Is the paopu fruit really a romantic gesture?
As funny as this next part may sound: I think Selphie's got a bit of heteronormativity to blame for this misconception.
"Hey, Sora, have you heard about the legendary power of the paopu fruit? They say if you share it with someone you really care for... it binds you together forever and ever through eternity! Its so romantic. I gotta try it sometime."
But, when Riku describes it,
"If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives no matter what. C'mon, I know you want to try it."
It sounds a lot less romantic.. Selphie's biased description makes it sound more like marriage, sure, especially when she adds that she finds it romantic. But Riku's description, it makes it sound less like they're forced together permanently, and more like just.. making the choice to promise you won't drift from each other, that you'll always be there for each other. That doesn't sound exclusive to romance to me.
I think what convinced me the most was re-reading Aqua's words when she gives Terra and Ven their Wayfinders.
"Somewhere out there, there's this tree with star-shaped fruit. And the fruit represents an unbreakable connection. So as long as you and your friends carry good luck charms shaped like it, nothing can ever drive you apart. You will always find your way back to each other. An unbreakable connection."
Even though their good luck charms are only like it, she still describes it having the same ability, just bringing people closer, and ensuring circumstances won't tear them apart. Obviously, with the context of the wayfinders, it's described as entirely platonic. No romance hinted to it at all.
So why do people always seem to treat sharing the fruit as ship confirmation? If you've seen my blog- You know I've got bias on ships, I find the story of Kingdom Hearts to be a lot stronger and more meaningful if we actually acknowledge Riku and Sora's feelings. Whether they end up romantically together or just committed to each other platonically, it's hard to deny they'd end up best as partners. Though I'm definitely biased in saying I think a queerplatonic ending for them would be pretty cool, though I doubt that'd happen canonically.
My point being- I don't say this because of Kairi's scene in KH3, many people have already clarified and debunked that; 1. In the original translation, and with paralells to Winnie the Pooh, it's kinda cleared that it was more of a platonic gesture to a friend Sora's drifting from. And 2. Even if it's not, the idea was they'd be bonded if two people shared one fruit. Not one fruit each person. So it seems more symbolic. I'm obviously not the first person to say this, but still.
I think the fandom kinda needs to stop treating the fruit as inherently romantic to be honest.. it's mostly only used in ship art, used as a confirmation to a ship or an analogy for marriage.. and I get where that perspective comes from, but, I dunno.
I think more people should acknowledge the possibility of paopu fruits being shared platonically, in the way Aqua describes. Friends making a promise not to let circumstances drive them apart, to stay by each others' side no matter what. I think with Aqua's description and the way I interpret it, I can't be the only one who'd want to make that same kind of promise with my friends if it were real.
