Dr. Shrunk

"Why did the chicken cross the road? To avoid Dr. Shrunk!"

- Dr. Shrunk

"The doctor is OUT!"

- Dr. Shrunk

Dr. Shrunk, also known as simply Shrunk, is an axolotl who first appears in and has appeared in every game afterwards until. He also makes a cameo in. He is a comedian who allows the player to learn emotions. His name likely refers to the word "shrink", as in "head-shrinker", slang for a psychologist.

In, Dr. Shrunk will visit town every week on a random day from Monday through Friday, between 6 AM and midnight. Talking to Dr. Shrunk leads to him teaching the player to display a randomly chosen emotion. On his first visit, the player can learn only one random emotion, but from the second visit onwards, the player can choose one from four random emotions depending on the answer to a series of questions.

In, Dr. Shrunk hosts comedy shows at the Marquee in the city, which can be viewed after paying the clerk 800 Bells. Before paying, the clerk will ask the player which show they want to see, letting the player choose which emotion is taught. After a short comedy routine from Dr. Shrunk or Frillard, the player will learn the corresponding emotion. Villagers occasionally appear in the theater and tend to complain about the show when spoken to.

In, Dr. Shrunk owns Club LOL, which is built after the player obtains signatures from six villagers for Shrunk's petition. He states he is retired as a comedian, but if the player brings him a piece (or stack) of fruit, bamboo shoots, or chocolate coins, he will get on stage and perform a joke, teaching the player the corresponding emotion. When teaching the player an emotion originally taught by Frillard in, Shrunk will become nervous and say that he is worried about not delivering the joke as well as "he" (Frillard) did.

Players can learn up to 40 emotions, and, unlike in previous games, players can obtain of them without being limited to four at a time. However, the player may only learn one emotions per day, from 12 PM to 8 PM. Dr. Shrunk will always teach a new emotion until all 40 have been learned; afterwards, if the player gives him a fruit or other acceptable food item, the jokes repeat in a randomized order.

Although Dr. Shrunk does not appear in, can be obtained from Nook Shopping after attempting to invite him to Photopia via his amiibo.

Along with his poster, there are some references to Shrunk in the game, such as the "Comedian's Signature" customization of the Autograph Cards item containing a drawing of him, as well as dialogue from normal villagers mentioning his book, Dr. Shrunk Explains it All, as a subject for a book club they intend to go to. Additionally, a sticker of Shrunk can be seen on the back of K.K. Slider's guitar, along with a sticker of Brewster.

Dr. Shrunk makes a cameo in, sitting next to Lyle in the audience at the Fireworks Festival.

Personality
In his spare time, Dr. Shrunk is a comedian, which leads to him telling jokes often. He is usually cheery, but because of his role in the game, his emotions fluctuate whilst he tells stories. He is a forgiving character, even cheerily explaining who he is if the player forgets in. He can also be seen as ambitious, as in he realizes his dream of becoming a professional comedian and works at the Marquee. Other characters, such as the villagers who view his performance, do not think highly of his comedic talents; he appears to be aware of this and jokes about it several times in. However, the track "Shrunk's Dream" from the album Animal Crossing: Your Favorite Songs - Original Soundtrack implies that Shrunk secretly wishes for audiences to appreciate his jokes.

Shrunk learned his comedy from Frillard, whom he deeply admires and considers a master of the craft; when performing one of Frillard's routines in, he becomes nervous that he won't perform it as well as his teacher. In, he reveals that he has a wife and a son, the former of which treats him fairly badly and doesn't respond well to his bad jokes. Though this could also be just an act, as "complaining about the wife" is a common cliché of stand-up comedy, he tells the player in that "There's a reason she's never around [the house] to meet you", implying her apathy towards him outside of his jokes. In, Shrunk reveals he also has a young daughter, and that he is the author of a book titled Dr. Shrunk Explains it All.

Service
Dr. Shrunk's role in all games to date is to teach the player various emotions. Once learned, the emotions can be accessed at any time within the chat interface. Emotions have no effect on non-player characters other than occasional mimicry, although they are useful and amusing when playing online or locally with other players.

In earlier games, the player can only have up to four emotions at a time; if another one is desired, the player must select the one they want to replace with the new one so Shrunk can "shrink" the old emotion. In, however, the player can retain all 40 teachable emotions throughout the game.