Hikari/Takeru

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Pairing
Pairing: Yagami Hikari / Takaishi Takeru
Alternative name(s): Hikeru, Takari
Gender category: Het
Fandom: Digimon
Canonical?: No
Prevalence: Common
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Introduction

Yagami Hikari and Takaishi Takeru are two of the main characters in season 01 and 02 of the anime Digimon. This het ship was very popular during the runs of the early seasons of Digimon. It is popularly called Takari, the most popular name for the portmanteau of the characters' names.

Relationship in canon

Despite being hinted at throughout the series, the ship is canonically platonic. It's also worth noting that there are certain discrepancies between the Japanese version and the Eastern dubs, in which Takeru and Hikari's relationship is painted as way more ship-heavy than the original.

Hikari is introduced in the second half of Digimon Adventure, and she and Takeru become friends from there. They continue to share similar roles throughout the series. In the first season, they are the youngest separated from the rest of the group by a considerable age gap; they both have parts in the angels' prophecy, and their relationships with their older brothers become relevant to the characters and plot development. In Adventure 02, being the only two of the original team to return as main characters, they also act as mentors to the new DigiDestined children, and their crests are once again shown to be linked to one another.

Takeru and Hikari are often shown next to each other and Takeru often acts as her protector. Taichi and Sora even entrust him with Hikari's protection in some episodes. Takeru's savior tendencies toward the bearer of the crest of light continue in 02 and even Tri. They go to the same school in Tri, though they are likely in different classes, and they continue to hang out after school and are still close friends in Kizuna. They tease each other, and though there is some tension between them that suggests a potential turn into a romantic relationship, unlike Yamato and Sora who actually date or Koushiro who has a crush on Mimi, nothing is ever confirmed between Takeru and Hikari.

Fandom

Reception

Shippers seemed to read very deeply into Takeru and Hikari's interactions throughout the series, using different moments and parallels as evidence of their supposedly hidden feelings for one another.[1] Nowadays, more than 20 years after the original series first aired, the parallels drawn are mostly made in good fun as a joke. [2]

The fact that the ship did not become canon in the epilogue is something that still seems to upset the community, especially after all the teasing in Tri. On the other hand, there are those who have accepted that the ship will never happen and explore any bit of canon Takari moment as build-up to an eventual romance between the characters in their fanworks and headcanons.

I can’t believe it’s been 20+ years and I still look at Hikari and Takeru and feel like crying. Digimon really broke me. Pls just end my misery and let them finally be together, let childhood me find peace, there’s a hole in my chest and it never healed. I beg you.[3]

Digimon Tri, here’s the thing: I’ve never been much of a shipper. Mostly I find shipping to be really quite annoying. But TK and (Hi)Kari are special. They were the only ship I ever truly shipped and then that stupid epilogue dashed all of my childish dreams into the ground. So Tri, please don’t do it again. I don’t think I could take that.[4]

My Takari shipping trash self who’s been desperate for scraps the entirety of Digimon Adventure Tri when I finally get to Future:

'How are you feeling?'

'Like I might as well disappear again.'

'Don’t say that! I’ll always bring you back! I want to help you, but you have to talk to me! Don’t let the sadness win! Trust me, Kari, its okay! I’ll always be here for you. Always.'

ENGRAVE THIS ON MY TOMBSTONE.[5]

Damn. Takari fans better get ready for a replay of the heartache we got when Takari didn’t end up together in the 02 epilogue.[6]

In fanworks, Takeru and Hikari are often depicted as good friends, be it in canon universe or AUs. Their relationships with their siblings are something shippers also like to explore, more often with Taichi bonding with Takeru than Yamato with Hikari. Following the canon tradition of Hikari and Takeru being vague about the nature of their relationship, the ambiguity of their feelings for one another is something often explored in fanworks. And because Daisuke has a crush on Hikari in Adventure 02, the love triangle is another common trope, with Daisuke's character used either to a) shed light on the situation, or b) act as a love rival [7].

Takari is the kind of hardcore friendship in which if either one of them gets married, their marriage partner would just be a 3rd wheel[8]

Criticism

Some fans also were against the pairing, claiming that the characters had no romantic interest in each other, being better left as friends. The Digimon 02 epilogue was used as proof that the characters did not end up together in canon. There were also those who claimed that Takeru and Hikari were too codependent/traumatized/incommunicative for a healthy relationship to develop between them.

[Takeru and Hikari] are two people who have about 0% romantic interest in each other, HOWEVER they are also horribly fucking codependant. Together they usually sound more or less sane and normal but the second you pull them away from each other they fall apart.[9]

The issue of the relationship between Takeru and Hikari has been a question of interest since the series first aired, and especially after 02, which prominently depicted them constantly hanging out together and clearly having some kind of relation to each other…and yet, strangely, very rarely having a real heart-to-heart or even talking to each other much at all. The constant juxtapositions of them standing next to each other all of the time in both the series and in external media, combined with the fact they’re so associated with each other in terms of being Adventure returnees and with Digimon partners with similar evolutions, makes one almost mentally geared to associate them with each other, and yet we never really get to hear what they think about each other in the entirety of Adventure or 02′s running.[10]

Faworks

Fanfiction

  • Accidental Fate by KHLostEmpress One semi-innocent prank goes slightly out of control. One thing's for sure, Takeru and Hikari were never going to trust Daisuke again. Though, perhaps some accidents are just better known as fate.
  • Good Things Come In Threes by Salmon Pink Sometimes things just grow into something natural and wonderful. And sometimes things require copious amounts of alcohol to evolve. Daisuke x Hikari x Takeru
  • Innocent Games by Tanya Takaishi Stuck in a world shaped by memories, the digidestined are forced to face the past and all the baggage between them. Separated, captured, and left without their partners, truths unravel, feelings escalate, and a new monster lurks, ready to destroy it all.
  • Light and Lies by KDN89 To escape countless confessions from Daisuke and other boys, Hikari fakes a relationship with Takeru. It never occurred to her though that she just might enjoy "dating" her best friend. Takari with several other couples alluded to (all canonical, despite my bias towards Taiora). Rated T 'cause sultry things are discussed and some underage drinking.
  • Voting on an important matter by ashmcat Tai calls the group together to vote on what he considers to be a very serious offense. a few readers asked for the voting scene mentioned in "Just a little overprotective"
  • Your Brother is Looking at My Sister by Aklee Taichi Yagami's reaction to Takeru and Hikari dating.
  • Digimon Adventure TRI: Balance by Tsubasa Hane Rewrite of TRI, where the group reunites with Wallace instead of Meiko, and the five Original Chosen's past will affect their future far greater than any could have ever imaged. Inter-dimensional crossover with Tamers. takari, joumi, ryuki, & jurato.

Fanart

Doujinshi

Online resources

Communities

Shrines

References

  1. ^ Aaron Carlson, Digimon - T.K. & Kari couples/married Evidence(Check Description for updates). YouTube. Jan 2, 2009.
  2. ^ patamon, EXCUSE ME TAKERU AND HIKARI ARE THE ONLY ONES IN THE NEW 02 PROMO WITH HATS. Tumblr. June 15, 2022.
  3. ^ Tumblr post by yes-letters-blog, posted November 4 2020.
  4. ^ Tumblr post by shinylitwick94, posted March 4, 2016.
  5. ^ https://scottmcstark.tumblr.com/post/630740989905174529/my-takari-shipping-trash-self-whos-been-desperate Tumblr post by scottmcstark, posted October 1 2020.
  6. ^ Tumblr post by POOLHOLES, posted March 15, 2016.
  7. ^ ShihaLyfie, Daisuke, Takeru and Hikari Meta. Tumblr. Posted on January 10, 2021.
  8. ^ Tumblr post by cookies, posted October 23, 2020.
  9. ^ Tumblr post by versegm, posted June 11, 2022.
  10. ^ ShihaLyfie, The paradox of the relationship between Takeru and Hikari. Tumblr. Posted on April 22, 2021.
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