Joe/Cherry

Pairing
Pairing:	Nanjo Kojiro/Sakurayashiki Kaoru
Alternative name(s):	Matchablossom, Joe/Cherry, Kojiro/Kaoru
Gender category:	slash, mlm
Fandom:	SK8 the Infinity
Canonical?:	No
Prevalence:	Popular
Archives:	AO3 tag page
Other:
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Joe/Cherry, also known as Matchablossom, is a popular slash ship from the SK8 the Infinity fandom.

Joe and Cherry are two of the original founders of S alongside Adam, and are longtime friends. Flashbacks during the series show they skated together as teenagers, and director Hiroko Utsumi later confirmed in a Q&A that the two have been friends since kindergarten.

Despite constantly bickering and insulting each other, it is clear they are very close and comfortable with one another. They're popular with fans given their 'old married/divorced couple' vibes, pink/green aesthetics, complementary personalities, and longstanding relationship since childhood.

Fanon

• As Hiroko Utsumi revealed in a trivia Q&A that Cherry struggles to sleep, a popular headcanon is that he can only sleep soundly with Joe and that the two of them shared a bed as young kids, a habit they may or may not have grown out of.

Common Tropes in Fanworks

• Childhood friends: Cherry and Joe are canonically childhood friends.
• Friends to lovers:
• Pining: This is often portrayed as Joe pining for Cherry, as Cherry is implied in the anime to have been interested in Adam (sometimes resulting in a love triangel dynamic). However, the two are often characterised as mutually pining for one another, each afraid to ruin the friendship or convinced the other is only interested in being friends.
• Travelling: During the anime, Joe and Cherry argue about various incidents that happened while travelling around Europe, revealing that they had travelled abroad together. Fanworks are often set during their travels or have the two deciding to take another trip together. Some fanworks also explore the time when Joe studied abroad as a chef in Italy, with Cherry coming to visit him during his studies.