Hello Observers, 

And welcome back to another entry of Mirall’s Mansion ( 2 in one day for once)

If you missed the previous ones, you can check them out below:

Mirall Mansion 001 [ The Making of '' Observer'']

Mirall's Mansion 002 [A History of canceled Happiness games]

In this Mirall Mansion, I want to talk about the real people who inspired some of the Happiness characters, so let's begin:

1- Carmine

The main heroine of the series it’s only fair we start with her. Her appearance and family background are heavily inspired by the real Carmine, though personality-wise, they’re quite different. If anything, the real Carmine’s personality is closer to Zero’s: weird and quirky and low-key manipulative.

That said, some things carried over in the Happiness series: she really was president of the literature club, and her dad did, in fact, own an egg factory (don’t ask, I don't know what that is). The last time I saw her was during the COVID lockdown. I told her about the Happiness series, which at the time only included the first two games. She wished me luck and insisted we’d have a literature club reunion. That reunion never happened.

2- Hassan

Hassan is a unique case. With most characters, I exaggerate personality traits for storytelling. With Hassan, I had to tone things down. The real Hassan is even more chaotic than his in-game version. His real-life antics are genuinely unbelievable, and the fact that he was never arrested is a clear failure of the legal system.

Unlike Carmine, I’m still in touch with him. We met just a few weeks ago, actually. His personality has shifted dramatically. He’s abandoned his wild lifestyle and now lives like a monk, entirely devoted to spirituality and inner peace. IRL character development, I guess? 

3- Lilith

Lilith is quite similar to her character — she's also Hassan’s younger sister in real life. She’s now an adult studying dentistry, so she’s understandably not as clingy to her brother anymore. But she’s still kind, energetic, and radiates positivity.

The reason I based a character on her is simple: back in high school, whenever I visited Hassan, she’d sprint to his room yelling, “Onii-chan! Someone’s here to see you!” It was adorable , like something ripped out of an anime scene.

4- Tuck ( T's)

Tuck is based on a college friend with the same name. Fun fact: he actually rejected the first design I made for him, calling it “too flamboyant.” He approved the current one, though, so here we are. I haven’t spoken to him in years, and I don't intend to change that.

5- Nessrine 

Much like her character, the real Nessrine was part of the literature club and was a huge anime fan way before anime went mainstream. The key difference? Real Nessrine was loved by everyone. She was super friendly... though not great at respecting personal space, she was very touchy-feely and probably responsible for many accidental boners.

I lost contact with her a long time ago, but I hope she’s out there somewhere enjoying the fact that her niche hobby is now mainstream.

6- Anya

Anya’s character is almost a direct copy of the real Anya: beautiful, popular, and full of herself. She was the principal’s daughter and wasn’t shy about reminding people. She also joined the literature club... and loudly complained that we never did anything literary. She even threatened to report Carmine to her father (the principal) multiple times.

Yeah, not a very nice person, but she served as a great basis for a not-so-kind character.

7- Lisa

This sprite is from Zero One Remastered. Lisa’s real-life counterpart is a short, petite woman who’s constantly mistaken for a middle schooler. Just like in the game, she’s stubborn, headstrong, and... a little much.

But unlike the in-game Lisa, the real one is super perverted. She used to watch hentai on campus and wanted to start a hentai review YouTube channel  filmed in a cemetery, of all places. She’s definitely eccentric. Not quite at Hassan’s level, but she’s close.

Final words

When I first began working on the Happiness series, I based some of the characters on real people I had known. It helped me write more realistic and believable personalities. As the series evolved and the themes and storylines became more complex, I gradually moved away from using real-life inspirations. 

These days, I rarely base characters directly on anyone. Still, I’m grateful for the unique individuals I met along the way, they played a meaningful role in shaping the early spirit of the series. Wherever they are now, I hope they’re living happy, fulfilling lives.