An image taken from the official Animal Crossing Direct has Isabelle working away with an unusual substance on her desk. Keen gamers recognized it as either A) a little juice or B) something to drown out the weariness of working such long hours in a town of perpetually happy citizens.
So, is Isabelle a day drinker, or is it juice?
Related: Animal Crossing: New Horizons Nintendo Direct Revealed Several Big Features
Let's go over the facts. Firstly, Isabelle is now working for Nook, Inc in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Gone are the days where the mayor would be gone for long stretches of weeks to years, and she could relax and let the town be covered in weeds for the returning player to look at and weep. Isabelle is either inept, lazy, or thinks it's not her place to keep the town running when you're busy with things like work or college.
You know - real work.
According to an article from Nintendo Life, Isabelle preferred to have the mayor do most of the work. Isabelle is unprepared for a full-time job. And her full time job now requires working under Tom Nook, who famously hired Timmy and Tommy to manage one of his stores.
Who are Timmy and Tommy, you might ask? Well, they are rumored to be sons or nephews of Tom Nook, and they look severely underage for the work force. Tom Nook expects excellence, whether you're 18 or 5.
Isabelle has also had to endure a perpetually happy populace that mostly refuses to get mad or upset and always greets the day with a smile. These animals used to be more realistic in the first entry, with Grumpy villagers actually insulting the player. These personalities are gone in the newer entries. Grumpy is now just a title. Have you known a grumpy person? Have they ever changed into a happy person, without rhyme or reason? Nintendo can't have animals upsetting the players. They were "talked to." Isabelle knows this. She drinks to forget.
Finally, when she's done with her work day, she has to walk over to her second job in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and get punched in the face by Captain Falcon.
It's not juice. Isabelle is getting sauced on the job, and frankly? We don't blame her.
Isabelle can have a little bourbon. As a treat.