Artist's commentary
Anonymous asked:
HEYYYYY hey I'm also very normal about Shoujo Rei so if you want to talk about how SetsuPomu's story would be inspired by Shoujo Rei I would be DELIGHTED to hear it 🥺
hello anon who thinks about this song a normal amount!! 😊😊
To be honest, I haven’t given the story too much thought with SetsuPomu but I really just like the vibes!
I think Ayumu suits the part of the protagonist very well. If we take the story literally, I think she comes off as the type who would be sympathetic towards a lonely ghost. And when writing with extremes in mind, Ayumu tends to act in her own self-interests so I could also imagine her coercing her crush to be emotionally dependent on her as a twisted expression of love.
One thing I don’t really see people mention when analysing Shoujo Rei (could just be my interpretation) is that the various lyrics like 「そう、君は友達」 apply to two different (but similar!) contexts. One being the context of the girl comforting the lonely ghost on the train tracks and the other being the warm, comforting words she would’ve told her crush in life in order to manipulate her. I really like the song while thinking about this parallel.
It’s very easy to imagine Ayumu doing both of these things. *sighs happily* the image of Ayumu being lured to her own death while offering words of comfort to the lonely ghost that she killed is just really nice… 😊😊😊
As for Setsuna, I also think she suits the role of the ghost very well. I depicted her as Nana to express that she’s in her most vulnerable state. I think SetsuPomu are both relatively lonely people. The difference is that Ayumu is kind of introverted and is pretty content with her company. But Setsuna wants to make more friends and due to various reasons, it’s harder for her. In a story without school idols, Nana would be a very lonely person. I also depicted her without glasses because she’s dead 🧍♀️
(I did do a version with glasses too)
Now, as for the actual story, I think I’d deviate a little from the one in Shoujo Rei. Like, even in extreme circumstances I find it hard to imagine Ayumu inciting bullying. Even if the lyrics suggest the incitement is more indirect (ie. leaving flower vase on her desk), I still think that’s too direct for Ayumu who would probably search for other ways (in a world where she’s this toxic/twisted lmfao).
I can imagine instead, Nana’s despair being linked to her family. Whether that be a lack of expression, feeling trapped etc. Something inescapable. In this story, Ayumu would use it as leverage to make Nana depend on her and only her. Then, the guilt would drive her to those same tracks since instead of offering support sincerely, she planted kisses on her drowning hands….
i dunno it’s pretty fun to think about!