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russellius · 30 days

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Life in the Fast Lane: George Russell Has Momentum Ahead of the Australian Grand Prix

The F1 driver and IWC Ambassador is adamant of a strong season ahead with Mercedes.

By Josh Bozin 21/03/2024

“Right now, I want to be as fast as possible. It’s that simple.”

These are the words spoken boldly by George Russell, the 26-year-old Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 driver—and IWC Schaffhausen ambassador—who, despite a 2023 season riddled with shortcomings and heartbreak, remains as confident as ever in his abilities to compete in the Formula 1.

“There is a fast car in there, it’s just about dialling in the performance,” he tells Robb Report at an exclusive event celebrating IWC’s newest Chadstone boutique. “Personally, I feel like I’m performing at a great level.”

As we approach this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix—the third race of the 2024 F1 season and one of its toughest—Russell, as always, is poised and focused on the task ahead. With a racing style that’s “fast, adaptive, and precise,” and a teammate in seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS know what it will take to reclaim the dominant run of wins it was once accustomed to.

Below, Russell discusses the challenges associated with Formula 1, the growing awareness of mental health in sport, and his partnership with IWC which has afforded a newfound appreciation for the world of watches.

Robb Report: George, it’s great to see you back in Australia! We spoke last year and you mentioned a newfound appreciation for the ocean. During the off-season, did you manage to get away to any exotic or tropical location?

George Russell: Well I had every intention of doing so [laughs] but I actually got really ill at the end of last year and had to cancel all my plans and just stay at home. After Abu Dhabi, I spoke with the team doctors and they were like, right, you need six weeks off.

RR: So 2023 really was a rollercoaster ride for you, wasn’t it?

GR: It was, yeah. I’m glad it’s out of the way. But no, I’m definitely going to do a bit more exploring this season. I was hoping to go to Japan after this week and do a bit of exploring between Kyoto and Osaka but after Melbourne, I have to head back home to the UK and jump straight on the simulator.

RR: Have you had the chance to reflect on the season that was, and what are some of the things that you do to cope with the mental and physical pressures that come with a new season (and racing in general)?

GR: I think on the mental side, it’s important to talk about this and be open and honest with those around you. I’m so fortunate that my trainer, who travels with me every single race and has been with me for seven years, understands the racing world. So when we have these conversations, whether it’s to and from the track in the morning or during a session at the gym, that’s a really good way for me to release whatever maybe in my mind or for him to soundboard or bounce ideas off. Or really, just to hear me out.

On top of that, I do talk with a professional psychologist, which I think is really important. I think the views around mental health and talking with professionals is that you only do it when you need it and when you’re down in the dumps. Whereas my view is you want to be talking with those around you, whoever it may be, so that you don’t find yourself down in the dumps.

On the physical side, this sport is very demanding of its drivers. If we take this week, for example, I flew in last Sunday, jet lag hit me hard on Monday. Tuesday, I hit the gym but couldn’t go all out because you’re fatigued and you’ll do more damage. You need to let the body rest and recover. Wednesday, I’m doing events all day. I’m with the team Thursday at the track. And then, you know, come Friday it’s just racing, racing, racing. Sunday night, I fly back and come Tuesday, I’m back on a simulator. So it’s important on hitting that winter hard [off-season] because once the season starts, you just don’t get the time to increase your muscle mass or your fitness.

RR: A few weeks ago in Saudi, the team didn’t get the results you were hoping for. As we head into this weekend, do you know where the car is at in terms of performance, and what are the things you can do as a driver, however small, that will help optimise the team’s performance?

GR: We don’t yet know where the car is at… If you take Red Bull out of the situation, the grid is so close in Formula 1 at the moment. So that’s why you don’t know where we are in terms of performance because one tenth of a second is all that separates us from the likes of Aston Martin, McLaren and Ferrari. I mean, I qualified P3 in Bahrain. If I was two tenths slower, I’d have been P8. And that can change your whole weekend.

Sure, the car isn’t performing as we expected at the moment, but we’ve got some indications why that may be. We’re making some small changes ahead of the weekend in Melbourne, but it’s still early days, we’re two races in, it’s a 24 race season, and we need to utilise every single race right now to maximise the learning of the car before trying to optimise the last millisecond of performance.

It sounds a bit crazy that you’re still trying to learn during races, but we only get three days of testing. Fortunately, we have a week off between all of these races, so it gives us time to digest the data and be very thorough with that and try and pick off what we need to do.

RR: Are you feeling confident though ahead of the weekend?

GR: A driver’s role ultimately is to drive as fast as possible. Personally, I feel like I’m performing at a great level, especially over the last couple of races of the ’23 season. Right now, I feel like I’m doing well and you know, obviously you’ve got Lewis [Hamilton] as my teammate. You can only really use your teammate as your benchmark and I’ve got probably the best benchmark of all of the drivers. So we’re pushing one another. we’re trying to motivate the team and direct the team in the right way; that’s all we can do.

RR: Last month, the sixth season of Drive to Survive returned to Netflix. Obviously, the series has helped introduce a new generation of F1 fans but I’m sure it has its disadvantages, too. What are your thoughts on the series and with the added spotlight that it brings, how do you best deal with all the outside noise?

GR: I haven’t seen it yet [laughs], but I think it’s been amazing for Formula 1. It’s shown the sport through a different lens, which has been really important. And it’s brought so many new fans into the sport, as well as a younger audience. I think we’re seeing more females than ever watching Formula 1, which is also incredible, as well as a really a diverse group of people now supporting. Of course, as these things are, it’s of course, dramatised – that’s what TV is for. I think that’s why a lot of drivers have mixed views on the show. And for them [Netflix], it’s always important to find a narrative and a story.

To be honest, last year I made the decision to focus more on the performance rather than too much time with the Netflix crew because you do have to give a lot of time to developing the story and the narrative. And for every interview I’m doing, that’s two hours spent that I’m not talking to my engineers, or I’m not training, or I’m not talking to my psychologist, or I’m not on the simulator. I had the view of, will this make me faster? And I concluded, no, it won’t make me faster. Right now, I want to be as fast as possible.

RR: Let’s talk watches! You’ve spent some time with IWC now as one of its global ambassadors, and I’m guessing you’ve been wearing the new IWC Pilot’s Performance Chronograph that launched in Las Vegas last year. Has it been getting some wrist time of late?

GR: It’s the second edition of the Mercedes team watch and I’ve got to say, I really like its style. I think this model is a slightly elevated variant from the first one – it looks fast and aggressive, especially in its contrasting black and neon green colours, and add in the Petronas green that we see on the race car; it totally changes the watch.

You know, I didn’t know much about watches before joining IWC, and I wouldn’t say it was really a passion of mine the past, but since visiting the IWC manufacture in Schaffhausen, seeing the precision that goes into every single watch and how fine the details are is incredible. To be honest, the details are far finer than what we actually have in Formula 1.

RR: Do you prefer it on rubber or with a different strap option?

GR: On rubber, it brings a slightly sportier look to the piece. But I like bracelets and other materials, because it looks a touch classier – you can still wear it casually, but it gives you that option to dress it up. It’s super versatile.

RR: So would you say you’re more of a Pilots/Performance watch kind of guy, or do you prefer the timelessness of a good dress watch, like your IWC Portugieser Annual Calendar?

GR: I’m very fortunate because now I’ve got a number of options [laughs]. I would say I probably go towards the Portugiesers. Smart casual is my dress code of choice, and I think the Portugieser goes really, really well. I’m lucky to own the Portugieser Annual Calendar with a white dial and black leather strap. But I’ve also got the Boutique Edition, which I really love with its touch of navy.

#george russell #f1 #*m #24 #aus24 #australia #q #(he wanted to go exploring in japan ☹️...)

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gacha-lab · 4 months

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Rate-up is a lie

is a popular phrase within the gacha community. Players use it to mock their failed attempts to get their desired character from the gacha pool, blaming it on the shining lettering on the banner, "rate-up".

Of course, we all know that what we play is dependent on RNG. That's why we say it jokingly. But imagine if rate-ups were a lie?

It is a preposterous thought, and people would definitely be outraged, but what if I were to tell you that it did happen? Veterans are very much familiar with this case I’m about to talk about.

The game was alleged to deceive its player base and subsequently changed the industry forever. The game in question is Granblue Fantasy by Cygames.

It is the year 2016. Cygames’ second consecutive year on the market and New Year is around the corner, so why not celebrate by introducing a new limited character for players to pull.

Amidst all those players, there is a livestreamer, Taste, who shared his attempts. However, his efforts were in vain and went viral after he obtained Andira after 2,276 pulls (5358,50€ in monetary value [exchange rate as of 31.12.2015). [1]

More reports of other players were coming in, confirming that they needed to spend a high number of pulls to get her. As time passed, it became clear that something was fishy.

Remember the saying from the beginning – rate-up is a lie? Well, someone put in the effort to collect data and put it into numbers. [2] Suddenly, it dawned on the community. The rate-up was… not a lie! Instead, it was misleading.

Andira, as a featured character, had indeed a rate up, but other units had a higher rate up and therefore were more likely to be summoned.

Understandably, this caused a massive outcry which the developers denied the allegations, but to appease the crowd, they had to apologize and compensate everyone with in-game currency. To prevent further escalations, Cygames preemptively introduced a new system to cap the players’ spending as well as showing the probabilities of all items for more transparency.

Overall, Yuji Nakamura argues that it could have dealt a massive blow to the market share of the mobile game industry, which lost 1 billion dollars. [4] Not only that, it also garnered mistrust from consumers.

Apparently, it even attracted some regulatory bodies. One is JOGA (Japanese Online Games Association) [1], the other is CESA (Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association). [3]

Both have released guidelines on the matter. Although I cannot confidently say much about JOGA due to the language barrier, if you are interested and able to read Japanese, you can find their guidelines under the categorie April 2016.

Nevertheless, according to Koeder et Tanaka, CESA has announced a guideline for more transparency for gacha item probability. [3]

It’s worth noting that JOGA and CESA are not regulatory bodies from the government. So those guidelines are not legally binding. According to Tsuji’s article introduction on Columbia Academic Commons, in Japan video game regulations are handled by third parties – basically self-regulation. [5]

In the end, the incident shaped the industry, compelling subsequent games to adapt to the guidelines. A win for consumer rights.

Sources (under the cut):

[1] https://www.destructoid.com/japanese-man-spends-6065-on-mobile-game-in-one-night/

[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/HobbyDrama/comments/go2dfu/mobile_games_monkeygate_or_how_a_lone_browser/

[3] https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/169473/1/Koeder-Tanaka.pdf

[4] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/03/14/business/smartphone-gamers-blow-small-fortune-on-their-obsession/#.WQgvl4jyuUk

[5] https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/50n0-1g51

#granblue fantasy #gbf #gacha games #monkeygate

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hyenahunt · 22 days

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Obbligato: The Punishment of Kaname Tojo - 12

Writer: Akira

Season: Spring, two years ago

Characters: ???, Ibara

Proofreading: Remi + 310mc (JP) & Skyress (ENG)

Translation: Peace

???: (However, innocence is not a sin. My little brother, Kaname, has done nothing wrong.)

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

???: (However, innocence is not a sin. My little brother, Kaname, has done nothing wrong.)

(Despite that, ever since he was born, he has faced unreasonable discrimination. He's shunned by those higher than him in the industry due to violating a taboo— )

(He has done nothing wrong, yet he has fallen so far.)

(He was a brother I’d never spoken to before. And I pitied him.)

(Fortunately, I had skills and wisdom. I had to acquire both in order to survive when I'd left home.)

(And now, I could use them to help my little brother.)

(After all, I had always made a living by disguising myself as a jack-of-all-trades, and my client this time just so happened to be a family member.)

(I didn't accept it for my father's sake. I wanted to help my poor younger brother.)

???: (For his sake, I learned as much as I could about something so particular to Japan, so foreign to those overseas — I learned all that there was to know about idols, which was akin to inscrutable faith.)

(Once I had learned enough, I offered my hand to Kaname. So long as he heeded my instruction, he'd be able to bloom anew as a wonderful idol.)

(Or, that was what should have happened.)

... What is this? What is he doing? Do you know anything about this?

Ibara: Perhaps, perhaps not? If I'm to be honest, even I'm taken back by this series of events!

This gathering was organised by Mr. HiMERU and his associate, funded out of their own pockets. It has nothing to do with idol work — it appears the students are gathering entirely of their own accord.

As I have various other projects on my hands, there is no way for me to keep a constant eye on the developments within Reimei Academy, please understand.

Ibara: As a result, my response to independent activities such as this has been rather delayed.

Were this an official idol activity, or work-related, then I would have been able to detect it early on from tells such as bank account activity and so forth.

Which is why I was late to become aware of even the movements of the gatherings within the Catacombs.

Were it not for that, then I would have stepped in to put a halt to things the moment Mr. Tatsumi Kazehaya began to build his suspicious religious cult-like group. After all, religion cannot be suppressed, which makes it far outside my field of expertise.

I thought we'd finally gotten a hold on that religion by way of giving them work and incorporating capitalism into the mix...

But this gathering truly was unexpected. I wonder what they're meeting about?

???: Hm. Then you and I are the same; I also came to see what, exactly, was going on.

Ibara: Oh, I’ve already made an educated guess on what might happen next, you know? However this came about, I’ve certainly predicted its conclusion!

The leaders of opposing powers meet, showing their solidarity by way of shaking hands in public. In this case, those leaders would be Mr. Tatsumi Kazehaya and Mr. HiMERU.

By doing so, they will strike down the long-standing feud between their two factions.

An era of peace shall descend upon Reimei Academy.

A-ha-ha! ☆ How magnificent! It'll end as happily as a fairy tale!

Ibara: ... But unfortunately, reality isn't so sweet.

The students of Reimei Academy have already fallen prey to the anger and hatred that have accumulated throughout their lives.

Towards those that they detest with all their being, they’re unable to sweep it all under the rug, and allow bygones be bygones.

Ibara: Well, if they did all band together as friends, then I'd be in something of a pickle myself! Mr. Tatsumi Kazehaya's ideology and capitalism don't mix well, after all. It sufficiently counters the latter.

That's no way to run a business, you see? I'm against the idea entirely.

The plan was to force him out of Reimei Academy entirely by pushing an unreasonable amount of expectations onto him, so much that his well-being would falter and he would drop out...

But unfortunately, it would seem Mr. Tatsumi Kazehaya is stronger than expected. Not once did he break, falter, or give in. Instead, he's done the opposite: no matter how persecuted he becomes, he only rises again and again from the ashes akin to a phoenix.

What a nuisance... Though at the same time, I do respect it. If we didn't have such a conflict of interest, I'd absolutely welcome such a stupendous person as a brother in arms!

And so, despite our differences, it truly is hard to watch a remarkable man fall victim to such ruin...

[ ☆ ]

✦✦✦✦✦

← prev ✦ all ✦ next →

#enstars #ensemble stars #enstars translation #hyenahunttl #s: obbligato #himeru #ibara saegusa

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rggtattoos · 2 years

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真島吾朗, Majima Gorō

般若と蛇と桜 - “Hannya, Snakes, and Cherry Blossoms”

Type: Full. Over shoulders, arms, down thighs "Turtle Shell" style

Features:

Spiral Botan-Giri Mikiri - This refers to the black and white scalloped border. “Mikiri” is the term for the outer border surrounding these “full” style tattoos. “Botan-Giri” means “Peony Cut” and refers to the scalloped, petal-like edges.

Hannya Mask - A masks used by actors in Japanese Noh theater depicting a female demon. The hannya mask is designed to express different expressions when viewed from different angles. When the mask is held straight ahead, it looks angry; when the mask is held a little down it looks sad. The face is said to be demonic, angry, frightening, dangerous while at the same time tormented, sad, heartbreaking, melancholic and sorrowful. The Hannya Mask is used to represent a woman driven to becoming a demon or serpent by jealousy, sorrow, and obsession, often after being betrayed by a lover.

The white Hannya Mask is used to represent a woman of aristocratic status.

Sakura Blossoms - A popular symbolic flower in Japan, cherry blossoms are representative of spring. They are associated with love, impermanence, beauty, optimism, strength as well as fragility due to the short lifespan of the flowers, but endurance of the trees themselves.

Two White Snakes - In Japanese legend snakes represent wisdom, and are messengers of the gods. They protect sacred places and bring curses to those who disturb them. It is considered to be bad luck to see a dead snake, and harming a snake can bring misfortune to entire villages. The white serpent in particular is the messenger of Benzaiten (also known as Benten) the goddess of literature and music, of wealth, and of femininity. She is often depicted adorned with a snake headdress, accompanied by white snakes, or sometimes taking the form of the white snake herself. She is the sole female member of the Shichi-fuku-jin (Seven Gods of Luck) who are associated with happiness and fortune. One legend tell of Benzaiten marrying a dragon in order to subdue it's rampage.

There is a shrine in Iwakuni, Japan dedicated to the Japanese albino rat snake, or Shirohebi. It is one of the few creatures where the albino trait is genetically fixed, and therefore inheritable by offspring. There is a shrine, museum, and live snakes that can be seen there, as well as white snake charms available to purchase.

#majima goro #yakuza #yakuza games #ryu ga gotoku #yakuza 1 #yakuza kiwami #yakuza 2 #yakuza 3 #yakuza 4 #yakuza 5 #yakuza 7 #yakuza 6 #dead souls #snakes #sakura #hannya #irezumi #rgg #like a dragon

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mrsaguapapi · 1 year

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Ch 1 Ch 2

Chapter 3

Eyes Wide Shut

The Vibe:

La Llorona-Carmen Goett

I sit on the balcony of my therapist's apartment, I can hear the busy city streets below us and the fluttering wings of birds in the sky. We've been doing this for a few weeks now, and each session brings me closer to healing but it's only an inch at a time to a mile-long worth of trauma.

I sit in my seat obviously unable to see the sun but I can feel the warm summer heat grace my face. My therapist hands me a joint and I take a deep inhale, feeling the familiar calming effect of the ✨jazz lettuce✨. She is definitely an "out-there" professional technically no longer licensed but she continues to work with associates of Japan's underground crime syndicates; she for whatever reason, relates well to us criminals (both past and current). She was a small, unassuming woman who has been described to me as a 'Sweet gal, with tired eyes and a perpetually weary expression'

We sit in comfortable silence for a few moments before my therapist speaks up. "So, Ari, what's been on your mind since our last session? How have the nightmares been lately?" My therapist asked

"They're back," I admitted, throwing my head back and exhaling dramatically "It's like I'm reliving everything again."

She nodded. "Tell me about it. What's been coming up for you?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "It's always the same thing. The night I had to take out the Hive. In my dreams, It's like it's all happening again, and I can't stop it."

My therapist leaned forward, her eyes never leaving mine. "You need to lay it all out on the table, Ari. You can't keep pushing it down and pretending it never happened. It's always going to be there, lurking in the background until you deal with it head-on."

I knew she was right, but it was hard to hear. I didn't want to relive those memories, to feel the pain and the guilt and the shame all over again. But I also knew that I couldn't keep living like this, trapped in my own head, reliving my nightmares every night.

"I know," I said finally. "I just... I don't know how to start."

"Start with the beginning," my therapist said gently. "Just lay it all out, explain it to me as if I have never heard of the Yakuza"

And so I did.

My father was an assassin, a highly skilled one at that. He was on a mission to take out a house of child sex traffickers, most of their victims were between the ages of 10-16. I was 1 years old at the time, I learned later in life that I was the daughter of one of the trafficked children. She died of malnourishment just days before we were saved; they planned to raise me into the sex trade as I was a "Rare Find" in the Japanese child trafficking market, and , not many black children were involved.

Fortunately for me, my father Tanaka found me. All of the children that were saved were going to be home with families in the area except me. I was deemed unwanted by the community because of my color. He without a word took me and raised me as his own.

My father was a man of few words, but his actions spoke volumes. He had been orphaned and living on the streets at a young age but managed to work his way into the yakuza and up the ranks; eventually, he became a respected member of the criminal organization.

He was a solitary man who preferred to keep to himself, but when he took me under his wing, he became a dedicated and loving father. He was tough on me, and he taught me what he knew, albeit not the best practice to teach your daughter the *art* of assassination. When I went blind he was nothing but caring he got me Yukio for additional support, but he did not let up on me one bit, he treated my blindness as an obstacle, not a disability.

Despite his gruff exterior, my father had a deep love for me, I think I was the only one that understood him. He was fiercely protective of me and would do anything to keep me safe. We were inseparable, and even when we weren't working together, we spent all of our free time together. Granted, we did a lot of...questionable things. Assassinations, kidnappings, drug deals. You name it, we did it. But I cherished every moment I had with him.

"You say 'had'?" she questions, "Is he no longer with us?"

I take another hit from my joint and try to hold back some of my tears, "I'm not ready to talk about it yet, is that okay?" I exhale and sniffle a bit

"Of course, would you like to continue, or do you need a break?"

"I'm okay," I say

"Proceed" she gave me the floor once again.

Together we climbed the hierarchy of the yakuza, and he eventually became a boss. There was pushback about me being a member of the Yakuza due to my blindness but I soon proved to be a force to be reckoned with. We ran an empire together for a few years before the night of my merciless execution of the Hive. The night I became Kokushibyō, the Black Death.

The Hive was a clan of assassins from a rival gang in Japan. They were known to be ruthless and cunning, and they specialized in kidnappings and assassinations of rival gangs and political figures in Japan. One night, they kidnapped the daughter of one of our allies, the Yakuza boss called Nomad. As a sign of good faith, my father sent me and my team to retrieve the kidnapped girl the boss.

But things didn't go as planned. We were ambushed and my entire team was killed. It was just me left to finish the mission by myself. I was outnumbered, but I manage to take out nearly 100 men on my own and retrieved the child before reinforcements came.

I killed so many people that night. And the worst part is, I didn't feel anything. I was just...numb. Like I was in a trance," I say, my eyes filling with tears.

That night changed everything for me. I was traumatized by the experience and realized that I couldn't do this anymore. I couldn't be an assassin, not after what had happened. So, I retired from the business, much to my father's disappointment. But he understood, in his own way. He loved me, and he knew that I had to do what was right for me. I found a love for cooking so I moved out here and built my restaurant. I'm living a good life, I love my business, and my dog, even this Jujustu stuff is kinda cool, and yet I still feel empty, worthless, and scared.

"Scared of what?" She asks

"That I'm a monster..."

"Ari, you are not a monster. The fact that you feel remorse for your actions and worry about your impact on others shows that you have a conscience and are a caring person."

"But I killed so many people that night. I don't think I can ever forget what I did."

"It's understandable to feel that way, but you have to understand that you were doing what you had to do to protect someone. You were acting in self-defense and defense of others. It's not like you went out of your way to harm innocent people."

"But I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the violence and the power I had over them."

"That doesn't make you a monster either. It's natural to feel a rush of adrenaline and excitement in situations like that. It's important to recognize those feelings and work on managing them, but it doesn't make you a bad person."

I sigh and wipe my tears, "Thank you, I needed to hear that"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Vibe:

Jaded-Ms. White

After another 20 mins, we wrap up our session, and I Uber to Jujustu Tech. I've been at this now for about 6 months and it's honestly not so bad; working with these kids brings me joy, and reminds me of me and my father when we would train together.

Bittersweet

Today, I prepare for my training sessions with the teachers and other sorcerers. It's become a weekly routine for me and just about everyone has had at least one session with me. I take pride in my ability to train others in combat and weapons, despite my blindness.

Atsuyu, however, refuses to come back. I think I may have scared him a bit. He probably thought he would have the upper hand with me since I can't see, but I've become an excellent swordsman through years of training.

Shoko is a regular attendee and we've become good friends over time. She may not be the best fighter, but I've seen improvement in her skills.

Ijichi is another regular attendee who surprised me with his combat skills. He may appear timid at first, but he's actually a powerhouse in combat.

Mei Mei and the principal have also come to a few sessions. It's been fun working with them individually and seeing their progress. Overall, I enjoy these training sessions and the opportunity to share my skills with others.

As for Gojo and Nanami not so much. Gojo claims he's the best jujutsu sorcerer and doesn't need any help or notes. Typical Gojo. As for Nanami, he's been completely silent since our fight months ago. I'm afraid I might have crossed a line with him. He hasn't said a word to me since that day. It's been bothering me, but I don't know what to do about it.

I put Yukio on her leash and stepped out of my apartment, I couldn't help but feel the sun beating down on my skin. It was one of the hottest days of the summer, and I had to come up with a way to combat the heat. I decided to wear a pleated mini skort and white cropped top, paired with a set of white heels that strap around my ankles. The outfit was minimalistic, yet practical enough to keep me cool. My hair was braided up into long box braids, a protective hairstyle for the heat.

On my back was a mini backpack, which had all my training attire inside. It was Sunday afternoon, and I had to make my way to the training rooms. I was so engrossed in my thoughts about the new dish I had been experimenting with that I didn't even notice someone was closely approaching me until almost too late.

I take a deep breath to steady myself as Mr. Nanami's scent fills my nose. Evergreen and lemons. He always smells like that. "Mr. Nanami," I say, trying to keep my voice even.

He seems taken aback that I recognized him. "You knew it was me?"

I nod, even though I know he can't see it. "Your scent is very distinct," I explain. "Plus, I remember your voice from our fight."

There's a moment of silence before he speaks again. "I see," he says, still sounding surprised. "I apologize for startling you."

"It's okay," I say, shrugging it off. "I was lost in thought, so it's not your fault."

I hear him take a step closer to me. "What were you thinking about?" he asks, his voice low.

I hesitate for a moment before answering. "A new dish I've been experimenting with," I say. "I'm thinking about adding it to the menu at my restaurant."

There's a pause before he speaks again. "What kind of dish is it?"

I grin, excited to talk about my cooking. "It's a fusion dish," I explain. "A mix of Japanese and Jamaican flavors. Jerk chicken with a miso glaze."

He lets out a small awkward chuckle. "That sounds interesting."

Is he nervous?

"Did you need me for something?" I ask curiously, as I bend down and unleash Yukio. She goes to her usual spot by the window.

"I owe you an apology," he says suddenly. "I underestimated you as a fighter and let my pride get in the way. I've been avoiding you for the past six months because I was ashamed and embarrassed."

I am taken aback by his words. I never thought he would apologize to me. "No, Mr. Nanami, it's me who should apologize. I went too far in our sparring session, and I'm sorry."

He chuckles, "We're both apologizing to each other, it seems. Let's just call it even and move on, shall we?"

I nod, feeling relieved, "I'd like that," I say smiling

"Great," he says, "Well, while I'm here would you mind training with me today?"

"Yes!" I say maybe a little more excited than I should have. I calm down and smoothly say "Uh yea. Just let me change into proper clothes real quick."

He clears his throat, "Of course" he responds

I quickly gather my things and head to the women's locker room slipping into my athletic attire, feeling the smooth fabric against my skin. The outfit is lightweight and easy to move in, perfect for my training sessions. I slip on a pair of sneakers and throw my hair into one giant braid.

When I return to the training area, Nanami is already there, warming up with a few stretches. I take a deep breath and walk over to him, ready to get started. We ease into my training routine practicing our punches and kicks, working on our endurance, and building our core. I take a step back and observe Nanami's form, listening to his movements.

As I stand behind Mr. Nanami, I can feel the tension in his body when he throws his punches. I can sense that his form is wrong, and I can't help but want to step in and help him.

"Stop" I semi command, "Your form is wrong," I say stepping towards him. "Is it okay if I help position you?" I ask gesturing my hands

"Sure" He responds

As I reach out to fix his form, my hand brushes against his arm, and I feel a jolt of electricity shoot through my body. I move him into position, adjusting his stance and correcting his form. As I do, I can feel his body tense up at first, but then he relaxes under my touch.

There's an unspoken tension between us, and I can't help but feel a rush of emotions. I'm not sure if it's the intimacy of the moment or if there's something more between us. But I push those thoughts aside and focus on helping him.

After a few more adjustments, I step back and let him continue the routine. Eventually, we wrap up our training session, and Nanami and I move into a cool-down workout to relax our muscles. As we were stretching, he asked me for some feedback on his performance.

I take a deep breath and think for a second before I replied, "Mr. Nanami, your punches are powerful, but your form is off. You need to relax more, be more fluid." I pause for a moment before continuing, "You're a tense fighter," I replied. "That's great when you're on the defensive, but you need to be more adaptable. You have to be able to make fast, small, delicate movements; adapt to your opponent's movements, not just overpower them. I hope you don't mind me saying this but I think you could benefit from some more regular training sessions," I said, tentatively.

"I agree, Ari. I can see that I have a lot to learn from you. Your combat skills are impressive, it's almost inspiring." he says

I couldn't help but smiles and blush at that little statement, I turn my head away before responding, "Thank you, Mr. Nanami"

We exchanged a few more pleasantries before parting ways

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After Nanami left, I spent another hour training with my karambit blades. The sound of metal clashing against metal was music to my ears as I worked on my techniques. However, my concentration was interrupted when I heard a commotion somewhere in the school. It was distant, but it was enough to catch my attention. Weapons in hand I make my way to the commotion with Yukio close behind me.

As the sound of chaos and destruction filled the air, I could sense that something was terribly wrong. Suddenly, I heard screams and the sound of glass shattering. I rushed to the source of the noise, with my blades up in a defensive position. As I arrived, I hear two people in the heat of a vicious fight. From the sound and smell of it, it was Nanami and.

Yuji?

But he sounds different and he smells different.

Could this be the cursed spirit that lives inside him? Sukuna....

Nanami was trying to contain Yuji as best as he could but was eventually kicked into a wall completely stunned. I knew I had to act fast to save him," Yukio Stay' I command before approaching. With a burst of adrenaline, I charged forward and slashed at Sukuna with my karambit knives. The sound of metal clashing against bone filled the air as I fought to keep him away from Nanami.

Despite my blindness, I could feel the tension and power of Sukuna's attacks. But I also knew that I had to protect Nanami at all costs. I could hear him groaning in pain, and I knew that I had to do everything in my power to keep him alive.

For the first few moments, I felt like I was holding my own. I was able to dodge Sukuna's attacks and land a few strikes of my own. But soon enough, I realized that it was a lost cause. Sukuna was simply too powerful.

Despite my best efforts, I found myself getting worn down. He was relentless, and I couldn't keep up. My movements became sluggish, and my attacks lacked their usual precision. It was as if all my training and experience had been for nothing.

Sukuna's attacks were powerful and relentless, and I could feel my strength fading fast. I knew I needed to do something, anything, to protect Nanami. So, I made a quick decision and used my body as a shield while yelling at Yukio, "YUKIO GET HELP! AGHk-" Sukuna's cursed energy hit me hard, and I felt the searing pain of his attack, but I held on tight, refusing to let go. I can hear Yukio running out barking for help as Sukuna continues to attack me several times back to back.

Hopefully, I can buy him some time.

Sukuna surprisingly stops and takes a step back, "I admire your tenacity, little warrior," Sukuna chuckles, feeling the power struggle within Yuji's body. "You fought with such ferocity, even to protect someone who you barely know"

"Fuck off!" I hiss

"Ha! I like your spirit, girl," Sukuna says, amused. "You fought like a true warrior, and I was honored to spar with you."

Breathless and defeated, I lay on the ground, waiting for Sukuna to strike me down. But to my surprise, he stopped and spoke.

"You're quite skilled, for a human. But despite your amazing skill you fight at a disadvantage, you have the potential to be so much more." I hear him grunt in irritation, "Damn brat. I don't have much time doll, I can feel the brat fighting back for control, so before I go I'd like to leave you with a parting gift."

"Keep your fucking gif-" I say before getting snatched up by my hair. I scream out in pain as he forcefully holds my head back. I then hear him bite his hand and hold it over my face. He began to drip blood onto my face and into my mouth. He held me so tight that I couldn't fight back. He then practically throws me down to the ground, I couldn't react in time so I hit the concrete hard. I try to raise my body and stand but stumble back down to my knees as I start to feel an intense rush of euphoria coursing through my veins. It's a feeling I've never experienced before, and for a moment, I'm lost in its intoxicating embrace.

But just as quickly as the feeling comes, it's gone, replaced by a searing pain in my eyes. It's like someone is squeezing them in a vice, and I can feel a burning sensation spreading through my head.

I try to rub my eyes to ease the pain, but it only seems to make it worse; fortunately, the pain finally subsides after a few minutes. I blink several times in disbelief. Colors and shapes begin to form before my eyes, and I realize that I can see. At first, everything was just a blur of colors and shapes. I couldn't make out anything clearly, but I could see light for the first time in years. It was overwhelming and painful, like needles poking into my eyes. I squinted and rubbed them, trying to adjust to the sudden influx of visual information. As my eyes gradually adapted, the shapes and colors began to coalesce into recognizable forms

I looked down at my hands and saw them in a whole new light. I had gotten used to not being able to see them, but now they were right in front of me, and I could see every detail. The lines on my palms, the curve of my fingers, the scars and calluses from years of training. It was overwhelming.

"What did you do," I asked with tears welling up in my eyes starting to freak out from this sudden miracle.

Can you call it a miracle?

Sukuna smirks. "Until we meet again, little warrior" With that, Sukuna's control over Yuji weakens, and he disappears, leaving Yuji in control again.

The Vibe:

YKWIM?-Yot Club

I couldn't believe it, I had my sight back after 10 years. But it was too much for me to handle all at once. The light was blinding and everything was too vivid. My senses were heightened to an almost unbearable level. I could smell every single scent in the air, hear every single sound around me, and feel every single texture on my skin. I was completely overwhelmed and overstimulated.

The taste of blood was still in my mouth and it was even stronger now, like it was amplified along with my other senses. I was hyper-aware of every drop of blood on my skin and Mr. Nanami's as well. I couldn't even stand the sound of my breathing. It was all too much.

Feeling like I was about to lose control, I closed my eyes and covered my ears with my hands. It helped a little, but I could still feel the overwhelming sensations. I needed to take a moment to collect myself before I could face what was happening.

Yuji approached slowly, his voice shaking as he spoke. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt anyone," he said, his eyes filled with tears. "I couldn't control myself. Sukuna took over."

I could hear the fear and remorse in his voice, but I couldn't bear to look at him, "Please stay back, Yuji," I said, my voice shaky. "Please, just stay back." I tried to stand up, but my legs felt weak and shaky, and I stumbled.

Nanami grabbed my arm, using his other hand to support himself as we leaned on each other. "We need to get out of here," he said, his voice strained. "Yuji, help us." Nanami placed his hand gently on my shoulder, trying to calm me down. "Ari, it's okay. Sukuna is gone now. Yuji is back in control," he said soothingly.

I took a deep breath and slowly opened my eyes, feeling a little more in control of my senses. I could see Nanami's worried expression and Yuji's somber one. I looked down at my hands and saw them shaking, covered in my own blood and Sukuna's.

"I... I can see," I said, still in disbelief. "It's been so long." Suddenly I hear barking and someone running. I look and see Yukio and Shoko.

Shoko rushes over to us and immediately starts checking on Nanami's injuries, quickly working to stop his bleeding and stabilize him. She then turns her attention to me, I'm still visibly shaken and overstimulated from the sudden return of her sight.

Shoko starts talking to me in a soft, soothing tone, trying to calm me down and assess my condition. She asks me questions about how I'm feeling and what I'm experiencing, and I try my best to answer her, though my mind is still reeling from everything that's happened.

After a few moments, Shoko administers a sedative to help me calm down and rest. As the medication starts to take effect, my senses begin to dull, and the overwhelming sensations start to fade away.

I feel a sense of relief wash over me as I start to relax, knowing that Shoko is here to take care of us and that we're in good hands. After I've calmed a bit I stand and pick up Yukio; as I hold my dog in my arms, tears streaming down my face. Yukio nuzzles into my chest, and I can feel her little heart beating against mine. For a moment, I forget about the chaos that just happened and the pain in my body. It's just me and Yukio, reunited after all this time.

I bury my face in her fur, taking in her scent and feeling her warmth against me. It's a small moment of peace amid all the chaos. And for that, I'm grateful.

Shoko and Yuji look at me with concern, but they don't say anything. They know I need this moment with my dog. After a few minutes, I finally pull away from Yukio and wipe my tears, "Where are the others?" I ask

"Come I'll take you to them," Shoko says

Yuji helps Nanami up and we all walk to regroup with everyone else. We make it to the infirmary where the others were, fortunately, it was only a few of us; Nanami, Yuji, Shoko, Panda, Inumaki, Nobara, Megumi, Ijichi, and myself. No one is dead, just a lot of injuries. Everyone checks in with each other nursing each other's wounds. I stay with Nanami as Shoko attends to Nanami's wounds; she wraps up with him and moves to the next person.

As I look at Nanami, tears begin to stream down my face. "Is everyone going to be okay?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Nanami looks at me with a reassuring smile. "Yes, we'll all be fine. We'll recover quickly don't worry" he says.

"Okay," I say beginning to feel nauseous because of the strong scent of blood

Nanami puts a hand on my shoulder. "Ari, are you okay?" he asks, concern etched on his face.

I shake my head, my eyes still brimming with tears. "No, not really. This was extremely triggering for me. The smell of blood is making me sick and I'm feeling pretty overstimulated and a bit manic. I need to go home." I confess.

"I don't think you should be alone right now. I'm worried about you." Nanami responds, "What can I do to help?"

"Can-Can you help me get home?" I ask weakly

"Of course" He raises out of his seat and grunts a little from the pain before standing, "Come" He puts his jacket over me and Yukio while wrapping an arm around me to help me walk, I sense he needed the help too, "I'm taking Ari home," he said with a tone that said don't ask questions. Everyone looked concerned but nodded in agreement.

Nanami leads me to his car and opens the door to the passenger side and help me in my seat; he even went as far as to buckle me in. He then climbed in next to me and closed the door, grunting slightly, and began to pull out of the parking lot of the school. The drive was about 20 min, It's almost overwhelming to see everything in such detail after being blind for so long. As we drive down the road, I can see people walking on the sidewalk, cars passing us by, and buildings towering up to the sky. We arrive outside my home and although the rides calmed me down a bit I couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that I had been carrying with me since my encounter with Sukuna. I didn't want to be alone right now, not after everything that had happened. So, I turned to Mr. Nanami and simply say, "Stay with me? Just for the night? I don't know why but I don't feel safe."

At first, he hesitates to answer but finally just nods yes in response, bringing me a sense of relief.

-------------------------------------------------------------

What should Ari do now that she has her sight back? I think it's time for her to have some fun!

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singular-yike · 11 months

Note

Hi there! I remember in one of your previous analyses that you'd love an opportunity to talk about shikigami (I think). As someone who is also quite curious about it, would you mind divulging on the subject?

Oh of course, thanks for reminding me!

Shikigami: From History to Len'en

Shikigami, like barriers (which I also did a Len'en-focused analysis on), is one of those things I feel like many who are into Japanese media, especially traditional fantasies, have a general idea about, yet don't really have a grasp on their real-life conception and history.

So, just like in the barriers post, let's take a look at what shikigami are all about, in real-life history and in the Len'en series!

Origins of Onmyōdō

To understand the origins of shikigami, we first have to have a cursory understanding of the complex art of Onmyōdō (陰陽道 lit. "the way of Yin and Yang").

Roots in Chinese Philosophy

Onmyōdō, as we understand it, has its roots in the Chinese philosophical Theory of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases (陰陽五行思想).

Yin and Yang (陰陽) can be described as the fundamentally opposite but interconnected forces that constitute as well as cause change in everything in the universe.

The Five Phases (五行) is a conceptual framework which is used to classify and explain a wide array of phenomena, including the movement of celestial bodies, the interaction between internal organs to, the rise and fall of political regimes and the properties of medicine, amongst other things. The five phases are, in order, fire, water, wood, metal, earth.

The Theory of Yin-Yang and the Five Phases then combines the two, and was associated with and used for a variety of (what were at the time considered) natural sciences, such as astronomy, calendar making, time keeping and divination.

Development in Japan

When transmitted to Japan alongside Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, it was accepted by the Japanese people as having actual power, and its associated practices like divination and manipulating fortune were accepted as well.

As these beliefs and practices fused with the native Japanese beliefs (what one may classify as Shinto) and Japanese Buddhism (remember that Buddhism also had its own major developments in Japan), a system of beliefs and practices that were uniquely Japanese was born.

This was Onmyōdō, and it was a state-controlled craft. Onmyōji (陰陽師 lit. "master of yin and yang") were the practitioners of this craft who belonged to the Bureau of Onmyō (陰陽寮), and they offered their services to the royal family and the noble elites.

The Historical Shikigami

Examining the Word "Shikigami"

Now that we can finally take a look at the historical shikigami. They are known by a number of names: shikigami/shikijin (式神・識神), shiki-no-kami (式の神・識の神), shi-ki (式鬼) or shiki-kishin (式鬼神).

No matter the rendering, there is a common element throughout most of them: 式 read shiki or just as shi. It means "to make use of", and refers to the onmyōji's control over these beings.

The specific beings that these names list are kami (神 gods/spirits), oni (鬼) and kishin (鬼神). The last term refers to a myriad of concepts, from wild and rampaging kami to divine spirits to any supernatural thing that causes mysterious phenomena.

Below: Famous onmyōji Abe no Seimei (in black) accompanied by two of his shikigami (below Seimei).

So, from the name, we can tell that shikigami refers to the gods, spirits, supernatural beings and even just supernatural forces under the onmyōji's control. Additionally, it is said that the process through which an onmyōji summons these spirits is also called shikigami..

Types of Shikigami

Shikigami are in fact invisible to everyone except their master, but can take on forms that are visible to the average person. In general, shikigami can be classified in to two ways:

One is according to the form they appear in, such as human-shaped (人型), bird/beast-shaped (鳥獣型), youkai-shaped (妖怪型), etc.

More interesting, perhaps, is classifying them based on how they were created:

First are "mental-action shikigami", (思業式神 shigou-shikigami) they are manifested through the onmyōji's thought, and are said to directly reflect their master's ability.

Next are "personified shikigami" (擬人式神 gijin-shikigami), they are produced by imbuing a doll, often made of paper, straw or plants, with spiritual power. Those which obtain a will of their own are considered higher-rank, while those that do not are considered lower-ranked.

Below: A straw doll used to summon a shikigami into.

Final final type are called, literally, "gods of evil deeds and revealed retribution" (悪行罰示神 akubyoubasshi-kami). It's rather unwieldy and not exactly clear what it means.

So instead, I'll call these "shikigami through karmic retribution". They are typically beings who committed evil deeds in the past who are defeated and subjugated by onmyōji, becoming their shikigami.

The final type, perhaps obviously, are considered particularly dangerous, as an unskilled master can be overpowered by the shikigami, allowing it to cause harm to its master and others.

Functions of a Shikigami

Basically, there's nothing a shikigami cannot do, as they are (provided that the onmyōji is powerful enough) completely bound to the will of their master.

Here I'll just briefly list a few of what shikigami were said to be used for throughout history and myths:

Defeating harmful and devil spirits

Possessing someone to cause them harm

Placed at key locations as protector deities

Pass on messages and deliver objects

Reconnaissance

Housework, house-watching and personal care

Yeah, basically anything you can think of.

Onmyōdō in the Present Day

Persistance and Development

Onmyōdō and onmyōji, along with the Bureau of Onmyō, persisted throughout Japanese history, slowly gaining popularity amongst the general populace as well. It has its ups and down, even losing its official status once, but it never faded away.

One particularly famous Onmyōji that should not go unmentioned is Abe no Seimei (安倍晴明), said to be a genius in the art. Many of his exploits are left behind as legends, and he himself is a popular topic of many modern fiction stories.

Below: Mitori's Pentagram "Bellflower Seal Crush", based on a seal of the same name invented by Seimei to ward off demons.

Fall and Modern Status

It was not until the after Meiji Revolution, in 1870, that the new government passed a bill to ban Onmyōdō as a superstition, under the support of pure Shintoists and the exclusionists, who rejected Onmyōdō based on its Chinese roots.

After this, the Onmyōdō of old basically disappeared from Japanese society. Later, when the ban was lifted, Onmyōdō was already reduced to a point where it would never return to the level of prestige and power it once held during the Heian period.

Nowadays, there are two schools of Onmyōdō left, the "Tensha Tsuchimikado Shinto" (天社土御門神道) and the Izanagi School (いざなぎ流).

Tensha Tsuchimikado Shinto

This school was established by a family that traces it lineage back to Abe no Seimei, the Tsuchimikado Family.

Thanks to its fusion of Onmyōdō and Shinto, it was able to survive the ban on Onmyōdō by leaning on its Shinto side. Though it would lose official support regardless and turn to private practice.

The Izanagi School

A unique folk religion developed independently in the archaic Tosa Province (modern day Kōchi Prefecture). It has elements of Onmyōdō belief and practice, but aren't recognised by Tensha Tsuchimikado Shinto.

Popular Culture

The colourful stories of onmyōji from various legends, especially of them binding youkai to their control and excercising other mystical powers, captured the popular imagination and lead to a myriad of fictional depictions of them.

It is here that the most common depiction of shikigami emerges, as youaki bound by onmyōji, or spirits summoned into paper dolls by them. And it is here that we loop back to Len'en.

Shikigami of Len'en

The most info on shikigami in the Len'en series can be found in Garaiya Ogata's BPoHC profile:

A shikigami receives spiritual power from its master, and can act using the accumulated spiritual power from them. How much spiritual power they can save up and what they can do with said accumulated power varies from shikigami to shikigami. [...] However, the master's spiritual power is naturally limited. [...] However, since a slight amount of their master's power is constantly consumed to keep their shiki up and running. Multiplying too much will overburden their master, ultimately deactivating the shiki.

It would seem that shikigami run on a fairly unique set of rules in Len'en, that of an exchange and balance of spiritual power between master and subject.

The master needs to use their power to somehow activate and maintain a shiki contract with the subject, which creates a link between the two and allows the subject to draw on their masters power. In the case that the master runs out of power, the contract immediately deactivates.

The amount of spiritual power a shikigami stores seems to be somewhat proportional to how powerful they are, as seen in Kuriju Kesa being technically weaker than Kaisen Azuma, but still seen as more useful thanks to the former being better at storing spiritual power from Garaiya.

We don't really know much else about shikigami in the series, though there are a few things that we can speculate upon.

Bound Evildoer Shikigami

First we can examine the most prominent master-shikigami pairs, that between Garaiya and Kaisen & Garaiya and Kurjiu.

Below: Garaiya with Kaisen and Kujiru in animal form.

It's possible that these two are what I called "shikigami through karmic retribution", as they were apparently "pretty mischievous" in the past, prior to meeting Garaiya.

This is particularly likely with Kaisen, as one of their inspirations, the Chinese mythological creature known as Jinchan (金蟾 Lit. "gold/golden toad"), actually has pretty much this play out, just framed under Daoism instead of Onmyōdō.

In the folktale Liu Hai Tricks Jinchan (劉海戲金蟾), it is said Liu tamed a malevolent and greedy three-legged toad after fishing it out of the east sea. It became Jinchan and was henceforth the immortal's companion, following Liu wherever he went.

So yeah, basically "evil youkai does bad deeds" → "good person comes around and tames it" → "evil creature now serves the good person somehow".

With Kujiru, it's not as direct, since their basis, Kesa-gozen (袈裟御前), was the victim in her story, rather than the villain or a villain redeemed. Still, if JynX wanted to somehow collapse both the villain and the victim into one, they certainly can, so I can't really say that this disproves Kujiru as a "shikigami through karmic retribution".

Bonus Note: Jinbei

There's really not enough information on Jinbei to say much about them as a shikigami, but it's interesting to note that they don't (or at least don't only) draw power from their master.

Rather, they draw power from and supply power to the Mugenri Barrier, the current Senri priests (Yabusame and Tsubakura) as well as a yet undisclosed source.

On a personal note, Jinbei gives me the vibe of a spirit that was summoned into an object. Similar to the personified shikigami, though not summoned into a doll, but into the very jinbei that they're always wearing.

Conclusion

There's still much that we don't know about shikigami in Len'en, so other possibilities still exist with both Kaisen, Kujiru and Jinbei.

For example, Kaisen and Kujiru can also be spirits summoned into the youkai, akin to how the Touhou series conceptualises its shikigami. Or Jinbei could be a youkai who's subjugation contract is renewed with every new Senri priest.

Basically what I'm saying is that canonically all we have is the Garaiya profile and the two related 2021 interview answers that I've linked.

In any case though, I hope you at least got something out of the first part about the historical shikigami, and how they are classified and used even to this very day.

As usual, I hope you enjoyed~! :)

#len'en #len'en project #len'en lore #garaiya ogata #kujiru kesa #kaisen azuma #jinbei #jinbei len'en #shikigami #I tried to find english translations for these terms #but like I said #well known in popular culture but not in its historical understanding #so it was difficult to find much about this in english #I'm leaving the “jinbei” tag there #maybe this'll be interesting for the traditional Japanese fashion crowd #who knows?

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the-everqueen · 6 months

Note

trick or treat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(from the next chapter of gay coworkers):

It becomes a thing. Dream sends the Corinthian into the Waking on an errand and Matthew goes with him. Some of the tasks are simple: delivering a token for sweet dreams, settling a debt Morpheus had with a Persian fortune-teller, or fetching a tea rose from a gardener in Japan. Others are more complicated, like retrieving a rare, first-edition book before it goes to auction. That one takes all of the Corinthian’s persuasive powers, and for a hot second Matthew thinks the Nightmare will just resort to violence as the quickest solution. He doesn’t, but honestly Matthew wouldn’t have blamed him if he had—that estate manager was a real bastard.

Other people notice it’s a thing. The Fashion Thing gives Matthew an invite to their next workshop and says he can bring the Corinthian as his plus one. Merv tells Matthew to tell the Corinthian that he (the Corinthian) owes him (Mervyn) five bucks. Matthew snarks that he’s not the air mail of the Dreaming, “tell him yourself,” and Merv gets offended, says, “you see him more than I do.” Which, come to think of it, might be true.

The collective dreams of field mice avoid him, but that might have more to do with Matthew being a raven than his association with the Corinthian.

#ask games #trick or treat #three guesses as to who the rare book was for and the first two don't count #a matthew for a matthew

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wickedsrest-rp · 8 months

Text

Name: Shan Lin Species: Selkie Occupation: Owner of Mist Tea Boba Shop Age: 30 Years Old Played By: Elle Face Claim: Jessica Henwick

"We're all living on borrowed time, sweetie."

Aika Chan does not exist. Shan Lin has made so much effort and spent so much time making sure that when someone Googles her name, that name, and checks her background, they would find nothing outside of what she wants them to find. Why? It’s a combination of a lot of things, really: The so-called physical frailty she inherited from her unknown family, the fact that she had to grow up in an orphanage after her birth parents mysteriously perished on their plane bound for Japan, and most importantly, the implication that this selkie’s current pelt may not even be hers.

It was perhaps that very same combination that spurred the secretive selkie to pursue some marksmanship training, finding out only later that she had an eye for such a skill, and maybe even led to her adopting a problem involving chance and dice. Everything about her was left to chance, anyway, so why can’t she use that to her advantage? At least she later found out the truth of her parentage, that her father was a Singaporean fishing mogul while her mother had been a sickly selkie, the latter’s sickness brought on by her lost pelt. How tragic was it then when young Shan never had her own pelt to begin with?

Fortunately for her, when she resurfaced in Wicked’s Rest a few years back, she already had a pelt to call her own. Unfortunately for her, an old “friend” found her out and implored her to help with some family business. Shan only helped to keep her secrets, and after the deed was done, the price revealed itself to be quite high. Sara Fukuhara was her friend’s name, and the family business in question was taking out Sara’s cousin who had taken over the Fukuhara crime family in Japan before Sara was exiled in this part of the world.

Once Sara had made her triumphant return, an assassin loyal to her cousin tried to send her a message by taking out Shan. However, the secretive selkie immediately nipped that in the bud…by taking a lethal chomp off of the unlucky assassin’s neck. Shan didn’t come out of the encounter unscathed: Her pelt was severely damaged in the process. Neither Sara nor anyone else associated with her, especially a certain slayer that returned to Japan with her landlady, knew the true cost of Shan’s loss. Not that she’d tell them anyway. Shan would rather suffer than share her secret.

And suffer she did. Her pelt had always been a burden to her, despite the benefits it doled out, but this time, the suffering weighed heavier than ever. It was like having a phone with a battery that kept dying every five hours. Not cool. It wasn’t like Shan was one to ask for help, anyway, so she just started taking the help she needed. It wasn’t like the sorcerers or the fairies did anything useful with their magic anyway.

It wouldn’t be sustainable, though. Shan at least knew that. Sooner or later, her victims will find out about her, and she won’t be greeted with a warm embrace. Far from it.

Left with no real choice, Shan reunited with an old relative, the selkie owner of The Codfather, and got a little help starting a boba shop, which she now uses as a cover for her true job as a self-proclaimed “information specialist,” through which she makes more money by selling the information she’s gathered, with one of her usual clients being Nathaniel Garcia of Something Wicked News. Not only that but this line of work has been actually helping her get closer to spellcasters and even the fae, more sources of magic from which her pelt can feed. Two birds with one stone, and Shan would need all the stones she can get for the many birds she’ll be making enemies of.

Character Facts:

Personality: Adaptable, calm, gentle, open, enigmatic, calculating, deceitful, erratic, elusive, secretive

Shan's current pelt may not be hers. Through it, she transforms into a spotted seal.

Shan is drawn to the Storm's Eye Trench and even the Drowned Ship Gardens, swimming in and around the area in her seal form whenever she can.

Shan suffers from physical frailty that she inherited from her birth parents. This perceived "weakness" inspired her to become a competent marksman with precise aim, efficient with guns and even in archery. She had professional and personal training years ago to compensate for that frailty and to this day continues to hone her skills.

Shan's birth name is Lin Ye Shan (林夜山). Her known aliases include Aika Chan, Zhenchen Chan, Shun Chen, and Aika Shiina. Another alias Shan has is "Dancing Lady" based on the Oncidium that she attaches to the blank envelopes filled with information she sells to her clients, which one of her clients, Something Wicked News' Nathaniel Garcia, came up with. It fits perfectly, as she has a soft spot for orchids and jazz.

Shan loves spicy food. Her favorite food, however, is stir-fried shrimp, usually accompanied by a plate of chili peppers. That said, Shan has a strong dislike for sweets because they make her feel sleepy, which is ironic considering she owns a boba shop.

Shan frequents roadside eateries when she can, mostly because she loves eating in these places and of course it's a pretty great place for eavesdropping on useful information. She also frequents The Codfather, where she likes to tell people she's an investor whenever asked but she's more than likely to be related to one of the owners.

Shan may have a gambling problem as evidenced by her frequent presence at the Elysium.

#retired

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chattingwiththelightkeeper · 5 months

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The Unseen Sleigh: Mental Health Struggles This Holiday Season

The holiday season, widely regarded as a time of joy and celebration, is not always the happiest time of the year for everyone. While festive decorations adorn streets and families gather, some silently grapple with inner demons, finding themselves ensnared in the clutches of mental health challenges. Recognizing the signs that a friend, family member, or even oneself may be struggling is crucial in fostering a supportive environment during this supposedly cheerful time.

There are subtle signals that someone close to you may be grappling with their mental well-being. A sudden withdrawal from social activities, changes in sleep patterns, or a noticeable decline in personal hygiene can be indicators of internal struggles. Additionally, expressions of hopelessness, constant fatigue, or a marked change in appetite should not be dismissed lightly. Recognizing these signs requires a heightened sensitivity to the nuances of behavior and a willingness to engage in meaningful conversations.

Approaching someone who might be struggling with their mental health requires a delicate touch and genuine concern. Instead of immediately delving into their emotional state, initiate a conversation with casual inquiries about their well-being. Creating a safe and non-judgmental space allows individuals to open up at their own pace. Phrasing questions with empathy, such as "I've noticed some changes, and I'm here for you," can encourage a more open dialogue.

Active listening plays a pivotal role in these conversations. Give your full attention, refrain from interrupting, and express empathy without offering immediate solutions. Encourage them to share their thoughts and feelings, and reassure them that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. It's essential to respect their autonomy and decisions while gently encouraging professional assistance.

In times of mental health crises, seeking help is paramount. Fortunately, there are resources available to guide individuals toward support and recovery. Mental health hotlines, community counseling services, and online therapy platforms offer accessible avenues for those in need. Encourage your loved ones to explore these resources, emphasizing that seeking help is a proactive step toward healing.

Let us all be mindful that the holiday season is not universally a time of unbridled joy. It is our collective responsibility to be attuned to the struggles that may be hidden beneath the surface and to extend a compassionate hand to those who need it.

Please endeavor to prioritize mental health in our conversations and interactions. Break the stigma surrounding mental health issues by fostering an environment where openness is valued. Reach out to friends and family, asking not just about their holiday plans, but also about their well-being. A simple, genuine inquiry can make a world of difference.

For those who may be struggling or for those who want to support someone in need, there are resources available:

United States

Chat anonymously with an Active Listener: 7 Cups of Tea

Live Chats: Lifeline Chat (24/7) or imalive.org

National Eating Disorders Association or 1–800–931–2237

S.A.F.E. Alternatives for Stopping Self Abuse or 1–800-DONT-CUT (366–8288)

National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or dial 988 or (en Espanol)

The Trevor Project (LGBT crisis intervention) or 1-866-488-7386

Rape Abuse & Incest National Network or 800-656-HOPE (4673)

Australia

Lifeline Australia or 13 11 14

beyondblue or 1300 22 4939

Suicide Call Back Service or 1300 659 467

Brazil

CVV or 141

Chile

Teléfono de la Esperanza or (00 56 42) 22 12 00

France

S.O.S Amitié

Germany

Telefonseelsorge or 0800 111 0 111 (or 222)

Greece

KLIMAKA Center for Suicide Prevention 1018

Japan

TELL Lifeline chat in English/Japanese or 03-5774-0992 (English)

Poland

116 111 - Free crisis helpline for children and young people, available 24/7

116 123 - Toll-free crisis helpline for adults, 2-10pm 7 days per week

800 70 2222 - Free direct support line for people in a state of mental crisis, available 24/7

Portugal

SOS VOZ AMIGA - contacts:

21 354 4545

91 280 2669

96 352 4660

Sexual Abuse Intervention - 808 222 003

Portuguese Victim Support Association 116 006

Spain

Teléfono de la Esperanza or 902500002

The Samaritans or 08457 90 90 90

Other countries

7 Cups of Tea - find your country in the drop-down menu

Befrienders Worldwide - find your country in the drop-down menu on the top right

International Association for Suicide Prevention - find your nearest crisis center

Unsuicide - online suicide help directory

#mental health #getting help #mental heath support

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call-me-ryuzaki · 10 months

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The Flame Hashira and The Priestess (2)

There were certain types of crows that Kagome quickly learned to avoid. Over the years she noticed that crows she later learned were associated with the Demon Slayer Corps, had unique auras about them. Once she started taking care of the demons herself, she knew she was under the Demon Slayer corps radar. She’d have to be very careful when the unique crows were around. Kagome was not ready to entangle herself with the Demon Slayers.

She let out a sigh as she sipped her tea, “Man, demon slayers sure have changed over the years,” she looked up at clear blue sky, recalling the days of her travels in the Sengoku Period. Demon Slayers were well known throughout the country and the people of Japan knew of them and the existence of demons.

Those who were fortunate enough to never had an encounter with a demon didn’t know of their existence or believed them to be myths and legends, just like that of the Sacred Jewel. She tried to find out more about the demon slayer corps, but when she brought it up to random passbyers, they looked at her like she’d grown a third head and brushed her off.

From what she could tell, they were few and far between.

After finishing her tea and paying, she strolled through the village, making her way to one of her many homes scattered across the land. She had accumulated a large good amount of money throughout her long, long life. She would consider herself well off, but didn’t use her wealth for luxuries. Her homes usually consisted of the same things: Medical supplies, a bed, a small kitchen with a fire pit, herbs and ingrediants. She only kept the things she needed.

Miroku had built her a hut somewhere outside the village of Edo where she stored her most important things. The monks staff along with Sangos boomerang, Tetsusaiga, and Tenseiga mounted on the wall of the hut along with a trunk that contained items she deemed most important to her. Inuyasha’s subjagation beads were one of the items in the trunk. Sesshomaru had a powerful priestess put a spell on the hut where only she and Sesshomaru himself could access the hut.

She had asked the demon lord why he left his fathers sword to her. He never answered her and she was left wondering why. That had been the last time she had seen him. Sometimes she thought she could sense him, but it was gone just as quickly as it had arrived. Was he dead or alive? It seemed like she would never know.

As she entered the hut, she heard a groan coming from her newest patient, A boy wearing the demon slayer uniform with a yellow kimono with white triangles on it. She came across him in the forest moments before a demon was ready to deliver the final blow. Kagome wasted no time in eliminating the demon with a purifying arrow. After it had disintergrated, she quickly kneeled down to assess his wounds. He had cuts all over his body, but the worst was the gaping hole in his stomach.

Beside him was a sparrow crying frantically and squeaking. Kagome gently scooped the bird into her hands and smiled at it, “Don’t worry, little sparrow, I’m going to save him, you may rest easy.” Kagome gave it a tap on its small head with her index finger before she quickly began performing basic first aid.

On the outside she was calm, focused on the task before her, but on the inside she was slightly panicking. She could feel his aura slowly begin to fade. “Dammit, I’m losing him.” She gasped when he stopped breathing. Kagome quickly tore pieces of her clothing to tie around his more serious wound to stop the bleeding or atleast slow it down enough.

Without missing a beat Kagome tilted his head back and pinched his nose. She took a breath of her own before placing her mouth over his and then performed the chest compressions. She silently thanked the Gods for that basic first aid class she took in school. She continued this pattern until he was finally breathing on his own.

“That was a close call, little Sparrow,” She gave a nervous laughter. She made sure that the yellow haired boy was still breathing on his own before setting to work on the stab wound he received. She placed her hands over his wound and a pink glow emitted from them and into the wound.

“Little Sparrow,” Kagome glanced at the bird who had its beady eyes on her hands, “I know you’re associated with the Demon Slayer Corps.” She could practically see the bird tense, “I must insist that you keep everything you see a secret.” She stared the bird down until finally it let out a meek squeak, as if agreeing to her terms.

Getting him back to the cabin was a lot harder than she thought it was. She was drained from healing his wound. It wasn’t completely healed, he wasn’t in danger of dying, but he would be if she didn’t get him back to her hut and treat it properly and continue her treatment.

The swallow perched itself atop her head as she dragged his body through the forest and off the main roads. She didn’t want to risk a stranger stopping her as she dragged his unconscious body throughout the land. She was sure someone would stop her and she couldn’t afford to stop or he would certainly die.

(Chuntaro’s POV)

Chuntaro could only watch helplessly as he watched Zenitsu run from the demon. He was clearly no match for it and help was still too far out. He feared Zenitsu wouldn’t make it through this battle as the terrified boy ran for his life, dodging as many as its attacks a he could manage while crying.

The swallow let out a loud squawk as the demon thrusted its hand through Zenitsu’s abdomen. It laughed as he ripped his hand out and watched him drop to the forest floor. Chuntaro didn’t even notice as a young women rushed onto the scene. He was busy crying for Zenitsu and watching what could be his final moments. This was the one time where the sparrow wished he was human so he could save Zenitsu.

He helplessly watched as the demon picked Zenitsu up by his throat and lifted him from the ground. “Die demon slayer!” he laughed.

The next thing Chuntaro knew, the demon had disintegrated in a flash of pink and ash. Zenitsu’s body dropped to the forest floor and the bird flew down by his side. “Please don’t die!” he cried over and over and over. Suddenly he felt himself being picked up by gentle hands and he was face to face with a beautiful raven haired woman. He stopped crying instantly as he stared into her blue eyes with awe and confusion. She smiled at him, “Don’t worry little sparrow,” she said to him, “I’m going to save him, you can rest easy now.” and she tapped his head with her finger and set him back down. He could only watch in awe as she quickly set to work closing aiding him.

“Who is this girl?” He had never seen her before. She was definitely someone he would never forget.

He almost didn’t hear the gasp she let out and he focused on Zenitsu. He noticed that he had stopped breathing and began panicking again. “Please save him, lady!” he cried out knowing that she couldn’t understand him, but still, he begged her to save him.

Chuntaro felt himself freeze when he saw her lean down and put her mouth on his. “What are you doing kissing him like that!” he was angered by her actions,”You’re supposed to be saving him not kissing him!” he wanted to peck her.

But then she started pressing down on his chest and she repeated both these actions for what seemed like an eternity.

“That was a close call, little Sparrow,” she let out a nervous laugh. Chuntaro was still a little mad at her, but his anger soon melted into astonishment as she placed her hands over his stomach and began to glow. “Is she even human?” he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the glow. He watched as the bleeding stopped all together and slowly.

“Little Sparrow,” she didn’t look up from her task, “I know you’re associated with the Demon Slayer Corps,” He tensed, now THAT caught his attention, “I must insist you keep everything you saw a secret.” when Chuntaro looked up, she was staring right at him. Right into his very core.

He didn’t know what her reasons for wanting all of what he witnessed a secret, but he was sure she had her reasons. “I suppose since you saved his life I will keep it a secret for you! As thanks.” To her, his response was a squeak.

#rengokukyoujorou #kyojuro rengoku #kimetsu no yaiba rengoku #anime #anime crossover #crossover #inuyasha #kagome higurashi #Rengoku x Kagome #Rengoku Kyojuro x Kagome Higurashi #Kagome Higurashi #kimetsu no yaiba #anime writing blog #writing #inuyasha crossover

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rggtattoos · 2 years

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李文海, Lee Wen Hai

関羽と龍 - Guan Yu and Dragons

Type: Full

Note: Lee's back and chest tattoo sections are never revealed in game. Only the two dragons are ever fully visable, though in the mahjong parlor the edge of the pearl on his chest can be seen.

Features:

Guan Yu - Also known as Guandi, Guan Gong, or Wudi. A Chinese historical figure who was canonized as a god of war during the Ming dynasty. He appears as a character in the famous Chinese novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms." He is a heroic figure, whose control over evil spirits is so great that it is believed even actors who play his part in dramas share his power over demons.

One of China’s best-known stories tells how he became one of the Three Brothers of the Peach Orchard. Liu Bei, a maker of straw sandals, intervened in a fight that was brewing between Guan Yu and a prosperous butcher named Zhang Fei. The three became friends and swore oaths of undying loyalty that they faithfully observed until death.

Another story tells of Guan Yu coming to the rescue of a young girl abducted by a magistrate. Guan Yu killed the man and after fleeing for his life, came upon a guarded barrier. Suddenly his face changed to a reddish hue, and Guan Yu was able to pass unrecognized. He is often depicted with red skin in reference to this story.

Imperial Dragons - Eastern dragons are powerful and fearsome, but mostly benevolent creatures known to protect temples and help and reward virtuous people. In China, they are associated with the element of wood, but also control weather and water.

The Imperial Chinese Dragon is identifiable by its 5-clawed feet (as opposed to the normal Chinese dragon's 4 claws or Japanese 3 claws). Dragons represent the emperor and how a good ruler must be just and look out for the good of their subjects.

Red - energy, vitality, heat, and power. In China red is a lucky color associated with happiness, celebration and fertility. It is the color of the fire element, and is said to ward off evil.

Blue - calmness, stability, purity, cleanliness, passivity and fidelity. In China Blue is associated with the wood element and also symbolizes spring, immortality and advancement. The Blue/Azure dragon is the ruler of the eastern sky in both Japan and China.

Pearl - Eastern Dragons are often depicted carrying a pearl, sometimes clutched in its claws or beneath the neck. While the exact origin of the pearl is unknown, it has come to represent the dragon’s authority, the moon, the sun, and control of water.

Peonies - good fortune, wealth, nobility, bravery, and honor. Red peonies are associated with Imperial China and signify authority.

Clouds - The heavens, the realm of the gods and admiration of nature.

Flames - Passion, Energy, desire, movement

#wen hai lee #yakuza #ryu ga gotoku #yakuza games #yakuza 0 #tattoos #irezumi #dragon #peonies #clouds #flames #guan yu #like a dragon

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ker4unos · 2 years

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Media & Mythos #2 - Renamon

The fox spirit is one of the most prolific creatures in the mythology and folklore of the Sinosphere, or the culture of China and the areas surrounding it, like Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. This legendary creature has persisted even in the modern day, and thus, has manifested into many pop culture depictions. Some of the more eminent depictions are Ninetales from the Pokemon series, Ninetails from Ōkami, and, the example that most exemplifies the extensive myth of the fox, Renamon and its digi-volution line from the Digimon series.

This writing is going to be put underneath a ‘read more’ due to its length.

To preface, one must acquaint themselves with the true nature of the fox and how far it has been spread. One idea that many people have is the superficial thought that the Japanese ‘invented’ the kitsune, or that the myth originated with them. However, the myth actually came from China, who called the fox spirit huli jing or, earlier, “hujing”. This Chinese myth most likely spread to Japan in the 8th century C.E. via trading merchants.

Another idea that many people believe is that the fox spirit was always a malicious or mischievous force. However, that is far from the case. The Nihon Shoki, a Japanese text written in 720 C.E., described the fox spirit as an auspice of good fortune. The kitsune then became associated with Inari, the Shinto kami of rice. Still, there is much debate on the true nature of the fox in East Asian folklore, so much so that there may be no overarching goal to the fox spirit.

“[Foxes] vary in their characters and motives just as much as people do, as becomes evident in the wide range of accounts of fox-human interactions. Fox-spirits are so plentiful that they and humans commonly become friends, cohabit the same house and even marry.” (Martin Wallen’s Fox)

Many posit that the fox represents the divide between civility and wilderness, between convention and unorthodoxy. In truth, the fox is a wily creature that cannot be defined as good or bad, only as it is.

Renamon and its digi-volution path are representative of this variation of the behavior of the folkloric fox. If you are unfamiliar with Digimon, then it is important to note that Renamon’s evolutions branch out into two paths - the “virtuous” line that starts with Kyubimon and the “evil” line that starts with Youkomon. More information on Renamon and its differing forms can be found here.

Starting with the Fresh form, Relemon, the myth of the kitsune is present even in its undeveloped character. It is noted to be nocturnal and shy, coming out only during the night. It is said that it could shapeshift into anything in order to defend itself. However, it could never conceal its tell-tale tail. This lines up with the legends of the kitsune, whom could shapeshift but used their powers to mainly transform into humans. They would assume the roles of people, usually taking the form of a beautiful woman in order to seduce men. However, one part of their body that they could not hide was the vulpine tail.

“Travellers at night who are solicited by a beautiful woman are probably being ensorcelled by a fox. The only way to find the truth is to observe whether the lady has a tail - the only part of its anatomy the animal is unable to transform.” (Michael Ashkenazy’s Handbook of Japanese Mythology)

Kitsune transformation stories are incredibly numerous among the body of Japanese lore, from the story of Abe no Seimei to the exploits of the famed Yoshitsune.

Viximon is the In-Training form of Renamon, still with a rotund and globular form but now donning stubby legs and pointed ears. Like its former form, it is noted to be incredibly shy, to the point that it is considered an illusion. However, it can be lured out if you set out a plate of fried tofu. Fried tofu, or abura-age, is a favorite food of kitsune.

Viximon has an attack titled “Killing Stone,” or Sesshō-seki, where it changes into a stone that spouts poisonous gas. This is directly based off of the legend of Tamamo-no-Mae, one of the most infamous depictions of the kitsune. The vixen’s characteristics have changed throughout the centuries, due to her everlasting popularity as a classical subject for art and writing, but she is most commonly portrayed as a power-hungry schemer. However, in the 1653 (C.E.) text Tamamo no sōshi, she is portrayed as a rueful and submissive character who wants Buddhahood above all. It is in this text that the Sesshō-seki also originates.

“While the first two texts are relatively similar, the third text, Tamamo no sōshi, published by Nishida Shōhei in 1653, contains an addendum to the original story: an account of Tamamo no mae’s spirit embedding itself into a rock on the plains of Nasu after her death. This stone is said to have become dangerous, emitting poisonous gas to kill every living thing that came near. It was thus that the legend of the Sesshōseki, or the “killing stone,” came into being.” (Ian Stuart Ferguson’s The Evolution of a Legend - A Comparison of the Character of Tamamo no mae Portrayed in Muromachi Period Otogizōshi and in the Late-Edo Vendetta Tale, Itoguruma kyūbi no kitsune (The Spinning Wheel and the Nine-Tailed Fox))

After her death, a Zen priest named Gennō finds the stone, where he is approached by the spirit of Tamamo no Mae. Tamamo no Mae tells the priest of her strife, and, taking pity on the fox, Gennō frees the spirit by exorcising her. He splits the Sesshō-seki and allows her to be at peace. Tamamo no sōshi is, notably, one of the only texts that describe her in this way, as the popular notion is that she is a devious fox who desires power. Still, her tale, told time and time again, is one of the many ways the fox spirit pervades irrelevance.

Renamon is a Rookie form Digimon that takes the form of an anthropomorphic golden fox. The fact that it is golden is quite significant in the lore of the Japanese fox, for that is the color that a fox achieves when it turns one thousand years old. In East Asian myth, there are many cases of animals transcending past their natural lifespan, living hundreds of years as an “enlightened” beast. In the fox’s case, a fox grows another tail for every catastrophe that he survives. This “catastrophe” occurs every 100 years, but not every fox makes it through this trial - in fact, the number of nine-tailed foxes are very small.

"...[I]f he is not caught by the Heavenly Court, nor killed by the human cultivators, after 100 years, the nine-tailed spirit fox will become a thousand-year-old celestial fox and officially obtain the canonization of the Heavenly Court and obtain the Immortal Rank.” (”How long does it take for a fox to become a spirit, how can it be cultivated into a spirit fox and a celestial fox?”)

In this legend, it is clear that the fox is seen as a holy animal that is capable of enlightenment, rather than a malicious creature than spreads misfortune and deceives humans. In Chinese myth, there are a few stories of the fox abusing his celestial power for evil, but for the most part, they are seen as forces of benevolence, or, at the very least, of sanctity.

There are several references to Renamon’s inspirations in the attacks that it uses. For example, the attack “Power Paw” (Japanese: Tōhakken) is a reference to the Japanese sansukumi-ken (East Asian hand game that uses three different hand gestures) known by many names, including kitsune-ken (fox-ken), zaigō-ken (village-ken) and Tōhachi-ken. Like many of the similar sansukumi-ken games, kitsune-ken concerns a triangle of characters that are either weak or strong to the other.

“In this ken the fox (kitsune), an animal with supernatural powers, defeats the village head (shōya, nanushi) who is superior to the hunter or gun (karyūdo, ryōshi, teppō). The hunter can of course shoot a fox, and the sansukumi circle is closed.” (Sepp Linhart’s The Culture of Japan as Seen through Its Leisure.)

In this game, the kitsune is seen as a powerful and malevolent force that takes down the village head. However, it can still be bested by mortal weapons, and thus, is shot by the hunter’s gun. Like the sansukumi-ken games, Renamon often utilizes its hands (and feet) in its attacks, in a form of martial arts. Unlike the depiction of the fox in kitsune-ken, Renamon has a calm and collected personality, which fits the archetype of the disciplined warrior that it seems to embody. It should also be noted that Renamon’s Attribute is Data, which serves as a sort of neutral ground between the Vaccine (Good) and Virus (Evil) Attributes.

From this, Renamon’s digi-volution can take two paths. The first is Kyubimon, or the quadrupedal Champion form that shares Renamon’s golden coloration. This form has nine tails instead of Renamon’s one, which ties into the longevity myth that was stated above. It is feared as a harbinger of destruction, but in ancient times, it brought peace. One thing to note is the yin-yang symbols upon Kyubimon’s body that can also be seen on many of Renamon’s other digi-volutions. This symbol originates in China, though has been spread around to other Sinospheric cultures such as Japan. It symbolizes the balance between two opposing sides, the harmony between light and dark. In Chinese myth, foxes are often seen as creatures of the yin, so much so that they worship the moon that the yin is associated with.

“Everyone knows that foxes are yin and need a lot of moon essence. Only the yin qi can be cultivated, so many movies and TV dramas have scenes of foxes worshiping the moon.“ (”How long does it take for a fox to become a spirit, how can it be cultivated into a spirit fox and a celestial fox?”)

Notably, it is surrounded with ghostly purplish flames. These are likely a reference to the kitsunebi, or an atmospheric ghost light that can be seen in the Okinawa Prefecture. It is said that every fox in the Kantō region gathers on the Ōmisoka (Japanese festival that is held on the last day of the year) and visit the Ōji Inari shrine. The kitsunebi would follow in a spectacle, and many would count the ghostly flames to predict a good or bad harvest.

Kyubimon may also be a reference to the “Sky Fox,” or the amatsu-kitsune (which roughly translates to “heavenly fox”). In the Edo period, the amatsu-kitsune were considered to be the most powerful of all foxes. The Sky Fox was considered a messenger of the kami Inari Ōkami.

As mentioned before, Renamon has two paths of digi-volution. Its other Champion form, Youkomon, has a very similar appearance to Kyubimon, though it is colored purple instead of golden, and its flames are orange instead of purple. Unlike Kyubimon, it is a beast that brings nothing but destruction in its wake. Youkomon is a reference to the bewitching and evil nature that the kitsune has taken in Japanese spirituality, especially in later eras.

Kyubimon is able to digivolve into the Ultimate form Taomon. This time, it takes the form of an anthropomorphic fox with clothing. It is noted to be proficient in magic, attacking with spells and talismans. Most curiously, it uses the art of onmyōdō, which is a Japanese magic system that is based on Chinese Taoist beliefs - namely, the yin-and-yang and wuxing (the five elements) system.

Taomon is likely based on Abe no Seimei, one of the most prolific onmyōji (practitioner of onmyōdō) in Japanese history. In legends, Abe no Seimei is said to be half-fox, with his mother Kuzu-no-ha being the fox. In Abe no Seimei Monogatari, Abe no Seimei’s father, known as Abe no Yasuna, met a fox near Shinoda Forest.

“A beautiful woman suddenly appears at his house and asks him to marry her. She bears Dōji and assiduously helps with the farming, bringing prosperity to the home. Then one summer day she writes a poem on the shōji and vanishes.” (Janet E. Goff’s Conjuring Kuzunoha from the World of Abe no Seimei)

This half-fox heritage gave Seimei heightened magical ability, including the power to command demons and speak the language of animals. This, along with many other Japanese legends concerning vulpine blood, view the fox as a source of divine power or potential for sorcery.

Taomon’s more “evil” counterpart, Doumon, is most likely inspired by Ashiya Dōman. Like Taomon, it is proficient in magic, attacking with spells and amulets. Unlike Taomon, it specializes more in “black magic,” using curses and assassinations. Dōman is portrayed as Seimei’s ultimate rival in onmyōdō in multiple texts. Multiple kabuki plays concerning Seimei and Dōman end in a great competition of magic, with Seimei coming out victorious in the end.

Dōman is certainly not as popular as the heroic Seimei, and thus, not much is known about him. He is seen as a foil to Seimei - every hero needs his nemesis, after all. However, Ashiya Dōman Ōuchi Kagami, a prominent puppet play written by Izumo Takeda I, features Dōman’s name in the title. The title of this play roughly translates to “The mirror of the [Imperial] court in Ashiya Dōman’s time.” Despite Dōman’s name being in the title, the play focuses more on the story of Kuzu-no-ha and her son Abe no Seimei.

For its final digi-volution, Taomon can turn into Sakuyamon, a humanoid Digimon donning golden armor that heavily resembles its predecessors. Bearing the same proficiency with magic that its previous forms did, it is able to summon kuda-kitsune, which roughly translates to “tube fox” due to its small size. These kuda-kitsune can be seen as Sakuyamon’s shikigami, or the ghosts that an onmyōji can summon and command to do their bidding.

Sakuyamon’s name is based on the story of Konohanasakuya-hime. Konohanasakuya-hime (who is not explicitly named as such in this telling of the tale) is the main heroine of Yosoji’s Camellia Tree. She is none other than the great kami of Mount Fuji. The story takes place during the reign of Emperor Go Ichijo, which had been remarked as a time of great strife for the throne. Wars and fires raged through the land. In 1025 C.E., a large outbreak of smallpox ravaged Japan. From this dreadful backdrop comes a story of hope, however.

In the small village of Kamiide, a young man named Yosoji endeavored to help his mother, who had been stricken with smallpox. With his father dead, it was Yosoji’s responsibility to care for her. In desperation, Yosoji approached the magician named Kamo Yamakiko. Yamakiko instructed the boy to travel to the southwest side of Mount Fuji, where a shrine dedicated to Oki-naga-suku-neo (roughly translating to the Kami of Long Breaths) is located. By the shrine, there was a river that could cure his mother of her sickness.

As he ventured to this shrine, Yosoji came across a path forked into three. A fair lady of white then approached him and led him to the river. Yosoji gathered the healing water from the river, and the woman led him away, telling him that it would be unwise for him to be there at night. Yosoji gave his mother the water, and she was cured the very next day. He returned to that river five times, giving the water to all of the villagers of Kamiide.

To express his gratitude, Yosoji ventured to the same forked path at night, and, upon not seeing the fair lady in white, went deeper into the forest. However, when he came to the river, he found that the river had dried up. Still, he thanked the woman who had saved his mother and his village. When the woman came to greet him, Yosoji asked what her name is so that he could truly express his gratitude. So, the woman showed him who she truly was.

“The beautiful maiden swung a wild camellia branch over her head as if with a beckoning motion, and a cloud came down from the top of the Mount Fuji, enveloping her at first in mist. It then arose, showing her figure to the weeping Yosoji, who now began to realise that he loved the departing figure, and that it was no less a figure than that of the great Goddess of Fujiyama.” (Yosoji’s Camellia Tree)

The goddess gifted Yosoji that wild camellia branch, and he planted it and cared for it. And thus, a place of worship for Oki-naga-suku-neo was erected, and the dew from this tree’s leaves are said to be able to cure all afflictions of the eye. Sakuyamon seems not to have much connection to Konohanasakuya-hime, aside from Sakuyamon’s divine nature and goddess-like temperament. Perhaps it is more akin to Yosoji, as Sakuyamon is said to act as a shrine maiden and thus, an agent of divine will.

In the fashion that Taomon and Kyubimon follow, Sakuyamon also has an “evil” counterpart: Kuzuhamon. Kuzuhamon looks identical to Sakuyamon, save for the darker skin and purple-colored armor. Only a small amount of Taomon and Doumon are able to ascend to become Sakuyamon, and all of the others just become the “lesser” Kuzuhamon. This is, perhaps, another reference to the amatsu-kitsune. Only a small amount of foxes ever truly reach this sort of “godhood.”

Curiously, Kuzuhamon also wields, alongside the arts of onmyōdō and Shinto magic, the knowledge of Shugendō. Shugendō is a relatively new, still-alive tradition that was heavily influenced by the arrival of Buddhism and Taoism from China and the already-prevalent Shintoism. Practitioners are called shugenja, and they mainly live within the mountains of Japan. Like onmyōdō, it is a practice of religious magic.

Shugendō encompasses a wide variety of activities, from fortune telling to divination. One of these activities are the exorcism of ghosts, or tsukimono otoshi. This type of exorcism focuses on healing ailments and illnesses, believing an evil spirit to be the cause of it. These spirits, or tsukimono, are able to be controlled by the shugenja.

“There are some cases of possession, however, which cannot be resolved through ceremonies of tsukimono otoshi and require the more demanding ritual of exorcism called chōbuku (”subduing” of spirits). An example of this ritual is the kuji (”nine letters”) ceremony which utilizes nine mudras and nine formulas to draw on the power of supernatural deities.” (Miyake Hitoshi’s Religious Rituals in Shugendo: A Summary)

Chōbuku is based on Taoist practices, yet it is one of the most important practices in Shugendō. This fact directly links to one of Kuzuhamon’s attacks: Taizoukai Mandala, which translates to “Womb Realm Mandala.” In this, Kuzuhamon creates a purifying barrier with its staff, exorcising any evil spirits. It is unclear if Kuzuhamon draws any power from the gods, but shugenja believe that they are doing so when they perform their rituals.

Kuzuhamon’s name is also a play on another famous fox spirit, and one that has already been mentioned here before. It is a reference to Kuzu-no-ha, and her story is told in Ashiya Dōman Ōuchi Kagami. She is the mother of Abe no Seimei, the prolific magician. However, she must leave him, for she is a messenger of the gods ad she cannot have any close contact with humans. In a display of compassion (that so many seem to believe that the fox lacks), she promises to always watch over Seimei.

Her story is so grand that there is a shrine dedicated to her in the Osaka Prefecture’s Izumi. This shrine is said to be the place where she departed from her son and wrote her parting poem.

“If you love me, darling, come and see me. You will find me yonder in the great wood, of Shinoda of Izumi Province where the leaves, of arrowroots always rustle in pensive mood." (Kiyoshi Nozaki’s Kitsune: Japan's Fox of Mystery, Romance & Humor)

Kuzu-no-ha’s shrine and the surrounding areas have been designated a place of great historical significance. Despite the many stories of the kitsune’s wrongdoings, it is clear that the people of Japan still venerate the fox spirit as a symbol of the celestial and the almost-saintly.

The kitsune are an important creature in the mythology and folklore of Japan as well as other countries such as China, Vietnam, and Korea. Even in the 21st century does the past reflect into popular culture, with stories of the kitsune’s exploits bleeding into many forms of media. Renamon and its forms are simply one of many references to the kitsune, and a testament to the versatility of the fox spirit.

#original content #japan #east asian #renamon #digimon #whoops i was planning for this kind of thing to be at least biweekly but then life happened #also trying to write like a blog post because that's what i'm going try make this sort of thing similar to #hoping ill get the hang of it / make the writing seem less stiff as i write more

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