It's not flying, it's falling with style

278: Wingull

Seagulls are a perfect fit for a more island-ey region, so Wingull here almost fulfills the role of a second "common bird". And it's a delightfully cartoonized seagull, looking almost like if the flying mustaches kids draw to represent distant birds actually was a bird. A tiny body, but huuuuge wings that look a bit more like long arms than actual wings.

What's curious about Wingull is its potential inspirations in rubberhose animation! And we say "potential" because there's not really enough concrete here to say for sure, but the shape of its wings and the way its "eyebrows" are combined with the dot eyes make it look a little bit like a rubberhose cartoon, doesn't it?

Just renewed for its 7th season

279: Pelipper

The rubberhose especially comes through with Pelipper, looking a lot like a cartoon pelican with the odd stylization to its eyes (unless we are to believe Pelipper has four eyes) and the floppy way it flaps its wings. As usual with us though, boy we wish this was pushed a bit further somehow. Of course, doing so would run the risk of some art style dissonance, but it just needs a SMIDGE more there to like, convince us these ties aren't just a coincidence. Something there to make this feel more deliberate.

As a design though, Pelipper is nice for how simple it is. It feels like gulls and pelicans both kinda deserve their own line, but I guess why not knock out two sea birds with one stone? Though speaking of features that feel there but aren't quite there enough to feel on purpose; doesn't Pelipper look a bit like a pitcher in shape? Maybe? Just us?