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Sam Riegel knows that adadpting D&D actual play into an animated series isn't easy. "It turns out you can’t just draw an army," he says as an example, "because they have to draw each one of those little guys." But the process becomes even more complicated when you have to adapt not just one beloved campaign to cartoon form, but two. Because according to the OG Critical Role cast member, you've even got to keep your characters proportions different across series.

The comments come from a recent interview Riegel did with Rolling Stone regarding Titmouse's The Mighty Nein, the second Critical Role-based animated series to premiere on Prime Video. During the conversation, Riegel revealed that the character designs for the show are more true to life than those of its predecessor, The Legend of Vox Machina. 

And not only that, he told us why.

"It is a more dark and gritty and grounded story," says the actor, "than the hijinks of Vox Machina."

And what Rigel says is true. Not only is the subject matter of Might Nein more fraught with emotion than the series that came before it, the episodes themselves are twice the length, doubling down on the story and prompting less cartoonish character designs. 

So if you've been watching Mighty Nein after Vox Machina and feeling like the whole thing looks just a tad different, you were entirely correct. At the same time, we can hardly blame you if you didn't notice because of Riegel's own character, Nott the Brave.

He does play a goblin, after all.

The Mighty Nein season 1 is streaming now on Prime Video.

From the lands of Exandria to your very own smartscreens, Popverse has everything you need to know about the TTRPG phenomenon that is Critical Role. Here you'll find:

• Popverse's Critical Role watch order
• An interview with GM Brennan Lee Mulligan
• The cast's appearance at C2E2 '25

...and more. Roll initiative, player. Adventure awaits.