Flipped Images

From Homestar Runner Wiki

Revision as of 18:46, 12 November 2009

Choosing between fresh and fly

When animating characters from different angles, it is often easier to flip images rather than draw new ones. While often this technique works, without careful attention the flip will reverse text or other asymmetric features unintentionally. The Brothers Chaps will sometimes do this intentionally as a parody of cheap or amateur animation, although sometimes they fall prey to this themselves. Matt has referred to this as "Blue Laser Commander eyepatch syndrome."

Appearances in Alternate Animation Styles

Cheat Commandos

• Blue Laser Commander's eyepatch often switches eyes, though the Blue Laser insignia on his chest usually doesn't.
• Silent Rip's headset and vest buttons switch sides.
• Fightgar's ammunition sash switches sides.
• The aisle of Price Style that has been shown has the same goods on both sides, but flipped.
• Cheat Commandos — Fightgar, shooting his machine gun, flips a few times, switching his shooting arm a few times. This is seen again in an Easter egg in virus.
• Let us give TANKS! — The fork in the injured Blue Laser Minion's eye switches eyes depending on which direction he is facing.
• An Important Rap Song — The "fresh honey" scene is the same as the "fly girlie" scene, but flipped; the "BL" logos on the Blue Laser Minion's and Blue Laser Commander's uniforms are backwards.
• 2 Part Episode: Part 1 — Flashfight's medals switch sides. Silent Rip's Jaded Teen Pizza hat's logo flips as well.
• 2 Part Episode: Part 2 — The text on Dryghost's T-shirt is backwards when he is seen riding the Ramshankle.

Powered by the Cheat

• Most characters have a noticeable flip animation when turning around.
• New Boots — The Cheat's cool boots sometimes have the dollar sign backwards. Homestar's sock-covered foot changes after being knocked down. Coach Z's medallion is sometimes shown backwards in the scenes with multiple Coach Zs in front of the multicolor background.
• Rap Song — Tenerence Love's watch switches wrists.

Others

• Teen Girl Squad 3 — After meeting a possum, What's Her Face's exposed leg switches sides when the girls pose.
• Ballad of the Sneak — The monocles on the members of The Barbershop Trio occasionally switch eyes.
• The Homestar Runner Gets Something Stuck In His Craw — The duck on Homestar's shirt flips before Homestar somersaults.
• The Limozeen Advantage — When Limozeen is running from the Galactic Space Hippo Spider, one scene is simply the previous scene flipped. The band members' shirts are flipped, reversing the Z logo and Perry's shirt design.

Appearances in the Standard Animation Style

• Marzipan's eyes are occasionally backwards. In the DVD commentaries for marzipan and suntan, Matt accuses Mike of doing this. Other characters with mismatched eyes, like Bubs and The Poopsmith, have their eyes placed consistently, so Marzipan is a bit of an anomaly.
• Senor Cardgage's combover switches sides. In the DVD commentaries for alternate universe and rated, Mike points this out.
• Features on the Tragic Clown Dog costume switch sides, most notably the teardrop and, in On Break, the door for Strong Bad's face.
• A Jorb Well Done — The label on the "job" tape is backwards in some scenes.
• A Decemberween Pageant — Coach Z's headset switches sides.
• Email ghosts — The Ghostbusters logo on Strong Bad's T-shirt is sometimes backwards.
• Email dragon — Coach Z's Wormdingler drawing flips. Mike points this out in the DVD commentary.
• Email personal favorites — The Kikkoman logo is backwards on some soy sauce bottles.
• Email couch patch — In the Strong Sad flashback where Lil' Strong Bad is writing on the couch, the text on the marker is mirrored.
• Strong Bad is in Jail Cartoon — The Pom Pilot has its text reversed. Coach Z's medallion is backwards at one point as well.
• Halloween Fairstival — Strong Mad's Pistons jersey is reversed when leaving the locker room.
• Email pom pom — The BMW Lighter has a backwards logo at some points.
• Email other days — Homestar's polo shirt, with "Diskettes Etc." on it, switches sides and yields backwards text.
• Email garage sale — Gooblies's image is flipped, as evidenced by the "G" on the tag being backwards.
• Email portrait — In the Easter egg, the keyswordtar switches directions as Strong Bad waves it around.
• Email more armies — Coach Z's medallion briefly appears backwards.
• Email bike thief — The Bubs' Old Pizza box is backwards.
• Email 4 branches — Strong Bad's polo shirt's logo switches sides.
• Blubb-O's Commercial — The advertised burger flips when its name is changed.
• Rotten Eggs — Strong Bad tosses the egg between his hands, flipping the text on it.
• Most in the Graveyard — The buttons on Homestar's shirt switch sides when he faces different ways, as do The Cheat's zippers as he faces different directions.

See Also

• Hanna-Barbera