Expression studies and design headcanons for cezhou + My thought process if you gaf
For Shen Lanzhou, the main thing I wanted to get right were his eyes... They're always described as smiling (even when he himself isn't) ("can't help having a set of affectionate eyes"), so I tried to capture that in my style. Deep set eyes, long lashes for that extra alluring, huli-jing look LOL. Also I love the swoopy side part that some artists give him- it differentiates him a lot from the other danmei boys (also he wears bows in his hair which is very moe to me) so I tried to play with the shape language of that. Overall I just really wanted him to look pretty, this is the face that ancient chinese men would go to war for Okay? Okay
As for ce'an, I wanted him to look youthful and free spirited while also like a domineering war general... I kinda had a hard time capturing that buuuut I think this is my best attempt @_@. I love love his hair in the eng tl- the swept up hair just works so well, like it got messy from the wind after a day of horse riding. Sharp handsome features for a sharp handsome boy...I am partial to his eyebrows in particular- thick eyebrows just make every character design better man I don't make the rules
Another thing that really fascinates me is the theme of Lanzhou struggling with his darker impulses and Xiao Chiye being the light that keeps him from giving in and protects his sanity (also the bit where before he met XCY, it was his shifus' affections and teachings that saved Lanzhou from loosing his mind completely to his trauma. The way Lanzhou is saved again and again by love ššš).
āIt allowed him to retain his sanity, preventing his unending battles with the nightmares of the Chashi Sinkhole from incinerating him utterly. And it was precisely because of this that Xiao Chiye could succeed in becoming Shen Zechuanās lock - the sheath that held Shen Zechuan at bay.ā
āThere was a darkness in it that mirrored the other side of Shen Zechuan. Or would, if it wasnāt for Xiao Chiye.ā
And in previous vols, all the way at the start before they were officially anything to each other, Lanzhou always regarded XCY as the light he could no longer touch, the freedom he couldnt have.
I love the way this is also often commented on by other characters who observe Shen Zechuan's more ruthless side or his not so noble intentions and yet all of that disappears the moment Xiao Chiye enters the picture. Even Xiao Chiye's dad noticed from just one meeting with them.
I just. The way cezhou's connection runs so SO deep into their minds and souls and the way it saves them from their sufferings, gives them something to fight for and stay strong for. My heart ššš
and that's a wrap for my danmei-tober!! I'm happy to see how I've improved from the first day to the last, and it was lots of fun (but also very tiring) to try & draw so much in a single month haha
(..also, could you tell cezhou is my favorite danmei couple?)
I tried making my own similarity board for the cosmic opera set coz I noticed stuff (itās mostly just the antennae)
Iāll try making it more legible under the cut
Iāve seen a few people mention this already, the devil n angel parallels btwn tsukasa n rui, I see it and agree amen
But what I havenāt noticed is the mention of tsukasaās antennae having the same shape as ruiās cat drones. The feathery looking angle wing antennae can also resemble the wings of a pegasus.
There are stars present on them as well, rui on both, n tsukasa on his right one.
Moving on from them for now, emuās antennae seem to include everyone. The colors and designs chosen are reminiscent of both tsukasa and ruiās old stage outfits. Her right one looking like ruiās old pink coat with the yellowy goop on it, n her left one having a similar blue color with yellow line accents to tsukasaās entire old look. The new one kind of matches too, but the blue is darker and the yellow isnāt as stringy throughout.
When it comes to matching with nene, they have the same patterns on their antennae. Right is goopy, left has lines. Emu has 1 goop and 2 lines, while nene has 2 goops and 1 line. Both line designs are done in yellow.
On neneās shoulder also appears to be an emu alien (the antennae match). Its body has all of WxS signature colors.
Even though tsukasa and rui have stars, theyāre still in different colors. Tsukasaās are white and ruiās are yellow. This also mirrors how emuās goop is yellow when neneās are white.
You may have noticed this already, if we flatten down their antennae, nene and rui would have 2 ridges and emu n tsukasa only have one. Oddball 1 2 reference maybe I dunno.
Nene and tsukasa both have a black base color. Nene on her left one, tsukasa on both. Rui and emu both have blue gradients. Emu on her left n rui on both. (Technically the blue on emu is a base color, but it doesnāt show on the card and in the 3d outfit itās a gradient. Thereās a gradient from tsukasaās hair color to the antennae too so depending on how I classify emuās situation it would contradict the language I used previously. But maybe, just maybe, no one actually cares that much and we can all move on from this) Tsukasa n rui have these on 2 ears while emu and nene have them on 1.
I think thatās everything! If I notice anything more Iāll mention it later :3
I think itās very sad we didnāt get a nene in alien form. I know sheās just a two star, but couldnāt they have put her somewhere on emuās card really far away or something :(( 2 stars are so heartbreaking, esp when their designs are so gorgeous.
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