion box he reffered to her as "they"). But it's been nothing too egregious so far. We haven't been lectured about pronouns for example.

First time I see someone like Gooseworks doesn't deliver narcissistic insane trash Let's see if the trend continues.

 

[Gender: Xenomorph]

Two implications:
1) Caine took note that adventures should punish people for underperforming in an adventure...
2) Adventures can affect the mental state of people.

 

[BigJoey41X]

Isn't Zooble supposed to be Goonworx's self insert? That'd be quite transphobic and heckin problematic of the community not to obey the pronoun game.

I'm sure this a tweet/tumblr reply he posted that I couldn't be bothered to source out, but he publicly stated anyone can refer to Zooble "as any pronoun" and he wouldn't care, so thats why people are okay with calling her a she without being jumped at their throat.