#captain pyrehart

Neathian Special Squad - Sketchy / Unfinished animation and frames dump

These were my past attempts at animating featuring the squad - posting some stuff and frames to signal they (and me) are still alive and kicking.

/ Sorry for partially becoming a Bakugan OC blog, but I’m still having so much fun with these kids! /

As always, a little talk under the cut ˘ down under ˘

Talking under here ˘

It’s always such a delight watching characters coming alive - hopefully I can collect motivation and inspiration to do more and better animations in the future - but until then I just keep talking about them. :)

The first video is supposed to be Cassie’s very first training session - This is just a short sequence about Taeli helping Manda up, picking up her spear and saying some words.

The gif with Taeli and Sabator was just a test - the story is actually complicated at this point, and honestly, I still haven’t figured it out yet.

The rest are just frames from the video and something, that never progressed further than sketch.

/ On the sidenote: I love interpreting, that Neathian ears are able to move to some degree, and they use their V shaped foreheads as eyebrows for conveying emotions - even if not for real, but at least for the cartoony effect haha! /

After almost an entire year, I finally found some aspiration, and sat down to write a little ‘talk-about-the-NSS’ post for the dudes of the squad: Captain Pyrehart and Jaxs!

Sadly, I don’t have as much content for the guys, as I had for the girls, so this post will contain less drawings - But it still tries to follow the order and structure of the previous one featuring the girls, containing thoughts on their personalities and appearances.

Let us get into it!

Captain Pyrehart

His real name is Alric Pyrehart, but it’s common for everyone to refer to him as his surname, along with ‘Captain’ or just simply ‘Pyre’ or ‘Sir’. I always imagined him to be a 40 year old-ish person with the mentality of someone being in their 20s. He is still fresh, and hasn’t lost his flexibility and curiosity over the years. Positive and quite the optimist about every situation

If I had to say one word to describe Pyre, it would be ‘caring’. Extremely responsible and trustworthy, he is the head of the strike team, which he manages both with dignity and consideration. In his eyes the 'kids’ still have to learn a trick or two, but in reality, he treats the team as his good friends. In combat he calls the shots - outside of it works as a great reassuring and encouraging force. This is especially important for Cassie, as she sees him as a kind of mentor figure of her life.

/ Fun fact: Pyre and Taeli had known and considered each other friends before the special squad was formed. He only got to know the others during recruitment. /

Appearance: Pyre wears his hair in a little low-ponytail. Additionally he is very proud of his beard and other facial hair: Under his sidebang, he has little sideburns both sides. Secretly he always wanted to grow a moustache too.

His bodytype is of the average male Neathian - with just enough muscles to wield his weapon and his armor. But this is not something to be looked down upon - he is still the second in terms of strenght on the team.

He is hardly ever seen in anything else than his military attire - even in his free time he likes to wear his uniformised clothing.

Jaxs (or just ‘J’)

Jaxs (or just J for short) is the second tallest, but the biggest and most muscular member of the team.

Jaxs hardly ever talks. He is not mute, he just doesn’t like speaking, and only does so, when it’s a must. (When he does, he has a relative deep voice too.) On baseline he communicates through mimics and gestures. His eye shape is of the normal average Neathian, he just usually keeps his eyelids half closed as J is really laid-back and calm. A chill big guy, who may look intimidating at first, but a friendly and gentle dude in reality.

Within the squad he and Manda share a 'bro-sis’ kind of friendship, often hanging out together (sometimes in a loose band with a couple of others as well) when they are not with the team, or can be found playing or racing each other. Out of the two, Manda is the more incented to compete, but he likes to pick up her pace and play along.

/ Fun fact: J has a really good sense of rhythm and hand-eye-foot coordination. He is considered to be master talent at juggling with things - for most part with weapons. Additionally he also likes to plays the drums as a hobby. /

Just like with Manda, for Cassie, J is the amusing big sibling figure. He is the one she usually asks to do fun things with - like juggle with training weapons or sledding down a hill!

Appearance: Jaxs is always seen with his hairband. He doesn’t like to be without it, as it’s both great for keeping his hair out of his eyes and functions as his comfort item. / It was initially unintentional, but I think I happened to put him on the autistic spectrum, when I was thinking about him./

Outside of this, his sideburns and small goatee makes him also recognisable.

Due to his muscular build-up and additional training, his upper buddy strenght is unmatchable by the others. This, his size and his lack of words renders him an intimidating and fearful foe to the enemies.

Another NSS sketch dump featuring some character interactions with their canon adversary Gundalians.

I’ve always found fascinating to imagine, how canon and fan characters could get along - or not get along for this matter.
The Squad are obviously not fond of the Twelve Orders:

- Manda finds Gill particularly annoying /and this seems to be mutual too/

- Although Taeli may be able to find balance with Nurzak - he has peaceful intentions, and is that possible, that they may share a common goal?

- The last one is just Cassie pointing at herself on a picture/drawing (which could have been made by herself). She is so proud to be there!

I refuse to believe I’ve never posted this entire version of the comic about how Cassie got recruited into the Strike team. Here it is. As always, comments and explanation under here:

So, I may have mentioned before, but the Squad functioned as a Special Strike Force under the Commander (Jin in their time), being on the same hierarchy level as Elright (Pyrehart posesses the title Captain too). Pyrehart and Elright used to be colleagues, and it was Pyre’s responsibility, to put a team together of meele weapon-wielder Neathians, who operate as a distraction for the Gundalians. Their task was not to eliminate the Twelve Orders, but to keep them busy during Bakugan battles, split their attention and give less room for them to activate abilities or focus on the fight. This strategy allows the Neathian forces to gain advantage on their opponents, and help them win.

Pyre meets up and talks about one particular staffing issue, which is a missing component from his team: They need somebody to function as ‘The shield of the team’; Somebody, who can carry, lift and transport quickly a particularly heavy shield.

Thank Elright (and a lucky timing) the best candidate was just running in the quarters.

Cassie used to be a heavy-inforcements courrier within the Palace and Neathia’s main military base. (On Neathia teleportation may exist, but I believe, that due to the teleportation-infrastructure and the relative short distances within the Palace, courriers were employed to transport occasional supplies to the different military quarters. For example ensuring, that the teleportation system is not overwhelmed or overused, they carry things on feet from one place to another.)

Cassie was the fastest of them all, constatly breaking her own running time-records. She knew the Palace in and out: being quick on her feet and with the weights on her back she was the perfect candidate! This is how she got recruited into the Strike team.