The 15 Most Dynamic Sans And Papyrus Fanart Trends Dominating The Undertale Community In 2025

The enduring legacy of *Undertale* continues to inspire a massive wave of creativity, and as of December 17, 2025, the fanart community is more vibrant than ever. While the game’s 10th anniversary approaches, the skeletal brothers, Sans and Papyrus, remain the absolute focal point of artistic expression, embodying both heartwarming familial bonds and complex, tragic lore. The freshest trends move beyond simple character portraits, diving deep into Alternate Universes (AUs), exploring new emotional depths, and experimenting with unique artistic styles that keep the fandom spirit alive.

This article dives into the top 15 most dynamic and popular Sans and Papyrus fanart trends that are currently dominating platforms like Reddit, DeviantArt, and Lemon8, showcasing the incredible talent and passion of the *Undertale* community.

The Undying Popularity of Alternate Universes (AUs) in 2025

Alternate Universes (AUs) have always been the lifeblood of the *Undertale* fandom, offering artists a canvas to reimagine the core characters and their relationships. Even years after the game's release, the discussion around AUs remains intense, with many new ideas and interpretations constantly emerging.

• The One Where They Tanked Jokes 15 Shocking New Secrets From The Friends Tv Show Behind The Scenes G9zdh

1. Underfell's Dark Aesthetic: The Underfell AU, where all the monsters are more aggressive and "edgy," is still one of the most actively worked-on AUs in 2025. Fanart focuses on the dramatic, darker color palettes—lots of black, red, and gold—and often portrays a more imposing Papyrus and a more cynical, less joking Sans.
2. Underswap's Role Reversal: The fanart for Underswap, where characters switch roles (Papyrus takes on Sans's personality and vice versa), remains highly favored. The trend here is to draw a "Cool Skeleton" Sans and a laid-back, chain-smoking Papyrus, often highlighting the humorous contrast.
3. The Rise of "Undertale Yellow" Crossovers: Following the success of the fan-made prequel *Undertale Yellow*, a major new trend is fanart that integrates the game's new characters, like Clover and Ceroba, into scenes with the Skeleton brothers, often as younger versions of Sans and Papyrus.
4. Gaster-Centric Lore Pieces: The mysterious W.D. Gaster, often speculated to be related to the brothers, is a frequent subject. The fanart trend is moving toward complex, abstract pieces that explore Gaster's connection to the Void and his subtle influence on Sans and Papyrus's lives, often utilizing the "Gaster theme song intensifying" meme as inspiration.
5. Dynamic Battle Scene Reinterpretations: Artists are taking the iconic Genocide Run battles against Sans and Papyrus and reimagining them in hyper-detailed, dynamic poses. This trend emphasizes dramatic lighting, motion blur, and a more menacing, serious tone for both characters, contrasting with their usual comedic nature.

Exploring the Wholesome and Heartwarming Brotherly Bond

At the core of the fandom's love for the skeletons is their undeniable brotherly bond. Wholesome content remains a massive category, providing a necessary emotional balance to the darker AU and Genocide Run fanart.

6. "Cinnamon Roll Papyrus" Moments: Fanart focusing on Papyrus's pure, innocent, and "cinnamon roll" nature is incredibly popular. These pieces often show Papyrus making spaghetti, training with Undyne, or simply being a beacon of optimism, with Sans looking on with a mixture of pride and exasperation.
7. The Protective Sans Headcanon: A major fanart theme is portraying Sans as fiercely protective of his younger brother, Papyrus. These pieces often show a serious, glowing-eyed Sans standing in front of Papyrus to shield him, reinforcing the idea that "Papyrus had Sans, and Sans had Papyrus."
8. Snowdin Town Daily Life: Simple, slice-of-life fanart depicting the brothers' mundane existence in Snowdin is a growing trend. This includes scenes of them napping on the couch, drinking hot cocoa, or preparing for a new day of puzzle-making, emphasizing comfort and domesticity.
9. Papyrus and Undyne Training Montages: The mentorship between Papyrus and Undyne is frequently depicted, with fanart celebrating Papyrus's determination and Undyne's tough-but-caring guidance. These pieces often use bright, energetic colors.
10. Hyper-Realistic Yet Wholesome Styles: A technical trend involves artists using hyper-realistic rendering techniques to draw the skeletons, but applying it to entirely wholesome scenarios, such as a gentle hug between the brothers, creating a striking and emotionally resonant effect.

New Artistic Styles and Crossover Entities in Fanart

The community is constantly pushing the boundaries of artistic style, incorporating elements from other popular media and experimenting with digital techniques. The sheer volume of fanart helps keep the community spirit alive.

11. *Deltarune* Crossover Integration: With the anticipation for the next *Deltarune* chapters, fanart frequently features Sans and Papyrus interacting with *Deltarune* characters like Ralsei, Susie, and Kris. The trend is to speculate on how the brothers fit into the mysterious world of the Darkners and Lightners.
12. Pixel Art Revival with Modern Shading: A nod to the game's retro roots, a trend has emerged where artists create detailed pixel art of Sans and Papyrus but apply modern, complex shading and lighting effects, giving the classic 8-bit look a fresh, high-definition feel.
13. Manga/Anime Style Adaptations: Many artists are drawing the brothers in popular manga or anime styles, giving Sans a more sleek, shonen-style look and Papyrus a dramatic, heroic appearance, often complete with dynamic wind effects on his scarf.
14. Emotional Character Studies: Fanart that focuses purely on the emotional states of the characters—often a rare, genuine moment of sadness or introspection from Sans, or a moment of deep frustration from Papyrus—is gaining traction, moving away from purely action-oriented pieces.
15. The "What If They Were Human" Trend: While the skeletons are beloved, the "human AU" fanart trend persists. In 2025, the focus is less on simple human designs and more on portraying their personalities through human fashion and body language, keeping Papyrus's dramatic flair and Sans's slouchy demeanor intact.

The Topical Authority of Sans and Papyrus in Fandom

The continued fanart output serves as a powerful testament to the topical authority of *Undertale* and its characters. The community's dedication to creating unique interpretations of Sans, Papyrus, Frisk, Chara, Toriel, Asgore, Alphys, Mettaton, Asriel, Flowey, and Undyne ensures the world created by Toby Fox remains a cultural touchstone.

• The Untouchable Privacy 7 Secrets Of Rachel Mcadams And Jamie Lindens Life Beyond The Red Carpet E820e

The ability of the fandom to constantly generate new content—from Underfell to Underswap to new Undertale Yellow crossovers—proves that the characters' depth and the game's themes of compassion, determination, and morality are timeless. Whether you prefer the wholesome art that highlights their brotherly love or the intense dynamic pieces that explore their battle prowess, the sheer variety of fan creations in 2025 offers something for every fan. The next big fanart trend is always just around the corner, often sparked by a new headcanon or a simple, compelling artistic interpretation.