The Minish Cap has a lot of things going for it. The sprite work is beautiful. The characters are hilarious. The deepening of Vaati as a villain beyond what we’d seen in previous games is masterful. Perhaps more than all of those things, what makes The Minish Cap so good is its core mechanic of shrinking down. It’s a simple concept that adds such an amazing layer to the game. Not only does it create a second world to explore, but it also adds a ton of cuteness to the game. Having books tower over you, a simple Chuchu turning into a boss, and even raindrops threatening to wash away Hyrule’s best chance at salvation was just such a cute concept. In their art titled “TLOZ: Minish Cap”, Jasqreate uses the dimensions and background to capture this feeling of being a tiny hero with a big heart in an even bigger world.
A good place to start analysis of any Zelda art is with the protagonist, and Link stands squarely in the bottom-center of this art. Ezlo sits on his head and both the cappy companion and the hero are staring upwards. The hero holds a leaf above his head as a natural umbrella. Link’s mouth is wide open with astonishment. The rain that is no more than an annoying mist at his full size is now the size of fists. The world of The Minish Cap takes the concept of being pummeled by rain very seriously!
Most of the time, Link is the most interesting thing in a piece of art, but I love how Jasqreate subverts this by having the background be the most compelling part of this art. By choosing to make the art be very tall, it makes the hero seem smaller. The background filled with greenery and leaves literally towers over the hero making him seem tiny in comparison. The softball-sized drops of water rolling down each leaf become dangers, and the line of blue down the center hints at even more danger. The line of cerulean splitting the art’s background hints at a coming flood. If Link and Ezlo don’t hurry, they may find themselves washed away.
The way Jasqreate is able to take a simple concept of Link and Ezlo being in a rainy forest and elevate it through the choice to have the background stretch even upwards is astounding. It shows an artist who knows the tools available to them and how to use them. In doing so, I came away especially impressed with how a small choice can make a big impact. Reflecting on it, I don’t think you can get more Minish than that.
