To Belong is a series of fan videos by Youtuber TheNamelessDoll blending the animation of many different animated films to tell an original story in a style known as animash.
In a World… where all humans have Animorphism, there is a trio of poor siblings who live together: Fifteen year old Jim, nineteen year old Anya, and twenty-three year old Sinbad. The family goes off into the world and finds themselves ending up as the escorts of Charming. Charming claims he'll pay them once he gets back home... but there is more to his situation than they expected.
The series started out as a fanvid crossover series before later being expanded into its own web series.
Tropes in this series:
- Adaptational Villainy: Tulio and Phoebus, and likely many others including Aladdin, work under a mysterious figure who wants Charming dead. Also, said mysterious figure is Pocahontas.
- Adaptational Jerkass: Aurora (or "(Briar) Rose" as she's called) and Dimitri are forest thieves.
- The Alcoholic: Charming is shown to have been a habitual drinker. His lover and family tried to get him to stop, but he wouldn't.
- All There in the Manual: The descriptions and Tumblr posts explain parts of the world:
- If you are born while your mother is in animal form, then you inherit her form. If she's human during it instead, then your animal form is completely random.
- As said below in Carnivore Confusion, you can't transform into bugs or fish. Eating either of those doesn't make you a cannibal. Being a vegan or vegetarian is a valid option.
Diary products and manure still exist, however. Items made from animal skins such as leather are rare due to being considered bad and needing the permission of the deceased (so as to make the item a heirloom).
- Animorphism: Every human has one. There are no fish or bug forms, however:
- Sinbad is a horse (Spirit).
- Anya is a lioness (Nala), which she inherited from her mother.
- Jim is a wolf-dog (Balto).
- Charming and his brother are/ is a stag (The Great Prince).
- Sinbad's boss is a gorilla (Kerchak).
- Aladdin is a wolf.
- Aurora is a vixen (Vixie).
- Dmitri is a mutt (Tramp).
- Eric is an orca whale.
- Esmeralda is an eagle.
- Jasmine is a hummingbird (Flit).
- Ariel is a squirrel.
- Cinderella is a mouse (Mrs. Brisby).
- Belle is a dog (Lady).
- Big Bad: A mysterious figure, presumably a woman, is sending out henchmen to kill Charming. Considering Charming is wanted enough that he got his own printed wanted poster, we can assume she also rules over a kingdom of her own. It's revealed to be Pocahontas in part six, though it turns out she not really the Big Bad and in fact has a very good reason why she wants her half-brother dead. (See Wham Line)
- Carnivore Confusion: In Part 5, they fish. The description explains that bugs and aquatic creatures (minus water mammals) are not affected by Animorphism, so they aren't human. Mulan is said to be vegan, meaning that vegetarianism is an option.
- Cool Big Bro:
- Sinbad, who's looked after Anya and Jim on his own ever since their mother died.
- Charming can count as a surrogate one, considering he seems to be older than Anya and Jim.
- Cool Big Sis: Anya is this for Jim, looking after him alongside Sinbad and welcoming him home from work with a meal in the first episode.
- Crossover: Standard of a manip. There are also a few reusages of scenery and shots of animations that are not films or traditionally western, such as Howl's Moving Castle and The Legend of Korra.
- Crossover Relatives:
- Anya from Anastasia, Jim from Treasure Planet, and Sinbad from Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas are siblings.
- John Rolfe and Pocahontas of Pocahontas are siblings with Charming from Cinderella. Pocahontas is the older half-sibling through their father.
- Dark and Troubled Past:
- Charming recently inherited his homeland's throne, but somehow ended up across the ocean and is being hunted down by a malevolent group. Something also happened to Belle (his lover) and his brother. Mulan also tells him that his 'aura reeks of sin', meaning whatever he's done, it means he's not as innocent as we think. It's later revealed that he killed his lover and his brother.
- The orphans lost their mother to a fire caused by Anya. Anya was traumatized about it enough that she could no longer morph without hallucinating about fire.
- Death by Adaptation: John Rolfe and Belle were killed by Charming. For helping him escape after the murder, the maid Cinderella was executed.
- Disappeared Dad: Anya, Sinbad, and Jim's father is never mentioned. Their dad was originally planned to appear but was scrapped due to a lack of content to use.
- Distracted by the Sexy: Aurora does this on Sinbad while Dmitri and a squirrel knock him out. Luckily, the others come along and he soon regains consciousness before they can strip his clothes off for money.
- Distressed Dude: Jim gets into tight spots multiple times and has to get bailed out by the others. Noted in the description of Part 5.
- Drunken Glow: Charming flushes when drunk.
- Graceful Loser: Sinbad. After exchanges flirts with Esmeralda for the entirety of Part 5, Jasmine finally morphs back into human form during the party to make out with her right in front of him, revealing that Esmeralda's taken. He's surprised by how sudden it is, but happily accepts his loss.
- His Name Really Is "Barkeep": Charming is his first name. His last name is Greenwood.
- Innocently Insensitive: Charming inquires about why the trio isn't with their parents and is under the assumption that hard work is enough to keep a stable lifestyle, causing Jim to be reminded of their mother and runs off, with Anya making pursuit. When Sinbad returns, he tells off Charming, noting that some people don't like to talk about certain topics.
- It Amused Me: Mulan initially claims that she helped the group because it was destiny, but then Esmeralda tells her to cut the philosophy padding and she answers that she did it because she was bored (and also that Charming would pay them handsomely).
- Language Barrier: The squirrel, later revealed to be Ariel, only speaks Swedish. She and Jim are still friends nevertheless.
- Lethal Chef: Anya's attempt at dinner in episode one is an inedible-looking sludge. May be justified, however, as the siblings are dirt-poor and Anya had to use ingredients she found in peoples' garbage in order to cook something.
- Matricide: As a child, Anya accidentally set off a fire which killed her mother.
- Nice Guy: Charming and Sinbad.
- Off with His Head!: Tulio taunts Charming with the idea that 'that servant girl really misses her head'. The girl is later revealed to be Cinderella, who was killed for helping Charming escape after he murdered John and Belle.
- Only in It for the Money: To most of whoever offers their services to Charming, at least initially.
- Our Nudity Is Different: In the animated series, since it's normal to be naked after returning to your human form after being in animal form, it's more commonplace in public. Usually a blanket or something else to cover them up is offered, but if they decline, you're supposed to avoid impolitely staring. However, there are still times where being naked would be inappropriate, such as formal events, the cold winter, and being suspected of purposely flashing. Mineral is a character who is comfortable with being naked in public after transforming back from her animal form, which usually results in Leah giving her a cloak to cover up herself.
- Please, I Will Do Anything!: Cinderella tells Phoebus and Pocahontas that she would do anything for Charming. Pocahontas responds with "Then you will die for him."
- Really Royalty Reveal: It gets revealed to the others in Parts 4 and 5 that Charming is a recently ascended lord of a kingdom. They don't find out until Part 5 that his head is wanted, thanks to seeing a wanted poster.
- Sibling Murder: Charming killed his brother and his lover. It's assumed to have occurred while drunk, however it's hinted that something supernatural forced him to do it.
- Shout-Out:
- In the animated version, the siblings' golden eyes are a reference to Fullmetal Alchemist.
- The author compares parents being unable to control their young children's transformations to Wolf Children.
- Uptown Girl: Pocahontas to Anya. Pocahontas is a wealthy lady, while Anya has spent most of her life on the streets, though she comes from a wealthy background.
- Wham Line: From part six:Charming: I, Lord Charming Greenwood, have returned to my home so that I...[Beat] ...so that I can atone for my crimes: the murders of my brother and my fiancé.
- Willing Suspension of Disbelief: So, what happened to regular animals? Were humans always able to turn into animals? How can animals go "extinct"? Just go with it.
