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Mamoru's Mandala - Explained

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Mamoru's Mandala by Zakuro-Kona 
The actual title of the picture is "Time Moves Backwards" ;)

Since there is SO much symbolism in this, I thought it'd be easier to point it all out directly from the picture. :XD:  also I didn't want to put the long explanation in the description of my next task



MANDALA
(+ the poem)

:bulletyellow: The inner gold circle - "Idolized by The Sun" --> "The Sun" = *[Ruka] (OC-T 4th round) - a girl who is infatuated with him

:bulletyellow: Moon phases - "Understood by The Moon" --> "The Moon" = *[Pushkari], who is the narrator of the story and knows the chaos that is going inside of Mamoru's head.  The moon phases also indicate a passage of time.

:bulletyellow: Black-white gradient & the X symbols - "Till the ground in the darkness" --> Much of his time is spent literally tilling the ground in the dark.... Those X symbols are a hammer and pick ax crossing, which is a common logo for mining.  His job is working in a coal mine! 
PLUS, he works "in the dark" - behind the scenes - Mamoru tries to manipulate the past in order to have a better future. 

:bulletblack::bulletblack: BACKWARDS CLOCK = TIME TRAVEL :bulletblack::bulletblack:
(specifically, going back in time)

:bulletyellow: "To help the Flower bloom" - "The Flower" = *[Hana] - his sister.  All his working "in the dark" is to try and help her have the best life possible.



FLOWERS

For one, flowers are an important theme to the story. I mean, it's in the title! :XD: 
Mamoru, however, is very passionate about gardening!  It's his favorite past time to do with his sister.  But each of these flowers I chose have significance to him:

:tribute: Sunflowers in winter: Sunflowers = *[Ruka] .... and they're in winter here, because she basically ruins his life :paranoid:

:tribute: Statice = "remembrance", as he's a rather nostalgic person and lives most of his life in past memories...

:tribute: Daisies & Daffodils in summer/spring: The Daisies ("happiness") represent his little sister, and the Daffodils ("new beginnings") represent him.  They're in the two most "positive" seasons because she is the warmest, happiest thing in his life and their time together means everything to him.

:tribute: Iris = "wisdom", as he learns a great deal, and is seen a rather wise and introspective person. ALSO, the legend behind the Iris flower is that they were planted above women's graves to ensure their path to heaven.... :paranoid:

:tribute: White lilies in autumn: Lilies, especially white ones, are the most common funeral flowers.  They're placed in the fall time, because that's when he looses the most important person to him.


LANDSCAPES

another hint at the significance of time... also, notice that the seasons are in the wrong order? ;)  Time moves backwards!

(bottom)
Summer-Spring

Sunrise - "beginnings"

Graves - there are 2 graves for each of his parents.  One has three bundles/flowers, the other only two to indicate that there is less people to mourn.

Willow tree - can mean a number of things... a link between the worlds, grief, and learning from the past, are the major ones that relate to Mamoru.

Crossroads - (or really just a fork in the road)  He has to make critical decisions to try and change the path that he is on--though, with his power to go back in time, he is able to go in multiple directions.

Daffodil - a single daffodil foretells misfortune...


(top)
Winter-Fall


Sunset - "endings"

Woods - Above the one on the clock because it's the beginning of another story--but the woods are dark and foreboding: it's not where he wants to go. But there's is a light in them to indicate that someone's there--because it's where the rest of the cast goes as they head into the future, while Mamoru remains in the past. >__>

9 stars - there are 9 characters who are cursed granted magic abilities

Headstone - this one is at the peak of the clock because it's the most important death that starts his story

Crow - symbolism="death & change" - and specifically for him... trying to change death!  His story is about the struggle to change the past and prevent his most beloved person from dying.

Jack-o' Lantern - Halloween - is a VERY important holiday to the story; the beginning and the end of the first book and a critical day in all of the character's lives






.... :faint: That's all!
Image size
3900x4200px 3.46 MB
Make
Canon
Model
Canon MG2900 series
© 2016 - 2024 Zakuro-Kona
Comments31
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Birdhousebirdy's avatar
Thanks for the lovely explanation! There's a lot of symbolism I missed, but I'm glad you took the time to explain it.

That's really interesting that he's got time travel, but at least he's not alone in having strange powers. :D