#metsonamy

Their outfits are actually based on designs from an official "Sonic & Friends" artwork. The art was made for New Years and only featured Sonic and Amy out of the OT3. I thought the outfits were cute, so I wanted to draw them. That's when I got curious about the patterns on their clothes.

Sonic's hakama and Amy's kimono are decorated with traditional Japanese patterns (Wagara) which have meanings assigned to them.

Sonic's pattern is called Asanoha, and the pattern is made to resemble the hemp leaf. Hemp leaves are known to be a fast-growing, resilient while requiring little care, so the pattern symbolizes durability and vitality.

Just from the description of the hemp leaf plant, it's clear why this pattern was chosen for Sonic. Being fast and resilient is what Sonic's all about, so it fits him perfectly. And the fact that the plant is low maintenance gives off an effortless success feeling. Sonic has this kinda confidence in him that makes his whole life seem easy even when things get tough, so I can see how this pattern connects with his character. Though, Asanoha is also used on children's clothes with hopes that they'll grow healthy and strong. In a way, Sonic is Sega's baby, so it's like they're wishing him success for the year which is really sweet. 🥹

For Amy, she's wearing a pattern called Shippo which represents the seven treasures of Buddhism. The overlapping circles can look like petals of a flower or stars, and it's also common to find this pattern paired with flower prints, as well. This pattern is like a good luck charm and symbolizes harmony and good relationships. Shippo for Amy is such a nice choice. The way the pattern can be seen as flowers or stars feels so right to me. I don't know how to explain it though... But it's true for Amy to be associated with good relationships and harmony; she has a way of bringing people together and affecting others in such a positive way just by being herself that can make her feel like a good luck charm, too. I've also read a website that described the meaning of the pattern as "happy ending" which I'm sure is what Amy would love to have with Sonic. 🤭

Since I saw how meaningful Sonic and Amy's patterns were, I wanted to choose something appropriate for Metal Sonic's character, too.

So I chose a pattern called Tatewaku. It resembles rising steam/mist and carries a meaning of ascension or rising above circumstances. When I was looking around for a pattern, I saw this one and just instantly knew this was right Metal. There's this quote from his Cover Story on Sonic Channel that sums up Metal Sonic so well:

"Each time, he stands as a major threat to Sonic and his friends, and although he is defeated, he always rises again, and next time, he awaits Sonic as an even greater threat..."

It doesn't matter how badly he's defeated, Metal Sonic will always come back stronger. He's constantly improving himself, aiming to prove himself superior to Sonic. To me, Metal Sonic is basically all about ascending beyond his limits. 😌

Tatewaku is also an auspicious/nobel pattern which felt right for Metal Sonic since he's one of Dr. Eggman's greatest creations.

funfact: I almost put Metal's pattern on his haori(the coat) instead of his hakama. I was gonna go for an opposite of Sonic, but that didn't feel right? They were described as "similar yet dissimilar" so I ended up adding the pattern in the same way as Sonic to fit that theme.