Since Homestuck is trending again because of the Spindlehorse Pilot, I did just want to take a moment to remember “Usagi” Buzinkai, a really talented composer who wrote one of the most iconic and reoccurring melodies in Homestuck, Doctor.
Usagi was a brilliant musician and composer who tragically passed away in 2018. She was early in her transition at the time of her passing, and I was unable to find any confirmation of the name she preferred. I will be referring to her using her online moniker “Usagi” since we don’t know how she felt about the name she was given at birth, or if she wanted to change it.
She wrote many of the most beloved songs for Homestuck, as well as the soundtrack for the game Spelunkey.
Usagi was a part of the LGBTQ community, and talked about her experiences regarding her trans and ace identities openly and with joy.
Her Bandcamp and last album, Qualia, can be found here
Usagi’s music deeply impacted many people. Homestuck as a whole would not be the same without the iconic songs that she wrote for it. Her music influenced Toby Fox, who remixed Buzinkai’s song “Doctor” and sites the song as a major turning point in his growth as a musician.
I didn’t even know that she was the composer or that she had passed until a few years ago.
I was really upset to learn that someone who contributed so much to something I loved had passed and, in my opinion, never really received the wide-spread recognition she deserved for her art. My goal in making this post is to try and educate people who were unaware of her artistic contributions to Homestuck. I hope to honor her memory, as well as the beauty and music she brought to the world.
I’ll leave you with a really lovely quote from her regarding accepting and discovering one’s identity:
“…There's nothing like that first time stepping out as yourself, talking about who you are meant to be without fear. The world might come knocking, but when it does, knock back louder and say it loudly and proudly;
"This is my life. This is who I am right now. I won't wear a mask for you."”
