What do you make when you combine A Goofy Movie with Freaky Friday (2003), and placed this story within a Vocaloid universe? You create A Little More Like Me, a fanfiction written by authoress ClareLaBelleRose.
The story takes place in an alternate universe, where all the Vocaloids are idols, follows Kaito and Len, two men of whom fail to understand one another, no matter how hard they try. After an argument and mysterious accident, they find themselves inside one another's body, classic Freaky Friday fashion, and Kaito finds himself struggling with being a pubescent boy once again, while Len finds himself discovering that the man he once was so envious of's life is not as perfect as he always thought it happened to be. The story, just as many Freaky Friday adaptations are, is for the most part, humorous, with dramatic moments throughout, particularly near the end.
The fanfiction was written based in the love for The '80s, a time of which the author says she favors, along with her passion towards Vocaloid, and the characters of Kaito and Len. She wishes to portray them positively in fanfictions, as well as give them the representation they lack in comparison to other Vocaloids. She also created the fanfiction to pay homage towards Disney, a company of which greatly inspired her overtime.
The fanfiction can be read on Wattpad and DeviantArt here.
A Little More Like Me contains examples of:
- Age Lift: All Vocaloids are 2 years older in this story, as this takes place 2 years after they began performing.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Kaito and Len start the story, particularly Len, saying they wish they could see the world through one another's eyes, Len saying that he wished he had Kaito's life. This happens quite literally to both of them.
- Beware the Nice Ones: The shy, gentle, sweet Luka happens to be the one to cause the change in the first place.
- Be Yourself: One of the main messages of the story. The main protagonists discover firsthand what it's like to walk in one another's shoes.
- Big "NO!": Right before the car crash, Len delivers one.
- Book Ends: The story begins and ends with a conflict at the breakfast table.
- Both Sides Have a Point: The conflict between Kaito and Len can be seen as this. Kaito just wants to not lose Len as his son-like figure, and wants him to return to the happy, sweet state he was in before. However, he often babies Len, and fails to understand what Len's going through or even consider his feelings. While seemingly bratty at first, as well as rude and judgemental towards those who love him, especially Kaito, Len's side can be understood as well, as he, like many teenagers, just wants to find himself and be free from control, as well as handling balancing his life at school, as well as an idol, and puberty, which everyone can say is difficult.
- Chekhov's Gunman: Every character from previous chapters makes an appearance at the concert in Chapter 11.
- Covered in Kisses: This happens to Kaito (thanks to Miku) during Chapter 11, after the performance ends with a success.
- Creator Cameo: The author makes an appearance as a nurse in the story, as well as several of her friends making appearances as minor characters.
- Crush Blush: Len is described as having the such when his crush, Delphine Vale, appears unexpectedly.
- Darker and Edgier: After Chapter 7, the story starts to become more dramatic and emotional. However, upon switching back to normal in Chapter 11, the story, for the most part, goes back to the silly, retro style it was in before.
- Deadpan Snarker: Len acts as this for most of the story, until Chapter 8.
- First Period Panic: Kaito (In Len's body) has to experience the male equivalent of this when he finds himself hitting puberty in Len's body while at Len's school. He finds himself running for the only male teacher for help, only to start a large chase scene in which Kaito finds himself chased by the entire school.
- "Freaky Friday" Flip: The story is centered around this, being a body swap fic between Kaito and Len.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Len is clearly, from the beginning, incredibly envious of Kaito. His inferiority complex is one of the things that lead to his aggressive behavior.
- Heroic BSoD: Len has one of these upon discovering the truth behind Kaito's actions in Chapter 8.
- Heroic Self-Deprecation: Len performs a lot of this in Chapter 9, and it's up to Kaito to comfort him, in which he succeeds in doing.
- Hidden Depths: Both Kaito and Len find themselves discovering hidden parts of one another that they had no idea even existed before.
- Hormone-Addled Teenager: Len (and Rin) is one of these, effecting his mood and self-esteem, being one of Kaito and Len's main causes of conflict.
- I Want My Mommy!: A variation of this is said in Chapter 3, when Len cries out for Rin in fear.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Len has shades of this in the beginning, though by the end, he's matured into a kind, compassionate, humble young man.
- Karmic Transformation: The body swap of Kaito into Len and Len into Kaito could be considered this. (See Be Careful What You Wish For)
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: This happens in Chapter 11, as it's mentioned that if Kaito told everything that had happened to him over the past few days, this would fill a novella. Guess what A Little More Like Me is?
- Like Father, Like Son: While not biologically father and son, Kaito and Len's relationship reflects this, and this trope comes into play as Kaito and Len slowly realize how similar they truly are.
- Meaningful Echo: A very meaningful one takes place in Chapter 8.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Len has a huge moment of this in Chapter 8, after realizing what he had put Kaito and his other friends through while on his "date" with Miku, of whom still thinks he's Kaito at the time.
- No Periods, Period: Averted, as Rin talks about her experiences in puberty, of which imply she may be starting hers soon.
- Oh, Crap!: Kaito and Len have one of these upon realizing they're in one another body's. Kaito has yet another one when he realizes he'll have to go to school in Len's place, and yet another one when he hits puberty in Len's body. Len has one of his own before the car crashes.
- Parental Substitute: Miku and Kaito act as parental substitutes to Rin and Len throughout the story, while Meiko sort of acts like a mom to all of the Vocaloids in her division.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Len's red to Kaito's blue. This dynamic also works between Rin and Miku, respectively, as well as Meiko and Luka. This could even be applied to Fukase and Oliver as well.
- Ship Tease: Several in Chapter 11, the second to final chapter, including Len/Delphine, Oliver/Fukase, and Gakupo/Meiko.
- Shrinking Violet: Luka qualifies as one, though there's more to her than others think.
- Tears of Joy: Many, many of these are shed in the final chapters, by all of the main characters.
- The Power of Love: This is essentially what changes them back in the end, along with Luka.
- Title Drop: A dramatic one occurs near the end of the story, said by both Kaito and Len.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: Implied that Len did so before the story began. This is thankfully averted later on.
- Took a Level in Kindness: Both Len and Kaito by the end of the story.
- Used to Be a Sweet Kid: Pre-story, Len was implied to have been very, very sweet and nice, before his jealousy towards Kaito grew and he hit puberty. Thankfully, he goes back to being kinder by the end. Not in the same way, but he improves as a person.
- You Are Not Alone: One of the main themes of the story, especially conveyed in the final speech near the ending from Kaito and Len, who directly say this, not only talking to the audience of the performance, but the audience of the story as well.
