Remember me as something bigger than I was

Just a blog of an aspiring artist wanting to share some creativity, inspiration and love. Here's a collection of sketches and jumble of thoughts that occasionally pop in my head. 

[mendedmauve]

The third and final season of Fruits Basket premiered today. I’m not ready to head into the last arc of this series once again so here’s a throwback to first episode Kyo - complete with his at-the-ready fighting stance, signature angry scowl and beloved cargo pants 🍙🐱🐭 #fruitsbasket #fruitsbasket2019 #kyosohma #tohruhonda #yukisohma #manga #anime #redandwhitebracelet #kittycat #pattern #episodeone #soangry #poorbaby #thosecargopantstho https://www.instagram.com/p/CNTtWNqjXH8/?igshid=3j0e4o29toh

[mendedmauve]

Checked off my annual self portrait a little early since I came across this sketch and decided to start this year (and new age!) with positive vibes and a hopeful outlook. And what better day to begin manifesting this carefree, excited-for-what’s-to-come attitude than the day I turn 28 years old (where the need for positivity is REAL😂)?

[mendedmauve]

My dad, brother and I watched The Witcher’s first season twice during quarantine, but Dad was particularly fond of episode one and proceeded to watch it over and over. So much so that I succumbed to painting Henry Cavill’s face. I’m not the least bit upset.

[mendedmauve]

Just a little witch happy to inspire me to break out my watercolors again (it’s been a while!) Happy Halloween, everyone 🎃

[mendedmauve]

Who can resist a letterman’s jacket? Presenting Kyo the jock, based on a Fanfiction.net story by TheNovelArtist called Homecoming Queen (I’ll Steal You Away) - it was really well written, very cute and brought me back to high school feels (Oh boy…)

[mendedmauve]

I recently discovered that a collection of Legend of Zelda jazz covers was the hero I didn’t know I needed🎷

[mendedmauve]

🖤

[sohmawithanh]

WARNING: FRUITS BASKET SPOILERS AND UNPOPULAR OPINION AHEAD.

So I know this wasn’t everyone’s experience, but I remember reading Fruits Basket for the first time and being entirely enamored in both Yuki and Kyo. I remember thinking “Dang, how is Tohru gonna pick between these two?” I remember everytime I’d be convinced Kyo was in the lead, the very next chapter Yuki would convince me otherwise.

Now rereading (And watching 2019) it’s obvious who Tohru is actually falling for. It’s obvious who has real chemistry with her, and it’s obvious that Yuki’s feelings are not developing in the same way that Kyo’s are. The clues are there! However these clues are woven in the narrative in such a way that for many first time readers/viewers it isn’t glaringly obvious.

Takaya is a great writer because many of us fall for the facade of the love triangle, while still not needing any extra convincing when things unfold the way they do. They feel natural and rewarding. The character development makes sense.

That being said, I wish people didn’t act like it was so taboo to ship Yuki and Tohru. Like don’t get me wrong I love Kyoru, and Yumachi way more. Hell I’d rather see Tohru with Momiji, than with Yuki. But it’s literally part of Yuki’s own introspection that he at least thinks he has feelings for Tohru. So it’s not unreasonable that readers/viewers pick up on some romantic attraction between the two and let their head canons run wild. People out here shipping characters that have never even met in the canon, but god forbid Tohru smooch Yuki in any universe cuz “That’s his mom.”

I think people are right to want to protect the platonic love that is Yuki and Tohru. I totally agree that platonic love is such a rarity in media, and Tohru and Yuki’s friendship is so well written that I entirely understand why people think it’s a disservice to their dynamic and character development to ship them romantically. However I think its arguable that acknowledging the “romantic side” of their relationship adds to how special and important their platonic love is. They made it through their awkward hetero normative stage and found some real love and friendship in there. That’s growing up, that’s finding your tribe.

I also understand that each of our individual experiences mold how we respond to these characters. For many people relating to Yuki or Tohru makes them reject the idea of them being romantic even harder. For me, I relate to Yuki in a lot of ways, one of which being I have had a lot of misplaced love in my life. I too would later realize that my feelings were less romantic, and more a manifestation of another feeling, but that doesn’t invalidate the fact that I indulged in the crush when I thought that’s what it was. So that is where I can understand the appeal in that sort of ship, because it’s about the raw human experience and the ride. It’s about being a confused teenager, who loves harder than maybe they needed to, or meant to.

I also simply do not think it’s fair to the new FuruBa fans, to act like they are silly for seeing Yuki as a potential end game for Tohru. Part of the fun is rooting for Kyo and then actually getting that pay off. Part of the experience is seeing Yuki fall in love again, but this time for real and with Machi, someone he can love on a two way street. I would love to relive Fruits Basket like it was the first time.

Anyway ship or don’t, your feelings and interpretations on the matter are valid. Just remember that not everyone experiences the series the same way, and how much more fun that makes the meta and analysis!

[fruitsbasketcase]

I am guilty of the no shipping yuki x Tohru thing. I posted one thing about it and immediately felt bad about it because I felt like I was telling people they can't ship it and that's far from the kind of person I want to be.

The fruits basket fandom is so warm and accepting. I never want us to become hateful or freak out over something as small as shipping. (Looking at you Voltron Fandom.)

When I first read fruits basket I shipped Tohru with Yuki, so I have no place to tell anyone wither or not they should do so.

Ship who you want and just have fun.

[mendedmauve]

I support the OP’s ‘unpopular opinion’. The feeling of not knowing the outcome but enjoying the journey anyway is a precious and exciting feeling. Us old Furuba fans must surely remember that experience.

I have a friend who didn’t even know the characters turned into animals when she first started watching the anime this year. And it’s been so amusing to talk with her regarding her thoughts about where the series is going (and difficult to be tight-lipped about spoilers!) I’m reminded of what it was like for me when I would just be excited for new content, not whether it was accurate to the original or updated properly, but because it just made me FEEL. Fruits Basket is special because it has a lot of characters you can connect to and feel with.

So let the newer fans who are discovering the new anime and/or manga predict the unknown and enjoy whatever ship they want. And maybe even stand on the sidelines, eat popcorn, and watch it all unfold.

[mendedmauve]

Tomorrow we see the end of the first season of Fruits Basket, and I honestly can’t express how much joy this new show and incredibly loving fandom gives me. This series has exceeded my expectations and its lessons remain relevant and timeless, some of which I’ll remember for the rest of my life. But alas, now we await Season 2 🙈 #fruitsbasket #furuba #furuba2019 #fruitsbasket2019 #tohruhonda #kyosohma #yukisohma #anime #manga #lifelessons #quotes #quotestoliveby #kindness #individual #handmade #handlettering #lettering #designinspiration #artstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/B2nHBh3AL6L/?igshid=filw5zdr7zjv

[furubaish]

oh oh oh the chapter where rin asks tohru why she’s so desperate to break the curse, what is it that she is so afraid of losing is just exquisite. 

a shaken tohru returns home, face flushed from the dawning realization that opened up to her at rin’s words. then kyo presses his hand to her face to check if she has a fever, fingers lingering close to her lips before withdrawing. and in his very kyo way he nudges her to let them know if she does get a fever and she’s wordless. she dreams a troubled dream, she’s back in the apartment she shared with her mother, the smell, the furniture, her mother coming to wake her. it’s the morning of the accident and tohru is desperate to stop her from leaving but she’s frozen in her dream, her silent pleas begging her mother to stay heard by no one. and kyoko inevitably departs to her death as tohru jolts awake, drenched in sweat. cut away to a panel of her mom’s picture and the 12shi cat on her table. tohru opens the door, to her room glancing down the dark empty hallway.  her eyes linger over the door across from her’s, kyo’s. the door to her room closes, she vows not to show anyone what’s on the other side- her, quietly falling apart. her face holding a sadness we haven’t seen before. then there’s rin, sitting alone on her own bed. finally relaxed and at ease with a bowl jelly in her hands. the jelly tohru made especially for her. she’s thinking about how easily tohru could come crumbling down, how she hopes tohru too could find that person, the kind of person haru is for rin. someone to gently open the door, someone to love her.  and we conclude the chapter with this panel, of kyo turned towards tohru, asking about her fever the first thing in the morning as they get ready to leave for school together. 

[incognitomoustache]

I love this post. Thank you so much for pointing out that the cat figurine is also in the panel with Kyoko’s picture - I never noticed that before!

By the way. Maybe this is me reaching a little bit, but hear me out. Here is a image showing Tohru’s zodiac set at the very end of the series:

It’s partly hard to tell which animals are which, but they appear to be the logical order, aka following the zodiacs 12 year cycle, beginning with the rat (blue) and ending with the boar (red).

Not only did Tohru’s include the cat in the zodiac, but she placed it (him) first. Possibly symbolising Kyo being “first in her heart”. The fact that the cat is therefore placed beside the rat might also symbolise her wish for Yuki and Kyo to get along.

Now, this next part may be me reaching a bit too much but,

In the first image, Tohru’s mom’s picture is placed slightly to the left of the zodiac set. Since Tohru’s distress this chapter relates to her realising that the first person that comes to mind when asked “who’s the most important person to you?” isn’t necessarily her mom anymore, the fact that Kyoko’s picture and the zodiac (Kyo) are next to each other could symbolise them “competing” for the top spot in Tohru’s heart.

However, in the last image (taken from the last chapter of the series) the layout is different.

Instead of a picture of just her mom, Tohru has a picture featuring her mom, dad and her herself as a family. She’s moved past resenting her father and choosing to remember them as a happy family rather than just putting her mom on a pedestal. This time, the picture is also placed behind the zodiac rather than next to it, recognising it as a different period of her life and that the two don’t need to compete for a place in her memories. The fact that Kyo’s juzu beads, which symbolise remembering and honouring the past, are next to the picture of the Honda family also feels very fitting.

[commander-krios]

40 Prompts List

I threw together a bunch of my favorite prompts ideas since I’ve been suffering from writer’s block and need the inspiration. Feel free to reblog!

“I don’t want to stop loving you.”

“We were just pretending to be lovers, but I’m not pretending anymore.. I need to know if you feel the same way.”

“I said you couldn’t fall in love with me, but I didn’t say I couldn’t fall in love with you.”

“Promise me you’ll stay.”

“I didn’t want it to end, I just thought you’d be better off without me..”

“I’ve tried to move on, but no one is you.”

“If this is the last time I see you, know that I love you more than anything.”

“You hide it in jokes and sarcasm, but I can see how broken you are.”

“Just do one last thing: Kiss me.”

“Nothing has ever scared me more than being with you.”

“Please.. don’t leave.”

“We were never just friends.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

“Are you trying to seduce me?”

“I miss you every second of every day.”

“I’m trying to forget you the best I can, but damn it, we belong together.”

“You say I got us into this, but you didn’t stop it from happening, either.”

“I always overthink, just let me do something thoughtless for once in my life.”

“After everything… I’d still choose you.”

“If you had asked me to stay, I would’ve.”

“You’re too good for this world.”

“How long do we have?”

“Do you think we’re bad people?” 

“I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I’m going to take care of you.”

“We were never meant to fight on our own.”

“We always have a choice.”

“Is that a threat?”

“Keep your eyes on me.”

“You can lie to yourself but don’t lie to me.”

“I tried my best to not feel anything for you. Guess what? I failed.”

“We have to stick together.”

“We’ll get through this. I promise.”

“Don’t leave me behind.”

“How did you find me?”

“Who did this to you?”

“I don’t want to be alone right now.”

“Don’t you dare die on me!”

“You’re out of your damn mind.”

“You make me feel invincible.”

“I’ll keep you safe.”

[kyosohmastan]

Alright, this sounds pretty cool. Send me a Fruits Basket character or couple along with a number to my asks and I’ll write a short one shot using the prompt. I’m a little busy trying to finish a chapter to my current fic but I’ll make time to do it ASAP if you send me one!

[fruits-basket2019-deactivated20]

Kyoru Week 2019 Prompt List

I decided to just create a prompt list since it’s a new thing. These are meant to be kind of vague so there’s room for creativity. You can write fics, headcanons, poems, etc., or even draw fan art. Whatever inspires you. Also, if you don’t like this list or have better ideas feel free to write or draw whatever you feel like. I would like the first week to be October 6th-October 13th. Here is the list:

Day 1: Stay

Day 2: Firsts

Day 3: Selfish

Day 4: Desire

Day 5: Paper Flower

Day 6: Birthday Wishes

Day 7: Forever

Please reblog!!

[mendedmauve]

The inspiration!! I can feel it in my veins 😍

[mendedmauve]

Very busy fangirling over the Fruits Basket ep. 23 sneak peek images, I couldn’t help but doodle a quick Kyo-kun because I’m so PUMPED for this episode!

[mendedmauve]

Finally posting my full comics I made for work - Sociable Media Series - Special Invitation - This is for anyone who’s been in a situation where they felt out of place. #social #cheers #invite #invitation #party #houseparty #belong #conversation #friends #colors #illbethereforyou #illustration #comic #originalcharacters #nonamesyet #artstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/B0E2PSOgKIv/?igshid=1czte7qjguldc

[mendedmauve]

Whether you favor the light or the dark side, I hope you have an epic Star Wars day #starwars #maythefourthbewithyou #twomoonsoftatooine #maythefourth #galactic #jedi #sith #lightanddarkside #handlettering https://www.instagram.com/mendedmauve_art/p/BxC6mTxA_Os/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1fqpaclotev11

[mendedmauve]

2019 vs. 2015. Four years ago today, I posted my first image on Instagram. I was a college senior and my art friends were shocked I didn’t have one yet. Who woulda guessed I’d be working in social media (as a graphic designer!) four years later. You never know where life wheel take you 🚲 #firstpostreimagined #oldandnew #bicyclesarehard #windinmyhair #bluetwotoned #unexpected #doodles #fouryearsago #goodtimes #illustratorturneddesigner #ididit #bikepuns https://www.instagram.com/mendedmauve_art/p/BwSx32aAya7/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=whny4sklugox

[mendedmauve]

With a new, rebooted Fruits Basket anime coming out in April, expect to see some fanart emerge as I express my pent up middle school emotions 👌🏼 2007vs2019