Jeez how trippy!

Nice picture!

This picture makes me think of home and miss it.

Man, it's like you improoved overnight, don't ever stop, if anything, you've already accomplished what last time you only intended to try. Respect. Keep at it - you have a unique style. I like the eyes, the hair, and the dithering. Work on the hands, use some references and try out different positions in very small pixel sizes like 20x20 and work your way up from there incrementing in 10px. (www.deviantart.com/art/Hand-Refrence-211865923 - reference for hands) Work with the same color palette, it seems like since you've worked with the skin tone of this character for so long that you have become aware of how to make the other colors pop. I like the reflection of the hair, that color is a good addition (dithering is your strong point). I see really nice volume and shadow around the belly the cape stands out, the arms not so much. Inside the cape it feels hollow, like as if he is really skinny, on the contrary the cape is so round that it makes him seem a lot thicker, the shadow and the dark parts on the inside do not read as round to me if that's what you intended.

It's so smooth man.

Metal Slug or no?

I have no idea what is going on in this picture.

I love the fluidity of this piece. Its nice and dynamic.

I like your dithering style. It is beautiful.

F@#$ing A!

Don't beat yourself up. I like it. The animation is pretty smooth (especially around the torso, I can't take my eyes off it its so smooth). The character isn't dry, who cares if it doesn't look as great as you'd hoped, you're learning after all, being aware of the imperfections is half the battle on the way to improving it. Maybe you should leave it be and then do a bunch of other pixel art and then come back and re-do it after a year. If you spend even more time on this and it still doesn't turn out the way you like then you're just going to make yourself frustrated and maybe even give up on doing it alltogether. Take it easy bro, make something else that's less ambitious (because let's be honest that pose and animation look very good, even down to the minor details and movements), but more rewarding and enjoyable. Don't even stress on the pallete and colors for now, use the one you're using right now and add colors as you feel it makes your piece more meaningful.

Great job. Seems like no replies for a couple of years now, Thumbs up on the pallete and overall feel, I personally like the icons.