I haven't played Dream BBQ yet, I really really want to, but I've been seeing a modicum of Ena OCs here and there, and I find them quite charming
I do, however, also think that there's a lot of missed potential in the original facet of Ena that makes their design language so fun - that the two halves represent different expressions, and so they're stylistically different from eachother
Most people focus on the fact that each side is a different personality, and I find that very important, but the reason it works so well is because of that style, too
(I'll put this under a cut for those who want to not flood pages :D I may ramble on for longer than I intend lmao)
(I am pulling my knowledge from the original Ena animations and not from the game, so this will refer to that Ena specifically)
The happy side of Ena is represented in yellow. Bubbly, stylistically much more flat, but round and friendly. The sad side, however, has much more form and depth, but is angular and ridged. The body itself is also angular, not a perfect split down the middle.
When they become completely hopeless, their body switches to an extreme of their current state - the happy, bubbly side is now replaced with the same blocky appearance as the sad side. But when the happy side takes over, it only blots out the sad side's face, or corrupts the appearance entirely. It's not an even 50/50, but a coagulation of some sort of mix between the two, uneven as it is
You will never be 50% happy, 50% sad - you will never be an even split of anything, you will be a grey, uneven, confusing middle ground. And Ena specifically seems to have something almost like oil and water to that, where their sides are at odds
I think it would just be fun to have designs like.... let's say.... Watercolour on one side, and sketchy pens and pencils on the other. The watercolour keeps bleeding out the lineart on the one side, but the lineart keeps trying to contain the colour.
Or one side is animated in 60 fps, with higher resolution, while the other is animated on 12, with much lower pixel count. The lower resolution side lags behind the higher resolution side, but is much more consistent in its own framerate, while the 60 fps side may sometimes stutter.
(feel free to take these ideas, and tag me if you do! I'd love to see them :) )
I just think there's a lot to explore with the concept of unity within imbalance! I think it's fun to think about
EDIT: Let it be known RIGHT NOW that I LOVEEEE Ena ocs that also stick to the usual format. It's so charming how so so many unique ideas can come from one single concept! I'm just discussing ideas I've had, this is NOT a criticism
Kahit nahihirapan, kahit kinakabahan. Smile lang, kahit walang kasiguraduhan, smile lang, kahit nag da-doubt na, kahit gabi-gabi nalang umiiyak, tapos kinabukasan parang walang nangyari.. I still believe that Heaven's got a plan for me. Hindi ko alam kung kailan, kung paano, pero alam ko, malapit na, magiging completely happy na ako... I trust in God pa rin.
