Our Mascots
Yume Yonsenzakura ✧ 夢 四千桜
~ "Four Thousand Colors In Bloom" ~
Yume means "dream" or "vision," symbolizing aspirations and imagination.
Yonsenzakura means "four thousand cherry blossoms," evoking a sense of fleeting beauty, elegance, and the vastness of nature in full bloom.
✧ Age
28
✧ Occupation
Banker
✧ Backstory
Yume Yonsenzakura, a half-yokai with fox blood flowing through her veins, grew up with a unique heritage that she didn’t fully understand. Her last name, "Yonsenzakura," reflected her yokai ancestry, though its true significance and the powers it might grant her remained a mystery for now.
Raised in the vibrant heart of Harajuku, Yume’s childhood was shaped by the colorful world of her mother’s fashion boutique, where she created one-of-a-kind sailor uniforms with a Lolita flair. Yume spent countless hours in the shop, helping her mother design and craft beautiful pieces.
But when it came to school, Yume didn’t quite fit in. She struggled academically and often found herself lost in daydreams about her fox spirit heritage, even though she hadn’t yet tapped into her latent powers. Her grades suffered, and she felt disconnected from her classmates, unsure of where she truly belonged.
Everything changed when Yume realized how hard her mother worked to keep the business running. She watched her mother, who managed everything on her own, pouring her heart into the shop while still providing for Yume. That was when Yume understood the importance of hard work, and it lit a spark inside her. She made the decision to take her studies seriously, just as her mother had taken care of their family.
Over time, her grades improved. Yume earned a degree in economics, something she never thought was possible, and landed a stable job in banking—a field that once seemed out of her reach.
Even with her newfound success, Yume felt the need to experience something beyond the life she had known. She moved to a quieter place, seeking a fresh start, and quickly found the slower pace and warmth of the community here to be exactly what she needed. Although she’s far from Harajuku, Yume holds her roots close. After work, she enjoys wearing the sailor uniforms her mother made, especially the one with the hood her mother lovingly sewed—her way of staying connected to her past.
Yume also continues to embrace the mysterious part of her that is tied to her yokai lineage. Although she hasn’t discovered the full extent of her powers, she’s excited to explore them as they awaken.
Her large, fluffy tail, which she’s still learning to control, sometimes becomes her tool for creativity. Yume uses her tail like a paintbrush, dipping the tip in paint, and then swiping colors on to her fashion sketches. She loves to do this in her free time, dreaming up ideas for dresses her mother would have adored.
Her last name, “Four Thousand Cherry Blossoms,” was perhaps a symbol of immense potential. Much like the cherry blossoms that bloom abundantly, her ancestors believed that, despite the challenges she faced, she would one day fully bloom.
✧
Zen Zetsuhanashi ✧ 善 絶話師
~ "The Scent Of Ground Coffee" ~
Zen means "good" or "virtuous," and can also reference the Zen Buddhist philosophy of mindfulness and simplicity.
Zetsuhanashi combines zetsu (絶), meaning "ultimate" or "absolute," and hanashi (話師), meaning "storyteller" or "master of tales." When read together, it could mean "the ultimate storyteller" or "a master of profound tales."
✧ Age
29
✧ Occupation
Indie Game Developer
✧ Backstory
Zen Zetsuhanashi grew up in a regular family, with a sense of drifting through life rather than truly finding his place. School was never particularly challenging for him, but it was never something he felt passionate about either. While his schoolmates focused on their futures, Zen struggled with what he wanted from his own. He was drawn to video games, particularly story-driven ones, and after much thought, decided to drop out of college to pursue his passion for indie game development.
The early days were rough. Zen spent countless late nights coding and writing stories for his games, often fueled by pure black coffee. His daily ritual involved turning the coffee filter inside out, dipping it into his cup to get the bits of grind that added a gritty, sinful texture to his caffeine fix. It was a habit most would consider... rather questionable, but it helped Zen stay awake through the long hours. These nights were filled with self-doubt, and many times, he almost gave up. Yet, his love for storytelling pushed him forward.
Zen saw writing stories for games almost as a psychological self-fulfilling prophecy, especially given his last name, “Zetsuhanashi,” which could loosely be interpreted as the “Endless Storyteller.” It was as if he was destined to create stories, even if the journey to get there was anything but smooth.
Though his first game wasn’t perfect, it gained some traction within the indie community, boosting Zen’s confidence. This success helped him realize that growth didn’t come from being flawless, but from continuing to push forward despite the imperfections. Eventually, Zen landed a job at a game studio, working on a project inspired by Persona, and his self-esteem started to build.
As the main storyboarder, Zen didn’t let his insecurities hold him back, especially when it came to using his fluffy fox tail to paint in blocks of color to his characters and scenes for his games. It wasn’t as refined as his art lead’s work, but it got the job done. His tail, still something he was learning to control, became his tool for creativity. He wasn’t afraid to embrace it, even if it was a bit quirky.
However, Zen still didn’t fully understand his heritage. As a halfborn fox yokai, Zen had never been told much about his ancestry. His family never explained what he was capable of or if he even had any latent powers. His last name, "Zetsuhanashi," seemed to hint at something more—an unspoken legacy—but Zen would have to figure it out for himself. The unknown parts of his heritage were just another mystery he’d have to uncover, and for now, he was content to let the journey unfold at its own pace.
✧
✧ How They Met ✧
It was an ordinary afternoon when Yume Yonsenzakura and Zen Zetsuhanashi met at a local coffee shop during their lunch breaks. Yume had just finished her morning meetings, and Zen was taking a break from his home office work. The warm sunlight filtered through the windows, casting a soft glow over the café, while the scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air.
Yume entered, her tail swishing behind her, carefully maneuvering around people as she waited in line. As she approached the counter, she caught sight of Zen sitting at a table nearby, his tail casually curled around his chair. It looked like he had already been there for a while.
Yume gasped at the sight of his large tail. “I’m half-fox yokai too!”
Zen looked up and processed the sight before him. “No way… I didn’t know there was another one of us in this city.” He grinned, swishing his tail lazily behind him. “I’m Zen, by the way. Indie game design. What about you?”
“Yume,” she said with a polite wave. “I’m a banker. Not exactly as exciting as your job, though.”
Zen shook his head. “Banker’s cool. And hey, not every day you meet another half-fox yokai.”
Yume smiled and glanced down at his tail, noting the coffee stains that seemed to have accumulated on it. “Wait, do you... paint with that?” she asked, half-joking, as she noticed the napkin in front of him, where a few coffee splashes seemed intentionally placed.
Zen looked down at his tail, grinning. “Funny you ask. Yeah, I do. Storyboarding with a tail is pretty handy. Not the best artist, but hey, it gets the job done.” He dipped his tail into his cup of coffee and flicked it, leaving a few dark streaks on the napkin.
Yume couldn’t help but laugh. “I do the same thing! I use mine to paint my dress designs. Guess we’re both a little unconventional.”
Zen watched as she dipped her tail into her own coffee, adding a few colorful swipes to a napkin.
Zen laughed. “Yeah, we’re definitely making a mess. But honestly, it feels pretty good to let our tails do the talking.”
Yume grinned at him, her tail moving in familiar motions, leaving streaks on the paper. “I agree. There’s something satisfying about it. My mom used to sew dresses, and now I get to bring her designs to life with my tail.”
Zen nodded, looking at her with a new appreciation. “That’s really cool. I don’t have the same level of talent with my tail, but I do try. My art lead at work is way better than me, but hey, someone’s gotta get the storyboards done.”
The two of them shared a quiet moment, both using their tails to leave their marks on the paper. For once, Yume didn’t feel the need to explain herself, and Zen was just enjoying the mess they were making. It was the simplest of connections—two half-fox yokai embracing their quirks.
Yume broke the silence with a smirk. “Maybe we should start something—tail art. Who knows, maybe we’ll start a trend.”
Zen laughed, dipping his tail back into the coffee. “I’m in. Who’s going to argue with a little tail art?”
And so, as they continued to playfully dip their tails in and out of coffee, the connection between them grew, fueled by a shared sense of humor and the delightful mess of their tails at work. They were two half-fox yokai, finding joy in their shared oddities—one painted tail at a time.
...
..
.
© Copyright Anime Market Missouri 2024. All rights reserved.
✧