#Sokai week

[true-intha-blu]

Sokai Week 2024, Day 3: Old Friends

I realized in all the time of drawing Sora, I never drew Mermaid Sora before this I believe.

[kwoojii]

the princess and the gardner💐❤

[pupsandartwork]

sokai week day 5 treasured memories

[cindiquilsnivy]

Sokai week day 2 new sights

Exhausted from seeing all the new sights in quadratium

[bramblequeen]

Thank goodness for Digital; I made so many mistakes with the line art on this one. And just general jank with regards to anatomy, as well as forgetting how the outfits were supposed to be drawn...welp, got to keep trying I suppose!

Outfit used/inspired can be found here. Croxovergoddess's outfits are great and you should give them a try

Also, ignore that this is a similar pose I did to another colour palette challenge I did years ago. That was a coincidence… ;;;

Double also, I missed SoKai Day yesterday?! Dang it! ;3;

[aquariusshadow]

El Tango de Sokai 🌹

Happy Sokai week everyone!!! Since today's prompt was either celeb or music AU, I kinda combined them into a Dancing with the Stars AU but Dancing with the Keyblade Wielders.

[oveliagirlhaditright]

Today for SoKai Week (yesterday now, actually) the theme was "Celebrity AU." And I couldn't think of much that fit this, tbh, so I was just going to vid them to part of "Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga. And I will do that when my PC's up and running again.

[starrattlerofprydain]

"So why don't you stay awhile, or maybe for a lifetime"

[rolaplayor101]

After searching about, I've found others who've had and thought about the same issue that I did, which is that the Kingdom Hearts fandom has a HUGE amatonormativity problem. Which, yeah, most fandoms do, but the difference here is that the KH fandom is pretty small, which makes it way more prevalent.

There's a good amount of people who think Sora is aroace, grayromantic, or alloromantic asexual, but they keep it to themselves for risk of being harassed by shippers. They have to protect themselves with "aphobes DNI" on the few posts they do post about it. They have to continuously reblog their own art or go to a confession blog to lament about it.

And it's sad! This is saddening! And the thing is, I do ship SoRiKai. At least the minimum amount, enough to be fully invested in what's going on in canon. Because, canonically? They do care about each other intensely enough to usually go beyond the bounds of typical friendship. Especially Sora. The way he thinks, the things he does, it's all so grandeur in comparison to the things people do in real life for their friends. He flat out says he wants to be with Riku and Kairi forever in one of the first games.

The problem is that people still think being aroace means being apothi and aplatonic, but that's not the case. Sora feels platonic attraction so quickly, frequently, and intensely that it even puts off new characters he meets in the game. He's affectionate, uplifting, and confident(most of the time). But people can't see aroace people as a whole as anything but negative and loveless. Which is just plain not the case for all of us. Aspec people post about the different ways aspec people think all the time! It's mostly the only thing in the aromantic and asexual tags, and I frequent those a lot! So I'd know!

This is an issue thats brought up over and over and over again, and it's that being aroace-- feeling exactly zero romantic or sexual attraction-- does not mean you also feel zero platonic or queerplatonic (or sensual or alterous or any tertiary) attraction. It does not mean you can't feel attraction that is just as intense as allos feel romantic or sexual attraction. Sora has always attributed his strength and confidence to his friends, to his heart that belongs to all of his friends. He feels platonic attraction so intensely that it literally powers him up. It's the main theme of the entire Kingdom Hearts franchise.

Saying that Sora feels queerplatonic attraction towards Riku and Kairi does not mean he'd feel any less than if he were romantically and/or sexually attracted to them.

Thinking that queerplatonic and/or platonic attraction is less than romantic and/or sexual attraction is incorrect, aphobic, amatonormative, and exactly contrary to what Kingdom Hearts the franchise is partially trying to do.

Kingdom Hearts normalizes healthy, platonic, life-long relationships, which wasn't well represented in the early 2000s. Most media represented friendships as on the back burner, especially when pit against romantic relationships. Affectionate arospecs watched shows and movies when they were younger seeing the main character dismiss their friends, grow out of them, or outright hate them, and then have their problems be solved by a romantic partner. Toxic or unhealthy friendships (and also sibling relationships) were the norm, so having Kingdom Hearts, and a few other media I can't think of right now, be made where there's no romance outside of background characters and established ones fron Disney Movies, and where friendship is treated as equal and as the most important, was revolutionary.

Tons of Shounen anime do this, too. Bleach, Full Metal Alchemist, Hero Academia, most sports anime. Then there's other stuff like most magical girl anime, Soul Eater, Little Witch Academia, Promised Neverland, Lucky Star, Baccano, most Miyazaki movies. A lot of popular anime are popular because people love the friendships between characters. And I bet most people in Kingdom Hearts love it specifically because of the friendships too. They like that they're friends. Because their friendships are wholesome, and healthy, and good. They make us feel good. KH isn't "Queerbaiting"(which is only ever brought up for mlm ships and never for aspecs or wlw) for having Riku and Sora care about each other and get along. Just because pop culture has forced f/m relationships start specifically because a girl and a boy get along(if even that happens), doesn't mean that all characters in all media that get along are romantically into each other. Both of those are bad and thinking that its not is a double standard. Platonic chemistry and romantic chemistry are not the same (even if pop culture media continue to try and make it seem like they are). But so many posts trying to prove Sora is actually canonically secretly in romantic love with Riku and Kairi only have evidence of him just being his regular old self, doing things he canonically sees as platonic-- things that are platonic.

It's not an issue of people headcanoning Sora with romantic/sexual attraction (or otherwise) for the other characters, it's about the harassing of other people that it's canon and the blatant aphobia and amatonormativity. All that's canon right now is that Sora cares about his friends, which includes Riku and Kairi, and the fact that I got so much negativity back for saying he's aroace and feels queerplatonic attraction for them only proves that some people in this fandom think aroace people can't care about anyone strictly because they don't feel romantic or sexual attraction. The aphobia in the fandom needs to be addressed, and the aspec content should be allowed to be post freely without push back.

TLDR; Once the main Kingdom Hearts fandom stops seeing every little interaction between certain characters as canonically romantic, it'll finally be a more open and healthy community that people won't be afraid to engage in.

I want this to be helpful to read and for someone to learn something. And if aphobia shows up again, maybe take that person to the side and say that's not cool? Defend us aspecs, please? Cause all that..really makes me feel bad about and put off Kingdom Hearts completely. (And again! I ship SoRiKai! But people that don't ship it shouldn't have to go through this either!)

[mayarab]

Ace Week - Acespec Headcanons

Hi hello, it is I, your local genderqueer demiaroace fan creator \o/

And I bring you my most beloved headcanons to celebrate ace week:

Inuyasha is demisexual. I mean, come on! He only started falling for both Kikyou and Kagome AFTER he knew them enough to let go of his people avoidance behaviour! And even with Kikyou, it was physical attraction either! It was a deep longing for companionship! My boy is demisexual for sure! (and demiromantic, but let's focus on the ace spectrum here)

Kagome is ALSO demisexual! She had Hojo pining for her for what was probably YEARS before the series starts and it doesn't even REGISTER until her friends point it out to her! But as soon as she felt Inuyasha cared for her, the girl was SMITTEN! Tell me a more demisexual reaction than this!

Sora, from KH, is ace! Yeah. That boy is powered by friendship and I don't think he even knows what sex is.

Kairi is ALSO ace, but she does know what sex is and probably teases Riku to hell and back (she ships her friends and if I had my way, they would be a throuple with at least sokai being a qpr)

Keyleth from Critical Role is on the acespec somewhere. The way her relationship with Vex went (no spoilers) is very familiar to me as a demisexual - he was the one the say he loved her first, she got flustered and decided it wasn't "the right time" at the beggining - probably to process XD

Hope you guys liked this little insight into my fan mind!

The fanart on top is by me and if you like what I make, consider checking out my ko-fi or patreon!

[isimpforsaix]

Kh polls- who should Sora kiss?

[true-intha-blu]

Sokai Week 2024, Day 2: New Sights

I really hope we get to explore this world in a future KH game one day. Until then I can dream. Sadly I did not finish this as much as I wanted to when trying a new painting technique but alas. Work was kinda kicking my butt during this time and often came home with no energy to spare for drawing. I still did what I could and accepting it is just fine.

[aro-sora]

Friends of My Heart

@arospecfanworksweek Day 4: Frayromantic

It's Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week and Arospec Fanworks Week! This fic explores frayromantic Kairi and how she feels about her crush on Sora fading. I'm also here to promote my platonic paopu sharing agenda, which is what inspired this fic.

Summary: Kairi's crush on Sora has faded but her love hasn't, and she wants them to remain a part of each others' lives.

Fandom: Kingdom Hearts

Rating: G

Relationships: platonic SoKai, implied SoRiku

729 words

No warnings

Additional tags: Platonic Relationships, Frayromantic Kairi, Platonic Paopu Sharing     

Read on Ao3

—

Kairi and Sora sat on the paopu tree. It seemed smaller, but Kairi knew she’d just gotten older and the tree was an easy step up instead of a climb. But the space to Sora’s left was empty, where Riku usually stood. She and Sora watched him sitting on the beach, the bright light of the sunset shining on him.

“Hey, why’s Riku all alone?” Sora asked, a touch of wistfulness in his voice.

“He said he needed time to himself. Let’s let him be,” Kairi said.

If not for Riku’s distant gaze, his mind seemingly deep in thought, she would have asked him to join them. But she didn’t. At first, Kairi thought it was selfishness that stopped her. She had this time alone with Sora, but it didn’t feel the same as she’d imagined in the past. Only a year or so ago, her heart would have pounded and her face would have blushed. But those feelings had faded, leaving something else in her heart.

While Sora’s eyes were still on Riku, Kairi reached up to the tree’s leaves and pulled two fruits down. “Here!” she said, holding one fruit before Sora.

“Huh?”

She’d startled him, and she watched his eyes move from the paopu fruit to her face. She gave him a reassuring smile, but he didn’t return it. His eyes fell back to the fruit in her hand.

“Tomorrow’s fight will be our toughest yet,” Kairi said.

She didn’t say, I’m afraid. She didn’t voice the doubts in her heart, the fear tearing at her insides and making her palms slick whenever she held her Keyblade. Her training improved her fighting skills, but she’d only fought minor Heartless and sparred with Axel. She had no idea how’d she’d fare in a real fight, one with her life and her friends’ lives on the line.

I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to fail.

Her mind recalled the drawing of her and Sora in the cave. She’d cried when she’d seen his addition of the star-shaped fruit. Her heart still hurting from their parting, she’d added her own. Kairi didn’t regret that. She wasn’t embarrassed to admit she'd had a crush on Sora, and drawing the fruit had been the best way to show that when she couldn’t tell him directly.

But then Sora had returned home, pressing her good luck charm in her hand and smiling at her with a light that rivaled the sun. Joy and relief had pushed out all the worry in her heart. And when the excitement had faded, Kairi had been surprised to realize her crush had as well.

I don’t love like most people do, but I love you, Sora.

She hadn’t had the courage to tell him that before he and Riku had left for their Mark of Mastery exam. The charm and  “See you soon”  had been enough for her at the time.

But this was not just any upcoming battle—this was the eve of a Keyblade War. Kairi wanted to share her true feelings. Her childhood crush was just a sweet memory, and her heart longed for him as dear friends. Her worries that Sora also had romantic feelings for her were put to rest by the hesitance on his face when she’d presented the fruit to him.

Oh, Kairi had certainly noticed his attention on Riku and the love in each boys’ voice whenever they spoke of the other. Their reconciliation in the Organization’s castle had been a joy to see, after Kairi had helped Sora recognize Riku. She would be there to support her boys—the friends in her heart—and she hoped they would find their own courage one day to express the feelings in their own hearts.

But right now she needed to share her desires.

“I want to be a part of your life no matter what. That’s all.”

Sora grasped the fruit and nodded. She tucked her empty hand in her lap, the weight of the fruit lingering on her palm.

“Kairi, I’ll keep you safe,” Sora said, smiling at last. Even now, her heart fluttered at the sight of that smile.

She shook her head. “Let me keep you safe.” Let me show you what you mean to me.

They raised the fruits to each others’ lips.

[pupsandartwork]

Sokai week day 4 au

[cindiquilsnivy]

Very First Night- Kingdom hearts sokai amv/gmv From the description:  Hello this video has been in the works for a while and it was just finished I started working on it before the prompts were even announced but when I heard that the day 7 prompt was homecoming I knew it would be perfect!  I was so excited while making this video because it is such a perfect song for them as their relationship friendship/romance is genuinely ingrained so deep into the series with characters actually existing because Sora genuinely cares so much about Kairi and vice versa.  Even though not a ton of the interactions are spoken body language and what is said is a big deal in showing how much they do care for each other.  with KH1 Kairi wanting to follow Sora potentially putting herself in harms way to stay with him and almost the same thing happening in melody of memory when Riku goes to Quadratum and he has to tell her she can't come cause she needs to train more,  not because she isn't strong but because if he were to fail she would be the last resort to getting Sora back. He wants to make sure she is ready to do so.  Heck in kh1 Sora sacrifices himself to save her and restore her heart leading to the creation of Namine. Later in chain of memories, his memories of Kairi are so precious to him that the organization has Namine target them as well and they seep into a replica stored in the castle leading to Xion.  In kh2 the organization targets this as well and again in kh3 leading to Sora ultimately sacrificing himself. 

 They are each others home and that much is clear just based on the interactions they have for each other with sora refusing to go home without her at the end of kh3 and kairi refusing to return to the islands again after he dissapears so that they are able to go back home together. 

[deeisace]

Aaaand, collapse.

Mega tired today. Alright, really, but just. Tired.

Not as tired as I was during that winter from hell - when I worked 45 hour weeks for like idk ages. Months? Between three different shops. And was too tired to function, basically. Literally walking home with my eyes closed, falling asleep on my breaks, too tired once I got home to stand up to do the microwave, even.

I swear if anyone knew how much microwave food I have/how little I cook, they'd give me stick about being lazy or something, but like. You don't understand. This is so much improvement. This is a good thing, actually. Yes I will eat microwave food and pre-cut fruit, because I actually can, and the alternative is that I do not eat at all, and I make myself ill again. So. Fuck yehs, whoever says things like that.

Anyway. Not quite that level of tired, but I am having a nap before I get up to do dinner.

Oh, and then new Doctor Who I forgot about!