Project Spellcheck: Introducing Meeko
Art by Koseki
THE BOY MAGICIAN
Once just a lad from Fleece Village content with the life of a humble apprentice shepherd, Meeko found his appetite for adventure after crossing paths with an old traveling magician. In gratitude for a small offering of food and drink, the stranger gave Meeko a bizarre hat, a peculiar story, and a promise to meet again. His eyes opened to a world of magic, myth, and adventure, Meeko found a new dream—to explore the Kingdom of Lancet, become a great magician, and have an adventure worthy of legend.
As a novice of both the magic arts and the world as a whole, Meeko’s mind is as open as it is empty. Nonetheless, he tackles every challenge, big or small, with equal doses of ambition and compassion. However many times he gets swept off his feet, Meeko is always ready to get back up, try again, and show the world just what a boy magician can do.
WHO IS MEEKO?
Meeko is the protagonist of Project Spellcheck and a proud, happy-go-lucky adventurer. He was initially built around the idea of someone trying to break into an industry without any background or know-how. Despite this, Meeko does his best to compensate and power through with optimism and determination.
At its core, Meeko’s journey is about discovery, not just of the world or magic spells, but of himself as well. Although he knows he knows nothing, that only inspires Meeko to push himself to learn and experience as much as he possibly can. While not immune to panic, he always tries his best to confront every tribulation with a can-do attitude, even when he knows he’s in over his head. Sometimes, the only discovery can be a world of hurt, but Meeko knows that painful lessons are lessons still, and he won’t let himself be stropped as he finds new ways to test his luck and push his limits.
BEHIND THE SCENES
When it came to Meeko’s design, I had a very clear vision: A young boy with covered eyes, a big smile, and an outfit that gives the vibe of someone trying to “play pretend.” He’s lived on a farm his whole life and doesn’t have anything in his wardrobe that is particularly magician-like (save for the giant hat he got from the inspiring stranger), so he just does the best he can with what he has.
Initially, Meeko had much more of a mad scientist personality, being much more mischievous and playful and less inclined to care about moral implications . Pretty quickly, though, my vision for the story, the setting, and Meeko evolved significantly, and I wanted to take the character in a more lighthearted direction to better match the whole point of making Project Spellcheck. This lead to a significantly more modest personality, and I decided that the traits that Meeko shed off would be better suited for the other characters Meeko might meet on his journey to become a famous magician.
MORE TO COME…
For both Project Spellcheck and Meeko, there are still many things and stories left to reveal and talk about. Look forward to seeing and hearing more about Meeko and friends in the near future!