Neurotically Yours

Neurotically Yours
Genre	Dark Comedy
Format	Webtoon
Created by	Jonathan Ian Mathers
Voices of	Jonathan Ian Mathers Dawn Bennett
Country of origin	United States
Language(s)	English
Broadcast
Original channel	illwillpress.com

Neurotically Yours is a webtoon created by Jonathan Ian Mathers, depicting a squirrel named Foamy, who is the neurotic pet of a goth girl named Germaine (voiced by Dawn Bennett).^[1] Over the years Germaine's character seems to have taken a backseat as Foamy's angry rants against society became increasingly popular. There are several other squirrel and human characters. Neurotically Yours debuted in early 2003.

Episodes are mainly located at iLL WiLL PreSS,^[2] in addition to numerous external websites. To date, there are over 200 official episodes of Neurotically Yours. There are also a number of fan-produced episodes circulated among various fansites on the Internet. There are also 38 topical rants, which are audio-based rants in which Foamy is talking about a particular topic. One of these, titled "The Best Thing Ever" was made into an official animated episode. A new episode of Neurotically Yours is posted approximately once every two weeks.^[3]

Setting

The central story line revolves around the interactions between Foamy and Germaine and, on occasion, their relationships with other characters. The story starts off with Germaine sitting in front of a computer typing away, while Foamy remains a constant distraction in the background and has occasionally contemplated suicide, both of which become the premise for both the main story arc, as well as the development of the characters themselves.

As the plot continues to develop, Germaine dedicates her time trying to have her poetry published, having been rejected after spending hours on it. Germaine receives a rejection letter in the mail and feels the need to respond to it. However, as time goes on, Germaine becomes the subject of men’s attention, while becoming increasingly more comfortable in her own body. Eventually, she attempts to manipulate events via use of her sexuality. However, in later episodes, Germaine discusses the idea of clothing being used to objectify women and expresses dismay with this trend, though it eventually becomes part of her character.

After a journey of self-discovery, Germaine eventually ends up in the same general cycle she was in before. She finds herself in opposition to various issues regarding women and even blaming these issues for causing people to accept such degrading roles in life.^[4] Even with all the self-development, self discovery, and enlightening moments, Germaine seemingly develops into the same role she had prior to leaving. She finds that she is incapable of performing certain duties though, due partly to weight, and is yet again being discriminated against.^[5]

Reboot of the series

In August 2011, the cartoon was rebooted. Within the cartoon, Germaine is given the option by Foamy to reset her life, thus undoing the previous ten years of her life. Foamy describes this as being a do over, that he has given out only three times before.^[6] On August 17, 2011, Jonathan Ian Mathers (the creator of Neurotically Yours) in his blog said:^[7]

Is it really the last Foamy episode? No. It's just a way to start things over. For the last few years Germaine has been the tortured poet trying to make her way through life, persuing her dreams at any cost... even self-destruction. As the episodes went on, viewers kinda scratched their heads as to what the hell the point was to Germaine. Why was she becoming a slut... and why is she so god damn fat?! Again, the point of Germaine was to convey the whole "artistic" struggle, following one's dreams no matter the cost. So her decent into darkness & depression came to be and the cartoon became a bit too "mature" for people for awhile. I guess the reality of life isn't fun to watch. Oh, well. Anyway... with this episode, some of Foamy's mysterious powers are used to give Germaine a "second chance", bringing us all back to the very first episode. For 10 years this has kinda been the plan. To have Germaine go through a series of ups & downs and eventually give her a second chance. The downside is, the "re-boot" concept always irked me. 'Cause 10 years ago I didn't think of the story line as a "re-boot", just something that was eventually going to happen. So i'll probably get some crap for that. But on the upside, Germaine will go back to "normal", meaning she will be as she was in the very early days of the series. Making better choices based on a repressed lifetime of past-life experience. The sexual content will be dropped by 90% at least. So older viewers who kept their kids away wont really have to do so with the newer episodes. Though there will be some verbal sexual references and Germaine will still be somewhat "jiggly". Frankly, though, the cartoon is still meant for "mature" viewers.... but now, not SO mature as to have to sit through "human struggle" concepts and absorb it as the intellectual story-telling of an artist's plight. So that's where we are now... what does the future hold? The mysterious Foamy Countdown will reveal all!

Post-reboot

Along with the first episode of the reboot, a topical rant was released. In it, Foamy discusses many things that led to the reboot, and why it was necessary. He describes how in most occasions, reboots are a bad idea, but he also explains that reboots can work when done right. Foamy cites the fact the scenery has changed, the animation is more refined, and that things are polished all around. Foamy goes on to tell people to "relax", as the main characters will still be there, and that "Germaine will still be jiggly". Foamy states the only thing that will change will be the addition of a few characters from other Neurotically Yours cartoons, but only for the sake of consolidation, as the site is run by only one man and he felt it was better to focus his efforts on only one web-series. Foamy follows up to say that "if it doesn't work out, we'll pick back up with the fat, blue haired Germaine", thus going back to square one and, in his words, "reboot the reboot". Foamy then requests that everyone simply be patient until the plot can be established.^[8]

On September 1, 2011, Jonathan Ian Mathers released a post via the news section of the site. In it, he discusses the changes that will be made to the series, stating:

For folks wondering what's going to happen with the Neurotically Yours series, there's not much to tell really. Since "The Reboot Button" episode, Germaine was given the opportunity to take a different path than the one she was on. Rather than staying in NYC, an unaffordable endeavor, she opted for a move to her grandfather's house where she acts as care-taker. Though she's managed to side-step the financial issues that had her spiral out of control into a self-sacrificing, morally debased character fighting to keep her poetic aspirations alive, she is now re-located to a town where she doesn't quite fit in. Her personal turmoil may no longer be based in finances, but the "odd one" in a small town comes with its own drawbacks. And what of Foamy? Eh, he's not a big fan of being uprooted from the city. So while Germaine's "sexual content" has taken a 90% nosedive, Foamy's anger has been raised 150%. Though they have moved, Manhattan is still just a bus ride away, and all the familiar city dwellers folks loved in the original series will still be making appearances. Besides, it's also a good chance to explore the benefits and drawbacks of living in both a big city and a small town and the perspective of the people in those locations, how they react to outsiders and so on. Sometimes you don't have to leave the country to be in a foreign land.^[9]

Card Cult

Foamy has established the "Cult of Foamy", also known as the "Card Cult". Currently, it serves two purposes. The first is to advertise the webtoon in the real world.^[10][11] The second pertains to the cartoon; its development correlates to a development in Foamy, as well as being somewhat relative to the aforementioned Germaine plotline.

In terms of the story, there have been many secrets surrounding the Cult of Foamy. Such rumors are that Foamy has had many owners, has been around for almost a hundred years, and has subtly tried to take over the world through various means of influence.^[12] This is later confirmed via the reset button. The cult seems like a means to control the masses and to support Foamy. At one point, several people had gathered outside Foamy and Germaine's apartment, with offerings of cream cheese and bagels.^[13]

The point of the cult is to control the world and destroy the human race.^[14]

Characters

Squirrel characters

Foamy the Squirrel is the main character. He is a foul-mouthed squirrel who lives with his owner Germaine, for whom he often openly expresses his dislike. Although he likes to eat cream cheese bagels, has a strong disdain for most things, including obesity, pop culture, and Metallica (he blames them for the end of Napster). However, despite Foamy's language and harsh opinions, there is some good in Foamy, taking one rant to discuss the good things from Mexican culture (entitled Mexico es muy bien) and condemn the stereotypes. Foamy hates his friend Pilz-e for his drug problems, but he seems to tolerate Begley and The Hatta.

Foamy does various things in the web series, such as singing "Squirrel Songs" in order to raise money for the "Church of Foamy" and answering "Foamy Fan Mail" (which he hates, mostly because most of the questions are ones he hates or finds repetitive: like suggestions to get a girlfriend or the desire to see various characters including Germaine naked, which disgusts him).

Foamy and Germaine both speak out against the stupidity, injustice and annoyances they face in life. Jonathan Ian Mathers, as Foamy, has "asked" that people help the victims of Hurricane Katrina and Japan's 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown disaster. In these special episodes, Foamy condemns the looters and news reporters who should be helping the victims and not merely reporting on them.

In the recent episode "Reboot Button", Foamy is shown to have 632 owners over the course of 400 years.

Pilz-e is a bespectacled squirrel who is addicted to medication. As revealed in one episode, all his diseases are psychosomatic but that he is still given pills because he has medical coverage. Pilz-e's banter is often filled with nonsense, based on hallucinations he has had due to his medication. Despite his various addictions, he is shown to be a good person, forcing Germaine to respond to a rude letter because it's polite in one episode. He also has a tendency to take what people (usually Germaine) say too literally or confuses meaning of the words that they use. Despite being considered Foamy's friend, Foamy seems to find it hard at times to deal with his drugged up behavior. There is also implication that he is actually being used for medical experiments.

The Hatta is a black squirrel who is very defensive of African-American culture. He is quick to pull the race card in any situation and has even starred in his own rants. Much like Begley, he appears less frequently in the series than either Pilz-e or Germaine.

Begley is a purple-mohawked British squirrel who rebels against authority figures (his first appearance mentioned he had called the Queen a "wanka," and he had spent eighteen months in jail). Unlike Foamy, he enjoys sexuality, though is still willing to help Foamy commit acts of mischief. Compared to The Hatta, Foamy and Pilz-e, he appears less frequently in the series, which has recently become a running gag.

Human characters

Germaine is Foamy's "owner," a poet seeking to have her work acknowledged, yet she overeats and gains weight, and is also used to demonstrate a culture obsessed with sex. She experiments with witchcraft,and meditation, though she seems unconvinced in any religious beliefs. She has alienated herself from her parents and once mentioned she worked in an occult bookstore.^[15] In the early episodes, Germaine was flat chested, and a more stereotypical Goth/Punk (somewhat feminist) girl. At the ends of "Who Would Win In A Fight?", Foamy reveals she keeps buying "rubber duckies filled with blood that explode".

After the reboot, Germaine moves to Connecticut and lives in her grandfather's house while he's in Florida. She is unemployed at the moment, but seems to have a more sensible outlook. She has also confirmed to Foamy that she would be open to a romantic relationship with another woman.

Germaine is the only human character to reappear after the reboot. However, there are images of the other human characters drawn in "reboot" style on the Ill Will Press website, suggesting they will be making appearances.

Anchovie^[16] is Germaine's stalker. He speaks with an English accent. He has had various jobs: pizza delivery man, a clerk at the "Gooey Burger," a security guard at a lingerie shop,as well as a gym teacher. He secretly photographs Germaine and posts them on a website. He finds ways to run into Germaine and, while she has been seen to talk or interact with him, she does not approve of his stalker habits.

In the episode "Social Network of Idiots II," Germaine is seen killing Anchovie through a window. Pil-Ze and Begley are seen carrying off limbs. He has yet to reappear.

Franklin works at Starshmuck's coffee shop, and is obviously gay, though the character attempts to deny this when it is mentioned. He flaunts and advertises Starschmucks merchandise and expresses that Starschmucks coffee is a status symbol and those that drink it are trendy and 'Ab-Fab' ("ABsolutely FABulous.") He's also an elitist, stating that he performs the task of serving the corporate elite while simultaneously stating that he is better than the number of 'mere mortals' he serves coffee to (especially when people order coffee.) He despises Foamy, who refuses to kowtow to 'coffee house propaganda' and grows more and more irate at the growing difficulty of getting a cup of coffee. Franklin appears in episodes: Coffee House Propaganda; Small, Medium, Large; Small, Medium, Large and Larger; Zip Code; Tips.

Mammed Udi is a Hindu man from India, where he worked in technical support for "Smell Tech Computers". Later, he works at an "Eaters Anonymous" hotline that Germaine calls after quitting his tech support job, as well as a Suicide Hotline operator and the pharmacist that supplies Pilz-e's staggering amount of medications in other episodes. He is revealed to have joined Germaine and Pizza Guy in a poker game at the end of "Deck Waving". Mammed appears in episodes: Tech support 1-5; Medication for All;

Joanna, or "Mutie", was Germaine's mute female roommate appearing in a number of initially unreleased episodes (available on DVD and YouTube), featuring blond hair, blue eyes, and an exaggerated breast size. She first appears in "Cute Mute" where at first Foamy mistakes her for Germaine who then appears and explains she met Joanna at a party and brought her home with her because she was drunk. Foamy asks if they can keep her, so Germaine suggests that Joanna be her roommate, primarily to help with bills. Foamy nicknames her Mutie and refers to her as the cute one. In "Focus Pocus", she is shown meditating, with Foamy trying to annoy her but unable to get a reaction. Foamy gives up and tells her there won't be any problems as long as she stays away from his nuts, which finally elicits a response from her as she finds his comment amusing. Joanna's last appearance was in the episode "Hot Enough For You?", which showed the character being pulled underwater by a mysterious tentacle.

YouTube

In 2009, Mathers began hosting all of the Neurotically Yours cartoons exclusively on YouTube and Newgrounds. The reasons provided for the change over included poor quality copies being made and distributed without giving Mathers credit, or people simply taking credit for his work. Aside from the video quality and credit, Mathers also cited overall bandwidth usage. Mathers stated that the monthly bills were "insane". Having changed over to Youtube, Mathers was able to provide viewers with a feed to subscribe to more episodes (both current and past episodes), as well as limiting his overall monthly bill, thus making site maintenance easier.^[17]

References

1. ^ http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/82170
2. ^ http://www.illwillpress.com/
3. ^ Ill Will Press FAQ
4. ^ Girl's Camp
5. ^ M.P.H
6. ^ Reboot Button
7. ^ Blog
8. ^ A Reason For Reboots
9. ^ What To Expect With The Update
10. ^ Foamy Card Cult
11. ^ Cardboard Foamy
12. ^ Secrets of the Cult of Foamy
13. ^ The Cult Returns
14. ^ Cult Meeting
15. ^ Mentioned in the CD "Foamy: Live at GBCB'S"
16. ^ Foamy DVD Volume 5 Credits: Anchovie (The Pizza Guy)...Johnathan Ian Mathers
17. ^ Ill Will Press FAQ