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Pjsk Rui - Blog Posts
Rui looks like both a butch lesbian & transmasc depending on the card and I truly do not think there's an in-between. the same thing applies to every single fanart I see of him I think
Thinking about this too now because Milgram Fucked Me Up with pomegranate imagery š„š„
Typically, they're used to symbolize fertility, death and immortality, while in Japan those last two get swapped out for abundance and the cycle of life. In jewelry, though, like I'd say he's wearing, they're usually used to express new beginnings, such as when somebody is getting married or expecting a child.
In Japan, pomegranates have a special cultural significance due to being connected to Hariti, the goddess of fertility and healthy childbirth, though she is also recognized as a female demon of misery and unhappiness towards children and parents in many folk traditions. Her story is about, essentially, learning to empathize with the suffering of others.
Now, how does this correlate to Rui? Lowkey, zero clue. Hariti's story of learning to empathize with the suffering of others calls to mind Rui's bloomfes card where he states that because he's suffered, he can be kind to people, though that's all I can really say.
Even though it wasn't in your initial post, he's wearing a ring on each hand, which I also want to talk about. On his right hand, he is wearing a ring on his pointer finger, which is typically used to symbolize leadership, authority and self-confidence, though it is also used as a symbol of accepting leadership from other people due to it being a passive hand. On his left, he has a ring on his middle finger, which is more commonly associated with balance, though is also used to symbolize power, responsibility and stability.
Also. The flowers. Because I fucking LOVE flower imagery!!!!!!!!!!
I reckon that the flower on his chest is a chrysanthemum, which are suitable funeral flowers in Asian countries, specifically when white. I believe that it's also notable that these are the same flowers that were used in LUTF, specifically due to their correlation with being funeral flowers. The flower he has, however, is red and thus largely symbolizes love and passion, strength of power, determination and courage. In Japan, chrysanthemums are considered auspicious and a symbol of success, too. As a whole, they still retain a connection to the idea of a long life, rebirth, and heavy grief in Asian countries.
The flower on his hat could be a rose considering its shape, which is also famously a flower of romance. A white and red rose is used to symbolize enduring love that is both passionate and pure, the bonding or unity between two people, and can convey a message of unity or reconciliation. And again, white roses are often used as a funeral flower due to symbolizing eternal love and new beginnings.
with that, I bid farewell. do what you will with my yapping Goodbyebye
nobody is talking about the pomegranates on ruiās 2* costume what is up guys.
honami gets apples and nene gets grapefruits bc theyāre their respective fav fruits (well honamiās apple pie technically)
meiko grapes i cannot place to save my life. related to wine probably
ichika blueberriesā¦ makes sense sheās blue
RUIā¦ POMEGRANATESā¦ ig he already got grapes for island panic š§āāļø but still i can only think of the greek myth of persephone where she eats a pomegranate in the underworld and is forced to stay with hadesā¦ like wtf why pomegranates whatās up sega
i am DEFFO looking too much into it but likeā¦ why pomegranates???? the outfitās swatch doesnāt even look that good on him š
guys somebody please respond this is urgent. do you think that he would wear black eyeliner instead of red if he was in n25 instead
The moment that everyone has been waiting for, I present; why I think Rui is autistic, or at the very least, neurodivergent, the sequel!!! This is the second part to this post that I made a few months ago, so feel free to check it out if you want. - 1. For starters, I would like to talk more about Revival My Dream, as it provided a lot to work with. When Rui asks his mom if he really is different from the other children because that was what his peers and teachers had been calling him due to his intelligence, she agrees and says that he is different from the other kids without specifically using the word "smarter", which suggests that his eccentricities and isolation did not come from his high intelligence alone.
Upon reassuring him that it's alright to be different and sympathizing with his situation, her advice to him was to simply cherish the things that he likes and he would soon find people who support and accept him for him, rather than about his intellectual prowess being in use.
Following this, an interview that he watches, which ends up significantly impacting his mindset concerning shows, uses the term "minorities" among other examples of audiences to express that people can share the feelings that shows invoke no matter how different they are. This wording can imply that he is also a sort of minority, too.
(tl by Arvon Oven on YouTube) - 2. He's blunt / straightforward and struggles to empathize with people. His bluntness is more noticeable during the rare occasions that he's upset at somebody else, with the Main Story and Smile Of a Dreamer being examples of this.
(first screenshot taken from the global version of Project SEKAI; tl by Caramel Subs on YouTube)
There's also a segment during A Once-In-A-Lifetime Pandemonium!? where Taniyama expresses his envy at Rui getting such good scores on tests, which he responds to by saying that it is indeed nice because it means that he can focus more on shows. Taniyama then exclaims that he should at least be more humble.
(tl by tsukasa's #3 fan on YouTube; video is unlisted)
The second point is quite downplayed. Once again returning to Revival My Dream, when he proposes that he and his classmates make a show together that includes one of them jumping out of a second story window to a nearby tree, he's unable to understand why they're so afraid, and even jumps out of the window himself without any safety precautions in place aside from a safety mat to prove that it was safe.
(tl by Arvon Oven on YouTube) I was going to add more but forgot what, so that is it I fear !!! thank you for attending my yap session
the demons are telling me to update this. who would like Reason Why Rui Is Autistic list 2.0
In honor of autism awareness month, here's a full comprehensible list as to why I think Rui is autistic, or at the very least, neurodivergent !!!! - 1, For starters, he was ostracized by his classmates for presumably almost a decade (2nd grade - 1st yr of high school), all because he was "different" and nobody around him could properly understand him. This has resulted in him struggling to form and maintain relationships. As stated in his second focus event, Revival My Dream, when he was a kid, Rui had a hard time conversering with his classmates because he felt as if he couldn't connect with them.
He's interested in more niche things, like robotics,
and he was also interested in things that people normally regard as "scary", such as moths;
After he became fond of shows and theater as well and attempted to include his classmates in one he thought of in an attempt to grow closer to them, his idea ultimately backfired since his classmates thought his way of directing was "dangerous", and this is where the ostracization seemed to start.
(translation by Arvon Oven) Being ostracized and shunned is unfortunately a common thing with people who have autism, and as I mentioned previously, Rui was alone for presumably seven years straight, all because he was regarded as "different". - 2, He has "restricted, obsessive interests" that can be seen as hyperfixations/special interests. Ever since he was a child, Rui's been heavily interested in both robotics/inventing and shows. A hyperfixation is described as, "A complete obsession with or absorption into a particular task. The task can be a hobby, a TV show, a subject of interest, or something else. People who hyperfixate may tune out the world around them and ignore important responsibilities, such as eating or sleeping." Rui's interest in shows specifically can be seen as a hyperfixation, as in the first side story of his Unforeseen Keynotes (or Unexpected Happenings according to the English translation) card, Rui was so engrossed in thinking about the next show they'd be doing, he had completely forgotten that Robo-Nene was due for maintenance, and Nene mentions that this wouldn't be the first time he's forgotten to eat or sleep because of how engrossed he gets in his thoughts while thinking about shows.
Nene also mentions in Wonderlands x Showtime's main story that Rui becomes so absorbed in his shows that he "loses sight of everything else", (In the original Japanese version, she says "When it comes to shows, he isn't able to look at his surroundings, so things never work out".)
and also in KAMIKOU FESTIVAL!, where he mentions that his tendency to put shows "at the center of everything" might be a flaw of his;
(translation by Ren) It's also mentioned in A Once-In-A-Lifetime Pandemonium!? that he'll get so absorbed in his thoughts while thinking of shows, he'll completely forget about his surroundings.
(translation by tsukasaās #3 fan) - 3, He has texture issues, which is also common with people who have autism. It's been mentioned multiple times throughout the course of the game that he detests vegetables, but more specifically cucumbers and things in the cucurbitaceae family (such as watermelon & pumpkin), because they all share the same texture.
He mentions in an area conversation with Nene that he usually only eats at restaurants he's familiar with (he sticks to routine; another thing common with people who have autism), so eating out has never been an issue to him, and he even refused to eat vegetables when they were quite literally stranded on a deserted island and in a life-threatening situation.
- 4, He info-dumps. A lot.
This one is pretty self-explanatory, I think. - 5, He's overly logical and struggles with his emotions. He's had trouble on multiple occasions understanding his emotions, such as in Full Power! Wonder Halloween! where he unconsciously holds himself back after inadvertently injuring Tsukasa with one of his inventions, but he didn't realize that he was even holding himself back until somebody pointed it out, and he didn't realize that he was holding himself back because he was worried, either. Something similar happens in Heat Up! Kamikou High Cheering Squad! where he unconsciously holds himself back because he feared being shunned again, but once again, he didn't realize the reason for him holding himself back until somebody pointed it out for him. In the first side story of his I Can't Afford to Lose *4 card, Rui comes to the Sekai, hoping to talk to somebody to put his mind at ease. As he runs into Meiko and Luka and they ask him what's wrong because he seemed down, Rui says that "I just wanted to think about production, but my feelings got in the way of thinking". He then says "Feelings really are troublesome. / Sometimes, you have to hold them back with all of your might... It'd be nice if someone other than me could manage these troublesome feelings". (In the English translation, he says "Emotions are so complicated and can be so troublesome at times. / There are even times when one becomes completely overwhelmed by them... If only someone else were able to help put a lid on them.") Lastly, I'd like to mention that in Revival My Dream, after Rui asks his mom if he's different from the people around him, she responds by saying that, yes, he is different, but she also says that she was "just like him" as a child, and seeing how autism is caused mainly by genetics, his mom can very well be autistic too.
Okay, that is all!!! Thank you for listening to me yap :3
Is it just me, or is anyone else slightly irked by all of those videos that excuse sexualizing the pjsk characters, specifically the 3rd years, just because they've moved up a grade and "are now 18" šš Kid you not, since the games 3rd anniversary I've seen SO many fucking videos literally just. plainly sexualizing mainly Rui and Tsukasa and it's excused because they're "eighteen"??? š Literally please do enlighten me on where their ages were confirmed, 'cause all I've seen is just speculation and people just assuming that, oh, since their all moving up a grade, that must mean that their aging up too!!! And sure, it could be working like that since the only character to canonically have their age confirmed is Haruka, who was stated to be 16 in the mmj main story, and since she was a 1st year at the time we can assume all of the 1st years are 16, the 2nd years are 17, and so on and so-forth. But still, even if that is the case and they did actually age up, your first instinct was to SEXUALIZE them??? šš I know that it is not that serious, but sexualizing the pjsk cast was a problem even beforehand, even though they're all inferred to be MINORS š„š„ can't we go back to like. focusing on them as actual characters. or somethign
these came to me in a dream
In honor of autism awareness month, here's a full comprehensible list as to why I think Rui is autistic, or at the very least, neurodivergent !!!! - 1, For starters, he was ostracized by his classmates for presumably almost a decade (2nd grade - 1st yr of high school), all because he was "different" and nobody around him could properly understand him. This has resulted in him struggling to form and maintain relationships. As stated in his second focus event, Revival My Dream, when he was a kid, Rui had a hard time conversering with his classmates because he felt as if he couldn't connect with them.
He's interested in more niche things, like robotics,
and he was also interested in things that people normally regard as "scary", such as moths;
After he became fond of shows and theater as well and attempted to include his classmates in one he thought of in an attempt to grow closer to them, his idea ultimately backfired since his classmates thought his way of directing was "dangerous", and this is where the ostracization seemed to start.
(translation by Arvon Oven) Being ostracized and shunned is unfortunately a common thing with people who have autism, and as I mentioned previously, Rui was alone for presumably seven years straight, all because he was regarded as "different". - 2, He has "restricted, obsessive interests" that can be seen as hyperfixations/special interests. Ever since he was a child, Rui's been heavily interested in both robotics/inventing and shows. A hyperfixation is described as, "A complete obsession with or absorption into a particular task. The task can be a hobby, a TV show, a subject of interest, or something else. People who hyperfixate may tune out the world around them and ignore important responsibilities, such as eating or sleeping." Rui's interest in shows specifically can be seen as a hyperfixation, as in the first side story of his Unforeseen Keynotes (or Unexpected Happenings according to the English translation) card, Rui was so engrossed in thinking about the next show they'd be doing, he had completely forgotten that Robo-Nene was due for maintenance, and Nene mentions that this wouldn't be the first time he's forgotten to eat or sleep because of how engrossed he gets in his thoughts while thinking about shows.
Nene also mentions in Wonderlands x Showtime's main story that Rui becomes so absorbed in his shows that he "loses sight of everything else", (In the original Japanese version, she says "When it comes to shows, he isn't able to look at his surroundings, so things never work out".)
and also in KAMIKOU FESTIVAL!, where he mentions that his tendency to put shows "at the center of everything" might be a flaw of his;
(translation by Ren) It's also mentioned in A Once-In-A-Lifetime Pandemonium!? that he'll get so absorbed in his thoughts while thinking of shows, he'll completely forget about his surroundings.
(translation by tsukasaās #3 fan) - 3, He has texture issues, which is also common with people who have autism. It's been mentioned multiple times throughout the course of the game that he detests vegetables, but more specifically cucumbers and things in the cucurbitaceae family (such as watermelon & pumpkin), because they all share the same texture.
He mentions in an area conversation with Nene that he usually only eats at restaurants he's familiar with (he sticks to routine; another thing common with people who have autism), so eating out has never been an issue to him, and he even refused to eat vegetables when they were quite literally stranded on a deserted island and in a life-threatening situation.
- 4, He info-dumps. A lot.
This one is pretty self-explanatory, I think. - 5, He's overly logical and struggles with his emotions. He's had trouble on multiple occasions understanding his emotions, such as in Full Power! Wonder Halloween! where he unconsciously holds himself back after inadvertently injuring Tsukasa with one of his inventions, but he didn't realize that he was even holding himself back until somebody pointed it out, and he didn't realize that he was holding himself back because he was worried, either. Something similar happens in Heat Up! Kamikou High Cheering Squad! where he unconsciously holds himself back because he feared being shunned again, but once again, he didn't realize the reason for him holding himself back until somebody pointed it out for him. In the first side story of his I Can't Afford to Lose *4 card, Rui comes to the Sekai, hoping to talk to somebody to put his mind at ease. As he runs into Meiko and Luka and they ask him what's wrong because he seemed down, Rui says that "I just wanted to think about production, but my feelings got in the way of thinking". He then says "Feelings really are troublesome. / Sometimes, you have to hold them back with all of your might... It'd be nice if someone other than me could manage these troublesome feelings". (In the English translation, he says "Emotions are so complicated and can be so troublesome at times. / There are even times when one becomes completely overwhelmed by them... If only someone else were able to help put a lid on them.") Lastly, I'd like to mention that in Revival My Dream, after Rui asks his mom if he's different from the people around him, she responds by saying that, yes, he is different, but she also says that she was "just like him" as a child, and seeing how autism is caused mainly by genetics, his mom can very well be autistic too.
Okay, that is all!!! Thank you for listening to me yap :3
"Oh, my favorite Project Sekai character is the one who has purple hair and can speak English! You know, the one who was once considered a child prodigy? The one whose problems were inadvertently caused by their intelligence because nobody around them could properly understand them? The one who once was desperately searching for a purpose in life because they felt as if they had no idea what they truly wanted to do? Actually, they *did* know what they truly wanted to do, they just had no way of supporting it because of external factors. But you know, the one who gave up on hoping that their life would take a turn for the better? The one who was only able to identify their real beliefs due to the help of their respective group members? The one who struggles with understanding their feelings and emotions?" ??? WHICH ONE !!!!!!!
tired of these losers flirting
can we talk about how much Tsukasa has affected Rui's life.
before Rui and Tsukasa met, Rui had convinced himself that nobody would ever want to work with him because of how people had been avoiding and viewing him as a dangerous person since childhood. If we go back to the Wonderland x Showtime main story, I believe Rui had trust issues and that's why he was so hesitant in accepting Tsukasa's offer to join the troupe both when he first asked, and after the nenekasa argument scene. Fast forward to the first WXS event and Rui's first focus event, It's On! Wonder Halloween, Rui definitely has abandonment issues, hence is why he started subconsciously holding himself back once he accidentally hurt Tsukasa. Because, in his words, "On a subconscious level, I must have been so afraid that Tsukasa would start hating me and leave, like everyone else did... Somewhere along the way, I started to press the brakes out of not wanting to lose what took me so long to find..." I STARTED TO PRESS THE BRAKES OUT OF NOT WANTING TO LOSE WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG TO FIND. Tsukasa was one of the first people that took genuine interest in Rui's inventions and stage directing and he fulfills any direction asked of him no matter how taxing it is because Tsukasa fully trusts Rui and knows that he wouldn't do anything to intentionally hurt anyone. Flash forward to the A Once-In-A-Lifetime Pandemonium!? event, Tsukasa played a vivid part in Rui's character arc. Previously, Rui had been pushed into depression due to how the people around him ostracized him and he felt as if nobody around him would ever be able to understand him, but with Tsukasa's help, he was able to break out of his shell and actually let himself be happy for once without holding onto the negative burdens of his past. He was able to let that go and actually make friends outside of WXS, all because Tsukasa had shown him that there are people that are actually willing to put their trust into him. The mutual faith and trust they both have in each other is cray cray Rui "I had always thought that I could never be properly understood by anyone around me. As I started doing shows at Wonder Stage with everyone, my way of thinking and feelings began to change. Now, I am able to understand someone without the need for putting on shows, and I've come to value the idea of laughing alongside others. That's whyāTsukasa-kun. Thank you for giving me the chance to change." Kamishiro
!!!! tw mentions of ed's, abuse, & suicide !!!!!!! The pjsk fandom is certainly odd and the game itself definitely doesn't have the cleanest track record, but one of my favorite things about pjsk is how much representation there is, and how well they accurately portrayed things such as bullying, ED's, suicide ideation, neglect, chronic illnesses, emotional abuse, etc. And they wrote each character's problems and backstories so well, it's why I hate it when people clown on the stories. Even when multiple characters deal with the same hardships, pjsk wrote each character so they coped with their problems in different ways; Rui and Mizuki both got bullied, and Rui learned to move on so he could be happy while Mizuki actively continues to keep everyone at an arms length. Ena, Akito, Emu and Tsukasa are all the products of neglect by their families and cope in different ways. (Exp; Tsukasa and Emu chose to bottle up their feelings and put on masks of happiness while Ena and Akito are both prone to outlashes of anger due to it.) Toya and Mafuyu were both forced to peruse paths that their parents chose for them and only with the help of their friends were they able to break free from those expectations placed on them by their families, the only difference being that Toya learned to peruse what he wanted to do early on in life while Mafuyu didn't. Haruka and Kanade both have eating disorders, while Haruka's is a result of the toxic standards in the idol industry while Kanade's is the result of her prioritizing her work over her well-being. I think the pjsk stories are so well written and accurately shed light on more sore subjects in a way other media wasn't able too
I'm back on my bullshit I guess
that redraw I was talking about.. previous versions under the cut
I like how it's less stiff now
who up aliening they stage
i need to be put down
