TB/X ; CCS - Sumeragi Hokuto/Daidouji Tomoyo
Title: “A Few of My Favorite Things”
Author: Kara (
kara_m )
Pairing: Sumeragi Hokuto/Daidouji Tomoyo
Fandom(s): Tokyo Babylon/X ; Cardcaptor Sakura
Spoilers: This includes spoilers for both series, therefore read at your own risk.
E-mail: kara@sumeragi.net
Notes: I was poked by
aerostati to do this, and complied. I was also on major crack during the drafting of it, so please excuse any incoherency or mistakes. I also give all the credit to the fans who helped inspire it!
;; a few of my favorite things ;;
The following being the manifesto for the pairing Sumeragi Hokuto/Daidouji Tomoyo, from Tokyo Babylon/X and Cardcaptor Sakura respectively. Both characters belong to CLAMP. Before we study the pairing, it would be pertinent to underline the fact that the canon evidence for this pairing is virtually nonexistent. The following is therefore based on the author’s speculation as well as that of several other fans. I am not making any profit from this except, of course, the personal benefit I will have from expanding the amazing fandom. The views expressed here are consequently (and most likely) not the views of the original authors. I’m not sure I’m the right person to be writing this because, as it turns out, I’m not the one who came up with the idea for this pairing, nor was I one of the first to ship it. But I hope to share some of what a few people cooked up, once upon a time.
Enjoy.
(Fanart!blobs by pengiesama)
;; introduction ;;
If someone walked up to you and shouted joyfully about being a fan of Hokuto/Tomoyo, you would probably question their sanity. You’d probably be right to do so. When shipping a crossover pairing such as this, and particularly one involving Sumeragi Hokuto, it often comes about that you question your own personal sanity. And again, you’d probably be right to do so. In a fandom full of raging, ranting, hardcore canon fans, it’s hard to slip in the shiny shards of what can effectively be called a crack pairing, and still be respected.
However, it would be erroneous to say we’re fighting a losing battle. Nor would it be correct to say that there is no true basis for Hokuto/Tomoyo. For anyone who isn’t afraid to tread upon insane ground, this is for you.
;; sumeragi hokuto ;;
(Sumeragi Hokuto as seen in Tokyo Babylon Volume 2, “Smile” arc.)
;; tokyo babylon - sacrifice ;;
Sumeragi Hokuto is the sixteen-year-old twin sister of the protagonist of Tokyo Babylon, Sumeragi Subaru. We are never told who their parents are, only that they were raised by their grandmother in Kyoto during the first few years of their life. They were separated only when Subaru accompanied Lady Sumeragi to Tokyo in order to become the Head of the Sumeragi Clan at nine years of age. In the beginning of Tokyo Babylon, however, we understand that both of the twins have moved to Tokyo in order for Subaru to pursue his career as a yin-yang master and the Head of the Clan.
The twins share a naturally strong bond, which in some ways surpasses that of a normal relationship between siblings; Hokuto, the older twin, is very protective of her “little brother” and shows almost motherly affection towards him. She cooks for him, cares for him when he is ill, and dresses him in clothes of her own invention on what seems like a regular basis. Hokuto also worries about her brother’s pure heart and the effect that a job like his could have upon him, and encourages him to follow his own dreams and not only those of the Clan. In many ways, Hokuto is searching for the one wish that will help Subaru become ‘human’, that is to say something that he will hold on to no matter what anybody else thinks.
Hokuto is perhaps the first one to think that this one wish may involve Sakurazuka Seishirou, the friendly veterinarian that recently came into the twins’ acquaintance. She does everything in her power to encourage their growing relationship throughout the manga, mostly in a humorous way. Long before Subaru realizes that he has indeed fallen in love with ‘Seishirou-san’, Hokuto realizes that her brother esteems and cares for the man more than anybody else.
Unfortunately, Hokuto is never able to fully share her suspicions concerning Seishirou before it is too late. Indeed, the older Sumeragi twin had long suspected Seishirou of being more than the friendly veterinarian, a fact often stressed upon during the development of the intrigue. In fact, Seishirou is the Sakurazukamori, a government assassin who kills enemies of Japan and is, in this way, the polar opposite to the Sumeragi Head.
When Seishirou reveals his true intentions to Subaru in the hospital at the end of the manga and comes close to killing him, Subaru retreats Within himself, unwilling to face the world any longer. The last poignant scene between the twins is one in which Hokuto, in tears, apologizes to her brother for her part in encouraging the relationship between him and Seishirou and also for what she is about to do, knowing that it will probably make him angry.
A month later, she is killed by Sakurazuka Seishirou in his Illusion, whispering Subaru’s name as she dies. This ultimately rouses Subaru from the depths of his own soul, and he vows to avenge her death by killing the Sakurazukamori.
In the last few pages of the Tokyo Babylon manga, Subaru dreams of her death and a fragment of her last conversation with Seishirou, in which she explains her unique ability to cast a ‘Spell’. Subaru remembers a conversation he had with her, and wishes her a good morning in the mirror before smashing it with his fist.
Hokuto’s role in the manga can be seen as secondary, but in many ways she completes Subaru. While it is true that the development of Subaru and Seishirou’s relationship is the central intrigue of the manga, Hokuto’s own evolution is also an important focal point of the story. She develops in parallel to her brother on a distinctly different level and her evolution eventually culminates in her death. It has been suggested that for Hokuto, there is no one more important than Subaru. However, she realizes that she cannot hold the same place in his heart and accordingly helps him search for his own reason to live. Ironically, when Subaru fully emancipates himself from his unconditional love for all and nurtures the first ‘selfish’ love for someone in his heart, she is condemned to die. The role of time in this development is also important, considering that all of this comes to pass exactly at the end of Seishirou’s Bet.
Throughout the manga, Hokuto is portrayed as an eccentric person with an exemplary joie de vivre. She wears odd and loud clothing of her own creation. She is the bright spot of life and in some ways the comic relief of an otherwise serious, dark manga. However, she is also very sensitive and observant, not only to her brother, but also to other characters. Her kindness is particularly developed in the ‘Smile’ arc of Volume 2, when she protects a young foreign girl from the police and befriends her. She also shows a great deal of compassion to Yuya, the little boy we meet in the last chapter of Volume 5. Perhaps her most attaching feature is her adoration of her brother and her ability to ‘read his heart’.
Hokuto has been criticized for sacrificing her life when Subaru’s situation was so precarious, however, it can also be seen as an amazing proof of her love for him and of her belief in his and Seishirou’s relationship. This idea, of course, is further developed in the x/1999 manga.
;; x/1999 - only in dreams ;;
Hokuto makes somewhat of a surprise appearance in X, showing up suddenly in one of Kuzuki Kakyou’s dreams. We understand at that point that Hokuto is in fact the person that Kakyou talked about briefly with Monou Kotori-the person who he wishes to see and can’t because she is no longer present in the world.
In fact, the glimpses we have of Hokuto in Kakyou’s dreams are snippets from a dream they once shared. Kakyou wanted to see someone from the outside world and apparently, since Hokuto had a bit of power, she was drawn into the dream. Hokuto is very kind to Kakyou despite his inability to meet her in the real world, and added to the fact that she is the first person he has seen for a while, he develops feelings for her. He dreams of her death and is unable to counter Fate in order to save her and lives with that regret.
Hokuto’s unfailing optimism, which comes in direct contradiction with the fatalistic nature of the manga, is finally extinguished in Volume 16 of the manga during the incident on Rainbow Bridge. The dying Seishirou reveals the details of her final Spell to Subaru, and we are both touched and angered by the nature of it. Perhaps we are mostly touched by the fact that Hokuto would give her life for something that we as fans came to think of as hopeless-that is, Subaru and Seishirou’s relationship-and we are angered by the fact that Seishirou would actually activate the Spell in order to die by Subaru’s hand. Seishirou adeptly mentions the entire vicious circle between the three of them just after Subaru deals the piercing blow:
“Today, we are as a mirror image of the past.
That day, the one who had her chest pierced
in this way was Hokuto.”
(This quote was directly translated from French, and therefore may not correspond exactly to the English quote. I apologize for any inaccuracies or inconvenience it may cause.)
Hokuto’s kindness is not as blatant as Subaru’s is, and considering the fact that it goes in contradiction with his Wish, we are often tempted to brush her sacrifice away as selfishness. However, she was truly considering his happiness at that moment. This fact is even more poignant considering the fact that she is able to forgive Seishirou, and that she is able to continue hoping that he will understand what love is and share it with Subaru.
Her feelings for Kakyou are never explicitly labeled as being of a romantic nature, although it is clear that Kakyou loves her in this way. Even in the Dreamscape, Hokuto’s thoughts turn to her brother and her worry for his fragile heart. It has therefore been argued that Hokuto’s ‘Special Person’ is her twin, which makes her sacrifice even more beautiful and selfless-considering that she entrusted the person she cared for the most to someone not ‘worthy’ of her trust, Seishirou.
;; tsubasa reservoir chronicle - missing in action ;;
Hokuto has not yet made an appearance in CLAMP’s crossover work, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, to the disappointment of many. For a long while, we were led to believe that the two vampire twins that Seishirou was searching for were in fact Subaru & Hokuto, however it was later revealed that Subaru’s twin was in fact Kamui. Although this was an interesting development, we were forced to come to the conclusion that Hokuto might not make an appearance in the manga. There has been repeated proof that those whose souls were intimately tied together show up together in the manga (such as Sorata & Arashi, Syaoran and Sakura, etc.) Even Seishirou is still in pursuit of his ‘prey’, Subaru. The fact that Subaru and Kamui are in fact twins is an interesting interpretation of their relationship, although quite accurate; they share a deep brotherly bond in X that translates quite perfectly to the twin-bond they share in Tsubasa.
What of Hokuto, though? Has Kamui taken her place? If we take a good look at the development in Tokyo Babylon and X, her role is somewhat filled by Kamui. After Subaru rescues Kamui from the depths of his heart, the two share a relationship that uncannily resembles not only the relationship between Seishirou and Subaru during the year of the Bet (minus all the romantic innuendos), but also the relationship that Subaru shared with his sister. Indeed, even the physical comfort they find in each other (shown through gentle touches and hugs) is close to the one that Subaru found in his own sister. Their relationship is open to interpretation, of course, but CLAMP remarked that they were ‘like sisters’ and therefore it doesn’t come as a surprise that they should appear together in Tsubasa as the vampire twins, if indeed Kamui became the ‘replacement’ sister for Subaru in X.
As Tsubasa is still unfinished and Subaru and Kamui’s backgrounds have not yet been revealed, it is hard to say what is truly the cause of this change in the scenario. Many fans wonder if Hokuto will show up or if Subaru is indeed the embodiment of both the Sumeragi twins in this crossover work. It is something that only time will tell.
;; daidouji tomoyo ;;
(Daidouji Tomoyo as seen in CLAMP’s crossover work, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle)
;; cardcaptor sakura - this is my happiness ;;
Daidouji Tomoyo is the best friend of the main protagonist in Cardcaptor Sakura, Kinomoto Sakura. At the opening of the manga, it is evident that they have been friends for quite a few years. Indeed, it would appear that they met in the third grade one day when Tomoyo forgot her eraser, and when Sakura lent her own to Tomoyo. Thus, an amazing friendship was born.
Since Sakura’s role as the Cardcaptor is introduced early in the manga, we are mostly shown the girls’ friendship through this main plotline. She becomes Sakura’s sidekick, designing and making her ‘battle’ costumes and videotaping her magical exploits. Indeed, even as Sakura struggles to keep her Cardcaptor identity a secret, Tomoyo is faithful in keeping the secret and on numerous occasions, helps Sakura out of a fix when there is need.
Sakura and Tomoyo come from two different social circles; indeed, whereas Sakura’s father is a widowed university professor, Tomoyo’s mother is the successful president of a toy company. This does not change the girls’ relationship at all, and despite the differences that exist between their respective parents because of Sakura’s mother, Nadeshiko, Tomoyo and Sakura seem to live in perfect harmony. Whereas Sakura is a highly emotional person, Tomoyo is very balanced and is always there to comfort or calm her friend when there is trouble. Sakura’s enthusiastic and constant cheerfulness is complemented by Tomoyo’s calm joy. And whereas Sakura’s emotions are often plainly written on her face, Tomoyo remains somewhat of an enigmatic figure in the manga, although her intentions are never doubted as anything else but pure.
Indeed, Tomoyo gives numerous proofs of an immense selflessness when it comes to Sakura. She is extremely mature for her age, very intelligent, and compassionate. She has almost uncanny powers of observation and is able to read most people without knowing them very well-although, of course, she knows Sakura better than anyone else, perhaps even Sakura herself. She sings like a bird and often performs in recitals and performances, and has the gift of comforting people and giving good advice. For example, she is able to perceive the deep feelings between Eriol and Kaho from a single look.
The relationship between Sakura and Tomoyo is one of deep friendship and indeed, love on Tomoyo’s part. On many different occasions in the manga, Tomoyo alludes to her deep love for Sakura, and how it surpasses the simple friendship that Sakura reciprocates enthusiastically. However, even though Sakura is Tomoyo’s ‘Special Person’, Tomoyo does nothing to get in the way of Sakura’s other romantic interests, Tsukishiro Yukito and Li Syaoran. In fact, she even encourages Syaoran to confess his love for Sakura and in some ways, becomes his confidante. When Sakura is confused by her own feelings towards Syaoran, she confides in Tomoyo, and Tomoyo tells her that she is the only one who can understand her own feelings.
Tomoyo’s attitude is admirable and exemplary in this instance. Even though she shares with Sakura that she would be “thrilled if the person she cared for loved her in the same way”, she adds that as long as that special person is happy, she is happy. Unknowingly, Sakura remarks that the person she loves must be “truly happy”. Indeed, Tomoyo never appears to be saddened by Sakura’s choice.
On the other hand, Tomoyo is passionately devoted to her friend, almost to the point of obsession, and does everything in her power to contribute to Sakura’s happiness.
;; tsubasa reservoir chronicle - always by your side ;;
Tomoyo has appeared twice in CLAMP’s crossover work, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle. Her first appearance is as a princess in Nihon, to whom the ninja Kurogane has sworn allegiance. She has an older sister, Amaterasu, the Empress of Nihon (Kendappa from CLAMP’s RG Veda). Tomoyo possess the powers of the moon, which enables her to send people across dimensions and to communicate with people in dreams. This last power is manifested through her communication with the other version of herself later in the manga.
Again, Tomoyo is shown as a kind person, just as firm and calm as her Cardcaptor version. She sends Kurogane on his trip through the dimensions in order to teach him a valuable lesson, and is not fazed by his somewhat violent behavior towards her on that occasion.
In another dimension, Tomoyo is the President of the Piffle Toy Company, which is putting on a race for one of Sakura’s missing feathers. This version of Tomoyo, contrarily to the other one, is very similar to the Tomoyo we see in Cardcaptor Sakura, for the simple reason that she is excited about Sakura’s participation in the race, and wants to design her outfit as well as videotape the event.
On the whole, Tomoyo comes across as a selfless, loving character through all of her versions: she is not motivated by her own desires, nor is she resentful towards anybody. In fact, she is the sort of character that always thinks the best of everyone and gives unconditionally, no matter what it costs her. Indeed, perhaps her wealth in Cardcaptor Sakura is meant to represent the richness of her character and the very sacrificial nature of her love for other characters. Eriol remarks several times on her kindness “You are really a very kind person, Daidouji-san!” and indeed she is. She is often depicted as being very secondary in the various stories she is in, but she is a strong supporting character.
;; “homoyo” ;;
When you’re writing the manifesto of a pairing in which the characters never actually have any screen time together, it’s inevitable that you’ll meet up with a few obstacles along the way. While I have exhausted the information that I have about each character and their respective roles in the mangas they appear in, I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of the insanity that is Hokuto/Tomoyo.
So, close your eyes. Imagine the most eccentric great-aunt you have. You know, that sweet Aunt Ruthie everyone has. She’s a bit odd-in most ways, the black sheep of the family. She knits doilies and sweaters and sends you outlandish gifts for your birthday. Her cookies are her pride, and she wears a fluffy pink or canary-yellow apron around the house. Now that you’ve got Auntie in your mind’s eye, I want you double your current dose of her, and add a whole lot more of the stuff that everybody says is bad for you but which really is good for you because it’s so bad for you. Add a maid’s uniform, a video camera, and ‘70’s plastic bracelets.
That is “Homoyo”.
The pairing acquired its pet name quite soon after its non-official establishment as a pairing, and the mentioned name was, of course, coined by the ever-creative
aerostati. (It should be copyrighted. We want a quarter every time someone says it.) In fact, it should probably be Homoyo™, or Homoyo ®! They should have their own artbook, filled with amazing illustrations of their Homoyo-ish feats. So why don’t they? Why doesn’t the general population recognize Homoyo’s awesomeness?
Think about it. That’s the whole point. You didn’t even think of it. You don’t just wake up one day and jump out of bed screaming, “Why, the sky is blue, the grass is green, CLAMP is full of subtext, and it’s clearly pointing to Homoyo’s amazing love!”
And if you happen to be one of those people, let’s explore the idea together.
Deep down underneath all the layers that the respective mangas have coated them with, Hokuto and Tomoyo are actually very similar. (Wow, a CLAMP pairing that actually defies the “Opposites attract!” rule!) They’re both cheerful, unfailingly optimistic, and love fashion. They both selflessly encourage the people they love the most to pursue their dreams and other love interests. They’re perfect gourmets in the kitchen. They both have little or no magic compared to their closest companion and don’t seem to have a problem with it. They both design & fabricate outfits for themselves and other people. They’re both wicked matchmakers. They’re both female, and heaven knows CLAMP needs more amazing yuri fandoms. They both have amazing powers of observation and are especially attuned to their ‘Special People’.
They wouldn’t argue about stupid things like what movie to rent on the weekend, and they would both keep up their end of the relationship. Hokuto would design wedding dresses for both of them à la cake frosting. They’d shop until they literally drop. Tomoyo would have endless tapes of Hokuto doing anything & everything. She would also sit up and stay on the phone with Hokuto late into the night, waiting for Subaru with her. She might sing lullabies on the line. Neither of them would lose an eye. They would avoid bridges.
The only disagreement they might have would be about cherry blossoms, but once they decide upon which flowers would look the most beautiful falling down from the sky on them as they whisper words of love, things will be fine. Tomoyo might not be able to mention 'Sakura' without Hokuto venting all of her suspicious concerning the Sakurazukamori, but eventually they'd develop a cool Homoyo code to speak in. Tomoyo would listen patiently. Hokuto would be able to talk. And they'd both feel loved & completely useful to each other.
Apart from the endearing facts I just mentioned and the ones you can surely imagine all by yourself, there is one more thing that needs to be known about Homoyo. They may be a mere crossover pairing and therefore unlikely to turn up in any CLAMP manga much less any art together, but they are some of the truly saintly CLAMP characters who are, surprisingly enough, very few. Even the kindest characters you can come across in CLAMP are often motivated by their own selfish desires & wishes and often disregard the hopes or dreams of others because of this. Now, boys & girls, CLAMP would have you believe that this is very important to the development of one’s psyche. Notwithstanding that fact, how many truly selfless characters can you come up with?
Hokuto became a martyr for the lovers she truly believed in, and Tomoyo watched as her own Special Person gradually fell in love with someone else and lived happily ever after in that other person’s presence. They should be canonized, and that is not anything close to an attempt at being humorous. All those in favor of Homoyo becoming the Patron Saints of the fandom, say aye.
All joking aside, this pairing is more and more widely loved as time goes by. And apparently, you don’t need to be on complete crack to ship it. Hokuto and Tomoyo are amazing enough to transcend time and space to be together, and so you can definitely be amazing enough to transcend anything that’s left of your sanity after reading CLAMP to ship them.
;; fanstuff ;;
aerostatiand I will be putting together a Homoyo shrine within the next few weeks. The site will be a subdomain of sumeragi[dot]net,
mefiant’s lovely TB/X site. When all the strings come together, I shall post the link here. Keep your eyes open! ♥
There is currently only a wee bit of Homoyo-related fanfiction and fanart, unfortunately. However, if you ever come across any, do share the great news with us!
Thank you for reading.