One thing I have always loved about The Legend of Zelda is the sense of whimsy and wonder that the characters invoke. For me, the character and enemy designs in The Wind Waker and its sequels have always been top tier. They have that cartoony fun that fits the game’s art style but are still able to convey so much pathos through facial expression. Then, sometimes, they just look silly.
Returning artist Banan-chan posted this piece, “*STARE*”, to Zelda Universe’s very own DeviantArt group that captures the purest essence of what makes The Wind Waker so universally beloved, especially if you know the context behind it.
The picture shows Link standing on sand while holding two Morths up to his eyes. The Morths’ unblinking eyes look forward, peering into the very depths of your soul. Meanwhile, a couple more lay on the ground, looking very confused at this strange turn of events. It’s a fun piece that really evokes the goofiness of The Wind Waker.
I didn’t think there would be much more to talk about with this piece until I discovered that this is actually a reference to Link’s 4-Koma Nautical Logbook, a sort of parody manga that tells a very high-level version of the story. This is a yonkoma manga, which is a vertical four-panel manga that is read from right to left. As it is a kind of parody of the story, there is a bunch of humor that fits this game so well. Below is the panel that Banan-chan was inspired by.
What I love about this scene, in particular, is the interaction between the King of Red Lions and Link. The whole strip is the King saying, “Come on, stop goofing off, it’s time to go” and Link, well, continues to goof off. One thing that I think everyone forgets is that Linkin this story is just a kid. He’s a young boy who is thrust into this incredible adventure in order to save his sister. He can’t be serious all of the time.
I think The Wind Waker is a perfect example to illustrate this. In-game, he can’t be the silly one, so the world is silly instead. But, in spin-off stuff like Link’s 4-Koma Nautical Logbook, there is room to be fun and goof off. Link gets to be a kid for once, even in the direst of circumstances. Luckily (and unfortunately for Link), the King of Red Lions is there to keep him grounded on his mission.
