Kanamafu

Kanamafu is the femslash ship between Kanade and Mafuyu from the Project SEKAI fandom.

Canon
Kanade and Mafuyu are both members of the small, online-based music group 25-ji, Nightcord de. (Nightcord at 25:00), working as composer "K" and lyricist "Yuki" respectively. Mafuyu is a second-year attending Miyamasuzaka Girls Academy, while Kanade is an unofficial second-year doing homeschooling. Both are 17 years in age.

The girls met at 15, two years prior to the game's present time. Back then, Kanade, grief-stricken and disordered, composed and posted songs online with the goal of "saving someone". By chance, Mafuyu happened upon one of her songs and instantly found that it made her feel an emotion she had long lost to strangling feelings of numbness and strife. After attempting to recreate Kanade's song with a synth, she uploaded it online, silently leaving a link to it in one of Kanade's comment sections. Kanade would go on to listen to the song and message Mafuyu with the goal of potentially partnering up. The two then grew to be acquainted over the online chatting app "Nightcord" through voice chats and DMs, using aliases, never even knowing each other's real names or faces until the events of 25-ji's Main Story.

In 25-ji's Main Story, the groups kindhearted and selfless lyricist, "Yuki", suddenly disappears for days on end. Kanade and the other group members, "Enanan" and "Amia", soon find themselves worried. Through the discovery of a mysterious place called a "sekai", Kanade and friends relocate Yuki, who to their surprise, is extremely displeased to see them. She impolitely and without explanation ushers them out so that she may "disappear" in peace. The other members eventually revisit Yuki with newfound resolve. Despite Kanade and Amia's attempts to convince Yuki to leave the sekai and not give up on her life, they seem to be making no progress. Only when Enanan barges in, expressing grand feelings of frustration and jealousy towards Yuki in a fit of anger yet honesty, does the tide start to shift. From there Kanade attempts to sympathize with Yuki. Kanade speaks of her own traumatic experiences and wishes to disappear, explaining her motivation and desire to save the girl. While Yuki fights back, screaming of her own suffering and deep desire to quit trying, Kanade pushes forward, vowing that she won't stop trying until she can "save" her. With this promise, Yuki tells Kanade that she will keep trying for just a little longer, and sheepishly asks if she will really keep making songs for her, to which Kanade reassures her that she will save her someday. This is the start of a closer and more meaningful bond between the two that only deepens as they continue to reveal more of themselves. When they finally meet up in person for the first time, it is learned that Yuki's real name is Mafuyu.

Quotes
"Don't worry, Yuki. I will surely save you one day."

- Kanade in Niigo's Main Story Chapter 18

"Ah, that happens sometimes. That just makes you kinda cute. And unique."

- Mafuyu in an Area Conversation with Kanade

"I see. It's alright. I'll always be here with you. ......Hold my hand. You're not alone."

- Kanade in Mirage of Lights Chapter 5

Fanon
Kanamafu is Kanade's most popular ship and one of the most popular ones for Mafuyu, rivaled only by other femslash ships such as Honakana and Mafuena. Kanamafu is most shipped paired alongside Mizuena. Kanamafu and Mafukana are both widely used ship names in the fandom, and neither seems to really have been adopted as the true or most common one. Japanese fans of this pairing also tend to use another variation of their ship name, called Yoiasa and Asayoi.

Kanamafu shippers usually portray Mafuyu as blunt and unusual, doing strange things that make Kanade surprised or embarrassed. It is common for them to be depicted with Kanade smiling softly and Mafuyu poker-faced. However, many fanartists will also display their relationship as Kanade managing to do something that breaks through Mafuyu's generally emotionless exterior, making her grow flustered or out of character.

Lately there has been a small rise in people who believe much of the softer side of their relationship to be simple fanservice and a dip in writing quality for both characters. The biggest cause of this was the "Mirage of Lights" event which featured Kanade taking care of Mafuyu when she was sick, Mafuyu expressing that she didn't want Kanade to leave her alone, and the two holding hands. Some people found this out of character, as Kanade, who is unable to properly take care of herself, is now able to look after and care for the sick Mafuyu. There is also a faction in the fandom that also considers their relationship to be toxically co-dependant due to Kanade's major savior complex and willingness to neglect her health, all for the sake of creating a song that could save the lost Mafuyu.

However, the majority of Kanamafu shippers seems to be very happy with their development, and the two tend to receive mass quantities of fanart whenever they have an event focused on them and their relationship.

In 2022, a Kanamafu Ship Week was held from June 21-27 under the #KanamafuWeek2022 hashtag. Themes for the first day were "genuine or past", "lost or bunny" for the second day, "promise or cutlery" for the third day, "resolve or longing" for the fourth day, "gentle or AU" for the fifth day, "healing or sakura" for the sixth day, and "melody or free day" for the seventh and final day.

It is currently the 8th most written Project SEKAI ship on AO3.

Fandom
FAN FICTION

ART

TUMBLR

TWITTER

Trivia

 * Their ship is referred to with the "🎼❄️" emojis.
 * Their Kizuna Rank titles include: "The Sky Lights Up With You", "Their Curse", and "I'll Save You".
 * One of their Cheerful Carnival Team names is "First Time Looking After Someone".
 * Kanade is 154 cm tall while Mafuyu is 164 cm, giving them a height difference of 10 cm.
 * Kanade and Mafuyu have covered three songs together (Cutlery, Jishou Mushoku and Mairieux). They also have solo versions for Mafuyu's second focus song Saisei.
 * As of Mirage of Lights, they have held hands twice.
 * Similarly to Mizuena, in Niigo's event 3DMVs, Kanade and Mafuyu have been shown wearing different variations of each others' outfits (Kanade wearing Mafuyu's outfit in Saisei and Kagirinaku Haiiro e's, and Mafuyu wearing Kanade's outfit in Nomad's).

Variations

 * Applegumi refers to the ship between the two, Emu Ootori and Honami Mochizuki
 * Kanamafuemu refers to the ship between the two and Emu Ootori
 * Kanamafuena refers to the ship between the two and Ena Shinonome
 * Kanamizumafu refers to the ship between the two and Mizuki Akiyama
 * Polyniigo refers to the ship between the two, Ena Shinonome and Mizuki Akiyama