#japanese zodiac

[talesofedo]

Shinsengumi Japanese zodiac.

(I used a Zodiac calculator to figure out the zodiac for each person based on their birthday, and pulled info about the zodiac traits from two different websites.)

Kondo Isami (9 Nov 1834)

Horse 午. Horses are cheerful, sociable, and decisive. They are also versatile and excel in many fields, but tend to get bored easily and leave things unfinished. They do not like to work for other people because they appreciate their freedom. They never let opportunities pass, although sometimes they tend to be a bit imprudent. They exhibit a vain streak and are big spenders. Horses are skillful in paying compliments, likely to get into trouble for a slip of the tongue, and quick to catch on to a trend.

Hijikata Toshizo (31 May 1835)

Sheep 未. Sheep are caring, considerate, sympathetic, and cherish friendship. They always seek out other people. They are endowed with artistic talent, and are passionate in whatever they do and believe in. They are also noble and generous. However, they can be sensitive and tend to worry unnecessarily over small matters. Sheep are keen to learn new things, always complaining, and often suffer from insomnia.

Sannan Keisuke (5 Feb 1833)

Snake 巳. Snakes are deep thinkers, great observers, and possess tremendous wisdom. Snakes think things through before speaking. They do not like conflicts, and get along with anyone. However, their tendency to avoid conflict can put them under considerable stress. They can be overly logical, distrustful, or jealous. Snakes are fortunate in money matters, have introverted natures and are sometimes not good at expressing themselves. Snakes take failures very personally.

Okita Soji (8 July 1842)

Tiger 寅. Tigers are proud, courageous, and generous. Being decisive and quick-witted, they are potentially great leaders. They are very competitive; they don't give up, and they really like the feeling of winning. On the negative side, they do not like to follow orders, can cause interpersonal friction with others, and can impulsively act on their emotions. Tigers do not make plans, sometimes fail due to overconfidence, and have great sympathy for those they are close to and love.

Saito Hajime (18 Feb 1844)

Dragon 辰. Dragons are energetic, brave, honest, and can inspire trust in almost everyone. They are ambitious in their self-improvement, charismatic, and confident. However, they are also short-tempered and very competitive, so they tend to have as many enemies as friends. Dragons work better as individuals than in groups and speak their mind without reservations. They always help the weak.

... And for good measure, the zodiac for Okada Izo as well, since he's kind of taken over my tumblr.

Okada Izo (14 Feb 1838)

Dog 戌. Dogs are patient, strong-willed, and honest. They have a strong sense of duty and loyalty, and always strive to succeed. They are the protectors of their family and friends. However, they are also very stubborn, and do not like to admit their own faults. Dogs tend to easily get into negatives thoughts, but they can be trusted with secrets and inspire confidence in others.

[kyotodreamtrips]

Getting Ready For The Year Of The “Dragon” In Kyoto.

[ne597716]

進撃のAirsoft

🐰Attacker🐲Commander🐔Gunner

[that-cunning-witch]

Does anyone have any resources for Japanese folk magic?

TLDR: I haven’t been able to find much about the folk practices of Japan and I don’t have a lot of sources due to both adoption and failed internet research as of the time of writing this. Any help would be appreciated. :^)

I know such a concept may not even exist but I don’t know what else to call it. I may only be 1/4th Japanese but I still want to incorporate that part of my ethnicity into my practice.

What did the Japanese do that we would refer to as magic or witchcraft nowadays? I know there’s Buddhism and Shintoism, but I want to go beyond that.

What superstitions did they believe in? Any traditions? What plants were sacred and frequently used? 

I know Japan took a lot of beliefs and systems from China, but they still have their differences. It doesn’t feel right to just look at what China did and use that. That’s Chinese folk magic, not Japanese. Similar, but still different.

All I know after the research I’ve done so far is the bare basics of Shintoism, some kamis, and that the Japanese zodiac replaces the pig with the boar. Also the idea of Yin and Yang, although there’s way more Chinese information about it than Japanese information that I’ve been able to find at the moment. And that’s it. That’s all I’ve been able to find so far.

I’m clearly not looking in the right places. Can anyone point me in the right direction, please?

And before it’s mentioned, no, I can’t ask my family members. My father is the only other related person I know with the Japanese lineage. He was adopted, so I have no idea who my biological grandmother is and how to find her. And when she gave my father up for adoption, she chose to not have her contact info be released, so there’s no way to find her because she didn’t want to be found.

[lilyginnyblackv2]

Hey, TaiBani fans! Now that the characters have Zodiac Years associated with them, what year are you? I’m Year of the Horse! <3

[chibustuff]

🐯干支の引き継ぎ🐰

the handover of japanese zodiac

世界一遅いあけおめを言わせていただきます♥️

i would say so late happy new year♥️

[bo-tan3]

巳の兄、酉の教育係。一人称が私の医者。そして首長の使い走り。

笑顔振りまいたりしないので子供に怖がられるのが悩みで、いつも飴ちゃん持ってる。真顔飴配りおじさん。

代々首長に仕える医者の家系で、異能の発現を恐れた親族が棄児等々…てのが多々あり、そういう子たちを保護管理するために孤児院も運営してる。（異能が使えるのは十二支と長である干支のみ。）

身元確認を秘密裏にされて発現待ちさてるのを本人は知らない。孤児院組の人生を弄んでる感すごい…。でもそうしないと血が絶えてしまうから仕方ないね。

えのととうはつ（未発現）の組織としての初仕事は寅酉兄妹のお迎え。首長の世代交代後と辰の世代交代に向けての勉強。25年前（首→12歳、寅→18歳、辰→16歳）数字で見ると恐怖を感じる。

三節棍の先は槌に変更可能。前線時代は真顔で頭蓋骨粉砕したりで敵への殺意増々だったけど、今は救護側なので戦闘許可が降りない限り殺意は出さない。鎚は基本障害物を壊したりするためのアタッチメント、そもそも鎚が無くても煉瓦を粉砕出来る武器なので。

一応異能の一つとして呪術で治癒出来るけど、命の対価が必要になるので負傷者が多そうな時は自分で採血したのを携帯してる。直接かけるわけじゃないよﾊﾞｯﾁｲ。

↓はこのうはつを元にした創作武将の辰ちゃんの絵とか昔描いたうはつ。

Xに投げた辰ちゃんこと季辰の設定画。

←は7年前にお絵かきBBSで描いた若い頃と、→が9年前に同じくお絵かきBBSで描いた超絶落描きの謎ポーズうはつ。

こうやって見ると似てるけど似てないな。��か似てるのジト目と髪型だけか。

創作ちゃんたちの衣装がチャイナっぽいのは確実にこの子のせいではある。元々和服だったのに手が勝手にチャイナにしちゃうから諦めてチャイナにした。まぁ辰ちゃんは一応チベットの民族衣装だけども。

また10年後とかに気に入らねぇだせぇとか言って描き直すのかもしれない、そしてその時に嵌ってる衣装になるのでしょう。

…とても中身が無いなぁ。全員描き終わったら世界観と一緒に抜け落ちてる設定書こう。ふさの設定然り、見返すと結構抜け落ちてるもの。

うぐぐ。

[daily-dragon-drawing]

curry dragon?

#139 - 咖哩飯 (gālí fàn / curry rice) - Just enjoying a nice warm broth...I mean bath! 🍛

[the-evil-clergyman]

Rabbit Dumplings, from the series Twelve Comical Signs of the Zodiac by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1841)

[gentlepartofme]

[mmmaaa000]

2023ꪔ̤̮‪ꪔ̤̮‪ꪔ̤̮ꪔ̤̮‪

[raitokagami]

New Year's Greeting 2023🐇

[kyotodreamtrips]

Shimogamo Shrine in the North of Kyoto is a special place. The Dragon ema is always special.

[kathybluecaller]

I just think they’re neat :]

[wanderersrest]

Some (More, but Actual) Context For G Gundam

Content Warning: Casual mentions of genocide due to the fact that this is a post covering real world events that happened before and during the airing of Mobile Fighter G Gundam in Japan. Reader discretion is advised.

Also, shout outs to Secret Galaxy, whose video on G Gundam helped a bit with some of the juicy context.

So I know I said I'd be talking about G Gundam. I will, but I still need to set the scenery a bit before I actually talk about G Gundam proper. Give you some context, because it'll help when it comes time to understand what was going on with G Gundam. Think of me as Stalker, setting up the scene at the beginning of every episode of G Gundam.

So with that, Context Fight! Ready, GO!!!

Sunrise, Bandai, and Victory Gundam

(Fun fact for the Gintama heads out there: Victory Gundam protagonist Usso Ewin is voiced by Daisuke Sakaguchi. In other words, Usso shares a voice actor with a sentient pair of glasses Shinpachi)

I figure a good place to start with all of this CONTEXT is start with what is going on at Sunrise, the anime company that produces and makes the Gundam anime series. Let's just say I didn't pick this gif of Usso out of the blue. During the run of the previous Gundam series, Mobile Suit Victory Gundam, Sunrise would be bought out by toymaker Bandai. And as they are the new bosses in town, Bandai started making demands. A lot of demands. So much so that series creator Yoshiyuki Tomino left the series once Victory Gundam wrapped up its run due to the amount of meddling Bandai was causing. So now, Bandai is in control of a franchise but lacking one of the main creative forces behind this iconic franchise. They also have a new idea for a new Gundam series, and they would prefer someone who is more compliant with their changes. Fortunately for Bandai, they would tap someone who had worked with Tomino on multiple projects together.

Enter Yasuhiro Imagawa

Bandai taps Yasuhiro Imagawa to direct this new Gundam series, as a move to get someone who may be more compliant to their whims. After all, Imagawa's only major projects as a director at this point are Ajikko-san and a couple of episodes of the Giant Robo OVA (a series I plan on watching eventually). There's just one problem: Imagawa worked under Tomino on a handful of projects, namely Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. So Imagawa kinda knows what Gundam's all about, especially since his focus was on storyboarding. If anything, he was just as put off on the idea as most Gundam fans at the time were, going so far as to try and come up with some ridiculous mecha designs that would flummox the people at Bandai. Imagawa would fail, but he would learn that it might be best to work with Bandai in order to make this Gundam series. Imagawa would begin work on a series that would, on the outside, be a radical departure from what Gundam was.

(Read in Susumu Chiba's voice) Stand up, Boy! Stand up and FIGHT!!!!

So you've probably gotten to this point and asked: "Why a tournament arc though?" And I will preface my answer with this: I'm not super-certain if the timeline lines up as well in my head, so if anyone can correct me on this, feel free to comment or message me on this if I'm wrong.

My answer is that there are two series responsible for this: Dragon Ball and Street Fighter. See, Dragon Ball Z would also be airing around this time, and if I'm thinking correctly, it should be airing around the time of the Cell Games arc (I think; Again, please correct me if I'm wrong). And remember, Dragon Ball is one of, if not the, most influential shounen battle series of all time. Add onto that the sudden success of Capcom's Street Fighter with the release of Street Fighter II and its colorful cast of characters from various nations with colorful attacks, and you can definitely see why Bandai would want to get in on the trend.

Would it surprise you if I told you that one of the more influential series for G Gundam was also Saint Seiya (or Knights of the Zodiac for those more familiar with its western name), specifically when it comes to the concept of the golden super mode. I also would not be surprised if Saint Seiya was also the reason for the majority of the Shuffle Alliance members being HOT MEN. Then again, Gundam's success was kickstarted thanks to women, so it may also be a treat for the ladies.

What's Going On in the World (1994 Edition)

So enough about Shonen Jump series and Street Fighter. What about the rest of the world? As we all know, media is informed by the world events that unfold as it's being made, and G Gundam is no exception. And while not all of these events happen before the series starts to air, they do, in my opinion, help to either inform or reinforce the ideas and themes present in Mobile Fighter G Gundam. I won't say what those themes and ideas are in this video, but here's an incomplete list of what is going on in the world before and during G Gundam's run:

The Japanese economic bubble bursts in 1992.

To reflect that, Patlabor 2 releases in theaters in 1993, best exemplifying the more pessimistic tones of post-bubble Japan by giving us a much colder and more cynical version of Patlabor that contrasts heavily to the more optimistic tone the series had prior to Patlabor 2.

Furthermore, a lot of western countries would be suffering from recessions at this point in the 90's. To put things into context for Americans, the economy is a large part of why Bill Clinton beat George H. W. Bush in the '92 Election.

In terms of entertainment, two extremely iconic series are still being worked on during G Gundam's airing: Pokemon and Neon Genesis Evangelion.

The general public is more aware of the climate than ever before, especially since it had been about 9-10 years since scientists discovered a hole in the ozone layer directly above Antarctica.

A week after G Gundam begins airing, the Rwandan Genocide begins in earnest.

Before their infamous Tokyo Subway Sarin attack, the cult Aum Shinrikyo would pull off a smaller scale Sarin attack in Matsumoto.

Just for fun: Magic Knight Rayearth airs in October of '94. In my mind, Rayearth acts as a sort of distaff counterpart to G Gundam due to their primary audiences.

And that's a wrap. I hope this more scattershot dive into some Context TM was interesting. This is going to be on the exam, as next time I will finally be talking about Mobile Fighter G Gundam

[japanwords]

Is it the Year of the Dragon... or the Year of the Loong?

When I was a kid my teacher read a Chinese folk tale about a boy who goes on an adventure with a dragon.

Being young and rather blunt-minded I couldn't help wondering why the dragon didn't just breathe fire on the boy and eat him. That's what dragons do, right?

Except of course it wasn't a dragon. Not in the European sense. It was an East Asian dragon, which is an entirely different beast, known in China as a 龍 loong.

Rather than being the murderous, fire-breathing villains of European legend, loong are viewed much more positively. They are thought to bring good luck. They are often painted on the ceilings of Japanese temples as protection against fire.

Perhaps 2024 should be considered the Year of the Loong.

You can read more in this article in the Hong Kong news website The Standard.

The above Dragon Loong calligraphy artwork is available for purchase on my Etsy shop here.

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