#Jigoku

[dailyworldcinema]

'地獄' Jigoku 1960 | dir. Nobuo Nakagawa

[velvetterabby]

Guys GUYS u need to listen to my favorite vocalo-p Iruma I'm so serious bro they're SO GOOD!!!! Been meaning to do fanart for this song forever but they released a new single for this song with 2 new tracks and they're so good and AAAAAAAAAAAAA (version without paint under the cut)

[yridenergyridenergy]

My hellish trip

Aside from the quite imperfect start that it had, I also tried to do as many hell-related things as possible during this trip to Japan, in honour of the tour being called: "Who is this hell for?"

Of course, I couldn't go to Sapporo and not visit Jigokudani (hell valley) in Noboribetsu. They compare the landscape to something out of this world, like from Mars, and the sulfuric fumes remind us of hell's flames. That being said, having been spoiled on sulfur sources in Iceland super recently, I wasn't that impressed, except that Noboribetsu's had way more colours than Iceland's.

Then, I was able to stop in Aomori to visit Towada Art Center. Ever since I saw photos of her works online, I'd dreamt of seeing one in person. The art exhibited all around and inside the center are also more than worthwhile, but yeah, I'm in love with Memory of Water:

(Hellish because... Those are not happy memories of water hahah.)

Next, I caught in extremis an exhibition on Louise Bourgeois, famous for her Mother spider sculptures, but who, it turns out, had a lot of parallels with Kyo's mentality, I find. And she once said:

Not sure if that was exhaustive, but in such a short time, I think I stuck to the theme as much as I could. I guess, as for my personal hell, I also visited an exhibition by a woodcarver who recreates very realistic food as painted wood, which a ton of food might as well be in my case since I can't partake in it. Hopefully the other visitors felt 1% of my frustration.

[sacredwhores]

Nobuo Nakagawa - Jigoku (1960)

[cinematicjourney]

Jigoku (1960) | dir. Nobuo Nakagawa

[duchampscigarette]

Nobuo Nakagawa - Jigoku (1960)

[aquamarine-v]

Cure Magazine - キズ KIZU feature (April 2020)

“I always thought that this world is hell.”

Kizu is set to release their latest single, "Jigoku" (Hell) on April 28. Previously, Lime mentioned that after releasing Kuroi Ame, he felt that he had "said everything he wanted to say." So, what led to the creation of this new song? We asked them about their thoughts at this moment.

For the members' safety, this interview was conducted online. Interview by— Atsuhiko Kamiya

Lime: Hello, hello! Is this your first online interview? This is the future of work, huh.

Yue: How do I turn the camera on?

Reiki: Am I visible?

Kyonosuke: Yeah, we can see you!

Interviewer: Let’s begin. You’re releasing "Jigoku" (Hell) at a time when the world itself feels like hell.

Lime: I never imagined things would turn out like this. The title was decided around December. But maybe because of the timing, there’s something about Jigoku that resonates even more now.

Reiki: Kizu hasn't changed at all. Though, I did move and basically became homeless for a while.

Yue: I've been working out, and my shoulders got bigger.

Kyonosuke: The only real change for me is that it’s harder to go to the studio for practice. But safety comes first now.

Lime: Alright, let’s talk about the song! (laughs) This time, I went back to the way I used to make music. No, wait, what does "went back" even mean? More like, I tried to return to the basics… No, that’s not it. Ugh, thinking from home makes my head even more messed up than usual (laughs).

Reiki: When Lime sent me the demo for Jigoku, I felt like "he wasn't thinking about anything at all."

Lime: That’s it.

Reiki: Not in the sense that he made it carelessly, but it felt like the sensibility of the empty Lime had come through. It shows his aggressive attitude, purely concentrated into a song.

Interviewer: Why did you feel "empty"?

Lime: After releasing Kuroi Ame, I really felt like I had said everything I wanted to say.

Interviewer: You once said, "I feel like Kizu was formed just to create this song."

Lime: Yeah, exactly. But then I realized, "Wait, I still have more to say." I’ve always thought that this world is hell. That feeling was the starting point for Jigoku.

Interviewer: So the world as you see it became the song?

Lime: That’s the only thing I can turn into music. There are so many different music genres out there, but I feel like the only thing I’m capable of expressing is negative emotions toward society. Every song I create always comes from that place. Jigoku was built entirely from negative emotions.

Interviewer: In the past, you’ve said, "Once I’ve said everything, I’ll quit the band without hesitation."

Lime: No, I can’t quit now. I don’t even think about quitting. In fact, in this current situation—where we can’t even perform live and band members are being frowned upon—it’s precisely because we live in a society like this that I feel even more driven to be active.

Interviewer: When you're told "You can't perform live," it just makes you want to do it more?

Lime: It's rock ’n’ roll to stay true to yourself, even under oppression, right? Of course, we’re cooperating with social restrictions. But you shouldn't bend your own heart, right? The lyrics of Jigoku are nothing but my true, raw feelings. That said, I feel like I discovered a new creative direction in the B-side tracks.

Reiki: Yeah, your lyric-writing style has changed. Especially in Mr. BIG MONSTER.

Lime: Honestly, people might only understand about 20-30% of it. (laughs) But that’s where I found my place.

Yue: It’s like you discovered a new version of yourself.

Kyonosuke: The words are lined up in a strange way, aren't they?

Lime: Yeah, and in a way, I started to see that as a form of art. Up until now, my lyrics were always message-driven, but I started wanting to add a layer of artistry, too. I mean, it might sound a bit "out of this world" (laughs) But that’s just the kind of person I am.

Interviewer: So you are someone who’s hard to understand?

Lime: Right. That’s why I used to try and explain myself carefully through lyrics. But... I stopped.

Interviewer: That’s a big change.

Lime: That was also because of Kuroi Ame. I couldn't think of any message for society beyond that song. So, I thought I’d shift towards lyrics that feel artistic instead.

Reiki: I really love Mr. BIG MONSTER. Especially the way it starts— "Teihen yokubou ÷ arukooru dosuu" (Bottom tier x desire ÷ alcohol content). I like how you stacked words with similar sounds, but they still connect meaningfully.

Interviewer: And the part where it says 'The irrationality you hate—fly' and 'Devouring loneliness'.

Reiki: Yeah, exactly. When I first heard the rough version, it kind of reminded me of Indian or traditional folk music.

Kyonosuke: Yeah, it definitely has a bit of a foreign vibe to it.

Yue: The line "Let’s wash it away with a plutonium shower" really hits hard.

Lime: That’s from Jakusha no Koushin. (laughs)

Yue: That (laughs).

Lime: Jakusha no Koshin (March of the Weak) is a song where we, the weak, say things that we, the weak, do.

Interviewer: Who are the "weak" that you're referring to?

Lime: Us band members—we're socially weak. Think about the current state of society. We pay taxes and contribute to society in our own way, just like other jobs, right? But when it comes to cultural work like ours, there’s no financial support. The struggle we’ve always felt has only gotten worse. … Though, if I keep talking like this, this will turn into a really bad interview (laughs). Anyway, this song is packed with punchy words. That’s all.

Interviewer: That was quite a rough summary. (laughs)

Lime: I’ll be honest—there are parts of this I don’t really want to touch on! So just read the lyrics!

Everyone: Hahaha (laughs).

Kyonosuke: Are you sure that’s okay? (laughs)

Lime: I don’t want to explain it in words—that’s why I put it into the song. So yeah, it’s fine.

Yue: That’s Lime’s strength. If you say it in plain words, people will start analyzing and criticizing, but when it’s in a song, it's more persuasive.

Interviewer: The lyrics are intense, but at the same time, I can imagine things getting chaotic at a live show.

Lime: I want the weak to come together and have a live show in our own way. Once society settles down, I want to do a “March of the Weak.”

Reiki: How about a “March of the Weak Fest”? This song has a circus image to me. And a circus is a gathering of all kinds of people, isn’t it?

Interviewer: A circus? Like with clowns and animals?

Reiki: Right. Would you call this a dance tune? The arrangement was done with a circus-like atmosphere in mind. It’s like a show where each member shows off their specialty. And that chaotic, unpredictable circus atmosphere feels very Kizu.

Interviewer: Would you say this is a type of song Kizu hasn’t really done before?

Reiki: Yeah, we haven’t! Originally, Lime said he wanted to play a song like Jakusha no Koushin live.

Lime: Yeah. I just wanted to leave behind a song that packed more of a punch than the previous ones. That’s all.

Reiki: Jakusha no Koushin and Mr. BIG MONSTER both have fresh new sounds. Not that anyone cares.

Yue: That’s not true at all! (laughs)

Reiki: You think so? (laughs) We’re using distortion on electric guitar and Lime’s vocals. It would be amazing to play it live.

Interviewer: The drums also have a sound that really fits the idea of a "march," don’t they?

Kyonosuke: Yeah, especially the way the rhythm flows and how the snare comes in at the beginning. The steady quarter-note beat throughout really matches the title. When I first heard the song and later found out it was called "March of the Weak", it just made perfect sense.

Yue: As for the bass, I’m actually recording it today. I try not to imagine anything specific while playing. If I think too much about it as a “marching song,” I end up hearing “Turkish March” in my head (laughs).

Interviewer: That one is pretty famous.

Yue: Right. That’s why I try not to visualize anything—I just want to play “March of the Weak” as it is.

Reiki: And then there’s "15.2". This one's my favorite out of the four songs.

Lime: The only lyrics are basically just "Soredemo" ("Even so").

Reiki: Come on, it’s not just that. (laughs) It’s the simplest song, but also the most complete. Artists turn their emotions and state of mind into sound, right? I feel like this song captures something really raw and unfiltered. It kind of reminds me of everyday life.

Interviewer: You get a sense of life from "15.2"?

Reiki: Yeah. Most songs are around three to four minutes long, and before you know it, they’re over. But in “15.2,” there are breaks, clear contrasts between soft and intense moments, it feels like the flow of a day, from beginning to end.

Interviewer: The pauses in the song are quite striking, aren’t they?

Reiki: It's exciting. I love it so much I’d probably just put in my earphones and listen to it on repeat without thinking.

Kyonosuke: When I first saw the title, I thought it might be a continuation of "15"(十五Juugo), like a song capturing Lime’s thoughts from back then. With "Jakusha no Koushin", the marching image stays throughout the entire song, but with “15.2,” what you imagine changes depending on which part you’re listening to.

Yue: Even from the very first demo, I could picture us performing it live. I imagined the fans quietly listening, deeply immersed in the song. The bass feels like it’ll be really satisfying to play, too.

Interviewer: Which part feels particularly good to play?

Yue: The beat in the chorus is something completely new for Kizu. I play the bass in sync with the drums that are driving that beat, and I personally love that part.

Lime: With "15.2", I wanted to bring closure to what I sang about experiencing at 15 years old in "15".

Interviewer: The lyrics are also very straightforward.

Lime: Yeah, after writing this song, I finally felt like, Okay, I can put that chapter behind me. Truly painful experiences take time before they can be turned into a song. If you’d asked when I was 15 if I could write about what happened back then, there’s no way I could have.

Yue: You need some distance from it.

Lime: Yeah, it took time. I thought about it a lot, but in the end, the line in the chorus—"Soredemo kimi wa kirei da" (Even so, you are beautiful)—conveys what I wanted to express.

Interviewer: "15.2" isn’t like the other three songs. The lyrics feel like a letter.

Lime: That’s true. It turned into something like a cry from the heart. The order in which I wrote these songs was Jigoku, 15.2, Jakusha no Koushin, and then Mr. BIG MONSTER. After Kuroi Ame left me feeling empty, the final destination of this single was Mr. BIG MONSTER. Until now, my singing style has been pretty much the same, but with these four songs, every vocal approach is different. Mr. BIG MONSTER is the biggest change.

Interviewer: The world each song evokes is completely different, too.

Lime: Yeah, both my singing style and lyrics have changed. Everything leads to Mr. BIG MONSTER, and I envision a future where the next work is a more refined version of that.

[almirdraws]

Jigoku Shōjo 🩸

[moment-japan]

ちょっと前の連休の最終日、金沢の浄土真宗の照円寺で「地獄極楽絵図御開帳」という秋の特別公開をやっているとの連絡が関係者からございまして、急いで行ってまいりました。

（関係者。笑）

お寺の場所は、金沢駅近くにある金沢最大の寺院・金沢東別院の前の別院通りのどんつきにあります。

江戸後期より伝わる八種の地獄と六道、そして仏様の慈悲によって救われた人間が到達することのできる彼岸・十種の極楽絵図を一堂に公開。

「地獄極楽絵図があなたの生き方に問いを投げかけます」ということで、誰もいないだろうとお寺に入ったら、本堂の中はアイドルのコンサート並みに人がいて、地獄絵図���りもまずそっちにビックリでございました。

（地獄見たさに集まる人々）

これは、4月に東京の府中市美術館でも公開されていた美術展で、毎年秋に金沢の多くのお寺が参加して行われている「オテラートかなざわ」の行事の一環として今回凱旋展示されておりました。

靴を脱いで本堂に入ると、そこには小さな子供やカップル、おじいさん、おばあさん、明らかにセンスのいいデザイナー風の方たち、みうらじゅんみたいな美大生とかで場内満杯（笑）。

（世の中、こんなに寺マニアがいるとは。笑）

境内には地獄絵図（複製）と記念撮影できるスポットもありました。

江戸後期に照円寺十五代住職敬連〈きょうれん〉により制作された地獄絵図の数々に圧倒。

写真撮影はできないので、言葉では表現しずらいですが兎に角、ここまで凄い地獄絵図は京都でも見たことがありません。

十八枚の大きな絵はどれもリアルで、地獄ごとに詳細な解説がついていてとっても見やすかったです。

最後の方に極楽の絵図もあって阿弥陀如来の額からウルトラセブンのエメリウム光線みたいな光を出しているシーンもあって、「知恩院とか平等院で観た来迎図とおんなじだ」とひとり脳内で確認会話。

（確認会話ってなんやねん。笑）

真剣に絵を見ているとニコニコ顔の若い住職さんに声をかけられまして、しばし地獄の説明をしていただきました。

（こんなに人がいるのに何故僕だけに。笑）

帰りに玄関で住職のお母様だと思われるおばあさんに挨拶をすると、物凄く丁寧に挨拶を返されて恐縮しながらお寺を出ました。

（いや、マジで凄い絵だったな）

[skullkandiii]

oc stuff/oc lore for 2day

[dorothygale123]

TONIGHT, WE DINE IN HELL!!!

But seriously, we're taking about the underworld today.

The Chinese, Japanese, and Korean underworlds are very similar as they all draw upon the same Buddhist ideas. King Yama also shows up in JttW, when Wukong id kidnapped to the underworld (called the diyu in Chinese) and removes his name from the ledgers of the dead. For those who want a closer look at the Japanese underworld, Jigoku, I highly recommend Hozuki no Retetsu, an anime about an oni beauracrat as its both informative and hilarious. For those that don't feel like it or need a refresher, here's the quick and dirty.

The underworld is ruled by 10 Kings, with one of them being the big guy in charge. He has a few names: King Yan, King Yama, and King Enma being a few. Sometimes the word 'great' is added to the start of his name to signify that he's the head honcho. You may know him as the big red guy from Dragon Ball who checks in the dead, or the father of Koenma from Yu Yu Hakusho. He also shows up with his pesse in season 4 of Lego Monkie Kid (they're the shady guys that stand in a circle menacingly), though he isn't named. He's not that hard to find, really.

The other 9 kings, in comparison, are less common, which is a shame. See, each of the 10 kings has an important role to play when judging a soul, weeding out all but the worst of the worst for the 10th king. King Yama help the 5th trial, right in the middle. The first king is basically there to sort out all the really good people. If you're such a good person that you don't have that many sins to be judged, he can give you the fast pass to reincarnation. If you do have a lot of sins, though (which, let's be honest, is most of us), you keep moving through the courts as the different kings weigh your sins according to their specialty.

The hearings for each soul happen 7 days after death, with each subsequent trial being held 7 days after the last for the first 7 trials. The 8th trial occurs 100 days after death, the 9th after a year, and the 10th and final trial is held after 3 years. During each trial, the king in charge will take into account any prayers or offerings given in the deceased person's honor to possibly lighten the sentence, so proper funerary rights on these specific dates are very important. After all the trials are done and you've been punished according to your sins, you are finally allowed to reincarnate.

I really tried to get more information on each specific king, but there isn't much I could find in English. If anyone knows more, please tell me! I'm so curious!!!

Sh*tpost Masterlist

[captura-salvaje]

[tamovicha]

Jigoku (1960)

地獄

Directed by Nobuo Nakagawa

[westergaartchive]

Firealpaca Polygon Tool art study of a scene from Jigoku (1960)

[sacredwhores]

Tatsumi Kumashiro - The Inferno (1979)

[hakuchanp3]

Nature