Let's conclude our fan art celebration of the heroine's of Fate/Stay Night with everyone's favorite kouhai, Sakura. Now flung into the limelight with the recent movie adaptations of the Heaven's Feel route, the attention is squarely on her as her past is revealed and the dark influence of the corrupted Holy Grail threatens to put herself and everyone else in danger.
Though, despite her dark history, she is still a fan favorite among all of the characters in Fate/Stay Night. What was once a simple young girl, who had an obvious crush on the slightly older boy that opened her home to her, gained several different shades of character motivation and progression in the last route of the visual novel. The different aspects of her personality giving fan artists plenty to work with!
10 Lost Butterfly By Fajyobore323
Not only is this a reference to the second movie of the Heaven's Feel trilogy but it is also an apt representation of our little Kouhai. Contained in a small cage with little where else to go, she is forced to watch others live freely from behind its bars. Forced to keep up a happy exterior even when she is hurting inside.
What seals the deal on Fajrobore323's art is the expression. Among the wonderful contrast between the purple butterflies that pop out of the subdued background of the picture, the viewer can't help but be drawn toward's Sakura's face. It an excellent nuanced example of the mask she is forced to wear at times.
9 Reflection By なち
Sakura seems like an ordinarily sweet girl for most of the original visual novel, but deep inside lies a darker personality formed from years of physical, mental, and sexual abuse. The girl basically used as a tool to further the goals of the Matou family she was adopted into. Very little regard given to her as a person.
That relationship between the sweet girl outside and her darker insides makes its way front and center in なち's fan art. Sakura's despondent face the perfect counter to the devilish smile seen in her reflection. Offering the viewer a good look at two different but valid sides of the same girl.
8 Cruel Smile By NunuSio
Now let's just focus on her dark side. After years of abuse of all kinds and the influence of the Holy Grail, Sakura eventually couldn't handle it anymore. The young girl developing quite the dark side that lashes out at everything and everyone once she reaches her breaking point.
NunuSio is responsible for this perfect representation of that side of Sakura. The soft-spoken young girl a faint memory as the sinister might of Sakura's fury takes center stage. The innocent monster inside now completely out and punctuated with the cruel smile on her face.
7 Sakura Faces By 原々
Let's get away from the doom and gloom for a while and focus on cute little chibis. Like Saber before her, Sakura also managed to have several lookalikes throughout the many series and spin-offs of Fate/Stay Night. Several of them present here looking super cute and super-deformed.
Sakura seems to be dumbfounded on what to do with all of her little copies. Each may look the same but several have distinct personalities that paint their faces in 原々's expert fan art. To say the least, they can all be quite the handful. Best of luck there Sakura!
6 Dark Defender By ゆっこ
Rider is by far one of the most loyal Servants in the 5th Holy Grail War. Serving as a dark defender to her one true Master, she is willing to do everything and anything to ensure Sakura's happiness. Even going so far as to work with the talentless jackass Shinji to protect the girl from the potential dangers of fighting Masters and Servants.
ゆっこ shows Rider as she is throughout most of the 5th Holy Grail War, trying to shield Sakura from all that may harm her. Rider not only a loyal companion but a fierce one if you threaten her charge. That fierce and protective gaze she throws back at the audience letting them know exactly what would happen if you were to try and harm Sakura.
5 Sister From Another Time And Place By ゆっこ
Am I cheating a bit here by including a picture from the same artist one after the other? I certainly am! But it is hard to deny how well ゆっこ captures both sides of Rider and Sakura's relationship in these two distinct drawings.
In one she is a fierce defender and in the other, she is a loving big sister. The two girls are drawn together by a similar history of pain and suffering to form a wonderful relationship that helps to heal them of their traumas. The constant support from each other provides a welcomed relief to both broken girls.
4 Vs By Kat
Sakura and Rin must really be sisters. Not only were they both brought back as Servants in Fate/Go, but they did it twice by fusing with one goddess and then another. Sakura lending her body and mixing her personality with Parvati, the goddess of beauty, love, fertility, and all other sorts of good things, and doing the same with Kama, the evil god of love. Because Type-Moon can't help but invoke rule 63 whenever they get the opportunity.
In another similarity to Rin, the two goddesses that possessed Sakura don't get along. Since Parvati mixed with the good parts of Sakura and Kama mixed with the bad, it only makes sense that they would be enemies. Kat fueling that animosity with a wonderful picture of the two staring each other down.
3 Imaginary Around By おりうお
Speaking of Fate/Go, the mobile game has also given us a sneak peek at a possible interpretation of an older Sakura in the form of a Craft Essence (equipment in-game). No longer a slave to the Matou's or her power, she can freely control her darker side and the powers that come with it. Making her an extraordinary mage when combined with her natural talent of Imaginary Numbers. A skill that can be best described as void magic.
おりうお does an excellent job of bringing this look to life in fan art. Doing their best to mix and match the clashing white and pink colors with the black and red on her shoulder, it becomes a flawless interpretation of both sides of her personality. The two sides becoming her strengths.
2 Attack of the Chibis By 猫田
Some more super-deformed characters for your enjoyment. The cast is so cute as they cling all over Shirou and Sakura, that you almost forget that a few of them are horrible people that deserve no less than horrible ends. At the very least, after the initial cuteness overload, I still wouldn't trust little Shinji, Zouken, or Kotomine no matter how adorable they may be.
Though, if that single solitary moment where the audience forgets about what sorta villains they are isn't a testament to 猫田's art, I don't know what it. The artist dragging out the best in the people that could be considered the worst. And if that isn't enough for you, they also do a fine job at all the other chibis that don't deserve to be thrown into a fire.
1 Happy Wedding By 須田
Here is something for all of the shippers out there. Shirou and Sakura in traditional Japanese clothing and ready for their wedding. The prim and proper attire fitting them both to a tee and setting every Sakura fan out there foaming at the mouth at their girl finally getting a happy ending. The dark heroine deserving a bit of happiness after everything she went true.
須田 gives her a happy ending by setting her up with the man she loves. The two the perfect couple as long as you don't talk to the Shirou and Saber shippers, and the Shirou and Rin shippers out there.