expanding on how childishness is represented in toya
i've talked a lot about how toya's stories and how his actions represent his inner child, but i wanted to talk a little more about this detail i've noticed in the "error" artwork for toukasuru ondo.
in the error 2DMV, i've noticed these details — firstly, the off-shoulder overall strap, and secondly, the uneven roll up of his pants. lastly, oversized long sleeve. thinking deeper into them, it is these differences that completely change the imagery.
i thought that not wearing the overall straps properly adds a very playful and curious kind of look. in a way, it also makes the outfit more childish and cute (but not in a negative manner)
a lot of toya's character is centered around his child-at-heart with his love for everything around him and desire to learn about everything around him, getting his hands dirty in every experienced offered to him. it contrasts to his more serious side; as you'd think toya would wear it properly like his neat and serious side, but the fact he doesn't in the "error" 2dmv puts emphasis on the bounciness and the playfulness of the song and the lyrics. these details also succinctly tells us about who toya really is in his heart, without toya needing to directly tell us.
the generally oversized fitting of the outfit gives me an imagery of a more boy-ish side of toya — where maybe, you’d wear clothes one or two sizes too big because you’re growing, getting them a little dirty because you’re so busy experiencing everything around you. this is the toya who looks at the details with such innocent colorful wonder, that you can’t help but adore that childish aspect in him. that despite being so immature in some aspects, he is growing bit by bit every single day. toya is one who would jump into a pile of autumn leaves in an instant, yet would also know when to sit and listen and i think that is the perfect description of toya’s childishness.
in the "error" mv art toya's pants are also rolled up unevenly and i think it adds even more to that perhaps playful, youthful look.
the off-shoulder straps, uneven roll-up of his pants, makes his slight clumsiness come alive, as he does things for the first time. yet, like a child, toya learns fast and masters so many skills because of his pure wonder. it is a image of toya’s "first time" doing so many things — clumsily rolling up his pants so they don't get caught in the sand, his overall strap falling loose off his shoulder because he had so much fun running in the wind and getting his hair in his face.
this playfulness matches with the parts of him that are still immature, as he is still continuing to grow and by extension, his inner little toya who loved picture books and colorful music. i imagine that the all the colors in the card art is how toya sees his world.
toya's "gathering place" is a home where he can explore with that playful innocence. he can touch, feel and listen to all the sights and objects around him, using them as fuel for music that comes from his heart. these little details about the outfit, the song, the card all speak to me, describing toya's inner world like a bright picture book.
i love the way colorful palette injects so much color into toya’s stories, and making that child-like wonder a true part of what makes toya. seeing it only makes me hope that future stories build even more on this. toya’s curiosity is one that is limitless.
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