You ever stare at Mugman and Cuphead for multiple hours a day and realise...
That Cuphead's crack and Mugman's lack of one is actually probably really good symbology? (Warning for discussions of suicide and how society views it, and my rambling, hopefully some of it makes sense)
Like putting aside the fact that the chip is already good character design; It immediately gives off the impression that Cuphead has a few screws loose, especially because it's on his head. It can later be recontextualised with more knowledge of the character as a scar he got as a more close range fighter than Mugman as in close range fights you tend to get a shit ton of hits to the head and face.
But also!!
You can look at it from a symbolic lens in that utensils with chips are generally more useful and more desired. They're prettier, you can present them to guests without fearing an impression of poverty or penny-pinching, you don't have to really worry about a chip turning into a bigger crack, you don't have to avoid a chip when you're drinking something out of it, and so on and so forth. The only two reasons people really keep chipped cups around, as far as I'm aware, is either sentimental value or they don't want to deal with the hassle of finding a new cup because of money or not viewing it as enough of an inconvenience to do so. Still I doubt those people give those to guests.
And Mugman is generally the more 'useful' and palatable twin(in some aspects)
Firstly, He's simply more efficient because of the simple fact he can focus better than Cuphead on tasks he dislikes. He's also less likely to give away important information and less likely to let down his guard as he trusts absolutely no one unlike Cuphead who trusts way too much for his own good. There's also his obsession with completing the mission, which for all the damage it does, it does help him be more efficient than Cuphead.
Secondly, he's probably easier to get along with as with most people he will attempt to be as palatable as humanly(toonly) possible and not take too much space. He, like most socially anxious people, has decided to just avoid trying to avoid failure. You can't really complain about someone who has never interacted with you in a meaningful way
But Cuphead
Good lord Cuphead, he's simply not palatable in this sense at all
People who hate him have a shit ton of fodder for their reasoning: He's loud, he can feel callous at times, he talks too much, he IS too much(for certain people)
Heck, if you really want to get into it!!
MUGMAN'S SUICIDALITY IS MORE PALATABLE THAN CUPHEAD'S SUICIDALITY
The first time we see Mugman be suicidal, it is something that most people even in our society which shames suicidal people would easily understand and be able to empathise with because think about the conditions in which Mugman was suicidal and urged Boris to use the bat on him:
He had just killed his brother
There seemed very little hope of getting his mission finished which may lead into those who contracted him and his brother killing him anyway
He had just given Boris what will most likely be the worst night of his entire life from having to run from this man and hunted like a prey animal with the largest gun he's probably laid his eyes on
Meanwhile look at the conditions in which Cuphead was suicidal(not saying Cuphead is selfish as I'm not that stupid but I'm simply pointing out what may be pointed out by dummies who don't take mental health seriously):
He had a mission to finish
He had a brother to go back to and support
He had, seemingly, no immediate reason to want to commit suicide(All his reasons weren't as immediately visible as Mugman's e.g. his guilt is rooted in the past, not the present and hidden behind a DEEP layer of emotional disassociation)
For a lot of people, they would see these suicidal ideations as Mugman being selfless and taking responsibility for his actions and Cuphead being a moody selfish man with issues
Both technically have the same issue and should be treated the exact same way(with empathy and the understanding that they're going through terrible shit) but Mugman's situation is significantly easier to understand than Cuphead's.
Then lastly, Mugman was an 'easier' child to raise than Cuphead. Mugman's problems as a child were probably much easier to ignore than Cuphead's. Cuphead would very easily be labelled as a 'problem child' with his tendency to not suck it up and do things he hates or not sit still. He probably was more likely to get involved with shady people due to his tendency to trust others easily unlike Mugman who was probably that kid who would run if a stranger offered him candy. Cuphead probably also loved to explore as child(not the easiest to manage as a caretaker as children may go somewhere dangerous if not under supervision) and he's more of a rulebreaker. Mugman is simply easier to neglect as all you will get is an oddly sad child in the corner, for Cuphead you get trouble and perhaps a bad reputation.
ALSO
Miscellaneous list of ways Mugman seems more 'useful' than Cuphead:
He has dip, Cuphead doesn't
He can read, Cuphead can't
He shoots long range. Not saying that in this sense he's ever more so superior but have you ever noticed how long range shooters are always characterised as smart and calculated and short range fighters are characterised as generally more dumb or hotheaded? (There's a bit of reason behind this ofc, but just thought it was interesting)
And finally...
Cuphead can be more palatable than Mugman in certain aspects. He is not completely the more hateable twin because:
Like a chipped cup, he can be viewed as having more 'personality' than his brother as he opens up a lot more and is more talkative and generally entertaining. Just look at how many more people have Cuphead as their favourite than Mugman, not just in MOTM but in general from the game to the show. Mugman is more looked at even in the og media he's in as sidekick, a complementary character: after all it's the CUPHEAD show and the CUPHEAD game. Even in playthroughs more people play as Cuphead. Heck, Cuphead even has a more 'appealing' colour than Mugman(More people gravitate towards red than blue)
FUN FACT: Blue is also more likely to be poisonous in nature than red, like how Mugman is more volatile than Cuphead
He's also a lot less intimidating, due to the fact he's more trusting and willing to open up and just generally more extroverted
WOW
You read
All of that?
Here's a sketch I like lol:
Kay bye
Feel free to criticise this but not too harshly chat. I was rambling quite a bit and off the top of my head(The colours are there for simulation of the mind, lol)
