m e n u
- up
- pastel gore

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This art style / community is usually classified as cringy, but it holds a dear place to my heart, and there isn’t a lot of info about it or what it really was, so I wanted to put it somewhere I guess. Maybe this is all because of my obsession that led me to a years long search of a deleted fanfic… maybe I’ll write about it later.

The point is that pastel gore has inspired a lot of my current art and probably my taste on some stuff. Besides that, it’s an interesting internet time capsule from 7 years ago…

So, yeah, I have lots of feelings regarding it and i wanna write about them, you are coming down with me, hand in unlovable hand, I hope you die, I hope we both die-

Pastel gore is an art trend from 2016-2017. Identified by its combination of pastel aesthetics as well as gore, with themes of mental illness all in pastel/neon colors on drawings usually depicting self-harm, disembowelment, lacerations, etc. in a less graphic version than usual gore art.

Mostly teens and young adults joined it, as mental health and queer themes were the core of pastel gore. The trend was born on Tumblr, as a great deal of its influences were born there.

2014 and earlier Tumblr was full of communities filled with fascination and stylization of mental health problems and in a time period where visibility and general understanding of mental health was poor at best, these communities afflicted or not by this usually encouraged self-destructive and dangerous behaviors (See, ana and mia).

An example of these is the scene/emo community, with the combination of dark colours and neon, hot pink and rainbow. Checker patterns, stripes, colorful big hairstyles and striking black makeup, it was simply impossible to ignore. And even though there were problems regarding suicidal idealization and self-harm behaviors, it was also an outlet, in art, fashion, music or just to talk about mental health in a time when it wasn’t as understood.

Also in 2014, in Japan, a fashion subculture of "lolita" started gaining popularity: Yami Kawaii (sick cute/dark cute).

This fashion trend was a form of protest (mostly by teens and young adults) to a society known for its stigma towards mental illnesses. An impossible to ignore fashion that acts as a protest just by existing in public. Mostly feminine clothing, in pastel colors, accessorizing with medical motifs, like bandages, band-aids, syringes, etc. Phrases in cute fonts that made reference to mental illness and drug dependence. All while using Pink splashes instead of red, hearts and edits with sparkles and pastel additions. A form of expression and a way to vent.

In the same vein, menhera (メンヘラ) was also born, its name given because it was used to describe mentally ill people in Japan. Although Menhera and yami kawaii are very similar; Both originate from Japan, as a reaction to the approach to mental health in the country, an impossible to ignore fashion that acts as protest just by existing. Yami Kawaii gives more aperture to any kind of dark, shamed affliction (drug used, or chronic illnesses). Both acted as not only protests but also communities.

Menhera expanded to art as well. Maintaining its cute and dark elements, with medical motifs and self-harm. One of its more iconic characters and media is Menhera-Chan, from a webcomic with the same name that perfectly encapsulated the trend.

This comic also gained popularity on another surging community, and art/fashion trend by the name of: Pastel Goth. Mostly on Tumblr.

Mixing popular gothic elements with a pastel aesthetic (bones, bats, tombstones, eyes, etc.) And inheriting the approach to mental illness from scene/emo and with a stronger similarity with dark lolita than actual gothic style.

The soft boy community heavily inspired what would eventually be pastel gore, as the gender exploration more geared towards feminine styles would inspire characters and themes depicted in pastel gore (more easily appreciated on the fanfic aspect of it).

Gurokawa. Sometimes confused with yami kawaii. This style is more focused on horror and pastel elements. Hyper violence by the hand of cute characters. Fueled by happy tree Friends and the debut of Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, a Japanese singer that took in stride the fashion. Start of 2000 to 2010 mostly.

Gore/guro (who could have thought?). On 2015 the community started seeing drawings with more neon/pastel colors, and less graphic than the usual gore/guro art, although some pieces did keep the erotic aspect of guro (Pastel guro).

Another art trend of the time: Candy gore. Sometimes confused with pastel gore. This style is mostly art focused, and while it shares the not super gorey, gore aspect of pastel gore, it mostly focuses on candy/fruit/food elements, goo like textures, neon colors, etc. Less focused on the mental health aspect of it. Born before pastel gore, but not by a lot, 2014-2019.

Amino (very 2016-2018, Pastel goth, Pastel gore) from 2016-2017 was super active with art and fashion. As well as deviant art, with communities dedicated to pastel gore from 2017, although not that active. YouTube speed paints and meme animations from those years show pastel gore and pastel gore elements.

It’s mostly on YouTube that artists like: Marina And The Diamonds, Vocaloid (kikuo-p, wowaka, etc.), Mxmtoon, Cavetown, and Melanie Martinez with their cute/childish elements combined with dark topics were taken in stride by the pastel gore community.

On drawings, while most characters were original (humans and anthropomorphic animals being the most common), some fandoms that constantly appeared were: mlp, osomatsu, vocaloid, undertale, eddsworld, poppe the performer, steven universe, and others.

Besides the cute elements combined with mild gore, hanahaki disease was an important part of the art trend, this not only showed on drawings but also in fanfics.

These fanfics shared the stylized idea of mental illness and mostly LGBT ships. The main platform was Wattpad, although some can probably be found on AO3. Yeah, probably, as the thing that makes this pastel gore is very specific and not really something you can tag.

It’s main settings are high school au, cafeteria au and neighbors au, and while these may be quite typical, the additional characteristics added to the characters and the aesthetics of it all made it “pastel gore”.

Usually one character is suffering from usually depression/anxiety/eating disorders. Band-aids, pills, cigarettes are a very important part of the style. As well as the clothing style described, usually pastel colors, long sleeves, sweaters, sneakers, skirts and flower crowns.

These are mostly romantic fanfics showing unhealthy romantic relationships, insecurities, and self -harm are usually very dramatized, and especially the last one, made very stylized, not very gorey but still part of the art trend. Tittles usually reference stars, candy/pastries, “___boy”, etc., but not always.

Some examples are: Dear Starboy by Saltiestblueberry– Eddsworld or Flower boy by mrsbadtimes12 – Villainous.

It’s especially hard to find fanfics and sometimes pastel gore art, as a great deal of it was deleted or stored on deactivated accounts. So finding artists is challenging, alas, some artists found by early reblog blogs like glittering guts (29 november 2015), welcome to pastel hell (01 july 2015):

and many more!

Pastel gore was an outlet for communities who were often ostracized and rejected by society. Painful sincerity shown on pastel guts, Pink blood, and flowers and hearts.

Definitely a product of its time, and one made with tears and care.

chau!

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