So Joy isn’t able to get into the specifics here, but I figured I might just in case anyone was interested. So the emotions in Riley’s head are, of course, metaphorical. Like, I don’t think if you put her in an X-ray you’d see the command center and everything in there. So, to bring Joy into the Studio, she was brought in separately as a character, which is also why the other emotions aren’t in the Studio. Then, for her brief appearance in Sleepover Raid, she was set up in a set made to resemble the inside of Riley’s head from the film. This means that, within the Studio canon, Joy can act freely and interact with other characters, including Riley. I’m sure Studio Joy wouldn’t waste much time in doting on Riley, and I tried to make it clear they have an ongoing dynamic where Joy embarrasses Riley in one way or another.

I’m hoping to do a little more Inside Out stuff sometime in the future. Riley has a new, slightly older design in that movie, plus I’ve never gotten around to her MomSwap (although that one will probably use the first movie’s designs). I have some sketches of Sadness I’m thinking of dusting off, plus I’m interested in maybe doing something with Riley and Val from the second film. No clue how much of that will end up seeing the light of day, but this Ask is me exploring going back to this franchise a little eventually.