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Talking about the different Japanese folklore, shinto symbols and mythology in anime. Starting from “What is Shinto”, we look at the most common shinto symbols we have noticed in anime including, trees, mountains, Torii, Miko, Tengu, Tanuki etc.
アニメのさまざまな日本の民間伝承と神道の象徴について話します。 「神道とは」から始めて、木、山、鳥居、巫女、天狗、たぬきなど、アニメで私たちが気づいた最も一般的な神道のシンボルを見ていきます。
Japanese Mythology Anime
Anime has a close relationship with Japanese mythology. Anime can be traced back to the traditional Japanese art and forms such as Kamishibai. It became more popular around the world in the late twentieth century and by the 2000s had evolved into a greater cultural phenomenon.
In Japansese mythology there are many gods, goddesses, demons and monsters that have been depicted throughout time through different mediums such as paintings on scrolls or silk screens on sliding doors.
Anime’s use of symbolism is a reflection of the Japanese Buddhist and Shinto religions. The traditional themes in anime are destruction, rebirth, death and reincarnation. Anime often deals with morality issues such as the consequences of violence, the rightfulness of revenge and struggling against destiny.
Mythology Anime Mentioned in Podcast
もののけ姫 Princess Mononoke
天空の城ラピュータ Laputa Castle In The Sky
ぽんぽこ Pom Poko
トトロ My Neighbor Totoro
千と千尋の神隠し Spirited Away
天気の子 weathering With You
有頂天家族 The Eccentric Family
犬夜叉 Inuyasha
かぐや姫 The Tale of Princess Kaguya
鬼滅の刃 Demon Slayer
くまみこ Kuma Miko: Girl Meets Bear
デスノート Death Note
君の名は Your Name
我が家のお稲荷様 Our Home’s Fox Deity
ググれコックリさん Gugure Kokkuri-san
温泉幼精ハコネちゃん Onsen Yosei Hakone-Chan
繰繰れ! コックリさん Gugure Kokkuri-San
有頂天家族 The Eccentric Family
境界のRinne Kyoukai no Rinne
神無月の巫女 Kannazuki no Miko
Japanese Mythology Topics Covered in Talk
00:00:00 intro
00:01:30 What is Shinto?
00:02:15 Connection between shinto and buddhism
00:10:50 What does “Do you believe in god mean?”
00:15:40 What is the difference between in yokai and kami?
00:19:21 Miko 巫女
00:24:55 Princesses 姫
00:30:50 Dolls & Robots 人形とロボット
00:34:04 Rocks 石
00:35:00 念 Unfinished business
00:36:00 Wells & Sarayashiki 井戸と皿屋敷
00:37:45 Wells & Inuyasha 井戸と犬夜叉
00:42:15 Trees 木
00:44:20 Mountains 山
00:46:05 Tanuki たぬき
00:47:20 Ghibli, Miyazaki, environmentalism & Shinto
00:54:00 Foxes 狐
00:55:25 Deer 鹿
00:57:00 Crows カラス
01:01:00 Frogs カエル
01:06:00 Torii 鳥居
01:16:20 Christian imagery
See our list of the top 25 Shinto Anime .
And discussion of Shinto symbols and their meanings here.
