Today, beloved WEBTOON serial “Brass and Sass” (created by artist Enlik Kildibekova) will be returning to its third season after a short break, accompanied by a brand new song by popular musician mxmtoon. This is an exciting opportunity for both parties, although it isn’t the first time Brass and Sass has paired a song with their episodes! It’s a comic about love, music, and loving music, after all.
The comic is about a pair of high schoolers who fall hard for one another, which might sound like a typical narrative, but this series has something pretty special to it. Our heroine Camilla joins her school band because she loves music (even if she has no talent herself), and in the process, she falls for Victor, a surly yet talented “brass-hole.” Both Camilla and Victor are incredibly fun to watch, and their dynamic becomes so sugary-sweet, it makes my teeth ache. What really helps tie the whole thing together, though, is the supporting cast, full of colorful, endearing characters who make the whole series feel so light.
Overall, the series reminds me of a sweeter, more youthful “Snotgirl,” with a similar art style and character design. But the series’ return isn’t the only thing to celebrate.
mxmtoon will be releasing her new album “Rising” on May 20th, and for today’s Brass, she’ll be teasing one song: “frown.” I covered Miss Toon (AKA Maia) more in-depth in my article about AAPI female musicians, but Maia is truly an admirable force in the world of modern music. Only a few years ago, she was making ukulele tunes from the comfort of her bedroom—now she’s releasing full albums and going on tours. From one half-Asian musician to another, hell yeah hell yeah let’s goooo!
In a way, the combination of Maia’s music with Brass and Sass is nothing short of perfect. Maia’s songs are dreamy and wistful, articulating very deep feelings for someone so young, and most of these feelings revolve around love and longing, but in a way that isn’t maudlin. And Brass and Sass is full of joy and fun, yet deftly handles tougher topics revolving around teenage life. In an already unique spin on the webcomic format, they did well to partner with Maia.
And even if band was never your thing … well, I grew out of it too, but it’s always cute seeing two people fall in love to soft indie, right?
(Featured Image: WEBTOON)
