Djinn Entonic also has my favorite description in the game: *"* A mysterious cosmic waiter with impeccable table service. It isn’t entirely clear what kind of drinks they serve, only that they are “family-friendly” and “not affecting the age rating of the game". *"*
This reminds me of Identity V x Danganronpa Collab event where I get skins for the characters. One of these characters is Demi Bourbon the Barmaid who's ability is you guessed it, healing her teammates by mixing drinks for them and for her skin, she gets Junko where her description says "Junk prohibit minors from drinking" and apparently, her drinks are "sodas".
I’m pretty sure “Clocksley” is referencing “Locksley,” the place Robin Hood is from; “Robin of Locksley” Also, fun fact: Aleph is used in math as a sign of infinite series. Aleph Null means the first infinite series, the smallest infinity
One you missed on Kirikuri: It's literally a Karakuri, or an old timey Japanese "robot" of sorts made of wood. Also Queenyx could be made of Onyx which is a material sometimes used for chess pieces.
I'm so glad this game has been getting the attention it deserves. There is so much love and charm put into it and they're still making content for it. More Pokemon-like games deserve recognition just as much as it.
Fun fact about Draculeaf: There is a bizarre myth of a bloodthirsty pumpkin appropriately called the Vampire Pumpkin who is related to the Vampire Watermelon.
@@beckhampang191 "The story is associated with the Romani people of the region, from whom much of traditional vampire folklore originated. the outside of an aged watermelon. The belief in vampire fruit is similar to the belief that any inanimate object left outside during the night of a full moon will become a vampire." -Wikipedia
First, absolutely love that you're covering this game, absolutely having a blast with it myself Second, about Clocksley, I believe the reason for the "sley", along with a reason for the name as a whole, is due to one of the many epithets of Robin Hood being Robin of Loxley (also spelled Locksley), with the village of Loxley in Sheffield UK being claimed as the birthplace of Robin Hood (even if this is somewhat disputed sometimes).
The Fragliacci one was a bit bastardized... but otherwise, great work! Fragliacci is meant to be a portmanteau of frag (in the sense of explosives and cannons, its body IS a cannon) and Pagliacci (an italian opera about a clown who murders his wife and her lover on stage.) Great video! Glad to see this game getting some more attention!
Kinda strange how he messed some of these up considering that each to you get a cassette to level 5 you’ll get a bestiary entry for said beast that directly tells some of its inspirations
I like how cassette beasts have different design philosophies from pokemon, which makes it stand out. It reminds me of how Digimon can just evolve into very different but still simmilar monsters
I think the best example to show off the differences would be Hopskin and Sableye, since both are very unique despite being based in the exact same cryptid
Cassette Beasts feels unique but still orderly. Digimon is just chaos honestly. You start with a Tamagotchi, evole into a Pokemon, and end up as either a Gundam or an SMT Demon. Oh and they usually turn into a regualr ass woman half way through.
Kunekos name was based on kunai and Neko And the way you're meant to pronounce the name is (ko-ni-ko) It has like a Japanese anime kind of accent to the way it's pronounced
12:13 I think Apocrolypse could also have ties to the Nuckelavee, an evil harbinger of death and disease in Scottish folklore that takes the form of a skinless horse with an also skinless human torso attatched to its back, emerging from the sea to bring pain and strife to all
“Aleph Null” is also a concept in modern mathematics, specifically “the smallest of all infinities”, with the next smallest being “Aleph One”. (Yes; some infinities are bigger than others.) So Aleph Null being a fusion of most the other archangels comes acrossed as an attempt at infinite power.
I really like how, unlike a lot of other Poke-Likes, this game seems to understand that not every creature needs to be cute or cool to be lovable. There's some downright weird ones that makes you scratch your head on how the hell they came up with it, and that's what makes these creature designs stand out and be as charming as they are.
I've been saying for a long time now that some of the weirdest Pokemon are some of the most interesting. I'd argue that whatever formula that Pokemon was originally using completely changed by like Gen 4. Also, I love how much the regualr monsters in Cassette Beasts are directly inspired by folktales and myths, as it fits into the game's lore then theming.
Not to mention its monster design aesthetic feels actually unique rather than trying to ape the aesthetic of Pokemon, unlike quite a few mon colles out there. If anything Id compare its monster design philosophy to yokai watch more than Pokemon. Just with less juvenile humor and overabundance of clones and humanoids lmao.
Nowhere Monarch is also pretty clearly a Beetles reference. Its name references the song "nowhere man" and its artstyle is based on the one used in the Yellow Submarine movie.
The song part is A bit of A stretch, but I have nothing to say on the second one, because I don’t know what you are referring to… Alright, lad, that’s enough reading of this comment… Carry on, carry on… Why are you still HEEEEEE-
"Lenna isn't really an Archangel" Did you finish Lenna's Inception? Because the twist towards the end is the reveal that not only is she really an Archangel, she is the mother of that universe's Archangels. She even talks about it a bit in her encounter, and how she specifically got a ride from the Amber Lodge.
I absolutely LOVE that all the Archangels have a different art style, none if them looking like they fit with the rest of the normal monsters is such an awesome idea. it kind of reminds me of the Ultra Beasts from Sun and Moon
I'd really love to see a "Every Vivosaur Explained" video at some point. The Fossil Fighters franchise doesn't see enough love these days, and as one of the more successful Poke-likes, the people deserve it!
[34:18] Another inspiration worth noting behind this Cassette Beast's Name is the italian opera "Pagliacci", which, from my understanding, depicted the OG Sad Clown. This also explains why it fits with the other jestery members of the family
I've never heard of these but looking forward to learning about them. You probably get this request a bunch but would love to see a vid where you breakdown some of the Digimon names/origins.
A little theroy I have about the Nowhere Monarch: In the Falldown Mall, you can find a poster on the wall depicting it's face. Also considering that you are in looking for a music record, it's very possible that the Nowhere Monarch is a being who's appearance was taken from some kind of music record in the 1960's-70's. Some more evidence for this: First off, look at the color pallate of the Nowhere Monarch and Peasent. To me, it has this sort of aesthetic that was used in the 70's (especially the stripes.) The animation and colors kind of reminds of that one Beatles Yellow Subarmine cartoon. Additionally, the compaion who joins you on this quest to the mall is Meredith. A girl from 1980's London with a heavy connection to music. It's also implied that the Monarch was feeding off of her energy and negativity, which could have been part of the reason it looks that way in the first place. So yeah, I really think the Nowhere Monarch could have taken it's apperance from some alternative universe Beatles like band.
I think you might be on to something here. The video game creators are british, so 20th century references from the UK (like The Beatles) must always be taken into account. I looked it up, and The Beatles did make a song called "Nowhere Man" in 1965. Particularly, some of the lyrics are "He's a real nowhere man / Sitting in his nowhere land / Making all his nowhere plans for nobody"
Not to mention that "Nowhere Man" is also a song by The Beatles. "Nowhere Man" also appeared in the Yellow Submarine cartoon and the Nowhere Man was a character in said cartoon.
Nothing personal, but I thought the “Nowhere Man/Monarch” connection was pretty obvious. Is the song less famous than I thought it was? I know it wasn’t one of the band’s radio hits, but I thought it was pretty common knowledge.
I love the intense theming of paradoxes, surrealism, nostalgia, and moving on present throughout CB. Especially how Morgante is the archangel of rebellion, and at one time assisted Aleph in causing trouble. Rebellions leading to a new status quo that committed the same mistakes as what came before it. Yet the whole point of Morgante rebelling against Aleph is finding union and harmony in each other and the empathy you show each other along the way. Leading to a point where conquering takes a backseat and all that remains is peace and empathy.
16:08 Something else that could have inspired the Muskrateer line is The Nutcracker. The popular story about a musketeer-like nutcracker that faces off against a Mouse King. While it is the wrong kind of rodent, there are indeed similarities.
22:54 I mean Dalek travel machines (the actual daleks are the cephalopod-like creatures inside the metal cylinders) have commonly been compared to two things: Salt shakers and trash cans.
Aleph Null is also a mathematical term; it's literally the version of infinity that most people think of when they hear "infinity", a number representing the set of all positive numbers.
1: Salamagus (typo'd in the video, I also made the typo while starting this), also has the fake eye bulbs/real eye dots that feels much more reminiscent of the Dark Souls Basilisks. 2: Sharktanker could also be self-referencing as a "tank" in game terminology as it is a fairly durable monster, and you can use it... as a tank! 3: Nowhere Monarch is very reminiscent of The Beatles' animated musical "The Yellow Submarine," as not only is the art style spot on, but there is a character referred to as the "Nowhere Man" and a song of the same name. I feel like this needs to be mentioned as the game being "Cassette Beasts," and cassettes being used primarily as a music media, that musical references should be brought up. Love the game, glad to see you cover it here! Edit: Lastly, feels like you cheated Lenna out on the end there.
So glad this series is back. If you're looking to continue it I would suggest spectrobes, underrated and some very cool designs. Right up your alley I recon
I love spectrobes! Still have a copy and play it when the mood strikes. With the touch features and concepts, I could see it getting rebooted really nicely for switch.
So, Lockstin didn't say it, the name referencing in Gearyu's name also pulls from the name of Mecha-Godzilla in some of the films. Its name is Kiryu. He showed a pic of Mecha-Godzilla, so I'm assuming he knew this, but idk how many viewers also knew it, so putting this little tidbit here.
Djinn Entonic could also be seen as a play on 'drunk on power', what typically happened to people who were dumb and greedy enough to wish for the djinn's power for themselves. It is good with moves that cause confusion and other debuffs, the effects of drinking too much can have on the mind and body. Djinn Entonic and Spitzfyre are two of the best names just for the multiple levels they work on.
15:40 bonus little info about Pyromeleon: it, along with Cat-5, are references to an enemy and a boss respectively from these devs previous game, Lenna’s Inception. Pyromeleon even kept its name! But of course, that’s not the only reference, is it? Gotta love cosmic rays.
2:59 The Jörmungandr is actually the Norse equivalent of the Ouroboros. Of course the key difference is that the Jörmungandr is known to set off Ragnarök when it lets go of its own tail.
Something else I like about this game. There are 12 "Ranger Captains", which play a similar role to Gym Leaders here, and 12 types, not counting Glass and Glitter (Glass only having 1 natural species, the Glaistain.) So, you'd think there would be one ranger captain per type, right? Nope. Not at all the case. Each captain has one very specific set of strategies they use, and that is what you're ACTUALLY trying to circumvent. Captain Wallace, the first captain you'll likely fight, is a construction worker, so his main strategy revolves around the defensive "Wall" abilities that sacrifice health in exchange for a defensive wall that blocks all attacks for a short time. Another captain, Judas, is a survivalist who's strategies revolve around healing/DoT statuses and counters. Judas's encounter alone has 3 types. A Metal Manispear, a poison Jellyton, and a plant Dandylion. And yet another captain, Codey, has a team made up entirely of Bootlegs (basically shinies) and Bootlegs have an actual competitive advantage here because Bootlegged monsters are ALSO of a different type than normal, have more compatible abilities AND a higher chance of uncommon and rare modified abilities.
A thing you missed about Robindam (Unless somebody already did... but anyway): Robindam being based on a Gundam mech and having the default type of Plastic is a nod to Gunplas, which are model versions of the Gundams and other mechs people can craft via kits. Gunpla is a combination of "Gundam" (Duh) and "Plamo", AKA "Plastic model" for short, FYI.
39:14 "Morning star" also a translation of "Lucifer" which is sometimes known as Satan's angel name when they're not being considered separate demons or his angel name isn't "Satanael" where he was an *_archangel_* before falling. It's more than just the serpent here.
I think the Malchemy side of the Candevil line is supposed to be based on that superstition of poisoned Halloween candy. You lean away from the Halloween aesthetic of Candevil though their other line, and they remain regular candy.
These names are honestly so good. Whoever was in charge of making them (or the whole team, if there was one) did an outstanding job (And contrary to Lockstin's belief, Apocrowlypse is an amazing name)
I really love how the arc angels have a really unusual art style yet still fit into the world. Theyre all so unnerving as a lot of their animations twitch a little. The art styles remind me of Marvel with the multiverses or perhaps different t ime periods and technologies
Lockstin I understand you did extensive research and that's cool but I cannot unsee the Ripterra line as anything but a goblin who finds 2 other goblin friends to become 3 goblins in a trenchcoat. And I love them for it.
That's honestly pretty funny. But the game describes it's anatomy as the tangled mess of claws under a dirty coat. So it's more akin to a walking blender.
@@daniellelondon439They're not quite sins per say, but they are negative aspects of humantiy. But even then there are a few that aren't even evil or just aren't based off of humanity's hubris.
Actually, Lenna being an Archangel isn't just a Cassette Beast things. In her original game, the main group of bosses were also called archangels which is fitting given that she [the rest of this comment has been removed due to spoilers].
9:54 "Telly" is UK slang for "television." Ancient slang too, just like how they call flashlights "torches" (or the consistently lit flash bulb function on their phones the the "torch" function instead of the flashlight function because most people these days no longer use flashlights because our phones are Swiss army phones these days)
I love how you cover over franchises occasionally, it keeps things fresh and interesting. Btw, What happened to Pokémon legends NEO: Ghetsis. Can’t wait to see what comes next. Keep up the good vids.
@@fionaredfern7519Wonder if Nintendo sent a C&D behind the scenes. Japan doesn't have Fair Use laws, so you can't really defend yourself if Nintendo of Japan prosecutes a case against you.
old comment but yeah, i agree. it avoids the trap of a lot of pokemon-likes where they try to design their monsters like pokemon, which makes them way less distinct and can draw unfavorable comparisons
44:40 Babelith's Tower of Babel reference isn't to say that building the tower itself was ignorant, but rather that man was MADE ignorant (by diverging their language) to prevent such a structure from ever arising again.
Apocrowlypse also reminds me of a Nuckelavee a demon from celtic/scottish folklore that looked like a skinless being consisting of a horsebody and an also skinless rider that sits atop of it, it was said to be responsible for droughts, disease and dying animals. It is likely coincidental, but that could be the inspiration behind the otherwise unusual red color of the beast (cause neither death nor pestilence rides a red horse)
12:23 btw there's a simpler way of explaining clocksley's name. Robin Hood also goes by the name/title "Robin of Loxley" so locksley and loxley matches easier than comparing locksley with wesley
I wonder if the Mer-Line is also referencing Ley-lines, magic threads that transfer magic power to distant places and help keep the stability of the magic in the realm they reside in.
So a few notes: -Clocksley is named after Robin Hoods proper name, Robin of Locksley -Arkidd uses multiple Nintedo things in his design, with seemingly a gamecube as a body, a power glove as a hand, and a virtual boy as a head -Miss Mimic being so effeminate and voluptuous is definitely a play on "Booby Trap" -Fragliacci is named after Pagliacci, the Italian word for "clown" and a name ascribed to a particular sad clown from an opera -Littlered might be based on a Redcap, little garden gnome looking monsters whos hats are soaked in blood. It becoming a werewolf probably refers to a common trope for Little Red Riding Hood where shes combined with a wolf -Poppetox you were close with because the proper name for a voodoo doll is a "poppet". Also if his name is meant to be pronounced "Poppeto" that puts me in mind of Geppetto, the maker of Pinocchio -Mourningstar being based on Lucifer makes even more sense because I've heard Luficer be nicknamed "The Morningstar" Anyways thank you so much for introducing this to me because this combines like all my favorite things in one
Nevermort might be pronounced Nevermore as "mort" mean death in french and is pronounced without the T Jackuleaf leaf thingy also makes me think of the mask of the phantom of the opera loved the video ! thanks you for making us discover and learn the origins of those beasts !
Gotta admit, Cassette Beast is the most interesting and unique Pokémon-like game I’ve seen. There’s so many references to things that Pokémon hasn’t covered, like the Spring-Heel line, which just… it immediately won my heart with its references to horror and IRL serial killer myths. I like it!
I may not really know of this game but these are very interesting with not only the play on names but also I love the various mythological creatures & other references - Folklord also seems to take inspiration from a Wendigo
FINALLY. I’ve been playing this game obsessively, and I’be been trying to record everything. Seriously, please play this game, guys. Also, whenever I hear Wherever We Are Now, I start crying.
23:03 Binterloper could be another Doctor Who reference. The Autons are a hive-mind of aliens made of shape-shifting living plastic, who featured in the very first episode of the current Doctor Who series. In that episode (titled “Rose”), an important scene involves an Auton attacking and then replacing someone while transformed into a big wheelie bin, of the type shown here.
9:21 fun fact about the dark knight, alias wandering knight, they are caracterised by two things : they do not serve any lord or land, ence the absence of crest (they are basically mercenary), and of course their dark armor. The reason behind the later was that black paint would reduce the oxydation of the armor, preventing rust, because without a lord to finance your equipement, you better preserve that armor as much as you can (it costed a lot).
I like how all the archangels (With the exceptions of Shining Kuneko, Lenna, the Amber Lodge, the Mer-Line, and normal Aleph's body) use different artstyles from the rest of the game, and even each other, to help convey the fact that they "look wrong"
Loved the video - between the fascinating explanations, with the interesting combinations of various mythologies and british cultural icons, and the funny way they were presented, the 50 minutes passed in an eye-blink. I was also fond of your deep-dive into the different archangels, and how each one is linked to the human aspect/idea that birthed them. In the game, by the end of the Felix + Kuneko quest, there's this dialogue which emphasis how often ideas and creations become their own thing, independently of the author's whishes or desires. I feel like that idea is present in a lot of sub-text throughout the game, and even more so in the beasts' designs.
This looks really interesting! I love the designs and the naming style, and I'm a huge fan of Turn-Based RPG's and intelligent combat mechanics. I need to check this game out! My favorite based solely on the design and idea is Stardigrade, but the Bansheep and Squirey lines are also really cool. I love Tardigrades and Pangolins. I also love Hedgehogs and Porcupines and would love to see that in the future if this game gets more content or a sequel. There's just something about the four-legged cute but spiky/rough look that really appeals to me.
27:11 I like to think that pombomb is based on the character "Missile" whos a pomeranian who appears in the game "Ghost trick" who dies like I think twice (Also the sprite is simaler to it) like missile is an explosive like a bomb.
Lenna’s actually an archangel but like a different kind since there’s also archangels in Lenna’s inception but those are moreso inspired by actual angels and named after them there
Robin Hood (in many versions) his full name is Robin of Locksley (hense the name of cassette beast) Locksley was the town he was Lord of prior to becoming a criminal.
One of my favorite details about Ferriclaw and Auriclaw is that the masks are just resting on top of their actual heads like hats, rather than their heads actually being *in* the masks.
37:12 That monster could also be a reference to the vampire squid. It looks umbrella-like, and it’s scientific name means “vampire squid from hell”. It looks like it has squid tentacles.
Apocrowlypse's centauric shape and color palette also most probably has it be inspired by the Nuckelavee. So there's that, if you wanted to find out more things to interest you about it
Cassette Beasts hooked me in immediately with it's music and characters. It's on Gamepass as well, easier to give it a try and glad I did. Been an inspiration to try and learn Godot for some game ideas I want to work on. It's on Gamepass as well, easier to give it a try and glad I did.
21:47 Having a dogu monster seems to be a requirement for mon franchises these days (or at least ones from Japan anyway). Dating way back to Dity Dogu, Pocus Puppet and Terracotta Warrior (who all went by different names at the time) in DQIV in 1990, before the original SMT's depiction of Arahabaki in 1992 and well before Shakkoumon in 2000, Baltoy in 2002, Orichalcos Shunoros in 2005, Clayf (Bakugan) in 2008 and Maiden Ruin (Yokai Watch)... Definitely came _way_ later in 2016.
One of my favorite content creators talking about one of my favorite games! This was a fun treat seeing all of the various areas that developers can pull pieces from to create all these monsters.
I've been playing this game the most for the past few days and other than the "where do i go now" problem i have with it, i have enjoyed the game and aesthetic.
I think you missed a few things, Cat-5 references Japanese Nekomata in it's design. Clocksley references Locksley the place Robin Hood was said to be born, being known as Robin of Locksley. Robindam is a homophone of Robbing them or robbin' dem. Picksie might be based on a Cornish knocker. Mourningstar is also reference to one of the Devil's names, the Morningstar.
"Mourning Star" is a weapon in my own games, which is a flail that carries an aura of melancholy. It is powerful, but not for the faint of heart as it can drain your fighting spirit to wield and is, of course, mostly used by stalwart clerics and paladins.
Pretty surpsied you didn't talk about Kuneko being a representation of the whole 'OCs or other cringy things that you did when you were 10' thing since that's what makes her my favorite beast in the game
Don't know if this has already been mentioned but Liligator (also one of my favorite designs) is most likely also based on the Marvel character, Daredevil. The blind litigator from Hell's kitchen who fights crime at night while wearing a blindfold (in some iterations including the Netflix Daredevil series).
So cool to see you mention the Liver Bird! I live close to Liverpool so the birds have a special place in my heart. Little nitpik though, while it's spelt Liver and you would think like Liverpool it's pronounced like the organ, everyone actually pronounces it 'Lie-Ver' like the Laver Seaweed it carries in it's beak You also didn't mention the legend around the Liver birds thought it was rather unrelated to the design. For those curious: According to legend the two Liver Birds in liverpool are a male and female duo who where chained to the top of the building to keep watch, the female looks out to the sea to safe guard the sailors and the male inland to watch over the people and the sailors familys. They have to be chained down because it is said if either of them where to turn their head and see their mate, they would fly away and the river Mersey would break it's banks and swallow Liverpool under the waves.
Djinn Entonic also has my favorite description in the game:
*"* A mysterious cosmic waiter with impeccable table service. It isn’t entirely clear what kind of drinks they serve, only that they are “family-friendly” and “not affecting the age rating of the game". *"*
lmaooo
Another fun one is that Bansheep isn't actually undead, it just likes to complain a lot.
@@darienb1127don't we all?
This reminds me of Identity V x Danganronpa Collab event where I get skins for the characters. One of these characters is Demi Bourbon the Barmaid who's ability is you guessed it, healing her teammates by mixing drinks for them and for her skin, she gets Junko where her description says "Junk prohibit minors from drinking" and apparently, her drinks are "sodas".
@@darienb1127 Imagine knowing that no matter what you do, you going to die if you evolve. I'd be upset, too!
Fun fact: if you complete a beast to 5 stars. It actually gives you the etymology and idea in the beastiary
That’s really fun
I was about to hit gnoggin with that! Easiest video he's ever made.
I’m pretty sure “Clocksley” is referencing “Locksley,” the place Robin Hood is from; “Robin of Locksley”
Also, fun fact: Aleph is used in math as a sign of infinite series. Aleph Null means the first infinite series, the smallest infinity
I was looking for this comment. This is it, not what he said.
This was my immediate thought too.
A guy called Lockstin getting information regarding a reference to a place called Locksley wrong... what has the world come to?
Same.
Glad I thought to check the comments before becoming yet another to point it out.
You mean Loxley right? As in the village in England? It's definitely the pun they were going for.
One you missed on Kirikuri: It's literally a Karakuri, or an old timey Japanese "robot" of sorts made of wood.
Also Queenyx could be made of Onyx which is a material sometimes used for chess pieces.
I'm so glad this game has been getting the attention it deserves. There is so much love and charm put into it and they're still making content for it. More Pokemon-like games deserve recognition just as much as it.
@@BobDBob Yes please ^w^
@BobDBob do they have a trailer or a video
Agreed, I just started last Saturday and still surprised of the lack of coverage.
@BobDBob Thanks, man. I'll check it out.
@@LacTose90yes
Fun fact about Draculeaf: There is a bizarre myth of a bloodthirsty pumpkin appropriately called the Vampire Pumpkin who is related to the Vampire Watermelon.
i need more explanation on the vampire watermelon.
@@beckhampang191 "The story is associated with the Romani people of the region, from whom much of traditional vampire folklore originated. the outside of an aged watermelon. The belief in vampire fruit is similar to the belief that any inanimate object left outside during the night of a full moon will become a vampire."
-Wikipedia
First, absolutely love that you're covering this game, absolutely having a blast with it myself
Second, about Clocksley, I believe the reason for the "sley", along with a reason for the name as a whole, is due to one of the many epithets of Robin Hood being Robin of Loxley (also spelled Locksley), with the village of Loxley in Sheffield UK being claimed as the birthplace of Robin Hood (even if this is somewhat disputed sometimes).
I was just about to say something like that for clocksley
Just the comment I was looking for
I was gonna say its because Robin Hoods proper name is Robin of Locksley, so its just combining a Robin Hood name in there
I was baffled he stretched so hard to explain Clocksley, glad this comment is getting a lot of likes.
I came to say this exact thing
The Fragliacci one was a bit bastardized... but otherwise, great work! Fragliacci is meant to be a portmanteau of frag (in the sense of explosives and cannons, its body IS a cannon) and Pagliacci (an italian opera about a clown who murders his wife and her lover on stage.)
Great video! Glad to see this game getting some more attention!
I came to the comments to say it’s Pagliacci, glad someone else got to it as well
Beat me to it. I believe pagliacci is also the italian plural for clowns.
Kinda strange how he messed some of these up considering that each to you get a cassette to level 5 you’ll get a bestiary entry for said beast that directly tells some of its inspirations
Do you have a timestamp for it?
@@elliottdecastro
34:18
I like how cassette beasts have different design philosophies from pokemon, which makes it stand out. It reminds me of how Digimon can just evolve into very different but still simmilar monsters
I think the best example to show off the differences would be Hopskin and Sableye, since both are very unique despite being based in the exact same cryptid
Cassette Beasts feels unique but still orderly. Digimon is just chaos honestly. You start with a Tamagotchi, evole into a Pokemon, and end up as either a Gundam or an SMT Demon. Oh and they usually turn into a regualr ass woman half way through.
@@darienb1127 yeah that's another reason I like cassette beasts. I always felt Digimon could be a bit TOO chaotic with the evolution logic
I love that he released this THE DAY the DLC came out. also the "kun" in Kuneko could be referring to her Kunai.
Kunekos name was based on kunai and Neko
And the way you're meant to pronounce the name is (ko-ni-ko)
It has like a Japanese anime kind of accent to the way it's pronounced
12:13 I think Apocrolypse could also have ties to the Nuckelavee, an evil harbinger of death and disease in Scottish folklore that takes the form of a skinless horse with an also skinless human torso attatched to its back, emerging from the sea to bring pain and strife to all
I totally forgot that thing existed until now, and now I won't forget because it's a level of body horror that will haunt me lol
Also the apocrypha
100% yeah. Looks a lot like the depictions also.
Also more likely given the developer is a British team.
“Aleph Null” is also a concept in modern mathematics, specifically “the smallest of all infinities”, with the next smallest being “Aleph One”. (Yes; some infinities are bigger than others.) So Aleph Null being a fusion of most the other archangels comes acrossed as an attempt at infinite power.
Seeing as 0 can = infinity, if I divide Infinity by Infinity would I get A syntax error? Eh, nevermind, I’d probably get A processing error.
I really like how, unlike a lot of other Poke-Likes, this game seems to understand that not every creature needs to be cute or cool to be lovable. There's some downright weird ones that makes you scratch your head on how the hell they came up with it, and that's what makes these creature designs stand out and be as charming as they are.
I've been saying for a long time now that some of the weirdest Pokemon are some of the most interesting. I'd argue that whatever formula that Pokemon was originally using completely changed by like Gen 4.
Also, I love how much the regualr monsters in Cassette Beasts are directly inspired by folktales and myths, as it fits into the game's lore then theming.
i got more of a persona vibe from playing it
@@GalaxyStar99 It's got a bit of that DNA. Espeically with all of the metaphysical stuff and monsters based off of humantiy's beliefs.
Not to mention its monster design aesthetic feels actually unique rather than trying to ape the aesthetic of Pokemon, unlike quite a few mon colles out there.
If anything Id compare its monster design philosophy to yokai watch more than Pokemon. Just with less juvenile humor and overabundance of clones and humanoids lmao.
True. Nexomon also has some strange designs but they work.
Nowhere Monarch is also pretty clearly a Beetles reference. Its name references the song "nowhere man" and its artstyle is based on the one used in the Yellow Submarine movie.
Okay, so i'm not crazy! The artstyle is similar!
He kind of looks like a Blue Meanie too.
The song part is A bit of A stretch, but I have nothing to say on the second one, because I don’t know what you are referring to… Alright, lad, that’s enough reading of this comment… Carry on, carry on… Why are you still HEEEEEE-
"Lenna isn't really an Archangel" Did you finish Lenna's Inception? Because the twist towards the end is the reveal that not only is she really an Archangel, she is the mother of that universe's Archangels. She even talks about it a bit in her encounter, and how she specifically got a ride from the Amber Lodge.
I absolutely LOVE that all the Archangels have a different art style, none if them looking like they fit with the rest of the normal monsters is such an awesome idea. it kind of reminds me of the Ultra Beasts from Sun and Moon
The devs have said that they were inspired by Madoka Magica when making the Archangels and it really shows, especially with Alice
I'd really love to see a "Every Vivosaur Explained" video at some point. The Fossil Fighters franchise doesn't see enough love these days, and as one of the more successful Poke-likes, the people deserve it!
[34:18] Another inspiration worth noting behind this Cassette Beast's Name is the italian opera "Pagliacci", which, from my understanding, depicted the OG Sad Clown. This also explains why it fits with the other jestery members of the family
Not to mention "frag" as in hand grenade! The in-game description and animations show it to be part cannon!
I've never heard of these but looking forward to learning about them. You probably get this request a bunch but would love to see a vid where you breakdown some of the Digimon names/origins.
A little theroy I have about the Nowhere Monarch: In the Falldown Mall, you can find a poster on the wall depicting it's face. Also considering that you are in looking for a music record, it's very possible that the Nowhere Monarch is a being who's appearance was taken from some kind of music record in the 1960's-70's.
Some more evidence for this: First off, look at the color pallate of the Nowhere Monarch and Peasent. To me, it has this sort of aesthetic that was used in the 70's (especially the stripes.) The animation and colors kind of reminds of that one Beatles Yellow Subarmine cartoon. Additionally, the compaion who joins you on this quest to the mall is Meredith. A girl from 1980's London with a heavy connection to music. It's also implied that the Monarch was feeding off of her energy and negativity, which could have been part of the reason it looks that way in the first place.
So yeah, I really think the Nowhere Monarch could have taken it's apperance from some alternative universe Beatles like band.
I think you might be on to something here. The video game creators are british, so 20th century references from the UK (like The Beatles) must always be taken into account.
I looked it up, and The Beatles did make a song called "Nowhere Man" in 1965. Particularly, some of the lyrics are
"He's a real nowhere man / Sitting in his nowhere land / Making all his nowhere plans for nobody"
Not to mention that "Nowhere Man" is also a song by The Beatles. "Nowhere Man" also appeared in the Yellow Submarine cartoon and the Nowhere Man was a character in said cartoon.
the art style does match the Yellow Submarine movie, it doesn't match the look of the Nowhere man, but said person also had a furlike body
Nothing personal, but I thought the “Nowhere Man/Monarch” connection was pretty obvious. Is the song less famous than I thought it was? I know it wasn’t one of the band’s radio hits, but I thought it was pretty common knowledge.
@@pokepress I've probably only listened to like... one Beatles song in my entire life, so yes.
I love the intense theming of paradoxes, surrealism, nostalgia, and moving on present throughout CB. Especially how Morgante is the archangel of rebellion, and at one time assisted Aleph in causing trouble. Rebellions leading to a new status quo that committed the same mistakes as what came before it. Yet the whole point of Morgante rebelling against Aleph is finding union and harmony in each other and the empathy you show each other along the way. Leading to a point where conquering takes a backseat and all that remains is peace and empathy.
16:08 Something else that could have inspired the Muskrateer line is The Nutcracker. The popular story about a musketeer-like nutcracker that faces off against a Mouse King. While it is the wrong kind of rodent, there are indeed similarities.
22:54 I mean Dalek travel machines (the actual daleks are the cephalopod-like creatures inside the metal cylinders) have commonly been compared to two things: Salt shakers and trash cans.
Aleph Null is also a mathematical term; it's literally the version of infinity that most people think of when they hear "infinity", a number representing the set of all positive numbers.
1: Salamagus (typo'd in the video, I also made the typo while starting this), also has the fake eye bulbs/real eye dots that feels much more reminiscent of the Dark Souls Basilisks.
2: Sharktanker could also be self-referencing as a "tank" in game terminology as it is a fairly durable monster, and you can use it... as a tank!
3: Nowhere Monarch is very reminiscent of The Beatles' animated musical "The Yellow Submarine," as not only is the art style spot on, but there is a character referred to as the "Nowhere Man" and a song of the same name. I feel like this needs to be mentioned as the game being "Cassette Beasts," and cassettes being used primarily as a music media, that musical references should be brought up.
Love the game, glad to see you cover it here!
Edit: Lastly, feels like you cheated Lenna out on the end there.
This was a surprise, but a welcome one.
Really would be cool to see more Poketubers talking about this gem
If Jan plays this game I think things are gonna take an interesting turn.
So glad this series is back. If you're looking to continue it I would suggest spectrobes, underrated and some very cool designs. Right up your alley I recon
I love spectrobes! Still have a copy and play it when the mood strikes. With the touch features and concepts, I could see it getting rebooted really nicely for switch.
I'M LITERALLY PLAYING BEYOND THE PORTALS RIGHT NOW!
Ain't Spectrobes dead?
So, Lockstin didn't say it, the name referencing in Gearyu's name also pulls from the name of Mecha-Godzilla in some of the films. Its name is Kiryu. He showed a pic of Mecha-Godzilla, so I'm assuming he knew this, but idk how many viewers also knew it, so putting this little tidbit here.
The amount of times I did the happy “oh it’s a… insert description here” makes me know that the designs for this game are creative as heck.
Djinn Entonic could also be seen as a play on 'drunk on power', what typically happened to people who were dumb and greedy enough to wish for the djinn's power for themselves. It is good with moves that cause confusion and other debuffs, the effects of drinking too much can have on the mind and body.
Djinn Entonic and Spitzfyre are two of the best names just for the multiple levels they work on.
Finally someone talks about this game. It's so good and Wherever We Are Now is such a good song
15:40 bonus little info about Pyromeleon: it, along with Cat-5, are references to an enemy and a boss respectively from these devs previous game, Lenna’s Inception. Pyromeleon even kept its name!
But of course, that’s not the only reference, is it?
Gotta love cosmic rays.
2:59 The Jörmungandr is actually the Norse equivalent of the Ouroboros. Of course the key difference is that the Jörmungandr is known to set off Ragnarök when it lets go of its own tail.
I haven’t heard “cassette,” since the late 90’s.
Have you not seen any of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies or 13 Reasons Why or Stranger Things?
I only have Amazon Prime video and a friend’s Max account so no. I didn’t watch GotG.
@@Levi_Heichosurely there must still be movies or shows that mention cassettes
Its always great seeing the games I've covered for years finally get some love from bigger creators❤❤
Thanks Lockstin!
Something else I like about this game. There are 12 "Ranger Captains", which play a similar role to Gym Leaders here, and 12 types, not counting Glass and Glitter (Glass only having 1 natural species, the Glaistain.) So, you'd think there would be one ranger captain per type, right?
Nope. Not at all the case. Each captain has one very specific set of strategies they use, and that is what you're ACTUALLY trying to circumvent.
Captain Wallace, the first captain you'll likely fight, is a construction worker, so his main strategy revolves around the defensive "Wall" abilities that sacrifice health in exchange for a defensive wall that blocks all attacks for a short time.
Another captain, Judas, is a survivalist who's strategies revolve around healing/DoT statuses and counters. Judas's encounter alone has 3 types. A Metal Manispear, a poison Jellyton, and a plant Dandylion.
And yet another captain, Codey, has a team made up entirely of Bootlegs (basically shinies) and Bootlegs have an actual competitive advantage here because Bootlegged monsters are ALSO of a different type than normal, have more compatible abilities AND a higher chance of uncommon and rare modified abilities.
A thing you missed about Robindam (Unless somebody already did... but anyway): Robindam being based on a Gundam mech and having the default type of Plastic is a nod to Gunplas, which are model versions of the Gundams and other mechs people can craft via kits. Gunpla is a combination of "Gundam" (Duh) and "Plamo", AKA "Plastic model" for short, FYI.
39:14 "Morning star" also a translation of "Lucifer" which is sometimes known as Satan's angel name when they're not being considered separate demons or his angel name isn't "Satanael" where he was an *_archangel_* before falling. It's more than just the serpent here.
I think the Malchemy side of the Candevil line is supposed to be based on that superstition of poisoned Halloween candy. You lean away from the Halloween aesthetic of Candevil though their other line, and they remain regular candy.
This is a banger of a game! Anyone who hasn’t tried it should, especially with the soundtrack, cause the music is what really makes this game amazing!
My favorite part of this game is their versions of shiny monster give them different typings
Not to mention you have better odds of running into them! I believe the odds are 1 in 1000 which is significantly better than pokemon.
@@kingsbishop7614and 100% chance if you buy an certain endgame item
There’s even an exclusive secret monster only obtainable by finding an astral bootleg traffikrab he only mentioned at the end of the video
These names are honestly so good. Whoever was in charge of making them (or the whole team, if there was one) did an outstanding job
(And contrary to Lockstin's belief, Apocrowlypse is an amazing name)
I really love how the arc angels have a really unusual art style yet still fit into the world. Theyre all so unnerving as a lot of their animations twitch a little. The art styles remind me of Marvel with the multiverses or perhaps different t ime periods and technologies
Lockstin I understand you did extensive research and that's cool but I cannot unsee the Ripterra line as anything but a goblin who finds 2 other goblin friends to become 3 goblins in a trenchcoat.
And I love them for it.
That's honestly pretty funny. But the game describes it's anatomy as the tangled mess of claws under a dirty coat. So it's more akin to a walking blender.
Bold move to release this after new Cassette Beast beasts drop!
Also, I love to see it! The Archangels give me such Witch from Madoka Magica vibes.
They do, they really do! Along with persona’s theme of having each boss be representative of a sin, like lust or greed.
@@daniellelondon439They're not quite sins per say, but they are negative aspects of humantiy. But even then there are a few that aren't even evil or just aren't based off of humanity's hubris.
Another of Robin Hood's names is "Robin of Locksley." That's where the name is pulling from.
Actually, Lenna being an Archangel isn't just a Cassette Beast things. In her original game, the main group of bosses were also called archangels which is fitting given that she [the rest of this comment has been removed due to spoilers].
9:54 "Telly" is UK slang for "television." Ancient slang too, just like how they call flashlights "torches" (or the consistently lit flash bulb function on their phones the the "torch" function instead of the flashlight function because most people these days no longer use flashlights because our phones are Swiss army phones these days)
I love how you cover over franchises occasionally, it keeps things fresh and interesting.
Btw, What happened to Pokémon legends NEO: Ghetsis. Can’t wait to see what comes next.
Keep up the good vids.
I Agree. What happened to Legends NEO Ghetsis? I personally thought it was ACE.
@@fionaredfern7519Wonder if Nintendo sent a C&D behind the scenes.
Japan doesn't have Fair Use laws, so you can't really defend yourself if Nintendo of Japan prosecutes a case against you.
I like how they appear to be designed taking inspiration from many things rather than other games that just "make and animal cool or fantastical"
old comment but yeah, i agree. it avoids the trap of a lot of pokemon-likes where they try to design their monsters like pokemon, which makes them way less distinct and can draw unfavorable comparisons
@@dumbsterdivesagreed. I also like how experimental they're willing to give their monsters, like the boltam line with the blank heads
I've been making my own monster-catcher amd have taken a lot of inspiration from casette beasts : )
That’s sick, what’s it called?
I too wanna learn more
@@TrueLadyEvilChan Look at the reply i sent to apersonontheinternet6018
@@apersonontheinternet6018 it's called Terrmon: Stormling, i've been working it for about a year now, i can put more info here if ya want
Good luck! :)
44:40 Babelith's Tower of Babel reference isn't to say that building the tower itself was ignorant, but rather that man was MADE ignorant (by diverging their language) to prevent such a structure from ever arising again.
Apocrowlypse also reminds me of a Nuckelavee a demon from celtic/scottish folklore that looked like a skinless being consisting of a horsebody and an also skinless rider that sits atop of it, it was said to be responsible for droughts, disease and dying animals.
It is likely coincidental, but that could be the inspiration behind the otherwise unusual red color of the beast (cause neither death nor pestilence rides a red horse)
12:23 btw there's a simpler way of explaining clocksley's name. Robin Hood also goes by the name/title "Robin of Loxley" so locksley and loxley matches easier than comparing locksley with wesley
I wonder if the Mer-Line is also referencing Ley-lines, magic threads that transfer magic power to distant places and help keep the stability of the magic in the realm they reside in.
So a few notes:
-Clocksley is named after Robin Hoods proper name, Robin of Locksley
-Arkidd uses multiple Nintedo things in his design, with seemingly a gamecube as a body, a power glove as a hand, and a virtual boy as a head
-Miss Mimic being so effeminate and voluptuous is definitely a play on "Booby Trap"
-Fragliacci is named after Pagliacci, the Italian word for "clown" and a name ascribed to a particular sad clown from an opera
-Littlered might be based on a Redcap, little garden gnome looking monsters whos hats are soaked in blood. It becoming a werewolf probably refers to a common trope for Little Red Riding Hood where shes combined with a wolf
-Poppetox you were close with because the proper name for a voodoo doll is a "poppet". Also if his name is meant to be pronounced "Poppeto" that puts me in mind of Geppetto, the maker of Pinocchio
-Mourningstar being based on Lucifer makes even more sense because I've heard Luficer be nicknamed "The Morningstar"
Anyways thank you so much for introducing this to me because this combines like all my favorite things in one
Nevermort might be pronounced Nevermore as "mort" mean death in french and is pronounced without the T
Jackuleaf leaf thingy also makes me think of the mask of the phantom of the opera
loved the video ! thanks you for making us discover and learn the origins of those beasts !
Gotta admit, Cassette Beast is the most interesting and unique Pokémon-like game I’ve seen. There’s so many references to things that Pokémon hasn’t covered, like the Spring-Heel line, which just… it immediately won my heart with its references to horror and IRL serial killer myths. I like it!
I may not really know of this game but these are very interesting with not only the play on names but also I love the various mythological creatures & other references
- Folklord also seems to take inspiration from a Wendigo
FINALLY.
I’ve been playing this game obsessively, and I’be been trying to record everything. Seriously, please play this game, guys.
Also, whenever I hear Wherever We Are Now, I start crying.
The archangels all being made in different mediums is such a crazy concept that I’ve only seen in a few games (like Undertale).
The moment I saw Tokusect, I was in love with this game. Anything that manages to slip in a Tokusatsu reference gets an A in my book.
23:03 Binterloper could be another Doctor Who reference. The Autons are a hive-mind of aliens made of shape-shifting living plastic, who featured in the very first episode of the current Doctor Who series. In that episode (titled “Rose”), an important scene involves an Auton attacking and then replacing someone while transformed into a big wheelie bin, of the type shown here.
9:21 fun fact about the dark knight, alias wandering knight, they are caracterised by two things : they do not serve any lord or land, ence the absence of crest (they are basically mercenary), and of course their dark armor. The reason behind the later was that black paint would reduce the oxydation of the armor, preventing rust, because without a lord to finance your equipement, you better preserve that armor as much as you can (it costed a lot).
Clocksley is called that because Robin Hood is called Robin of Loxley in universe. Its literally clockwork loxley
I like how all the archangels (With the exceptions of Shining Kuneko, Lenna, the Amber Lodge, the Mer-Line, and normal Aleph's body) use different artstyles from the rest of the game, and even each other, to help convey the fact that they "look wrong"
you don’t know *how fast* i clicked on this video when i got the notification, i recently bought and played this game and it’s so damn good
Loved the video - between the fascinating explanations, with the interesting combinations of various mythologies and british cultural icons, and the funny way they were presented, the 50 minutes passed in an eye-blink. I was also fond of your deep-dive into the different archangels, and how each one is linked to the human aspect/idea that birthed them.
In the game, by the end of the Felix + Kuneko quest, there's this dialogue which emphasis how often ideas and creations become their own thing, independently of the author's whishes or desires. I feel like that idea is present in a lot of sub-text throughout the game, and even more so in the beasts' designs.
This looks really interesting! I love the designs and the naming style, and I'm a huge fan of Turn-Based RPG's and intelligent combat mechanics. I need to check this game out! My favorite based solely on the design and idea is Stardigrade, but the Bansheep and Squirey lines are also really cool. I love Tardigrades and Pangolins. I also love Hedgehogs and Porcupines and would love to see that in the future if this game gets more content or a sequel. There's just something about the four-legged cute but spiky/rough look that really appeals to me.
27:11 I like to think that pombomb is based on the character "Missile" whos a pomeranian who appears in the game "Ghost trick" who dies like I think twice (Also the sprite is simaler to it) like missile is an explosive like a bomb.
For reference on Clocksley, Robin Hood's full title was Robin of Loxley. That's more likely where the reference is from in my opinion.
12:27 For Clocksley, Robin Hood's title is 'Robin of Locksley', that's where the 'sley' comes from.
Lenna’s actually an archangel but like a different kind since there’s also archangels in Lenna’s inception but those are moreso inspired by actual angels and named after them there
Robin Hood (in many versions) his full name is Robin of Locksley (hense the name of cassette beast) Locksley was the town he was Lord of prior to becoming a criminal.
One of my favorite details about Ferriclaw and Auriclaw is that the masks are just resting on top of their actual heads like hats, rather than their heads actually being *in* the masks.
37:12 That monster could also be a reference to the vampire squid. It looks umbrella-like, and it’s scientific name means “vampire squid from hell”. It looks like it has squid tentacles.
These are so cool! I love learning about the origins behind character designs.
Apocrowlypse's centauric shape and color palette also most probably has it be inspired by the Nuckelavee. So there's that, if you wanted to find out more things to interest you about it
Mer-Line could also be referencing Merseyrail, the real life rail network containing the Wirral Line.
Cassette Beasts hooked me in immediately with it's music and characters. It's on Gamepass as well, easier to give it a try and glad I did. Been an inspiration to try and learn Godot for some game ideas I want to work on. It's on Gamepass as well, easier to give it a try and glad I did.
“It’s a shame Homestuck exists” COMPLETELY BLINDSIDED ME-
21:47 Having a dogu monster seems to be a requirement for mon franchises these days (or at least ones from Japan anyway). Dating way back to Dity Dogu, Pocus Puppet and Terracotta Warrior (who all went by different names at the time) in DQIV in 1990, before the original SMT's depiction of Arahabaki in 1992 and well before Shakkoumon in 2000, Baltoy in 2002, Orichalcos Shunoros in 2005, Clayf (Bakugan) in 2008 and Maiden Ruin (Yokai Watch)... Definitely came _way_ later in 2016.
One of my favorite content creators talking about one of my favorite games! This was a fun treat seeing all of the various areas that developers can pull pieces from to create all these monsters.
Super fun game with a cool theme, sweet music that changes when you fuse/unfuse!
Also - the evil knight named after Manosphere is 👌🏻
I've been meaning to check this one out as I've only heard good things! Thanks for the push and the great video!
Never heard of this game but these designs are rad af, I love the spooky/mythological allusions!
I don't know if it's just coincidence but Gearyu's name also sounds like Kiryu, a version of Mechagodzilla from Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla!
"pokemon-like"
For fugs sake the two games are BARELY similar outside of "you can catch monsters lol"
literally. just say monster-catcher game ffs
I've been playing this game the most for the past few days and other than the "where do i go now" problem i have with it, i have enjoyed the game and aesthetic.
For Cat-5, while it is possible that Cait Sith could influence it, I think it's mainly based on a Nekomata
Clocksley is probably so named because Robin Hood's name before becoming Robin Hood is usually Robin of Locksley, rather than the meta connection.
12:48 I think the more obvious source of the "-sley" in Clocksley's name is that Robin Hood is also known as Robin of Locksley
I think you missed a few things,
Cat-5 references Japanese Nekomata in it's design.
Clocksley references Locksley the place Robin Hood was said to be born, being known as Robin of Locksley.
Robindam is a homophone of Robbing them or robbin' dem.
Picksie might be based on a Cornish knocker.
Mourningstar is also reference to one of the Devil's names, the Morningstar.
"Mourning Star" is a weapon in my own games, which is a flail that carries an aura of melancholy. It is powerful, but not for the faint of heart as it can drain your fighting spirit to wield and is, of course, mostly used by stalwart clerics and paladins.
i find it interesting that noone seems to notice how apocrowlypse has also some inspiration from the nuckelavee
23:32 there’s also “Karakuri”; wooden dolls with mechanisms that make them move
Pretty surpsied you didn't talk about Kuneko being a representation of the whole 'OCs or other cringy things that you did when you were 10' thing since that's what makes her my favorite beast in the game
Don't know if this has already been mentioned but Liligator (also one of my favorite designs) is most likely also based on the Marvel character, Daredevil. The blind litigator from Hell's kitchen who fights crime at night while wearing a blindfold (in some iterations including the Netflix Daredevil series).
i didn't expect anyone as popular as you to make a video about cassette beasts! i'm glad its getting attention as its such a good game
So cool to see you mention the Liver Bird! I live close to Liverpool so the birds have a special place in my heart. Little nitpik though, while it's spelt Liver and you would think like Liverpool it's pronounced like the organ, everyone actually pronounces it 'Lie-Ver' like the Laver Seaweed it carries in it's beak
You also didn't mention the legend around the Liver birds thought it was rather unrelated to the design.
For those curious: According to legend the two Liver Birds in liverpool are a male and female duo who where chained to the top of the building to keep watch, the female looks out to the sea to safe guard the sailors and the male inland to watch over the people and the sailors familys. They have to be chained down because it is said if either of them where to turn their head and see their mate, they would fly away and the river Mersey would break it's banks and swallow Liverpool under the waves.