The Unspeakable Horrors Behind The Amazing Digital Circus



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The Amazing Digital Circus is an indie animated show about an odd group of players, who are forced to complete different bizarre missions. They can’t leave, don’t really need to eat, and some are losing their minds. But what were the stories that inspired this colorful prison? In this video I’ll be tracing back to the possible and concrete inspirations for the show, and how these older stories shaped the one we love today. This is an in-depth video essay on the darker cruel inspirations behind The Amazing Digital Circus, from “I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream” video game and short story, to “Popee the Performer” even including RWBY and ENA and other creepy digital favorites!

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“Floating Cities, Myst on the Moor, Magic Escape Room” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The Amazing Digital Circus Music:
“Worm Mom” by Evan Alderete
“Your New Home” by Gooseworx

The Dark Origins of The Amazing Digital Circus Timestamps
The Amazing Digital Circus Origins Intro
1:06 – CAINE vs I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream
9:57 – No Mouth Videogame vs Digital Circus Levels
12:35 – Popee The Performer’s Creepy Influence
15:01 – Digital Circus Modern Influences

#theamazingdigitalcircus #pomni #caine #digitalcircus #tadc #tadcpomni #gooseworx #digitalcircusanimation #glitchproductions

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44 thoughts on “The Unspeakable Horrors Behind The Amazing Digital Circus”

  1. Caine being malicious?
    Everyone: No! He's a goofy goober shmobber boober!

    Me: Caine being a malevolent AI? Uhhh… Did no one else think the logo C&A was for a company called Caine and Abel? What the HELL happened to Abel!
    Pomni means Remember.

    Reply
  2. As a side note, one of the inspirations for the show is Raggedy Ann & Andy – A Musical Adventure, a trippy 1977 animated movie, and it shows on Raggatha's design, the monster in the second episode resembling the Greed monster of the movie, and probably in other moments that elluded me, lol. The Jax's VA recorded a version of '''No Girls Toy'' too, it's here on Youtube!

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  3. Before seeing your video, the way I USED to thnk of how the cast lined up was:
    AM = Caine
    Ted = Pomni
    Ellen = Ragetha
    Benny = Kinger
    Nimdok = Gangle
    Gorrester = Zooble (checked out side) and Jax (violent side)

    But after seeing your video, I'm wondering if I have Gangle and Pomni switched – maybe Gangle is Ted and Pomni is Nimdok.

    If that's the case, it makes me wonder if there's something more (dangerously more) to Pomni before she got downloaded than we're led to think.

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  4. Much like how the people who made AM are trapped by him, I feel like the people trapped in the circus are the people that made it. The biggest point of interest being that Kinger is an expert on how it all works, has been there the longest without abstraction and is obsessed with finding bugs. His bug obsession might be in relation to what his job was, finding bugs in the game. Considering he’s stuck there he has likely found the biggest bug of them all. Unfortunately Kinger has gone almost completely insane and can’t hold onto a thought or memory long enough to be helpful.

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  5. I love this video and I really want you to do a part 2 as things develop. I do want to gently let you know some things that I have learned from Gooseworks' Tumblr account. She often likes to answer questions people have about the show just so long as it doesn't give away anything. Gooseworks has stated that Cain isn't malicious on purpose and that he may do things that is wrong but he's completely oblivious. Jax on the other hand Goose states, "He deserves to be stuck in the circus the most". I do have my own theories so let me know if you want to hear them.

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  6. Pomni's name is actually a russian word! according to my friend who's fluent it's the imperative form of the verb "remember," so its like a command word telling you not to forget something.

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  7. Man I forgot about "I have No Mouth and MUST SCREAM", I really should go back and watch a replay of that game also there is a sequel to "Poppy" whatever it is it's not as good to be frank, it's funny I know both of these properties but forgot about them, I always thought Pomni was "Jesus" with the hand

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  8. Interesting take on Caine, I've been hearing his name is a reference to a character in Christian myth name Cain the first murderer and something about the demiurge, how Cain might run the circus but isn't the true creator.

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  9. I predict that if Caine does indeed snap and try and punish Pomni for some misdeed she'll do [or maybe even Jax], I imagine he's gonna grab Kinger by the head and go "I'm a beat a mother[bleep]er with a mother[bleep]er

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  10. This is so cool! This is just so cool! That’s all I have to say. I mean as a Muslim I don’t like the comparisons to Allah (God),since there isn’t any comparable, but the initial horror concept is soooooo cooolll!!!!!

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  11. Caine concerns me. He talks about the “exit” he was working on like he had no concept of the real world. It makes sense if he’s an AI, but it would be even sadder if he is a human raised in the simulation.

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  12. I've always thought I have no mouth and I must scream was always the most horrific story where AI eliminates mankind. AM has true malice for humans and delights in how twisted and tormented he can make them. I've never checked out Digital Circus but this video sort of convinced me Haha.

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  13. If this true it would be scary. But my favorite genre is horror. But I think maybe Caine is not evil, just a smart and stupid character? I know that’s an oxymoron but I think you get what I’m saying. I can’t wait to see where the series goes from here on out. But I see where your idea comes from when he goes into the eyes monster.

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  14. Since were going to get an episode of Spudsy's (the restaurant) what if one of the casts had the virtual sensation of hunger and is desperate on eating something from the restaurant but who knows what happens if you digest the food

    Reply

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