The Rhythm of Fate: A Patapon Tale
Jamie’s fingers cramped as he frantically tapped the rhythm buttons on his PSP. The dark clouds of the Karmen stronghold loomed on the screen as his tiny army of Patapons marched forward to the beat of his commands.
“Pata-pata-pata-pon! Pata-pata-pata-pon!” he chanted under his breath, fingers moving in perfect sync with the familiar rhythm that had guided his spear-wielding Yaripons through countless battles.
But tonight was different. Whether it was the late hour, his exhaustion from studying all day, or simply bad luck, Jamie couldn’t seem to find the groove. His Patapons faltered on the battlefield, their movements becoming sluggish and uncoordinated as he missed beat after beat.
“Come on, come on!” he hissed, hunching closer to the screen. The mission timer was running down. The powerful Karmen general Goruru stomped menacingly toward his disorganized troops.
“Don-don-don-DON!” Jamie attempted the defense command, but his timing was off by a fraction of a second.
Error sounds blared from the PSP speakers as his Patapons were crushed beneath Goruru’s massive club. The screen faded to black, and large red letters spelled out “MISSION FAILED.”
“Seriously?!” Jamie threw himself back against his pillows. This was the fifth attempt tonight, and he’d been so close to beating the level. “I could have sworn I had the timing right.”
The game’s death music played its sad melody, but instead of returning to the map screen, something strange happened. The PSP’s screen began to glow with an intensity that made Jamie squint. A faint drumbeat emanated from the speakers, growing louder with each passing second.
“What the—” Jamie tried to power off the console, but the buttons were unresponsive. The rhythmic drumming grew more insistent, pulsing in time with the glowing screen.
Pata-pata-pata-pon. Pata-pata-pata-pon.
The room around him seemed to fade as the glow from the PSP enveloped him. Jamie felt a strange pulling sensation, as if the game were drawing him in. He tried to drop the console, but his fingers wouldn’t release. The drumbeats consumed his thoughts, drowning out everything else.
Pata-pata-pata-pon. Pata-pata-pata-pon.
With a final flash of brilliant light, Jamie felt himself falling forward—not onto his bed, but into the screen itself. The sensation of tumbling through space lasted only moments before everything went dark.
When consciousness returned, Jamie found himself floating in a void filled with soft, pulsating light. A disembodied voice echoed around him.
“Almighty one, you have failed your Patapons in their time of need. To truly understand the sacred rhythms that guide them, you must walk among them, grow with them, become one with them. Only then may you return to guide them to victory.”
“Wait, what? No, I just had a bad day! I can beat the level, I swear!” Jamie protested, but the voice continued as if it hadn’t heard him.
“The transformation begins. Embrace your destiny among the Patapons.”
A strange tingling sensation spread throughout Jamie’s body, starting at his fingers and toes. The feeling was not painful but utterly foreign—as if his very molecules were being rearranged. He watched in horror as his hands began to lose definition, his five fingers melting together like wax to form simple, rounded appendages.
“No, stop!” he cried, but his voice came out higher, almost musical.
The transformation accelerated rapidly. Jamie felt a powerful compressing sensation as his entire body began to shrink. His arms and legs grew shorter, becoming stubby and rounded. His clothing seemed to melt away, absorbed into his changing form. The tingling spread across his skin, which was now turning a deep, inky black.
Jamie’s face felt the most dramatic changes. His nose and mouth merged and flattened into a simple line, while his eyes—oh god, his eyes—were growing larger, pushing outward from his face. They began as saucer-sized orbs but continued expanding until each eye was nearly the size of what had once been his entire head. He could see in all directions at once, the vision disorienting and overwhelming.
“Ah…ahhh!” His scream came out as a musical note rather than a cry of distress.
His torso compressed and rounded, his internal organs shifting and rearranging themselves into simplified versions suitable for his new form. His skeleton felt as if it were dissolving, replaced by something more elastic and resilient. Jamie’s entire body continued to shrink until he was no more than fifteen inches tall.
The transformation crept deeper, altering his very thought patterns. Words began to organize themselves into rhythmic patterns in his mind. His consciousness flickered between human thoughts and something more primitive yet musical. Fear and panic alternated with strange new instincts.
His skull reshaping was the most unsettling sensation—his brain compressing while somehow maintaining all his memories. His ears vanished entirely, yet his hearing became more acute, especially attuned to rhythmic patterns. His brown hair withdrew into his scalp, leaving his rounded head perfectly smooth and black.
As the transformation neared completion, Jamie felt one final, intense wave of change wash over him. His newly-formed Patapon body shrank further, his limbs becoming even stubbier, his eyes shrinking slightly—though still enormously disproportionate to his body. His round form grew softer, more vulnerable.
With horror, Jamie realized what was happening: he wasn’t just becoming a Patapon—he was becoming an infant Patapon.
The void around him dissolved, and Jamie found himself lying on his back, staring up at a sky painted in the distinct artistic style of the Patapon world—flat, vibrant colors with bold outlines. He tried to sit up but found his infant Patapon body uncooperative, managing only to roll slightly to one side.
“Pon?” The sound emerged from him involuntarily, and Jamie felt a wave of embarrassment. He couldn’t even speak properly!
Suddenly, large shadows fell over him. Three adult Patapons—a Yaripon, a Tatepon, and a Yumipon—peered down at his tiny form, their massive eyes blinking in unison.
“It is the Almighty!” The Yaripon jabbed his spear skyward. “But… tiny!”
“So small! So round!” exclaimed the Tatepon, prodding Jamie’s soft body with his shield.
“Stop that!” Jamie tried to say, but all that came out was, “Pon-pon!”
The Yumipon leaned closer, bow clutched in his stubby hands. “The Great Rhythm failed. Almighty becomes Patapon. Must learn rhythm from beginning!”
The Yaripon scooped Jamie up, holding the infant Patapon awkwardly. “Take to village. Show Priestess.”
Being carried through the Patapon village was perhaps the most humiliating experience of Jamie’s life. Adult Patapons stopped their activities to stare and point at the tiny black form being carried past them.
“Almighty is baby!” “No rhythm, no power!” “Must grow again!” “So cute, though!”
Jamie squirmed in embarrassment, his infant Patapon form unable to express the complexity of his emotions. Part of him wanted to cry, but all that emerged was a melodic, “Pata-pata?”
The village was exactly as it appeared in the game—simple huts with thatched roofs, training grounds for warriors, and at its center, the sacred tree where the Priestess resided. The colors were more vibrant than any game screen could display, and the sounds more rich and textured. The constant background rhythm of Patapon life—drums, singing, chanting—surrounded Jamie.
The Priestess, distinguished by the ceremonial markings on her Patapon form, gasped when she saw Jamie.
“The prophecy!” she exclaimed, reaching for the infant Patapon. “When Almighty loses rhythm, Almighty must learn as we learn.”
She held Jamie up for the gathered crowd to see. “Our Almighty comes to us as a child! We must teach! We must guide! As Almighty once guided us!”
A cheer went up from the assembled Patapons, a harmonious “OHHHHH!” that resonated through the village.
The Priestess brought Jamie close to her eye. “Do not fear, Almighty. This is the way of rhythm. You will grow as your understanding grows.”
Over the coming days, Jamie’s existence as an infant Patapon was a mixture of fascination and frustration. His caretakers—a rotating group of female Patapons—treated him with reverence but also amusement. They fed him strange nectars from the Juju trees, bathed him in musical springs, and sang him to sleep with the rhythm songs of their ancestors.
Jamie gradually gained control of his tiny body, learning to roll, then crawl, then take wobbly steps on his stubby legs. Each achievement was celebrated by the village with a special drum ceremony, much to his embarrassment.
The young Patapons were the worst. Though they treated him with the required respect for the Almighty, they couldn’t resist teasing.
“Almighty goes pitter-patter!” one young Tatepon would sing as Jamie toddled across the village square.
“Almighty makes tiny poo-poo!” another would chant after witnessing Jamie’s caretakers change him.
Though mortified, Jamie found himself unable to maintain his human anger in his Patapon form. Emotions came and went like musical notes, intense but fleeting. And as weeks passed, something unexpected happened—he began to enjoy aspects of his new existence.
The simplicity of Patapon life had a charm to it. Everything was rhythm, music, and community. There were no deadlines, no exams, no complicated social hierarchies beyond the warrior classes and reverence for the Priestess and the Almighty (himself).
As his infant body grew into that of a young Patapon, Jamie began formal training in the sacred rhythms. The Priestess herself took charge of this education, positioning Jamie before a small practice drum.
“Feel rhythm here,” she would say, placing his stubby hand over where his heart would be. “Not think rhythm. FEEL rhythm.”
Jamie’s first attempts were disastrous, his timing off, his strikes either too hard or too soft. The adult Patapons would wince collectively, some covering their giant eyes at particularly bad performances.
“Almighty has much to learn,” an elder Dekapon observed after one session. “Perhaps Almighty not so mighty with tiny arms,” snickered a young Yaripon, who was promptly silenced by a disapproving look from the Priestess.
Yet as months passed in the Patapon world, Jamie improved. His growing body became more coordinated, and more importantly, he began to understand what the Priestess meant about feeling the rhythm rather than thinking it.
The seasons changed. The great Juju tree flowered and bore fruit. The Karmen remained a threat on the borders. And Jamie continued to grow, both physically and in his understanding of Patapon ways.
By what he estimated to be his second year in the Patapon world, Jamie had grown into an adolescent Patapon. Not quite adult-sized, but no longer the embarrassing infant he’d been. He had been permitted to choose a class, selecting Yaripon for its balance of offense and defense. His training with the spear was complemented by daily rhythm practice.
“Pata-pata-pata-PON!” Jamie would chant with the other young warriors as they marched in formation around the village.
“Don-don-don-DON!” they would respond, raising their shields or weapons in perfect unison.
The transformation of Jamie’s mind had been as gradual as that of his body. Human memories remained, but they seemed more distant, like stories he’d heard rather than experiences he’d lived. His thoughts naturally fell into rhythmic patterns now, and he found himself dreaming in the chants and drum beats of Patapon society.
When he reached full adult size—still only about three feet tall—Jamie was permitted to join his first hunt. The experience was exhilarating. Moving in perfect rhythm with his fellow Patapons, responding to the commands of a tribal elder who temporarily took the role of their Almighty, Jamie felt a sense of belonging he’d never known in his human life.
That night, as the village celebrated their successful hunt with a feast and drum circle, the Priestess approached Jamie.
“You learn well, Almighty-who-walks-among-us,” she said, using the formal title they’d given him. “Soon, you may be ready to return to the heavens and guide us once more.”
The statement should have filled Jamie with joy—the promise of returning to his human form, to his life. Instead, he felt a strange hollowness at the thought.
“What if…” Jamie began, his Patapon voice now fluent and melodic, “What if I wish to remain?”
The Priestess’s enormous eye widened slightly. “To remain as Patapon? Forever?”
Jamie nodded his round head. “I understand rhythm now. Not just with drums. Life rhythm. Patapon rhythm.” He struggled to express the complex feeling. “Here, I am part of something. The great song. In human world, I was… alone.”
The Priestess was silent for a long moment, her giant eye blinking thoughtfully. “The choice has never been offered before. But perhaps… perhaps this is why Almighty came to us in this way.”
More seasons passed. The Patapon tribe faced challenges—droughts, battles with the Karmen, internal conflicts—and through it all, Jamie remained among them. His status evolved from curiosity to respected member of the tribe. Though they never forgot he had once been their Almighty, they came to value him for his unique perspective and the insights his former human life sometimes provided.
In his fifth year as a Patapon, during a particularly fierce battle with a Karmen raiding party, Jamie found himself protecting a group of Patapon younglings who had been separated from the main village. Surrounded, with only his spear and shield, he called upon everything he had learned.
“PATA-PATA-PATA-PON!” he chanted, feeling the rhythm surge through him like electricity. He moved with perfect timing, his spear striking true with each drum beat that pounded in his mind.
When the battle was won and the children safely returned, the Priestess approached Jamie with a ceremonial headdress—one traditionally worn only by tribal champions.
“You have proven yourself not just a Patapon in form, but in spirit,” she declared before the assembled tribe. “No longer are you Almighty-who-walks-among-us. Now you are Rhythm-Born, a true Patapon hero.”
That night, as the celebration fires burned low and the other Patapons slept, Jamie sat alone beneath the stars. He could still remember his human life—video games, school, family—but those memories now felt like a story about someone else.
Here, in this simple world of rhythm and community, he had found something his human life had lacked: purpose, belonging, harmony. His embarrassment at his transformation had long since faded, replaced by pride in his Patapon identity.
A shooting star traced a bright line across the sky. In the Patapon belief system, such stars were messages from the Almighty. Jamie smiled at the irony.
“I choose this life,” he whispered to the night sky, his Patapon voice creating a gentle melody of the words. “I am home.”
And somewhere, in a world beyond, a PSP console lay forgotten on a teenager’s bed, its screen dark, its game complete in ways its designers had never intended.
The Rhythm of Fate: Comic Panel Breakdown
Page 1: The Failed Mission
Panel 1 (Wide establishing shot) Jamie hunched over his PSP in a dimly lit bedroom, clock showing 2:47 AM. Empty energy drink cans and textbooks scattered around. His face shows intense concentration and frustration.
Panel 2 (Close-up) Jamie’s cramped fingers on the PSP buttons, sweat beading on his forehead. Sound effects: “TAP TAP TAP”
Panel 3 (PSP screen insert) The Patapon game showing his army being crushed by Goruru. Large “MISSION FAILED” text dominates the small screen.
Panel 4 (Medium shot) Jamie throwing himself back against pillows, PSP still in hands. Speech bubble: “Seriously?! Fifth time tonight!”
Page 2: The Anomaly
Panel 1 (Close-up of PSP) The PSP screen beginning to glow with unnatural light, normal game interface flickering.
Panel 2 (Medium shot) Jamie squinting at the brightening device, trying to press the power button. Speech bubble: “What the—”
Panel 3 (Wide shot) Intense light radiating from the PSP, filling the entire room. Jamie’s silhouette visible against the glow.
Panel 4 (Close-up) Jamie’s shocked face illuminated by the light, sound effects showing the rhythmic drumming: “PATA-PATA-PATA-PON”
Page 3: The Pull
Panel 1 (Surreal shot) Jamie being pulled toward/into the PSP screen, his body stretching toward the device in impossible ways.
Panel 2 (Abstract) Swirling void with pulsating lights and musical notes floating through space.
Panel 3 (Jamie floating in void) Jamie suspended in the mystical space, disembodied voice text appearing around him: “ALMIGHTY ONE, YOU HAVE FAILED YOUR PATAPONS…”
Panel 4 (Close-up of Jamie’s face) Realization and panic in his expression. Speech bubble: “Wait, what?! I can beat the level!”
Page 4: Transformation Begins
Panel 1 (Full body shot) Jamie floating, strange energy crackling around his hands and feet.
Panel 2 (Close-up of hands) Jamie’s fingers beginning to merge and round out, losing individual definition.
Panel 3 (Jamie’s shocked face) His features starting to flatten and simplify. Speech bubble: “No, stop!”
Panel 4 (Medium shot) Jamie’s entire body beginning to compress and darken, clothes dissolving into his changing form.
Page 5: The Eyes
Panel 1 (Extreme close-up) Jamie’s eyes beginning to expand, pushing outward from his face.
Panel 2 (Profile view) His nose and mouth flattening into a simple line while his eyes continue growing.
Panel 3 (Front view) Eyes now enormous, taking up most of his shrinking head. His scream comes out as musical notes.
Panel 4 (Full transformation) Jamie now a tiny black Patapon with huge eyes, floating in the void.
Page 6: Infant State
Panel 1 (Environmental reveal) The void dissolving to show the vibrant Patapon world - flat, colorful landscape with bold outlines.
Panel 2 (Bird’s eye view) Tiny infant Jamie-Patapon lying on his back, even smaller and rounder than normal Patapons.
Panel 3 (Three adult Patapons looking down) Yaripon, Tatepon, and Yumipon peering down with their giant eyes. Speech bubble: “It is the Almighty! But… tiny!”
Panel 4 (Close-up of infant Jamie) His attempt to speak coming out as “Pon?” with a thought bubble showing his human frustration.
Page 7: Village Parade
Panel 1 (Wide shot of Patapon village) Colorful huts, the sacred tree, training grounds - all in the distinctive Patapon art style.
Panel 2 (Procession shot) Jamie being carried through the village by the Yaripon, other Patapons gathering to stare.
Panel 3 (Crowd reaction) Multiple speech bubbles from various Patapons: “Almighty is baby!” “No rhythm, no power!” “So cute, though!”
Panel 4 (Jamie’s embarrassed expression) Close-up of infant Jamie’s mortified face, squirming in the Yaripon’s arms.
Page 8: The Priestess
Panel 1 (Establishing shot of sacred tree) The massive tree with the Priestess standing before it, ceremonial markings visible on her form.
Panel 2 (Priestess holding Jamie up) The Priestess displaying infant Jamie to the gathered crowd, her giant eye showing wisdom and amusement.
Panel 3 (Crowd celebration) All the Patapons cheering “OHHHHH!” with musical notes filling the air around them.
Panel 4 (Intimate moment) Close-up of Priestess and Jamie. Speech bubble: “Do not fear, Almighty. This is the way of rhythm.”
Page 9: Growing Up (Montage Page)
Panel 1 (Jamie learning to crawl) Tiny Jamie on all fours with encouraging Patapons around him.
Panel 2 (First steps) Slightly larger Jamie taking wobbly steps, arms outstretched for balance.
Panel 3 (Drum ceremony) Village celebration with drums as Jamie achieves each milestone.
Panel 4 (Teasing scene) Young Patapons giggling while Jamie toddles past. Speech bubble: “Almighty goes pitter-patter!”
Page 10: Rhythm Training
Panel 1 (Training scene setup) Young Jamie before a small practice drum with the Priestess instructing.
Panel 2 (Failed attempt) Jamie’s drumsticks hitting at wrong time, musical notes showing discord.
Panel 3 (Adult Patapons wincing) The watching Patapons covering their eyes at the bad performance.
Panel 4 (Priestess teaching) Close-up of Priestess placing Jamie’s hand over his heart. Speech bubble: “Feel rhythm here. Not think rhythm. FEEL rhythm.”
Page 11: Seasonal Changes
Panel 1 (Time passage - cherry blossoms) The Juju tree in bloom with Jamie now noticeably larger.
Panel 2 (Training with other young Patapons) Jamie in formation with peers, all wielding spears in unison.
Panel 3 (Chanting scene) Group of young warriors chanting “PATA-PATA-PATA-PON!” with perfect synchronization.
Panel 4 (Jamie’s satisfied expression) Close-up showing his growing confidence and belonging.
Page 12: First Hunt
Panel 1 (Departure scene) Adult-sized Jamie joining a hunting party, excitement in his giant eyes.
Panel 2 (Action sequence) The hunt in progress, Jamie moving in perfect rhythm with his fellow Patapons.
Panel 3 (Successful strike) Jamie’s spear finding its target, his movement fluid and synchronized.
Panel 4 (Victory celebration) Evening feast with drums and dancing, Jamie fully integrated into the celebration.
Page 13: The Choice
Panel 1 (Quiet conversation) Priestess approaching Jamie during the celebration, other Patapons blurred in background.
Panel 2 (Close-up dialogue) Priestess speaking: “Soon, you may be ready to return to the heavens and guide us once more.”
Panel 3 (Jamie’s conflicted expression) His large eyes showing uncertainty and unexpected sadness.
Panel 4 (Jamie’s response) Speech bubble: “What if… What if I wish to remain?”
Page 14: The Battle
Panel 1 (Action scene setup) Jamie defending Patapon younglings, surrounded by Karmen enemies.
Panel 2 (Dynamic fighting) Jamie in perfect combat rhythm, spear and shield moving in harmony.
Panel 3 (Victory moment) Enemies defeated, younglings safe behind Jamie’s protective stance.
Panel 4 (Recognition) The Priestess approaching with ceremonial headdress, pride in her expression.
Page 15: True Acceptance
Panel 1 (Ceremony) Jamie receiving the champion’s headdress before the assembled tribe.
Panel 2 (Declaration) Priestess announcing: “Now you are Rhythm-Born, a true Patapon hero.”
Panel 3 (Community celebration) The entire village celebrating around Jamie, who stands proud and confident.
Panel 4 (Jamie’s transformation complete) Close-up of Jamie’s face, no longer showing any trace of his former human uncertainty.
Page 16: New Beginning
Panel 1 (Night scene) Jamie sitting alone under the stars, celebration fires dying down in background.
Panel 2 (Shooting star) A bright streak across the Patapon-style sky, Jamie looking up peacefully.
Panel 3 (Jamie’s declaration) Speech bubble: “I choose this life. I am home.”
Panel 4 (Final wide shot) The entire Patapon village at peace under the stars, with Jamie as a natural part of the community.
Page 17: Epilogue
Panel 1 (Dimensional shift) Split panel showing the contrast between worlds - Patapon village vs. human bedroom.
Panel 2 (Abandoned PSP) The forgotten PSP lying on the bed, screen dark and lifeless.
Panel 3 (Return to Patapon world) Jamie leading a group of young Patapons in training, fully in his element.
Panel 4 (Final image) Jamie’s silhouette against the sacred tree, drum in hand, completely transformed and completely home.
Visual Style Notes:
- Color Palette: Vibrant, flat colors matching the Patapon game aesthetic
- Character Design: Maintain the simple, iconic Patapon look while showing emotional depth through eye expressions
- Panel Layouts: Mix of traditional rectangular panels with some circular/organic shapes to reflect the musical, rhythmic theme
- Sound Effects: Heavy use of onomatopoeia and musical notation integrated into the art
- Transformation Sequence: Gradual visual changes across multiple panels to show the slow metamorphosis
- Scale: Emphasize size differences between human Jamie, infant Patapon Jamie, and adult Patapons