When artists do illustrations of their work with a certain theme, I tend to like to read into them. I especially like to examine art where characters are holding hearts, because it tends to show a little bit of how that character experiences, presents, or otherwise feels about love (not solely the romantic kind!). With these, I got the sense that they're specifically about how these characters express love. So, without further ado, I would like to read into the Valentine's art from 2019 (which would have been drawn during or shortly after the Second Test).
All images are official art by Kamome Shirahama, posted to her Twitter here. I've obtained them from the Independent Wiki.
Coco: Coco has the most hearts by far, and that's because Coco has a whole lot of love to give! She wants to help people, and she's quick to consider those she's met only recently as her friends. What's interesting about this illustration is that all the hearts are tucked into her hat: Coco strongly believes that magic is what allows her to find kind, comforting, and ingenious solutions to all manner of people's problems, and the way she primarily shows her love is through her own creativity; her ability to circumvent issues and find a path through. She's also holding that cap close to her chest: Coco's first love has, and always will be, magic, but the love she feels for her friends is something she is constantly cherishing and learning from. There is no extracting Coco's love for her friends from her love for magic, because both fuel each other in a cycle. But also, Coco has some difficulties with the limitations of what she can and can't do, either due to her lack of experience or from societal restrictions. She often laments that she can't do more, because her concept of love (helping others and taking accountability) and magic (used for helping others and taking accountability) are one and the same for her.
Tartah: I do think I have the least to say about Tartah, unfortunately. His gaze is averted, he looks shy. Tartah likes to feel like he is capable of helping himself and others, but he's not exactly used to feeling this way, so notably in the prologue to Silver Eve, he tends to get flustered when, say, Coco or Custas show their appreciation for his help. I do notice that him and Coco seem to be mirror images of each other in a way: Coco with her hearts tucked in her hat, and Tartah, who has foregone his hat in favour of holding only his heart - very indicative of the kinds of decisions he will make later on.
Qifrey: Oh Qifrey... this is from 2019, by the way. From all the foreshadowing in early manga to the extra illustrations like this, she had this all planned out from the beginning, I just know it. It's fascinating, because the connotation changes depending on how much you know or don't know about him. When you don't know, the placement of the heart looks as though it is hiding Qifrey's dark side - the gentle persona he wears to mask his desperation and his secrets. But when you do know, the context completely changes here. There is only so much he can offer. His love isn't a front, it's being shackled. Qifrey can't ever fully express nor accept love in the way he wants to. He lives his life as a balancing act, carefully split between the side he can let others see, and the side that he can't. In this way, both the mask interpretation and the shackle interpretation are valid - Qifrey's love and kindness is a convenient mask, and it is also entirely genuine. It's also always wrapped up in the guilt of his "selfish" motives for offering love - how love is always entangled in guilt for him, always filtered through the lens of something that was stolen a long time ago, rendering him unable to see a clear path forward. He's the only one of the group without a flush on his cheeks as well - missing that depth of emotion he must restrain.
Tetia: Look at her with her big smile and big heart! Tetia is facing directly forward and doesn't bother hiding her affection - she loves to be thanked and thank people in turn, and she has no qualms about saying so. I think the massive heart (which is the largest of any of the characters here) looks a bit like a big pillow or something. Tetia offers comfort primarily. She's not the one with the pragmatic solutions, but what she offers is no less important. She offers support and a smile when spirits are failing, she offers a nice comfy bed for comfort and security, she offers her compassion when she notices people are not being treated as people with the respect they deserve. Not only does she do this openly, but it makes her happy to do so. Having said that, her big open heart has me more than a bit worried for her in the upcoming arcs. A big heart like that is easy to guilt...
Olruggio: The attempted nonchalance here kills me, just like it does whenever he tries this: you are fooling no one. Interestingly, even though he's turned to the side, his eye looks directly out at the center, and the heart is not hidden at all. Both direct in intention and avoidant in execution simultaneously; very him. The heart tapping his forehead is good too - he largely expresses himself through magic and contraptions, which are a product of his inventive mind. His love is primarily shown through little things to make life easier based on his observations, or experiential advice he can give. However, if you've seen my other post about this illustration, you'll know that I am also deeply side-eying the heart being tapped directly against his forehead - exactly where one would need to apply a memory-erasing spell, for instance? It was, after all, originally his idea, and undoubtedly also an extreme expression of love. In this way, we can also read into the positioning of his heart as indicative of Olruggio's tendency to sacrifice (his memories, his constant overworking, etc.).
Richeh: What Richeh says is only a fraction of what she's actually feeling and thinking. There is a lot going on in Richeh's head - she's very introspective, and notably, even though on the surface, her desire to remain true to herself at all costs meant that others like Agott interpreted her as selfish, she actually cares a great deal for those who she considers her friends and family. Even her stubborn refusal to change wasn't something solely done for her own sake or out of fear; it was for Riliphin too. The heart over her mouth indicates to me that while she doesn't hide her feelings necessarily, there is a whole lot she doesn't quite say. She's very confident in herself, but perhaps less so in expressing her love to others, especially when at the beginning, she still has issues with trust. Nevertheless, Richeh's heart is positioned over her mouth, and when she decides to express her feelings, she tends to make direct declarations: of support, of protection, of promises, of appreciation. She holds that heart close to her, because that is the way Richeh loves - she wants to keep her people close (the rings!).
Euini: Shy little wolf boy. I love that Euini's heart is the second largest after Tetia. Euini smiles this sort of wobbly smile; he's a little nervous, as always, but it's not a closed off expression, even though his eyes are hidden. His heart is somewhat obscured but it's held tight to his chest and it doesn't exactly look like he's fully trying to hide it per se. Euini just feels more comfortable when he is at least partially hidden, that's all. He holds his heart tightly, because it is big and a bit fragile from having been beaten up too many times before, but it's still big. The very first thing he does all himself is stop Richeh from falling off the path at Romonon. Euini cares a lot, he just has no faith in himself, and even though he's probably still a bit scared of getting hurt, it doesn't actually stop him from trying to be supportive. The little wolf tail in the background standing up straight is cute too - he is excited and paying attention (we all know he's looking at Richeh <3)
Agott: Agott you are hurting me. Look at how small she's made her heart. Look how tightly she clings to it and how much of it she hides. If Euini's heart stayed large, Agott has compressed hers until she can concentrate without being distracted by the pain its been put through. She has to hide it, because just loving magic was never seen as enough. She's avoidant, her heart is clutched tightly to her chest. She has a true love of magic, and a true love for the people of the atelier, but it is so hard for her to show it. The centrality of her heart also reminds me of the "selfish" nature of her love, and how that actually turns out to be a good thing. Agott loves cute things, she loves animals, she loves the triumph of her own successes, and it takes her a long time to break down her walls enough for her to feel comfortable sharing any of that. But once she does, it is through her own self-oriented love that she is able to remind Coco, particularly, of how important it is to do things for yourself. "Agaffection" isn't something she shares readily, but it's all the more meaningful when she does.
I LOVE GAANG SMM!! And yes, Suki is part of gaang. I can’t stand the suki under representation. I love my queen sm. ALL CREDITS TO THE ARTIST!! @schwesterchiz in Insta
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