#chinchilladraws

Mondo is a pull-along duck toy for several reasons. Firstly, being on wheels at all times is simply fitting for a biker, and him being a duck references the "duck's ass" hairstyle greasers and those of similar subcultures often sport (Mondo partially included). The toy choice is also supposed to bring to mind the absence of a leader, the little duckling's "mother." It also symbolizes how he's constantly following in someone else's footsteps, unable to deviate, even if it would be much better for him sometimes if he did. His Circus name alludes to this, as the word "draggle" means "to make something wet and dirty by dragging it through mud or water."

The rabbit-duck illusion motif came a bit later into development, when he was actually being drawn. For practical reasons it was to add more visual interest, but it has symbolic meaning as well. It is a representation of the two sides of him, the aggressive and arrogant persona in the front as the duck (think cartoon ducks like Donald and Daffy) and a rabbit, a timid, reactive prey animal hidden behind it. There's something too about the bunny always looking back. Like he's always in that state of mind when he remembers his past, his mistakes...

The ideas behind Kiyotaka's design are perhaps a bit more obvious. He's a very particular, punctual person, so of course he's a clock. An alarm clock, in particular, the thing that wakes you up to begin a productive day of work or school. That hardworking aspect of his character is why I heavily associate Taka with ants, so there's that part down, too. But what about the rubberhose thing? That stems from the very particular character alarm clock I took inspiration from: a Norakuro alarm clock.

Norakuro is Felix the Cat-inspired dog character who starred in Japanese military propaganda comics during WWII, and was hugely successful. He was so successful in fact that after the war he was often used in non-military contexts like anime series and novelty merchandise like said clock. Obviously, the military aspect fits Kiyotaka's disciplined little soldier vibe very well. There's also an aspect of old-fashioned, outdated ideas being perpetuated so innocently that plays so deliciously on his stated insecurities in FTEs and the like about how difficult he finds it to relate to his peers.

Also listen to how this alarm sounds, with the trumpet blaring and the little guy just SCREAMING at you to wake up, and tell me that's not Kiyotaka-core: