#my birthday itself was p much a letdown

[starlitskvaderart]

Questionnaire that's been going around for @sonic-oc-showdown - this particular version I grabbed from @addysfandomdump with a few stats added!

Name: Sakuranbo the Kitsune... but you can call them Ran! (Or even Ranran if you like!)

Species: Kitsune; they consider themselves distinct from other Mobian foxes (and they have differentiating traits such as narrower/closer set ears and 1000+ year lifespans), but if I were to choose a real-life species it'd be the Ezo red fox (Vulpes vulpes schrencki)

Type: Speed

Alignment: Hero

Height: 85cm/about 2'9.5" (not counting the ears)

Weight: 22kg/about 49lbs

Birthday: June 10

Home: Originally Kita Village; currently Angel Island

And more below!

✨ - How did you come up with the OC’s name? 

Ran originated as an adoptable I bought, and it's one of those circumstances where I knew their name and personality as soon as I saw them! Ran (rhymes with 'Tron' more or less, not 'man') was the original name, something cute and quick that seemed to suit them. From there I decided that 'Sakuranbo', 'cherry', was the full name!

The name of their Chao, Berii, is just a follow-up on the fruit/berry theme. And the name of their home village is derived from kitakitsune, another name for the Ezo red fox!

🌼 - How old are they? (Or approximate age range) 

Ran's ten!

🌺 - Do they have any love interest(s)?

Nope - none so far!

🍕 - What is their favorite food?

Inari age! In sushi, topping udon, or just by itself.

However, their desire to be like Knuckles makes them claim grapes are their favorite.

💼 - What do they do for a living?

Ran doesn't really have a job, and tends to survive by foraging if there's no one offering food. They originally left their village as part of a survival trial, so they're pretty well-versed!

🎹 - Do they have any hobbies?

Training, exploring the island, and storytelling! Ran loves to hear and tell stories, and will talk all day given the slightest nudge!

🎯 - What do they do best?

Storytelling! They're very good at either adapting old stories or telling new ones. (You'd thing this would help with their illusion/trickster skills, but in those cases they sometimes embellish a little too much or simply upset themselves if the ruse seems to be turning hurtful.)

🥊 - What do they love to do? What do they hate to do?

Ran loves exploring, telling stories, and practicing their combat skills (based around fast decisive strikes, using their opponent's momentum and weight as leverage against them, and kunai throwing or close combat) and kitsune magic (shapeshifting, illusions, and foxfire).

Ran hates cooking (they're simply not good at it) and building (they'd rather find somewhere to shelter naturally)

❤️ - What is one of your OC’s best memories?

Meeting Knuckles and seeing Angel Island for the first time! They ended up there by accident (exploring an Egg Carrier out of curiosity and still being on board when it took off), but their immediate fascination with the island and its mysteries, and how star-struck they were with Knuckles' strong sense of loyalty and duty as well as his survival skills, convinced them that this... was DESTINY.

✂️ - What is one of your OC’s worst memories?

Realizing that their parents, while they certainly loved Ran, thought they were a letdown... especially in comparison to their younger brother. Ran doesn't resent Zakuro... but the realization of being the 'lesser' child, and the fact that it wasn't exactly a secret, still plagues them to a degree.

🧊 - Is their current design the first one?

Sort of - Ran was originally an adopt, and I've been tweaking the original look here and there (both just translating to my style, and things like changing the original bodysuit under the kimono to shortsleeved and adding black eartips. The basic look remains the same though!

🍀 - What originally inspired the OC?

Aside from the 'this is their personality' realized when I saw the adoptable design, I had the idea of someone who was really enthusiastic about something a lot of people might see as a burden... and I sort of wanted to connect an OC to Knuckles, who is my favorite of the main characters. The idea of a really enthusiastic wannabe-apprentice just snowballed from there (and also allows some thinking into Knuckles and how he'd react to this once the general bafflement wears off... namely, does he WANT to burden someone else with this destiny? Who WILL take over when he's gone? Does someone HAVE to? ...can he really just build his own hand-picked clan?)

🌂 - What genre do they belong in?

Action Comedy!

💚 - What is your OC’s gender identity and sexuality?

Ran is nonbinary (they/them)! Sexuality is currently Unknown, though I'm leaning aroace. (That's definitely something that someone would have to explain to them, though....)

🙌 - How many siblings does your OC have?

One younger brother, Zakuro! Zaku is seven years old. They also have a younger sister, Suika, that they've never met as Suika was born after they left the village.

🍎 - What is the OC’s relationship w/their parents like?

A little strained. Ran's parents do love them, but they've never exactly hidden the fact that they consider Ran a bit of a disappointment and Zaku the superior child. This is at least partly linked to Ran's personal magic: while all kitsune possess the ability to shapeshift, cast illusions, and create illuminating but non-burning foxfire, each one also has a signature spell - and Ran's is merely creating a heat-producing/burning version of foxfire, while Zaku's is the more obviously unique ability to control plants. This ultimately led to them dismissing all of Ran's abilities, efforts, and even personality as 'not as good as your brother' and is one of the reasons they wandered so far in what was supposed to be a week-long trial in the first place... and one of the reasons they're so desperate for Knuckles' acknowledgment and approval. Ran doesn't mind their ability being what it is... after all, they had a famous ancestor, Momo, whose signature ability was 'just' shapeshifting and illusion to a perfection no other kitsune could attain! They just wish their parents saw it - and them - as valuable.

✏️ - How often do you draw/write about the OC?

Less than I should! I haven't found a good place to insert them in RP and I haven't written Sonic fic in a long time... but the Showdown has me doing more with them!

💎 - Do you ever see yourself killing off the OC?

Nope!

💀 - Does your OC have any phobias?

Ran is afraid of the dark - so it's a good thing they can generate both burning and non-burning flame at well. They're also afraid of being alone in the world, with no one who'd care if they were gone.

🍩 - Who is your OC’s arch-nemesis or rival?

By Ran's logic, if Sonic is Knuckles' rival then Tails must be theirs! However, given their ages and temperaments the Ran/Tails Rivalry mainly involves things like 'who will win first place in Tomatopotamus Team Kart' (usually Tails) or 'who can fit the most mint candies in their mouth' (Ran, but Tails vows to take the crown once he's had time to catch up growth-wise).

There's also Matilda the Ant (@frostios/@halcyon-pandion) based on a comment from one of her creators. Knuckles Hater VS Knuckles Biggest Fan.

🎓 - How long have you had the OC?

Since November 2022!

💥 - What are your OC’s powers, if they have any?

Ran can shapeshift into another person or simply another species, though at their current age they are limited to ten minutes for imitating another person or one hour for another species - and in the latter they cannot yet alter their size or color/markings. They can create illusions based on how long they can concentrate on holding them, again limited by their current age and power - their illusions lack sound and scent and cannot be touched. They can cast regular non-burning foxfire, as well as burning 'regular' (blue) fire.

Additional fun facts!

Their siblings' names in English are Pomegranate and Watermelon.

Their ancestor Momo (Peach) is a reference to Tamamo no Mae, though Momo wasn't evil... probably.

When Ran first met Tails, the two tails made them think he was an adult kitsune masquerading as a red fox kit. Ran was bold enough to ask outright why he'd do that, though, so the misunderstanding was cleared up very quickly!

[zoetekohana]

⤿ and nothing else matters

this may be a birthday present for myself, but i’d like to dedicate this to my digimon/michi fam: @ex-machiina @ribbonedcuriosa @piedrpiper @ladyofodaiba @stellarhime @pan-kuzu @biminie @sakurastar28 @ahornedgod @aeonsofgrace @mutemwija @kittykaibasblog @greenopalus @ashandpikachu  @shewhodancedinthemoonlight @yui0506 @thetaikamiya and @adventure-hearts

it’s not my best work, sorry, but i am incredibly rusty... hope you guys like it!

[cutiecrates]

Cutie Reviews: NMNL April 20

DX I’m semi-bedridden today. I’m not feeling very well, but I really wanted to get this done and I thought maybe it would take my mind off of it.

“Spring is coming! In Japan the season of cherry blossoms and around the world, the season of Easter, colorful flowers, and cute animals. No matter where you are, we got you covered with cute, practical, and fun Japanese & Korean beauty products inspired by Spring and Easter!“

Glam Gift and Contest Prize

Compared to our usual contents, I felt like both of these sets were kind of... boring/subdued. They’re not cute or really decorative, but I like how they were made to represent the cherry blossom aspect of Spring.

Horoscope

This month, the horoscope recommends makeup looks or cosmetics for Spring:

Aries - Red lipstick

Taurus - Dewy skin

Gemini - Glitter eyeshadow

Cancer - Orange/Coral makeup

Leo - Soft pink makeup

Virgo - Nude makeup look

Libra - Glossy lips

Scorpio - Artistic makeup look

Sagittarius - Pink blush

Capricorn - Colored eyeliner

Aquarius - Orange lipstick

Pisces - Lavender eye-shadow

For anyone unfamiliar with my blog, I’m a Libra :P I think I got off pretty easy, I’m not a big fan of orange/coral cosmetics.

Mirror Stickers

Our first item is this unique set of thin mirrors with a sticker backing, so you can place them on various surfaces; such as your phone, or maybe on a notebook, door, etc. They are water resistant, and each features adorable touches of My Melody.

I think this is a really cute idea x3 pocket mirrors can come in handy some times, like when you’re in a hurry. So an even smaller mirror you can virtually put on anything for any time is probably even more versatile.

Diamond Sponges

Makeup sponges can be ones best friend when applying a full makeup look, they help apply it more smoothly, and they feel nice.

You can also use them to make little squishies if you don’t plan on using them for that purpose :3

FGO x Sanrio Lip Gloss & Momocos Cheek Lip Cream

Our pair of cute cosmetics, first up is another item from the Fate Grand Order x Sanrio collaboration set. If you’ve seen my past reviews, you might recognize it, we’ve had two other pieces so far. There are 6 variations of this product, based on each character. 

So... basically, all I could say is that this is cute. I really like the packaging and design, but in my honest opinion the actual product is kind of a letdown. It has no scent (not a good one anyway), it’s pretty sticky on the lips, it feels very generic. But the brush feels nice on the lips and it does it’s job, and there actually was a tiny amount of colorant.

- - - - -

Our other item in the picture is from momocos, a brand that started to pop up two years ago I think. This is a lip and cheek cream product, available in 4 different shades: Cocolon Pink, Varity Orange, Birthday Red, and Talk Talk Pink.

I like the concept of lip and cheek items, but they have a hard time working for me. I either get a color that doesn’t look good, or the product itself won’t apply smoothly, I guess because of my dry skin. But I was pleasantly surprised to see how much I enjoyed this one. The color I got is Cocolon Pink, which is nearly reaching a coral-ish tone and I feel unsure if it’s really for me still, but I don’t hate it. I also think it makes a cute cheek color when thoroughly blended. My skin also doesn’t feel like there’s anything on it, and it doesn’t seem to be patchy or anything.

I’d recommend one of these if you can find it in a color you like.

Nemune Bath Powder & Rabbit Sheek Mask

It’s been a while since we got a bath powder/Nemune product, and this one was produced specifically by a scent expert to combine the lovely scents of lavender and citrus, with the intent of calming one before bed to endorse a restful nights sleep.

Sounds lovely, and I don’t doubt that because I really liked their lavender powder I got a while back. But, I didn’t want to open this before using it so I didn’t just yet. The thing is, I prefer to take baths or showers in the morning, and I feel that something like this might not be the right thing to use at such a time. I might try a foot soak or something with it one of these nights though, I think that would be equally nice given this winter weather.

- - - -

Our other item is an adorable pink bunny face mask, made to help control sebun, reduce or keep away wrinkles, and soothes the skin. It features a cute bunny design and has a lovely scent; it’s one that I often bring up, but I can’t identify it.

A typical face mask I’d say. But I really liked it, it was not only fun to wear but it smelled good, and besides being a bit of a pain to unfold, it stuck to the skin very well and left it feeling smooth~

Tony Moly Egg

Our next item is one I’ve seen before, but I never would have considered trying it if I didn’t get it in the box. There are 2 types available, either the Pore Steam Balm or tightening cooling pack. I got the pore steam balm, which is infused with charcoal powder and sea salt to purify the skin from dirt and blackheads, along with vitamin E and egg yolk extraction for hydration. All you do is apply it for 3-5 minutes, then as it turns white you wash it off.

It has a lovely citrus scent, call me silly but I was a little antsy about using egg products, since I don’t really like eggs much (except for egg sushi, that’s really yummy~), but from what I’ve heard/seen, these don’t usually smell like egg at all. Thank goodness.

I really like the design x3 it’s pretty cute how they made the yolk part the lid. The dryness of my skin worsens during winter, so I have to put more care to try lessening it. It made my skin feel very good, especially when I used it prior to this next item.

Miracle Egg Sleep Pack

Firstly, I just want to say that I fell in love with this packaging! Doesn’t it look cute and fun?

This is a product from the brand Lassie’ El, and you get 2 of them to use per-pack. It’s very simple to use, you just loosen the little built-in spoon and mix the gel and cream inside together, then you apply it to your face. You don’t even have to rinse it off because it soaks into the skin.

I like using night products like this, they’re a lot of fun x3 I have one based around bubble tea that you mix the product and bubbles together and apply, but I tend not to use it too often because I don’t like how my face sticks to everything. I’m also not big on having to rinse it off, it’s always been something that I don’t particularly enjoy doing.

Anyway, that wasn’t an issue with this one! I was very surprised by how unsticky it actually was after I applied it, my face wasn’t making my pillow sticky or anything. It also has a very perfumey sort of scent that I love! I have something in this scent, but I couldn’t exactly recall what it was.

I’d seriously recommend these last two products!

♥ Cutie Ranking ♥

Content - 5 out of 5. I liked everything, it was really fun and/or cute. There was maybe one item I wasn’t entirely satisfied with but that’s pretty much it.

Theme: 3.5 out of 5. A couple of the items featured Eastery things, like bunnies and eggs. I’d also say that the non-related items featured cute colors, which goes with Easter too. But I think maybe they could have done a smidge better.

Total Rank: 9 out of 10. Other than some slight improvement to the theme matching with the items I feel like this box was really good! We had a nice bit of variety in the content, everything essentially works, I recommend a lot of things but the two egg items would definitely be an extreme recommendation!

Also, it turns out I was right. Now that I’m finished with this, I don’t feel sick anymore x3 so I won’t have to spend my day in bed like I thought~