we need to talk about self insert ocs.

getting something very important and very embarrassing off of my chest

✧ program: procreate
✧ editing software: filmora 12
✧ tablet: ipad pro 12.9 inch

music:
✧ legal woes - freddy fazbear's pizzeria simulator
✧ magolor, the far flung traveler - kirby's return to dreamland
✧ starship mario a - super mario galaxy
✧ green star - super mario galaxy
✧ aquatic ambiance - donkey kong country
✧ dire dire docks - super mario 64

[dogmanimnotboring]

but how does this affect lebron james legacy???

[rubynights]

Aizawa is literally Horikoshi's self insert. He took the things he thinks are the worst traits of himself and put them into Aizawa. Decently closely including appearance, even! Aizawa's an extremely loved and vital-to-the-story character with a cool as hell very OP when used well power. No one says Aizawa is cringe. Why?

[hadrianhexe]

'Some franchises inspired me so much, i had to insert myself into it'
I have NEVER felt so seen.

[eddie-roo]

Most people don’t even connect that self inserts and sonas are the same thing. Most think self inserts are childish and poorly written, while sonas are cool and something you are encouraged to make in art challenges. It never crosses their mind that they are the exact same thing.

[boothillsboot]

"Self inserts are cringe" me when I don't like having fun and experiencing whimsical joy in my life

[eleana]

Ok, honestly I LOVE this. Deku is honestly overpowered and so is, like, pretty much everyone else, so this makes sense, it fits, and I love it.

[planetomars]

I feel like every oc has a part of their creator in them. Soooo

GO WILD! Art is supposed to be FUN! Being in a fandom is supposed to be FUN!

[FritzMonorail]

I created my first OC while I was in elementary school. As I recall he was a perpetually upset chain smoking failed writer. When I took the drawing to school, the first question I received was "is that a boy or a girl" this became a theme throughout my life.

[StayestOfStays]

I view self inserts as a way to interact with comfort characters and belong to a world you love! Its a great feeling to draw those things😊

[mooonblooom]

Don't kill the part of you that is cringe, instead kill the part of you that cringes! Make as many mary-sue over-powered awesome cool beautiful self-insert OCs as you want, it's fun to go ham and not care what other people think. Obviously if you want to make an actual story, then yeah you'll need well-developed, diverse characters, but sometimes doing stuff for fun is...fun. Don't let anybody dictate how you make your art -- HAVE FUN!!

[mimaru]

as a person with maladaptive daydreaming self-insert OCs are literally part of me

[Jewls]

Hell yeah. I love when people embrace their “cringe” interests. Btw cringe as a concept doesn’t actually exist, and to anyone reading this, embracing your more cringy interests (both online and irl) will genuinely make you a happier person.

[FreakxWannaxBe]

I am a fully grown woman and I will always advocate for and love any and all self inserts. They're such a fun, self indulgent method of self care and self love.
It's an expression of love, both for the media we consume and for us as a person.

I went through a good part of my 20s ashamed of them, because I was publicly shamed for them by a person I considered close, and man, did that ever impact me badly. I closed myself off from one of the best and healthiest creative outlets I had. The moment I got over this shame by drunkenly making a self-insert Tumblr blog I flourished, and so many people came to support me there too, loving my self inserts as much as I do. I also feel like a lot of OCs are, in a way, a mirror of the author, exploring parts of them through characters they make.

It's also funny, because I have noticed a pattern where the same people who shit on self insert OCs will often consume so much reader-insert fics. Like girlie, self inserts and reader inserts are twins, siblings formed in the same cringe blaze, they are inseparable.

And in the end, some of the most renowned pieces of literature, like Dante's Inferno, are self insert fanfics in the end

[ghst_bys]

go!! cringe is dead!! make all of the self insert ocs you want!!

also i am OBSESSED with your art style. i love your content! keep it up :)

[ConfusedSoul_]

Any beginner artists reading this, you better go out there and make as many mary-sue, cringe, overpowered ocs as you want!

[kingryuuka]

I feel like we were all scared from the days of “this is a cringe deviant art post!” Where grown men would bully small children for making cute oc’s online.
We were all taught that a character that stands out and has a fun funky design, or one that is just wish fulfillment is bad.
But here’s their fun thing that no one tells you…
It doesn’t fucking matter! Your oc isn’t hurting anyone at all! It makes you happy and it’s practice in making a character that you like. It can even be helpful to you in a lot of ways, mentally, emotionally, and artistically.
It’s so fun to think about what YOU would be like in a universe!
It can also help you when creating other characters and universes. For example, if you are creating a witch character who has to navigate their new magic, and you already have experience putting yourself in a characters shoes to write them, writing this character might be just that much easier!
So stop being afraid to write self insert characters who interact directly with the main plot or characters
Who cares?
You aren’t effecting the main plot!
And even if someone claims their events are cannon, if you don’t like it, scroll? It’s not hard. It doesn’t effect you, and your comment isn’t going to make much or a difference in how they feel anyways.
Have fun with your art and stop listing to the younger you who is scared to make something fun, colorful, and even a bit cringe. Those old men bullying art can’t get you out here <3

[bunn.]

regardless if the art is “bad” or “cringe”, i honestly hate when people hate on people having fun. like, i understand when things are ACTUALLY problematic (like drawing CP or promoting SH behaviors), but if it isn’t harming anyone, why do people care so much? why is it “cringe” to just have fun? it may not be “cool” or “good” but who cares. if it doesn’t affect you, live and let live! especially with furries and OCs, as long as they aren’t harming anyone or promoting harmful behaviors, then it’s really not a big deal.

[panna]

i feel like people don’t understand that those canon characters are just the creator’s ocs! cringe is dead! do that you want! if you’re happy, and not harming anyone, then why should you stop?

[vfp]

I absolutely agree! I feel like cringe culture is taking away people's ability to just have fun and create something crazy. Like, every OC you make has to be realistic and flawed. They don't. Sometimes, we just need a break from the real world, and self-inserts can be a great way to simply escape, go on adventures and have fun. If you want to make a 'cringy' OC with a tragic backstory and too many powers for their own good - go ahead. Don't let anyone stop you if it genuinely makes you happy. :)

Also - thank you for making this video. I really appreciate this because I (and many other artists) do this too. I feel like people should be able to talk about their OCs because it can be really fun to do so!

[darkivyvai]

I really like self inserts or ocs people make. They’re fun and not really harmful, so make all the Mary Sues and don’t feel bad about it <33
also the art is