#ancient samurai throwing star

[fighting-and-drawing]

⭐star⭐ Anything about Heart of the Warrior you want to talk about? Or about the sequel that you began, and then it vanished?

There are a few general trivia I could elaborate on that is referenced or cut in Heart of the Warrior.

The Takeda Clan and Aikido—In Chapter 5, Sasuke references the Takeda Clan being the founders of a progenitor style that led to the creation of Aikido, a modern Japanese martial art involving joint locks and throws against armed or unarmed opponents. This is historically true in a certain roundabout way. Aikido was derived from a traditional Japanese Martial Art known Daito-ryu Aiki-Jujutsu founded by a samurai known as Minamoto no Yoshimistu in the Heian Era who would settle in Kai Province. His great grandson would adopt the Takeda surname and become part of the Takeda Clan where he would later develop this school and Takeda-ryu to pass down through their family lines. However, it wasn't until the 19th Century that Takeda Sokaku (belonging to a minor line in the Takeda Family) had begun to publicly teach and restore Daito-Ryu and Takeda-Ryu which would produce one of Sokaku's best students, Morihei Ueshiba, who would later go on to invent Aikido.

Thai, the Moon, and the Bakunawa—Thai's surname, Bulan, and his fascination with the moon is reference to a pre-colonial Filipino tale of Sidapa, Libulan, and the Bakunawa that was regarded as an insight to LGBT culture in the ancient Philippines. To summarize, the God of Death, Sidapa, was enraptured by a moon deity, Libulan and saved him when a giant serpent, the Bakunawa, tried to devour Libulan and they lived romantically forever after. Now, that's a badass story and an awesome example of LGBT culture in pre-colonial civilizations and a huge inspiration for the creation of my OC, Thai Bulan. Thai even has a large back tattoo of the myth where the Bakunawa erupts out of the ocean and consumes the moon made in reminder of his bad luck with love. Now, the tale is inspiring and awesome, but there's one teensy problem—it's fake. Unfortunately, midway into the creation of Heart of the Warrior and still using the tale as inspiration for Thai, I had found out that although those deities and the serpent were real mythological figures, this specific tale was nothing more than a frankly disappointing and unfortunate misconstruction of Visayan myth. (And, before I go more into it, I want to point out that out of ALL the examples of ACTUAL LGBT culture in pre-colonial myths, I just happened to use the only fake one.) This was heartbreaking for me, to say the least. This tale not only gave hope to Thai, but to me as a Bisexual person of Filipino descent as well. So, what to do? Well, I could have removed a big part of Thai's beliefs that were already introduced in the story, or I could instead go on a slightly poetic retcon of Thai knowing this story was fake all along, but it was still the one he needed. If you want to know more about this unfortunate story, I'll post a link here.

Takeda Shingen and Masanobu Kōsaka—in Chapter 8, Sasuke tells a worried Thai about Takeda Shingen having a previous relationship with one of his generals, Masanobu Kōsaka. Unlike the last bit of trivia, Shingen's and Kōsaka's relationship was not only a real-life thing, but also well documented. Their relationship together was an example of shudō, or the practice of male same-sex relationships that was often practiced by samurai. Shingen pledged in documents to never harm Kōsaka due to his romantic intimacy towards him. However, Shingen would die five years before Kōsaka would die due to illness and I have yet been able to find (or afford to buy) scholarly resources to further research into their relationship. Now, this bit of history might be conflicting with the ever flirty Shingen we all know and love in Ikemen Sengoku, but this could be farther from the case. Shudō practiced by samurai was a relationship contracted between two samurai, mostly between an older male (nenja) and a younger male (chigo), where they wouldn't take any other male lovers and the older male would teach the younger male martial abilities, education, etc. until the chigo came of age and the relationship will end. The taking of female partners was not excluded in this kind of relationship. If you want to read more into Shudō and homosexuality in ancient Japan, a great source is Ihara Saikaku's The Great Mirror of Male Love, a collection of short stories depicting homosexual relationships. Here's also another link to read a bit more about homosexuality in Japan.

The Patua and Corpo Fechado—Thai, and eventually Yukimura, carries with them a Patuá, a cloth amulet filled with specific ingredients sacred in the African Diasporic religion of Candomblé that grants the wearer corpo fechado, or "closed body," which means you're literally invulnerable to all forms of attack and damage. A famous historical capoeirista, Besouro, was said to have this and was never harmed by blade or bullet. Now, while Thai is not a practitioner of Candomblé, Thai still believes in the amulet's protection. And, what was supposed to originally happen in the very first scene of The Heart of the Warrior was Yukimura watching as Thai fought off the samurai trying to kill him and not getting hurt even though Yukimura could see Thai getting struck or slashed by numerous katana and yari. It would mimic the stories of Besouro fighting off multiple armed men with guns and stuff and it would have been like a testament to Thai's fighting abilities and the idea of the supernatural and whatnot. So...I forgot about all of that entirely while writing and Thai is seen injured in the actual opening of the novel. In retrospect, this was a good thing as Thai still getting injured didn't make him a Mary Sue character that was invincible while still displaying that he is still an impressive fighter. It also, in a way, was more respectful for the amulet to just be a piece of filled cloth as again, Thai never practiced Candomblé and it wouldn't make sense for the protection to be granted to him without even being a practitioner.

"Don't fall in love"—Sasuke gives this warning to Thai and eventually MC/Mai when she arrives. Yeah sure, in Ikemen Sengoku, that clearly doesn't get heeded and we fall in love with the man of our dreams. But, if we are to be concerned with the implications of what that would do to the future, it's far worse for Thai to fall in love than MC/Mai. At least with MC/Mai, she could potentially replace the suitor's historical wife and bear the children they would eventually supposed to have. With Thai, however...the bloodline just ends. But, Yukimura was fated to die in battle anyways, surely that means their relationship won't cause too much of a ripple? That would be the case if Yukimura was also never a father...which he most certainly was in History, in fact having two wives. Although his more notable son, Daisuke, also fell in battle, he was still survived by numerous daughters and sons. Ooof....so, if we're to talk about a sequel and knowing the Shudo relationship, are we now heading to an ending where Thai will never be with Yukimura in the end to preserve History? Well, Life's a Mystery....

To end on a good note, I am planning to jumpstart not only the sequel, but a potential director's cut, but I won't make a huge spectacle out of the latter. I hope this post was somewhat entertaining.

[thon717-fmp]

Different types of Ninja Weapons

Ninja weapons are diverse tools used by ninjas to inflict harm on enemies. These weapons can range from traditional weapons like shuriken, darts, and smoke bombs to more conventional arms such as daggers, swords, bows, and arrows. Ninjas creatively utilize a variety of weapons, without limitation, for combat and stealth.

Types of Ninja Weapons:

Katana: A Japanese sword with a curved blade, typically used for slashing and cutting. Katanas vary in size based on their intended use.

Wakizashi: A shorter Japanese sword, traditionally worn by samurai alongside the katana, used for close combat.

Tanto: A small Japanese knife, often single-edged, used in close combat and also popular among Western chefs.

Sai: A sword-like weapon with a pointed blade and handle, used in physical combat and by various cultures. Sometimes confused with nunchaku.

Shuriken: Small, flat, star-shaped weapons designed for throwing, used to distract or injure enemies.

Ninjato: A short, straight-bladed sword used by ninjas, carried discreetly and relying on stealth over speed.

Nunchaku: Two sticks connected by a chain or rope, used in martial arts. Popularized by Bruce Lee, they can be used as a handheld weapon or tied to the feet.

Kunai: A Japanese throwing dagger with a serrated edge, used for hunting and combat, capable of penetrating armor.

Blowguns: Tube-like weapons that propel darts using a puff of air, used for hunting and self-defense.

Crossbows: Ancient projectile weapons used for launching arrows at great distances. Various designs have been developed for improved accuracy and reliability.

Ninjas often train extensively in martial arts to use these weapons effectively, ensuring they can defend themselves without causing unintended harm. The weapons used by ninjas are distinct from samurai swords, which are primarily designed for slashing and cutting in duels and battlefield combat.

[destinygoldenstar]

Pretty Cure OC’s (Yakuki Pretty Cure Of Honor); Mizuki Kage AKA Cure Ninja

Mizuki Kage ; AKA Cure Ninja (Me-zoo-key Kah-gay)

This is an Ancient East-Asian soldier themed Pretty Cure. It’s a three person team. (Pink, Purple, & Yellow) Each Cure is based off of a different hero-brand, purple (Cure Ninja) is the ninja, yellow is the dragon, pink is the Samurai.

In their world, in far distant land separated from the major countries of Asia, there’s 3 Clans that hold great power to keep their land afloat from an ancient dark threat known as the Kurogata. This threat has been at war with the kingdoms for decades, with no one having knowledge of where the threat came from and how to permanently defeat it.

However, with the three ancient Honor Brooches, the clans leaders have used a power each to protect civilians. A power that has been passed down through generations by the royal family of each kingdom. Each brooch holds a power of an ancient soldier and the clan’s mascot: The Samurai, The Ninja, and The Dragon.

Kaesu is the clan of the Ninja. Mizuki Kage is a royal child of her clan alongside her twin brother, Marrow Kage. However, Mizuki doesn’t want to inherit the throne and become the next queen. This is because her father was a huntsman outside the kingdoms walls and constantly went on adventures beyond her wild dreams, and she would rather follow in his footsteps and help her civilians on a smaller scale such as collecting. But she was under strict orders to train and be a queen instead, and has been trained to carry on the legacy of the Kaesu Honor Brooch’s power to protect her kingdom, become queen, and overthrow Yakuki as the most successful clan. To them, that clan is arrogant, spoiled, and does more harm towards people than good.

Mizuki and Marrow were both trained from a young age to be experts at a ninja-fighting style in speed and agility, as well as how to use range weapons such as throwing stars and a bow. Both of which Mizuki has become a professional at and she loves to brag about how good she is a snipes.

Mizuki had grown to hate the princess life from the restrictions and the expectations. She didn’t like her life being planned out in a way she didn’t want. She doesn’t care how people view her as long as she gets to have a say in something. As such, she’s unafraid to be rather brash, headstrong, and impulsive. She’s also quite the rule breaker. She willingly challenges authority if it means the outcome she wants, which often involves sneaking out to go out and explore the wilderness with her brother, or disguise herself as a normal citizen to do support and service for citizens. Marrow does this as well but with parental approval. He was one of Mizuki’s closest companions.

Mizuki isn’t self aware of the downsides to her behavior at first, but would become aware when they cost her everything.

One day, Mizuki took the rule breaking too far when it came to her betrothal. Not only would she humiliate everyone in the room, but she would also run away when they tried to force her into her place. This led to her and Marrow going too far into the wilderness and stumbling on one of the placeholders for the Kurogata.

Not knowing it was the Kurogata, Mizuki and Marrow approached it thinking it was a wish that could be granted to erase Mizuki’s role as the heir. Instead, it was a trick, as it instead unleashed Kurogata upon all of Kaesu, leaving the villains holding it to take over and turn everyone into stone.

Mizuki and Marrow tried to fight back and save their family, but all they got was the Kaesu Honor Brooch.

Marrow sacrificed himself to get Mizuki to gain the brooch’s power and become a Pretty Cure, protecting her from the Kurogata. It left him to be corrupted as well, and would be chosen to be released, but brainwashed into a Kurogata general. A villain general that despises his sister for causing the takeover and wanting to destroy her as revenge.

Mizuki, with only the brooch left, was held responsible for her clan’s takeover. Through her guilt, she escaped to go get help in Yakuki’s princess, who was said to also be a Pretty Cure.

At Yakuki, Mizuki finds the princess Meiyo Genkei (Cure Honor) (Nickname Mei-Kei), a character with almost the exact opposite of Mizuki. Whereas Mizuki is open, brash, impulsive, and a rule breaker, who never wanted the queen role, Mei-Kei is an uptight rule follower who is obsessed with good manners, and wants her queen role more than anything. They discover one common trait they have when Mizuki encounters Mei-Kei showing an unwavering kindness towards a beggar (Yang Ryukawa ; Cure Dragon) even though that beggar knocked over her carriage.

Mei-Kei hears out Mizuki’s desperation, despite Mizuki leaving out the part that she caused it at first, and they seek approval from the king and queen of Yakuki. Unfortunately word got out fast, as they know Mizuki is at fault, thus they don’t want to help her.

Mizuki, in distain of the clan’s entitlement and Mei-Kei not objecting to orders, attempts to leave until the Kurogata threatens to take over Yakuki as well. She witnesses Mei-Kei, transformed as Cure Honor, protecting the people and fighting off the Kurogata. Against rules, Mizuki decides to join the fight anyway. She helps, but is then sent to a lecture by the royal family for her reckless use of her powers.

They try to have Mizuki stay as a guest and nothing more, treating her like a new member of the Yakuki. But Mizuki refuses to be put in place and tries to escape again. Mei-Kei catches her in her attempt to escape, and when Mei-Kei mentions the general she saw last time was Marrow, Mizuki opens up to her side of the story and the responsibility she simply doesn’t know what to do with. Mei-Kei gives a suggestion that running away from that responsibility is not her answer if she wants redemption.

While she’s still unsure of how to be better, Mizuki decides to take the first step by taking responsibility as a Pretty Cure and protect Yakuki. So when Cure Honor gets in a pinch with Kurogata, Mizuki joins, announcing herself as Cure Ninja.

Being the MVP of this fight allows the royal family to change their mind and allow Mizuki to be a part of the quest, under one condition: She and Mei-Kei, as well as the wielder of the Shingawa Honor Brooch, become a team.

Neither her, nor Mei-Kei are fond of working together due to clashing ideals and personalities, as well as Mei-Kei having an ‘I work alone’ attitude. Despite not being fond of it at first, they accept each other as co-workers and maybe friends. But the team would only get more complicated when they try to recruit the princess of Shingawa, only for the beggar from earlier to accidentally get a hold of the Shingawa Honor Brooch in the middle of a fight and become the third Pretty Cure member instead.

Cure Ninja has a lot to learn about discipline and responsibility, but she’s willing to figure out her own redemption as she tries to save her brother from his brainwashing, and her kingdom. But before then, she’s stuck with two teammates in order to figure out the mysteries of the Kurogata and how to stop it before it takes over the other two clans.

Hey. I’m doing Pretty Cure OC concepts. I have a Pretty Cure fan series on AO3 called ‘Sketched Artistry Pretty Cure’ if you’re curious. Let me know if you enjoy the OC concepts.

[maikomaiko1]

Exploring the Rich Heritage at Tokyo Samurai Ninja Museum

In the bustling heart of Tokyo, where modernity seamlessly blends with tradition, lies a hidden gem that takes visitors on a captivating journey through Japan's ancient warrior history. The Tokyo Samurai Ninja Museum stands as a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage, offering a unique and immersive experience that transports visitors to a bygone era.

Nestled in the historic Shinjuku district, the museum welcomes guests with an exterior that reflects the architectural charm of feudal Japan. Upon entering, visitors are greeted by friendly staff dressed in traditional samurai and ninja attire, setting the tone for an adventure back in time.

The museum's exhibits are a treasure trove of artifacts, weapons, and interactive displays that showcase the life and skills of the legendary samurai and ninja warriors. ninja museum tokyo From intricately crafted armor and weapons to scrolls detailing ancient techniques, each exhibit tells a story of honor, discipline, and mastery.

One of the highlights of the museum is the comprehensive samurai armor collection. Visitors can marvel at the craftsmanship of these iconic suits, each intricately designed to provide both protection and mobility. The detailed explanations accompanying each piece help demystify the significance of various elements, such as helmet crests and family crests, offering a deeper understanding of the samurai's social hierarchy.

Moving on to the ninja section, the museum unravels the mysteries surrounding these stealthy warriors. Displaying an array of ninja tools and gadgets, from shurikens (throwing stars) to grappling hooks, visitors can gain insight into the covert world of espionage and sabotage. Interactive exhibits allow visitors to test their own ninja skills, attempting to navigate through a maze of lasers without setting off alarms—a thrilling experience for both children and adults alike.

For those eager to delve even deeper, the museum offers live demonstrations by skilled performers who showcase traditional martial arts and weaponry techniques. These displays not only entertain but also educate, providing a firsthand look at the precision and skill required to master these ancient arts.

The Tokyo Samurai Ninja Museum goes beyond the physical aspects of warrior life by offering a glimpse into the philosophies that guided these esteemed figures. Through multimedia presentations and storytelling, visitors gain an understanding of the samurai's code of conduct, known as Bushido, and the ninja's adaptability and resourcefulness.

The museum's dedication to accessibility is evident in its English-friendly displays and guided tours. Visitors from around the world can fully appreciate the exhibits with the help of informative materials available in multiple languages. This commitment to inclusivity ensures that the museum serves as an educational and entertaining destination for people of all backgrounds.

In addition to its educational value, the Tokyo Samurai Ninja Museum actively engages with the community through workshops and special events. Visitors have the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities, such as samurai swordsmanship classes and ninja costume dress-ups, fostering a deeper connection to Japan's vibrant cultural legacy.

As visitors exit the museum, they carry with them not only memories of an exciting journey through Japan's warrior history but also a newfound appreciation for the values that shaped these legendary figures. The Tokyo Samurai Ninja Museum stands as a bridge between the past and present, inviting all who enter to connect with the spirit of the samurai and ninja warriors who once roamed the ancient landscapes of Japan.

[cynthiabrandons]

An ancient samurai throwing star is a steel weapon, essentially a shuriken, used as a traditional Japanese concealed weapon. They are quite sharp and can be thrown accurately with great force. It’s not only the blade that they have to worry about either — there also needs to be time to dodge the steel ring that forms part of the design.

[inky-duchess]

Fantasy Guide to Weapons

So I have a post about swords already but I have decided to update it with a look at more weapons that can be wielded in fantasy battles. These weapons below were wielded in different time periods and by different sorts of warriors. Each link shows the damage these weapons could do to armour or the human body. (disclaimer: do not attempt this at home and there mentions and sights of blood and dismemberment.)

Swords

Swords are to fantasy as sand is to a beach. But they aren't always the common cross shape we see. Swords come in all kinds of sizes and all kinds of ability.

Anatomy of a typical blade

Crossguard: This is the part of the sword between the hilt and blade. This protects the hand from slipping and can be used as a weapon in itself.

Hilt: This is the part you hold. Also called a grip. Most gilts would me wrapped with leather for comfort and for better grasp.

Blade: The sharp end, duh

Pommel: This is a weight screwed into the hilt meant to ensure the sword is balanced.

Fuller: This is a hollow running up the sword. It makes the sword lighter.

Edge: The sharpened sides of the blade. Swords can be singular or double edged.

The point: The pointy bit at the top to stick into the enemy. (jon snow logic)

Kinds of swords

Gladius: An Ancient Roman blade used by gladiators and then legionaires. There is no crossguard. It is also called a shortsword. Made for stabbing rather than slashing.

Xiphos: A double-edged, single-handed sword used by Ancient Greeks. The blade is commonly leaf shaped made for slashing.

Rapier: This is a slender blade used by Renaissance warriors. This blade might not be able to hack a head but its light weight makes the blade an asset in speed. The rapier often had a caged-like crossguard to protect the hand from injury.

Katana: The infamous Japanese curved samurai sword. This is single-edged and the blade is hammered thin. Like most Japanese swords it was made for speed and deadly sharp.

Scimitar: A curved blade with a singled edge popular in Central Asia. The scimitar ranged from a thick sword to thin, wielded most effectively on horseback.

Shamshir: The shamshir is a curved Persian/Iranian sword. Shamshīr which means "lion's fang" is a one handed blade often single edged.

Longsword: The go to Medieval and Renaissance weapon commonly used with with two hands. The Longsword was a slender blade, hammer straight and was typically double edged.

Khopesh: The Khopesh is a hooked-shaped African blade wielded by the guards of Egyptian Pharaohs.

Mace/Morning Star

The Mace is probably the second most common weapons seen on the battlefield. The Mace is a thick ball of steel usually spiked resting on top of a haft of wood. The Mace is an easy enough weapon to use (step 1: beat opponent until subdued). The Mace and morning star are fixed upon the halft while the flail is the more mobile one swinging from the half by rope or short chain. You can see it in action right here.

Warhammer

The Warhammer was a weapon wielded by some medieval soldiers made of a haft of wood and an hammer-like head. The actual blade itself could be blunted like hammers we see today or edged like blades, meant for cutting as well as crushing. The back usually featured a hook-like pommel that could also be used as a weapon, able to pierce armour and flesh. The Warhammer was an effective weapon in battle.

Poleaxe

The Poleaxe was the weapon usually wielded by infrantry in the middle ages. It was constructed from a wooden haft with a steel head, usually curved at the front for slashing, set with a spike at the back and top for stabbing. The Poleaxe would be used for charging and for defence. The whole idea behind this many pronged weapon was to puncture, slash from a safe distance. The haft of the weapon could be used to trip and to maim an opponent. You can see it in action here. There were many variations of the Poleaxe namely the bill and the Halberd.

Pikes

The humble Pike is often mixed up with a Halberd and the Poleaxe. It is a long weapon, formed of a metal spike and a long wooden halft. The Pike would be used en masse by infrantry to deflect calvary and protect cannoniers and artillery from attack. Pikes were very effective if one wanted to stopper a full blown calvary charge. Outlaw King has a scene where this can be seen.

Axes

Axes have been used in battle for millenia. The Axe is a weapon that has evolved through out history and over the course of many cultures. Axes were used by soldiers in battles and raids, both as a close-quarters weapon and as a long range weapon. The Axe had numerous forms: throwing axes such as the francisca, short-hafted hand wielded axes and long-hafted Lochaber axes.

[morganaux]

10♠️ - How does your muse cope with grief? (Let's hear ALL THE BOYS)

Morganaux:

Just like many of his other negative emotions, he is absolutely terrible at trying to manage his grief, though it's something he's been progressively getting better at.

He sees it as a feeling he has to hold onto, or else he'll be dishonoring the memory of whoever he's grieving, even if that person wouldn't want that for him. His first instinct to try to "cope" is to throw himself into unhealthy levels of productivity, typically devoting himself to something relating to his lost loved one, and once he gets into this mode, it's hard to pull him out of it.

In his main WoL verse, following the events of Heavensward and the loss of his childhood friend, he comes close to going full villain in his grief. But, thankfully, he gets pulled aside by a Xaelan woman named Enkhtuyaa (either his co-WoL or a Scion associate, depending on the RP— and in their past life as Ancients, they were twins!) who pretty much tells him he needs to get his shit together and teaches him the way of the samurai to help him through that.

He gets a healthier outlet for his anger through his training sessions, learns how to control his emotions a bit better by adopting the mindset of a samurai, and he has a friend he can open up to about his feelings a bit. (And, most importantly, he doesn't end up retiring as WoL and doesn't dedicate his life to stamping out every last bit of corruption in Ishgard. His Purgatory's Light verse is pretty much what would happen without his post-HVW intervention.)

Still, even though he did learn some better coping methods, he doesn't always use them throughout much of his story and sometimes finds himself going back to his habit of drowning in productivity. He's growing, but slowly.

Phoebus:

When it comes to the loss of loved ones, Phoebus looks for little ways to keep their memory alive. For example, if he finds himself missing them, he might have their favorite food or read one of their favorite stories, or really anything that brings back fond memories of that person. Or, if they were passionate about a cause, he might do something to help out with it, but doesn't throw himself into it with the same obsession that Morganaux does.

Once he has his own greenhouse in the Imperial Palace, he has a small corner of it where he keeps plants dedicated to the people in his life that he's lost, and they get plenty of extra attention. In typical Phoebus fashion, he won't tell anyone about his memorial garden because he doesn't want to make a big deal out of it. But if someone were to ask why he dotes on those plants so much in particular, you bet he's going to have plenty of stories to tell about each and every one of them. Mostly pre-imperial war stories.

Apollo:

Being an Ancient, he has a totally different view of death from sundered beings and doesn't really spend much time grieving at all. Of course, he'd be sad if someone he cared about chose to return to the star, but that would be overshadowed by the joy he'd feel in knowing that they had accomplished everything they wanted to do in life.

During those times where his heart does start to ache for someone who passed on, he thinks back on all the good they did in the world. In the case of his former colleagues during his days as a medical researcher and educator, he might devote a day or two to rereading their old research and seeing if he can expand upon it.

But if someone he loved were taken before their time, it would likely cause him to shut down and it wouldn't be pretty. Such experiences were rare in his time, and if it happened to him, he wouldn't know how to handle it. More than likely, he'd just shut out everyone around him while his mind tries to process it all. :,)

[hopeaterart]

PMTOK HORROR AU (Original): Locations

I might do the battle items next. I’m also putting it under a read more because there’s. A Lot. I might do the prequel's and sequel's locations in the future too, but it's unlikely, and I'll have to watch playthroughs of the two.

INTRO

The Lady’s Castle: The, well, Lady's castle. Olly takes over it at the beginning of the story, and it serves as his base of operation. The story starts here, when the Craftsman is first captured and thrown into it's dungeon before breaking out.

Whispering Woods: Woods a fair distance away from town, it's inhabited by faes and living trees. The Craftsman and Olivia end up here, and have to find a way to revitalize it's king in order to leave.

FlipFlopSide: The town surrounding the Lady's castle before it was ripped out of the ground. It serves as the main hub of the game, and you can find places to train, shops and a multitude of other things. Do beware of the occasional monster.

Graffiti Underground: The sewers underneath the town. Infested with strange beasts that have always been there, it contains magic gates that will teleport you to other areas once you activate the other side.

RED STREAMER:

Picnic Road: A road that's popular for outings, it's been taken over by King Olly's troops. The road connects FlipFlopSide to the Overlook Mountain.

Earth Vellumental Temple: The temple of the Earth Vellumental, it's been turned into a tourist attraction by a greedy human. The trials in it consist of moving walls and floors. The Earth Vellumental itself manifests as a turtle.

Overlook Mountain: A mountain that's full of greenery and different attractions. Like Picnic Road, it has been taken over by King Olly's troops. It has a tramway that connects it Autumn Mountain and Flipflopside.

Overlook Tower: A museum that Jean-Pierre took over to use as their base. Once saved, the Curator asks the Craftsman to recover all the art Jean-Pierre threw out when they took over. Recovering the art is a requirement for the True End.

BLUE STREAMER

Autumn Mountain: A mountain in a perpetual autumn, and the last stop of the tramway. The lake at it's top, which has been dried out when the Craftsman, Olivia and Bobby arrive, is the starting point of the Eddy River.

Chestnut Valley: A dangerous valley filled with Chestnut trees and dangerous beasts, situated in a small pass in the Mountain. The Craftsman ends up falling down there following troubles on a bridge, and Olivia and Bobby have to go save him.

Water Vellumental Shrine: A shrine dedicated to the Water Vellumental. The trials consist of correctly connecting the waterways. The Vellumental manifests as a dragon.

Eddy River: Extremely dangerous rapids, the Oarsman has made crossing it into a living and a hobby. It ends at Sweetpaper Valley, and the Oarsman's services are one of the only ways to access Shogun Studios.

Shogun Studios: A theme park themed after the era of samurai. It's currently infested with brainwashed monsters.

Ninja Attraction: An attraction where you have to find cutout ninjas. You have to go through it's control room to find the Jester, who has found the Master Key of Shogun Studios.

Big Sho’ Theater: Where Opera decided to set their base of operation. In the meantime, they're using the tower to throw little theater pieces with them as the producer, writer and star actor, with most of the staff as their audience.

YELLOW STREAMER

Sweetpaper Valley: A rocky valley at the end of the Eddy Rapids, and the Oarsman last stop. Olivia gets trapped here by her brother, and the Craftsman and Bobby have to go on a small quest to find a way to free her...

Breezy Tunnel: A tunnel that connects the Scorching Sandpaper Desert to Sweetpaper Valley. After helping Olivia come to terms with Bobby's sacrifice, the Craftsman finds here someone selling vehicles that can take people across deserts.

Scorching Sandpaper Desert: A ~massive~ desert with scorching days and frigid nights. Even before Olly had monsters infect the place, it was very dangerous to navigate due to it's sheer scale. The entry to the Fire Vellumental's cave is there, as well as the seal on the Captain

Scorching Sandpaper West: The west part of the Desert, a lot of cacti grow there. A tower is there.

Scorching Sandpaper East: The east part of the Desert, it is filled with ruins. A tower is there.

Scorching Sandpaper Minor: To the North of the main desert, it's a smaller section sectioned off by rocky cliffs. The Ancient Tomb is located here.

Scorching Sandpaper Far West: The west part of the Minor, it's very rocky. A tower is there

Scorching Sanpaper Far East: The east part of the Minor, there is a large pit of quicksand. A tower is there.

Fire Vellumental Cave: A cave in the Sandpaper desert, it is the domain of the Fire Vellumental. The trials here mainly consist of combat. The Vellumental takes the shape of a phoenix

The Lights-On City: Also known as the city that never sleeps. After all the humans went missing thanks to Velvet, monsters have taken over it and are now inhabiting it. In the past, it was where Pharaoh Vellumses' center of power was established, thanks in no small part to the Oasis in the middle of it..

The Ancient Tomb: Pharaoh Vellumses' final resting place, buried deep underneath the earth. Velvet takes over it as base of operation and converts it to a nightclub, Faceless humans wandering through it.

PURPLE STREAMER

The Great Sea: The Sea on the edge of the country, full of sunken treasures. Thanks to Olly, it is now also infested with sea monsters.

The Fair Lady: A cruise ship that was attacked by a sea monster. The Craftsman and Bobby go there to find something that might get Olivia out of trouble...

Skull Island: The first island the Craftsman visit, it contains the secret to lifting the fog that has plagued the Great Sea.

Moon Island, Heart Island, Spade Island, and Club Island: The four Islands the Craftsman has to visit to find the coordinates of the keys needed to open up the gates of the Sea Tower.

Ice Vellumental Mountain: A mountain that sits above Diamond Island, it's also where the Ice Vellumental resides. The trials here consist of sliding sheets of ice. The Vellumental itself takes the shape of a bear.

Diamond Island: The place where the keys to the Sea Tower are, it is underwater and only accessible with a submarine and the Diamond Key. You have to go through three trials to get those keys.

Crane Island: Where the Craftsman lives, or at least lived before he had to go and stop Olly. You can find the Jester there with the key to Diamond Island, along with copious amount of context to the story.

The Sea Town: A town on the other side of the sea, mainly inhabited by fishermen and priests belonging to a monastery. It has a bandit problem, who were recently rallied by Cain.

Sea Tower: The sacred tower dedicated to the Vellumentals, and one of the Gateways to the Overthere by way of Shangri Spa. It's being used by Cain as their base of operation. They've also taped their hostages to the walls, slowly letting them cook in the sun.

GREEN STREAMER

Shangri Spa: A section of the Overthere, aka this world's version of Heaven. Anyone willing to go through the Sea Tower's trials are allowed within it, hence it's existence in the material world. It contains several hot springs that all have a different, but rejuvenating effect. Castle of Chaos crashed there during the confusion of Olly's takeover, and the monsters living there are working there in an effort to pay the damages back.

The Jungle Mist: A small jungle in Shangri-Spa, it serves as an additional attraction and décor. However, the easiest route through it has been destroyed, forcing everyone who wishes to go through it to use the long way, where a beast is currently residing.

Castle of Chaos: The Count's castle. Has been taken over by Suzu has their base of operation. Beside that, it also contains tons of very dangerous and forbidden artifacts, containing containers upon containers of Black Paint, a substance that corrupts everything it touches. Curiously, the failsafe for that particular thing seems to be missing...

ORIGAMI CASTLE

Sulphur Crater: A dormant crater filled with blue lava. Olly transported the Lady's castle here. The Craftsman, Olivia, Count and the Count's army later crash land here while trying to get to the Lady's Castle.

Origami Castle: The Lady's Castle, folded into something new. It serves as the final place of confrontation with Olly, along with being the place where the last Stationery, Fang, dies.

[toarmsrw]

How I feel a Ronin Warriors Remake could go

Ronin Warriors AKA Yoroiden Samurai Troopers was one of my favorite anime back in the day. I first heard of this series when it was airing on UPN TV 44, the same channel that had aired Sailor Moon when it was being produced by DIC entertainment. Unfortunately, this series aired during times when it’s target range viewers were in school so it didn’t have a particularly long run on US TV. It was only years later that this series would air on the Toonami lineup and gained a greater interest from American anime fans than it had during its first airing.

Currently Samurai Troopers is celebrating its 30th anniversary and it made me wonder, what this series would be like if remade for the more current age. After all, the main TV series was set in 1988 and a lot of things reflected that time period. Now in 2020 things can be updated to match current settings and technology.

I’m familiar with both the Japanese Names and the English Dub names. But I’m going to use English Dub names here as it was the version that introduced me to this series.

As much as I love the original series, I do feel that it is certainly deserving of an updated reboot. The original series did have a number of moments where they were constrained by budget and it showed. Budget cuts, and repeating animation is a common way of cuting corners in animation in varius series, but it is rather obvious when you see the animation cheepen.

There are some things in the anime itself that did bug me because they felt rushed or they came off as unrealistic. I’m not an expert in Japanese culture so please understand if I am approaching these things with a bit of a bias.

One of the things that bothered me is having the five warriors are just open to working together from the start.

For example in the first episode Mia is surprised that all five Ronin have appeared at the same time and then is dismayed that they aren’t united. So she tells the five Ronin they need to work together if they hope to beat the Dynasty, and they all look at one another as though saying “Um…what?”.

The English dub does give the impression that there is at least some familiarity between the five boys. However, in the original version all five of the Ronin are from different parts of Japan and this is the first time any of them have met.

The one thing I’ve always liked in anime is when the main cast is free to grow and understand each other at their own pace.

While having the main warriors joining forces is ideal and an inevitably, having them all partner up from the start is unrealistic. Particularly since the five Ronin do develop an almost familial unity with one another over the course of the series.

An anime with a similar concept to this would be Sailor Moon. Please note I’m not comparing Sailor Moon to this series for bias reasons. Sailor Moon certainly had a larger production budget and more of a story to adapt to as it started out as a manga before it became an anime series. Ronin Warriors is it’s own story and it also has some things it is better at conveying then Sailor Moon did.

I am using Sailor Moon as an example, because these two series do center on the plot of five teenagers drawn together to save the world from an otherworldly evil force.  

Sailor Moon as a series was able to introduce the characters gradually.

The series begins with introducing the titular character, Sailor Moon herself. The first handful of episodes follow her, then Sailor Mercury is introduced and she assists in battles for a couple episodes. Then Sailor Mars is brought in and a sizable chunk of the series centers on these three warriors stopping the forces of the Dark Kingdom. Then around half way through the first season Sailor Jupiter is brought in as another member of the group and then finally Sailor Venus.

Other Sailor Soldiers such as the Outer Sailors and the Sailor Star Lights are introduced in the continuing seasons. These groups don’t really involve themselves with Sailor Moon and her companions right away.  They do assist in battles at times, but they would also make it clear that they don’t want Sailor Moon and her allies interfering with their goals. Eventually the groups do choose to join forces, but that is only when they have come to the realization that the only way to take on the main foe was to merge groups.

The way this story is set up all five warriors needed to be introduced right away. However, I find having them join forces from the start is a little rushed.  Now, granted they had some idea they all knew the fate of the world rested on their backs and they were given the mystical armor to help them save their world, their homes, the people they love.

Each of them also have a story passed through the years about an armor that their family has watched over. Like many things these stories have faded from memory with some of the families or they don’t have anyone to tell them about the amor legend. So they discover their armors through other sources.

For example, Whiteblaze, Ryo’s tiger companion, is is the familiar of the Ancient One and chose Ryo as the one who will bear the Armor of Wildfire. Whiteblaze led the Ancient One to Ryo, so he could be trained in its use.

While each of the Ronin would have unconsciously or unknowingly been trained since childhood to become ready for their armors. It is the armors themselves that do draw them together initially.  That wouldn’t stop at least some of them from be reluctant in working together and then have at least a couple episodes where they warm up to if not become downright convinced working together is the only way

Cye and Kento are chummy and open hearted so I can see these two being more open to the idea of working together as a team from the start.  

Sage, Ryo, and Rowen on the other hand might be less open to working as a group.

Ryo is not absolutely against working as a team, but he is a loaner, he is also fiercely protective of those around him. He doesn’t want anyone to be hurt for him or because of him, so he has a tendency to place burdens upon himself such as going off to face enemies on his own without his friends. So I feel he would just tell the other Ronin to go home and protect their families, while he would deal with the Dynasty on his own.

Sage is more likely to be the lone wolf. He does have a guarded personality and doesn’t warm up to people all that easily. He wants to rely on himself and his own power rather than depending on others, but has his own doubts and fears that he unconsciously deals with. So when Sage leaves the group he would tell everyone else they would only slow him down and get in his way.

Rowen would be more on the fence regarding allegiances. His guiding virtue is wisdom so he would know or at least see how working together would be beneficial going forward. But much like Ryo he is used to being alone. However, due to his intelligence,  Rowen does have problems with socialization. So he wouldn’t say anything in regards to why he doesn’t want to work together with anyone else…he just leaves.

As the series progresses the battles will force the Ronin together. It would start with them merging into groups of two, so Cye and Kento would become one group. Rowen and Sage would also grow to work together and leads to the four of them joining forces before reuniting with Ryo. These encounters will enable them to gradually get to know each other and understand who they are in the battle to save the mortal world and their reasons for fighting in the battles against the Dynasty.

Another thing that bugged me was how the Dynasty depended on divide and conquer as a strategy. Granted the Ronin can be a challenging force when they are together. Still each of the Ronin are also dangerous on their own, particularly since their armors do gain strength and power as they fight.

Three of the Warriors have families with siblings, and both Ryo and Rowen have parental figures who may not be present in their lives but still matter.  Heck, Kento alone would have had family affected when the Dynasty captured everybody in the Tokyo area.

One of the Warlords has power over illusion. Have the Ronin given illusions of their loved ones in the Dynasty’s possession. This would be even more poignant when the Ronin have entered the Dynasty’s strong hold. Have the Ronin ready to deal with whatever the Dynasty would throw at them, then suddenly a scream is heard which Sage, Cye, or Kento could recognize as one of their loved ones.

Or Kento’s family for instance, show them among the humans imprisoned in the Dynasty. Kento has a fierce temper, particularly when someone he cares about is being harmed so that could trigger him to act rashly.

I’ve never really liked how the families of the Ronin are only limited to the supplemental materials such as the Audio dramas, Light Novels and such.

Another thing Sailor Moon did well is how it balanced out the home lives of the main cast along with their lives as Sailor Soldiers. We don’t need to see the families of all the characters, but even a simple mention can be used to add to how the main characters relate to each other and feel more well rounded over the course of the series. But they still had to maintain secrecy about their lives as Sailor Soldiers from their loved ones.

What Ronin Warriors was able to achieve is to suggest the families of the five warriors do have some knowledge about the armors. Or at the very least have some familiarity with the story of a legendary armor that has passed down through their line for the past thousand years.

Such as Cye’s mother saying “At last it has come” when he informed her of finding his armor.

Each of the Ronin also have attributes that mark them as chosen or destined to wear the armors since birth. In most cases these attributes aren’t outwardly visible

Ryo-Encountered Whiteblaze at a young age and holds a companionship with the white tiger and was personally trained by the Ancient One himself.  It’s not emphasized, but it is possible he has a sensitivity to cold temperatures as he has a strong dislike for flavored ice and lukewarm baths.

Cye: Able to swim to vast depths of water without needing an air tank.

He also has an affinity for sea based creatures. He isn’t able to talk to them or anything like that, but there is an orca and a number of other sea creatures that do recognize him as a friend.

Kento: No displayed or attributed traits aside from being strong and hard headed. Possibly has more physical endurance then his companions.

Rowen: He is physically marked by his armor because of his blue hair. And also he has an IQ of 250.

Sage: Physically marked by his armor because he physically represents his armor element of light.

While each of the Ronin are chosen by their armors or from a force associated with the armors. There is still a test they need to undergo to prove they understand the guiding virtue associated with the armor.

With Sailor Moon there were moments where the family members of the Sailor Soldiers or people they know are affected by the evil forces at play. With the Ronin however, having people know about their armor or their identities as Ronin Warriors does lead to tragic results.

It’s generally an unstated rule among the five warriors to not to involve their loved ones or allow any knowledge of their existence as Ronin Warriors. Since that would only cause needless danger or cause their loved ones to become targeted by the evil forces they are facing.

The families of the Ronin themselves aren’t completely required, after all the five Ronin do become a family of brothers themselves. And at its core, the entire story of the Ronin Warriors is a romantic story centered on a brotherhood forged by blood, sweat,and tears in the battle to save humanity. The trueborn families of each of the Ronin, would just be an extension of that bond they share with each other.

I’ve always seen each of the five warriors as wounded in various ways. Some have known personal loss, but there are those among them who have experienced pain, loneliness, isolation, self-doubts, and other things such as that.

In the Message OVA in particular, brings a lot of this into view as the five warriors do have internal monologues about their experiences as Ronin Warriors and how that has affected them personally.

Cye in particular during his monologue talks about how he personally didn’t want to fight, but he still took up arms in the war against Dynasty anyway because he felt there was like there was little choice in the matter. He also questions whether he even deserved the power of his armor to begin with.

“In order to avoid pain, suffering, and fear human bearings aspire to collect all the power that they can, then they cling to it no matter what. I was no different, I felt exactly the same way. I never wanted to fight though, I thought my destiny followed a different course. Could I have resisted this power? Could I have denied it? Even if someone had realized the truth, we still wouldn’t have had any other options. It was fight or die, none of us had any regrets for what we did…in staying alive. But that didn’t change the fact that *I* didn’t want to fight!”

The armors they each possess were forged from evil, but were created to be a force for good. As such the armors themselves are neither good or evil, but both. It was the heart and soul of their bearers that determined what choices they made in using the armors they were given.

While they all have seen the negative side of humanity and what it can do if left unchecked. They are also able to know that there is still enough human goodness to believe it was worth saving. And while they still fought and were motivated by their own own personal desires to protect those nearest and dearest to them. The companionship they forge in the fires of war is what heals the wounds each of them carry. Even then there is resistance and pain in being healed, but it is part of becoming the people they know they are because of it. While other hidden wounds are exposed because of the battles faced.

With Ronin Warriors and their families, Ryo and Rowen are the only children of their respective family and their respective parental figures aren’t around all that often.

Ryo’s father is a photojournalist and is always away on assignment but he does send money to cover Ryo’s living expenses.

Rowen’s parents divorced when he was twelve but even before then both of them were more married to their careers then they were as a family. The times they were home their minds would still be work oriented.

However, having two Ronin with workaholic parents just feels boring. Having Ryo being an orphan could translate into why he is so protective of his companions and why they mean so much to him. Because Ryo regards the other Ronin, Mia, and Yuli as a surrogate family to him, and he would gladly fight and give his life to protect them for that reason. He nearly dies just trying to get Sage and Rowen back after the five of them are seperated. And during the war when all the Ronin with the exception of Ryo are absorbed by Talpa, he is devastated knowing each of them are gone. In the Japanese version he says “You fools, how dare you die for me.” This is later expanded upon when the four of them are able to use their Spirits to take hold of Talpa’s armor and tell him to strike the demon emperor down while they have him restrained. And Ryo refuses to do it because doing so meant killing his friends as well.

Rowen has a detached, mature demeanor that is underscored by the fact he is the youngest member of the Ronin. He’s often viewed and treated like an adult by people around him when he really is just a kid. Since he is so used to living for his own convenience, he has trouble really understanding what actually means to have friends or even what having a present family is like. So that could be something that could be explored with his character in how he relates to the other Ronin.

He generally gets along with all the Ronin, but will at times (often unintentionally) say or do something that might have annoyed or exasperated reactions. For example in the Tenkuden CD Drama, there is a part where Yuli asks Rowen for assistance on a problem in his math homework. Rowen looks at the problem and says “That’s easy, you must have skipped the day they were teaching it.” Yuli then goes and asks Cye for assistance who is able to help him figure out the answer. After Yuli runs off to continue his homework. Cye turns to Rowen and chidingly says “Just because you find something simple, doesn’t mean it’s the same for others.”  

Rowen’s father is someone who wouldn’t really be included as a character. I’ve always had the impression that he generally isn’t really all that present even on the occasions he does return home to the apartment he shares with his son.

Rowen’s mother on the other hand could work as an occasional character. However she comes across as a bit too much to handle. She’s friendly and well-meaning but has boisterous energy that is difficult to really take in all at once. The five Ronin and Mia first meet her in the Tenkuden CD Drama after Rowen receives a voice mail call from her telling him he will be arriving at Narita International on Such and Such date. And every one automatically is like “Great Idea, let’s all go meet Rowen’s mother”.  

As much as he does care about both his parental figures, I did get the impression he is embarrassed by his mother as well.

For example, the first act of Tenkuden actually does involve Rowen waiting with Sage at the airport terminal for Rowen’s mother to arrive. After they encounter her, Rowen’s mother runs off to go make a phone call.  Sage then remarks “Okay, that IS different” to which Rowen sighs and says “You got it.” Funnily enough, every time I had heard that exchange in the past I’ve always visualized Rowen holding up a sign that says “Shoot Me” afterward.

So if Rowen’s mother appears at all it would be a humorous one-shot episode where the armors aren’t really needed. There can be some dramatic moments as well though. Since TenkuDen is also the moment where Rowen learns his armor has the ability to fly. There is also a moment at the end of the CD where Rowen’s mother pulls her son aside and alludes that she saw him in his armor hovering outside of the window of the airplane she was traveling in. But she assumes the whole thing was just a dream.

When it comes to Kento, Sage, and Cye they are the eldest, middle, and youngest siblings of each of their respective families. So the familial dynamic of the Ronin will be something they can easily adapt to, but still, give them a different dynamic that can challenge and affect them.

Cye is the youngest child in his family, but he is the oldest of the five Ronin. So this puts him in a sort of older sibling role in some ways. He doesn’t need to adapt too much, particularly since Mia already plays an older sister role with the five Ronin. And his older sister Sayoko had more or less served a parental role of sorts in his late father’s absence. He’s also the only Ronin who is actually living away from his family, as he has an apartment in Tokyo where he lives alone while he is attending high school. In one of the Cassette Dramas Rowen has a habit of visiting Mia’s grandfather’s mansion so he could read the books there. Unfortunately when he does this he loses all track of time and frequently misses the last train back to Kansai. So he has to end up couch surfing over at Cye’s apartment much to the Torrent Armor bearers irritation.

Cye’s family is more likely to be included as part of a dramatic storyline.  

For instance, Cye’s mother has heart disease and is frequently in ill health, but she still runs her family and her family’s pottery business until her daughter Sayoko can take over.

Sayoko is ten years older then Cye and has also been an influential figure in Cye’s life. She helps look after their mother and their families pottery shop.

Ryuusuke Shizuka is Sayoko’s fiance and works at the Hagi Marine Research Institute. After meeting Cye he chooses to marry into Cye’s family. Sayoko and Ryuusuke are supposedly married by the final OVA of this series..

One of the cassette dramas has Cye returning to Hagi after learning his mother had fallen ill. Kento accompanies him on the trip, however the only reason he’s going is because he mistakenly thought Hagiyaki was a kind of food. It’s this Drama where Cye is introduced to his sister’s finance.  

Kento is the oldest child in his family, and so he is well used to playing the older brother role among his siblings. As the second youngest member of the Ronin he has the freedom to be a younger brother. Still when it comes to his companions, the protective brother instinct will still be a present part of his personality over all.

Kento is also the most inclusive of the Ronin and does consider his friends to be like his family.  

I can see Kento’s family being used in heart warming slice-of-life plots. Kento just feels like one of those people you meet in life who just adopts you into their family. As much as he would make disparaging comments about the number of people in his household, in all honesty he wouldn’t have it any other way.

During the Tsuki CD Drama, following their final battle with Saranbo. Kento realizes they are near Yokohama and starts inviting his friends to his family’s restaurant only to be shot down and scolded for being too carefree. After Kento storms off he has a monologue where he states about how much he loves the town of Yokohama and his family and he the reason he fights is all for them. That’s why he wanted his friends to meet his family, to show his companions they are just like family to him.  

That is something I can certainly see happening in an updated version of this series. With Ryo and Rowen, Kento would want to include them so they can at least know what a loving family was like. Knowing Cye and Sage are away from their respective homes. I can see Kento making an effort to make them feel there is something like a family there for them.

Cye might welcome the idea since he understands Kento is wanting to include them as part of his family.

Sage might not be so open about it. Not because he doesn’t understand Kento’s reasoning for it. He however would firmly point out that their family lives and their lives as Ronin should be two different things. Kento would be upset it’s only later on that he would realize Sage’s reasoning.

During the times when they are not involved with fighting the Dynasty. I can see Kento dropping by Cye’s apartment with take out now and again. This would later extend to Ryo when he starts living in the city.

Of the Ronin, I see him learning his family was affected by the Dynasty because Yokohama is in the Tokyo area. He is the only one of the five who would have had immediate loved ones in the vicinity of the Dynasty’s first attack . Which would make the battle to stop the Dynasty all the more personal for him.

Sage is the middle child of his family, but both of his siblings are his sisters. His older sister Yayoi and his younger sister Satsuki. He cares about both of them and would defend them to his last breath, though Yayoi does have a bit of a contentious past with him as she is the reason he is uncomfortable around women.  

Sage’s family is a family I can see included dramatic storylines, but wholesome ones as well.

When it comes to Sage’s family there is a lot you could work with. I will start with Sage’s sisters since I’ve seen a number of interpretations regarding them. In fanfics Yayoi often ranges between being an entitled sister up to just being an evil abusive witch. I have been guilty of this view myself.

Thinking back on it, I wonder if fans were blowing her relationship with Sage out of proportion.

Yayoi is five years older than Sage. From the basic description of her she is in essence a female version of her younger brother as she does talk in the same formal manner he does, and is also a talented kendo fighter.  She is a medical student and is attending college during the TV series.

The worst thing she’s known to have done to tease her brother is to use him as a dress up doll when they had been younger. She also still possesses a picture of him with ribbons in his hair.

This is largely just kid stuff, still some actions as innocent as they may seem can have a negative affect. In this case, Sage is uncomfortable talking to or being around girls as a result.

Women also tend to hold power in Sage’s family, meaning the female members of his family do hold sway in the decisions and actions of the Date House. Because of this they are highly respected. The only male who is an exception to this would be Sage’s Grandfather who is the current head of the family.  Yayoi was likely able to get away with tormenting her brother the way she has, because she knew if he retaliated in any way he would be the one who would be punished.  

In later years, Yayoi may have realized what she actually was doing, but by then the damage had already been done. So while the picture she still has of him with ribbons could be something she could threaten her brother with. It’s also just as possible that perhaps the reason Yayoi keeps the photo, is to remind herself of what she has done to hurt her younger brother in the past.

She seems to have some moments where she does make an attempt establishing a better relationship with him. Such as when Sage was beginning elementary the light color of his eyes made him appear cold and intimidating, because of this his schoolmates would often cry when they saw him. It was Yayoi who suggested he cover one of them with his hair so schoolmates wouldn’t be so scared of him.

Also In the Yoroi Guiden novel, the day Sage received his armor he had been forced into a match against another Kendo practitioner known as Shingo Kazamatsuri. During the match Shingo attempts to cheat by throwing sand or something into Sage’s eyes. Due to one eye being covered by his hair, only his visible eye had affected. Angered that his opponent would resort to cheating, Sage goes into a blind rage and attacks Shingo, rendering him unconscious. While her brother is being punished for his actions, Yayoi tends to Shingo’s injuries. Which made her one of the first people to learn what had taken place. She then tells Shingo that he was fortunate he didn’t lose a limb after making her brother that mad.

I can see Yayoi gaining friendship with Mia, and through that she and Sage could begin to heal the rift that exists between them.

Satsuki is younger than Sage by two years. She is the only member of Sage’s immediate family who doesn’t have any interest in the family Dojo and the only one who speaks casually. I see Sage in some ways being somewhat envious of his younger sister, because she possesses a freedom he isn’t able to have within their family. But he also values that she is able to have such freedom as well.

I’ve seen her placed with Rowen or Kento as possible romantic interests. Personally, I just see Satsuki just viewing the other Ronin as additional brothers. She knows her brother doesn’t have many friends and wouldn’t want to become a catalyst in causing him to lose his companions. Hints at romantic interest could be there, but at best she would just be a sister figure.

Sage’s family life on the other hand is where things take on a more dramatic turn. As I’ve stated before that each of the Ronin have attributes that mark them as chosen by their armors. Sage and Rowen are the only ones who have physical attributes that mark their connection to their armor.

Anyone who is familiar with anime and manga lore would know hair color has specific meaning. Blond or yellow hair often has a variety of meanings, but the most widespread meaning is a person who is special in some manner. Often in most anime the characters would have a variety of hair color tones that no one bats an eye, despite the fact it might look a little strange aesthetically.

The only time a character’s hair color is brought up as peculiar is if the story itself wants it to be  something that is meant to be seen as questionable.

Sage’s family is one of the Ronin families that is well versed in the legend of the Ronin Armor that is passed through their family. It’s never emphasized in the series, but from the sound of things in supplemental materials such as the novels, Sage is the only one in his family with his hair and eye color. This means that yes Sage was meant to physically represent the element of his armor. That would also lead to problems that Sage would have had to face growing up.

In Japanese Culture, one of the worst scarlet letters you can possess is to stand out. Sage is from a traditional family so being born representing his armors element would have raised a lot of eyebrows. I’ve seen numerous dramatic fanfictions where Sage is picked on because of his implausible hair color. I’ve also seen the word Konketsu applied to him as well in some of these fics. Konketsu means mixed-blood but it can be used as a slur that means half-breed. 

In a more modernized incarnation this traditionalist might not be used quite as often. So you can sum it up as anime logic.

While the legend of the Halo Armor is well known in the Date family, only a small fraction would believe the legend to be more than just a story.  While an even smaller fraction would recognize that Sage was born connected to the Halo Armor.  Namely Sage’s grandparents and possibly his mother.

The circumstances of Sage’s mother being chosen to provide a male heir to the Date Clan are unknown. It’s often speculated that Grandfather Date only had daughters, if there had been a boy born to their family he either died before he could prove himself as an heir. Or he was expelled from the Date Estate for some reason. Which in turn would put the burden of producing an heir on the shoulders of his sister or one of them.

Sage’s mother could be the oldest daughter, or she was deemed the one who was more likely to produce a suitable male heir.

Whatever the case may be, the Ronin are the first real friends that he’s ever had. And it’s likely that his upbringing didn’t really allow for friendships to exist in his life.

With Sage’s character bio for the original series it is stated that his grandfather was largely responsible for Sage’s upbringing. Some bios state that he was given over to his grandfather because his parents had trouble disciplining him.

Personally to me it always felt there was more to this. Grandfather Date likely would have recognized from the moment Sage was born that he was destined to bear the Halo Armor. So he would have naturally taken it upon himself to prepare Sage for when the armor would deem him worthy of it.  As well as to groom Sage for the day he would inherit their families Dojo and become the next head of the Date Clan. While he would have told Sage and also Sage’s sisters of the family legend, he would continue to let Sage believe the rigorous training he is given is all associated with being his grandfather’s successor.

While Kento is actually the wealthiest of the five Ronin, neither Kento nor Sage’s home’s are described. The best that’s given is that his family live on the outskirts of Sendai and that the Dojo is a part of it, or at least an area of the family estate that can be visited without invitation.  

Wanting to ensure his grandson was raised in a way *he* deemed fit, Grandfather Date would insist that Sage come live with him at the main house. I can imagine he was around the ages of 4-6 when this occurred. Sage’s grandfather is described as being unusually strict. Sage was also rather rambunctious at that age, so he may have believed that he must have done something bad so he was being taken away from his family as punishment.

Sage is still able to see his parents and sisters, but he would live under his grandfather’s roof at the Date Estate. Grandfather Date according to the brief description of him is said to be the walking precept of Date House, he was also a soldier in his youth he raises Sage to be the same.

The time Grandfather Date was a soldier is rather unclear, some bios he was a soldier during the Meiji Era which means he was around Sage’s age during the early 1900’s since that era ran from 1868-1912. Since this series is set in the late eighties, it is possible that he may have been in the tail end of that time period. Though I have seen bios that have said he was a soldier during the Edo Period, which would be physically impossible since that time period ended just as the Meiji era started. Logically if he was in a war at all, it would more likely be WWII.

Since Sage’s family is descended from Date Mesamune, a more logical conclusion was that Grandfather Date was trained to be like a soldier from the Edo period and raised Sage to follow those same disapplines. So this would be a bit of a reverse of what Rowen’s life is like. Where Rowen is a child who is seen and treated as an adult, Sage is a child who has his life framed with the expectation that he will act like an adult.

Perhaps Sage viewed his home life under his grandfather’s teaching as a gilded cage. Everything he needs is provided for, however there is always the sense that everything he says and does is watched and has to meet a certain expectation. If he does something that is met with disapproval it can result in a harsh punishment. The same expectations he would be expected to follow at home would also apply to his school life.

With School aside from meeting his Grandfather’s rigorous criteria, which would make it difficult for him to make friends with his schoolmates. All this of course translates into the self doubts and fears he shows at times during the war with the Dynasty.

With the Ronin Warriors, Sage would likely find himself in a bit of a conundrum. As he has actual friends for the first time in his life and not only that people he comes to see as brothers. While being raised by his grandfather and following his directive, he’s always presented himself as the persona his grandfather had expected him to have. The one thing he has never really been permitted to be is himself, and that could lead into the issues he has in events such as the Korinden CD drama.

Mia and Yuli would largely be the same, as they are in the series. Just a pair of civilians who are friends with the Ronin and understand the battles they go through. Mia would continue her grandfather’s research on the armors and assist where she can. Mostly she would be a big sister figure to the Ronin and help them figure out. In the Message OVA she does become a delegate at the United Nations. While the other Delegates are wondering about the strange things that are going on and wondering about how they were dealt with in previous events. Mia stands up and says she believes she may know what they are looking for.

To be honest, this often bugged me. I mean I like the idea of the Ronin being needed in other parts of the world aside from Japan. Still at that point, the Ronin Armors as they were originally had all been destroyed. Mia would have recognized what was going on was connected to the power of the Armors. Still telling a group of bureaucrats, a bunch of suits that believed in facts, science, and other such tangible information that everything that was going on hinged on a group of teenagers with mystical armor. I’m sorry, the only thing they will believe is that the person telling them this is insane.

All this is stuff that was demonstrated in the series and OVA so there isn’t just headcanon.

In the second episode of the series, the Japanese Self-Defence Force is deployed against Talpa’s castle in the first war, and all their efforts prove useless. The first episode also shows electronics, vehicles, and other man-made creations lose power due to the forces of Mystical energy coming from the Dynasty.  

And even if they could be convinced that the Ronin Armors were real. Talpa’s Armor was the corporeal embodiment of all human evil. Figures in places of power and authority would be anything but happy in knowing that five suits of armor are capable of wielding weapons-grade levels of mystical power even exist. And they would be even less then happy knowing these said suits of armor were given to people who are essentially children.

While the Ronin themselves know they are fighting for the good of the Mortal Realm, authority figures would argue they are just children playing with power they couldn’t possibly understand. While other people would fear hate them on the grounds that if they can use their armors for good, what was to stop them from using them for evil.

This is seen during the series where Rowen breaks Anubus’s helmet and is stunned to find that instead of a netherworld demon, Anubus was actually a human. Later on Kento is approached by Dais and told that he would become corrupted by his own armor in time. In the Dub, Kento is told that the five armors in the past had been worn by men who have used their power for their own selfish desires. In the Japanese version, Kento is told the armors were sought by people who wanted their power for themselves.  

During the Guiden OVA, Sage is believed to have become evil and is killing innocent people in New York. In the Japanese Version, Kento makes a comment about how the name of the Samurai Troopers is tarnished because one of them decided to go rogue. Which causes Rowen to look at Kento with a horrified expression.  

Later on when Rowen and Kento are confronting Sage about his actions, they find it’s not their friend but actually his armor. While the Ronin themselves don’t use their ultimate attacks because of all the civilians around them, the Police and National Guard are still brought in to try and arrest the Ronin because of the public disturbance their battle is causing.  

During Legend of the Inferno Armor, Cye is the first of the Ronin to notice the power of their Armors starting to corrupt, Each of the Ronin also eventually notice their armor becoming corrupted.

In the Message OVA Rowen does say that the armors were just as much of a curse as they were a gift. And the Ronin do comment on and fear the eventuality of losing themselves to their armors.

Worse yet, people in places of authority would use any excuse they could think of to imprison the five Ronin. They would have their armors taken to be studied and weaponized if possible.  If they can’t do that, they would force the Ronin to agree to use their armors as a superweapon against the people they want. And if they can’t do that, have them executed.

Again in the Guiden OVA, Sage is abducted and tortured for days by a Scientist working for Shikaisen so his Armor could be studied for his own personal interests. Shikaisen also used Sage’s armor to slaughter hundreds of innocent people

All of this would lead to Talpa reforming himself and starting the cycle of the Ronin armors once again.

In the Guiden OVA, after Shikaisen merges with the Scientists computer, he does become a figure that resembles Talpa.

Message OVA,The Ronin all get this sense that their battles against the Dynasty are repeating itself. Rowen comes across a play written in the Edo Period depicting their fights against the Dynasty and sends it to Ryo.  

Since the Ronin are destined to be Warriors until the day they die, The Ronin are just best off as being guardian figures who watch the humans and protect humans from afar. Mia can open her mansion to allow the Ronin to live there as permanent house guests, or just give them the house so they all can live there at their leisure.

The new armors they recieve at the end of the Message OVA aren’t tainted with Talpa’s evil since Suzunagi’s mother she placed love in the corner of them. So they don’t act as a becon that attracts beings of evil from the Netherworld Given this the Ronin themselves could spread the teachings of the Ancient One by creating a new Legend of the Ronin Armor. 

It could start with Sage talking to his grandfather about expanding their families Dojo. Or at the very least telling his Grandfather he will not inherit the Dojo as it stands, but instead will recreate it. So instead of teaching Kendo alone it will include Archery, Swordfighting, Kungfu, meditation, and other forms of martial and spiritual arts. The other Ronin would be brought in as instructors to lead these various class all the while instilling the Anicent Ones teachings about not giving into the sinister urges of man kind. And when needed the Ronin would don their armors and face the forces from the neather world who seek to destroy the peace they have created. 

Eventually the time will come where they feel they have played their role in protecting the world, and hand the Dojo over to Yuli or at least someone they know would look after things and carry on the legend of the five armors. 

Once they have their affairs in order, they could make the choice to enter the Netherworld. This will be a tragic choice as a year in the Netherworld is a hundred years in the human world. So the Ronin would be making the choice to leave their families and loved ones behind. But they do this knowing that when they are needed they will return, and in time choose worthy successors to bear their armors. 

Yuli in an updated version would be a somewhat tragic case following the first war. During the series Yuli seems to stay with the Ronin and Mia indefinitely and is able to travel to distant countries at a moments notice. He sees all the Ronin as adoptive brothers, though he idolizes Ryo the most out of all of them. A large part of the first war with the Dynasty is that Yuli’s parents were abducted by the Dynasty. However the series never shows him with his parents again.

He should be shown meeting up with his parents again after the first war just so viewers have that closure. Then somewhere in the interim episodes between the first and second war something should happen to his parents so he loses them, it can be left up for interpretation if his parents are permanently lost. Yuli would then start to live with the Ronin and Mia until arrangements can be made for him; he will eventually be taken in by the families of one of the Ronin.  

Of the three Ronin I see Kento’s family being the only one that would work. Kento has siblings roughly around Yuli’s age, and also Yuli himself would want to be near his adoptive big brothers.

In the Message OVA, Yuli is shown as a thirteen year old having won his jr. high’s Kendo tournament. Sage teaches elementary school aged kids at his families Dojo, so I can certainly see Sage privately teaching Yuli at some point.  

[markiafc]

so, a thought about how the star wars fandom tackles sw & buddhism.

people love making meta on this with zero focalization, which results in meta that’s shallow, insubstantial, and unproductive.

buddhism is an ancient giant of a religion, it’s massive and old and incredibly diverse. there are two (or three, or four, depending who you ask) main branches of buddhism, hundreds of sects under each, numbers of subsects under said sects. then throw in the many buddhist movements throughout history, and we get an extraordinary amount of buddhist schools. naturally, their beliefs and practices would be distinct to one another, fusing with the region’s pre-existing ideologies, developing to accommodate their own societal and cultural matters, changing across long histories as the locals undergo their own struggles. 

if meta is to be made, isn’t it natural that awareness should be given to what the term ‘buddhism’ even means in your meta?

like, star wars canon itself is pretty ambiguous on this too. it’s true. there’s no official mention detailing where and what was borrowed over. but we do know star wars was inspired off japanese films featuring samurai, so there’s reason to believe sw canon works off bushido / 武士道, which also indicates zen buddhism. which also also indicates mahayana buddhism / 大乘. (it also also also indicates daoism, confucianism and more but we’re only talking about buddhism here.) and there. that’s a designated playing field with infinite potential. 

you don’t need to be hyper-specific. you can, of course, generalize things. but if your sources are cursory, then meaningful insight is a pipe dream.

eg. let’s talk about 法印 / dharmamudra / dharma seals

from this sole concept of dharma seals, we have:

三法印 / the three dharma seals

derived from the text:《大智度论》/  the treatise on the great perfection of wisdom

the three seals being:

诸行无常

“all 行 / sankhara / formations are impermanent”

诸法无我

“all 法 / dharma / buddhist ways have no self”

涅槃寂静

“nirvana is calm / quiet / peace”

三法印 / the three marks of existence

tmk this is the non-mahayana version

derived from a different text + is grounded in a different buddhist school of thought (possibly theravada...?)

lies outside of my area of expertise orz

so taken from the wiki, it states

sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā

"all saṅkhāras (conditioned things) are impermanent”

sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā

"all saṅkhāras are unsatisfactory”

sabbe dhammā anattā

"all dharmas (conditioned or unconditioned things) are not self"

四法印 / the four dharma seals

is basically a re-interpretation slash alternative of 三法印 / the three dharma seals where a fourth seal is added

derived from the text:《增一阿含经》卷18 / ekottaragama sutra, section 18

the quote: “ 一切诸行无常，是谓初法本末，如来之所说；一切诸行苦，是谓第二法本末，如来之所说；一切诸行无我，是谓第三法本末，如来之所说；涅槃为永寂，是谓第四法本末，如来之所说。是谓，诸贤，四法本末，如来之所说“

and for short:

一切行无常

“every 行 / sankhara / formations is impermanent”

一切行苦

“every 行 / sankhara / formations is suffering”

一切法无我

“every 法 / dharma / buddhist way has no self”

涅槃寂静

“nirvana is to surpass / go beyond everything”

五法印 / the five dharma seals

this is also outside of my expertise, there’s only a handful things i know about it but nothing in depth

is another re-interpretation slash alternative of 四法印 / the four dharma seals where a fifth seal is added

it tacks on the idea of emptiness, that gets expounded in the《维摩诘所说经》/  vimalakirtinirdesa sutra

the five seals being:

诸行无常

“all 行 / sankhara / formations are impermanent”

诸法无我

“all 法 / dharma / buddhist ways have no self”

色即是空

“the 色 / rupa / physical / external / tangible is empty”

寂静涅盘

“nirvana is calm / quiet / peace”

真空妙有

it’s something along the lines of  “true emptiness is...” (?)

another thing i’m not familiar with so i’m unable to translate

this is not an exhaustive or educational list on 法印 / dharmamudra / dharma seals, of course. but from this alone, it’s evident there are a number of versions for just this (1) concept. the same seal with the exact same phrasing of “涅槃寂静” can be understood as “nirvana is calm / quiet / peace” or “nirvana is to surpass / go beyond everything”. all versions of the dharma seals share similar and repeated ideas, such as “诸行无常; all 行 / sankhara / formations are impermanent”, but that does not make all these versions the same. even the two different forms of 三法印 / the three dharma seals mentioned share very similar ideas and the exact same title, but they still differ greatly depending on the branches of buddhism it exists under. 

none of them listed can be mistaken for the other. they each came about and continue to exist for their own intents and purposes, and are used in practice in various ways too. this is in spite of how similar the lines stated may seem, repeated or no.

if you want to comment or dig into anything, you have to be aware of what a dharma seal is and which interpretation of the seals you’re thinking of and why this? there are so many different and nuanced understandings of the dharma seals, why would you look into three dharma seals instead of the five dharma seals? because the five dharma seals re-contextualizes it all with a greater focus on emptiness? now how would that change the lines repeated in both variants? simply picking out what in star wars resembles a dharma seal will bring you nowhere.

a lot of buddhism works this way, where it’s essentially the same thing echoed all over the place. but so much of it is at the same time distinct, and different. because what matters is the interpretations and the applications. the why of why this variant exists, how is it used, what makes it different will be what brings forth insight and meaningful conclusions.

the tens of thousands of meta love throwing around 八正道 / the eightfold path and 四圣谛 / the four noble truths in their observations, while providing a blanket definition, a surface explanation to the vague one-liners. but without a focus and the full context of the concept at hand, it’ll never be anything more than saying x = y. you’ll never be able to go beyond one for one comparisons and parallels. and for an american franchise made by and for americans, a one for one parallel between star wars and actual buddhism simply does. not. exist. the entire resulting meta would be worthless because it is wrong. 

examples of a lack of focalisation leading to meta that says nothing includes this tumblr post and this twitter thread (what’s the point of telling me dooku’s name equates to duhkha that means suffering, it’s an observation that goes nowhere and is unproductive. what is the point.)

examples also include the dharma of star wars by matthew bortolin, where he makes simple comparisons, takes a general buddhist concept and slaps it with a selected aspect of star wars. and then explains how it is the same while giving zero insight to anything star wars or irl buddhism. 

like at one point, he brings up the concept of 蕴 / skandha / aggregates?

Buddhists further subdivide mental elements, bringing the total number of aggregates that comprise a sentient being to five: (1) physical form or body, (2) feeling, (3) perception, (4) mental formations, and (5) consciousness.

and goes down the list to explain each, while using a star wars analogy (which is already demeaning and weird to do, because why would you use an american and appropriating franchise as a case study for anything buddhist, especially so when your purpose is to be a primer for buddhist philosophies first). 

but alongside the concept of 五蕴 / five aggregates, he never makes a peep about 十二处 / twelve ayatana or 十八界 / eighteen dhatavah, which are concepts that come hand in hand with the five aggregates. 

why. just why? when these concepts, in practice and when discussed by actual buddhists, are so tightly woven together, they are a package deal! they literally belong in one big web, as you can see below. 

the five aggregates, inclusive of twelve ayatana, inclusive of eighteen dhatavah. there's so much overlap and interweaving connections. the combination is the full idea, is the full picture, is the complete purpose of 五蕴 / five aggregates concept.

matthew bortolin also has a major issue with terminology.

at many occasions, he straight up uses the phrases & words star wars made up for their fictional universe to explain buddhism. it’s terms lifted right out of the movie lines like yoda’s “fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” and he proceeds to adopt the structure and progression described in that line to teach buddhism as well. or he uses the term “dark side” to explain buddhist concepts of suffering when the “dark side” does not exist in buddhism, it is not a buddhist concept at all. he uses terms a white man made up for his white man movie to directly explain buddhism, a religion that exists in real life. which is very, very, very strange at best. deeply problematic and disgusting ignorance at worst. 

and sometimes he just says things like this:

Buddhist philosophers describe three types of desire that, when grasped or rejected, cause suffering. The three types are desire for things that are pleasant to experience, desire for something to not be the way it is, and the desire to have more or to be more.

which includes no terminology, as far as i can tell. i have no idea what he’s talking about. is he referring to the three types of 贪爱 / tanha / desire? is he talking about the 三毒 / the three poisons? i will never know. what he references is too vague, too general, too meaningless.

but tying this back to the original point: he introduces a buddhism that has no focalisation, and no awareness for the thousands of different interpretations.

matthew himself is a part of 十四項正念修習 / thich nhat hanh’s order of interbeing, a buddhist school under 禅宗 / zen buddhism. and they have their own main beliefs and concepts called the fourteen mindfulness trainings. but funnily enough, these fourteen ideals never make an appearance in his book. 

what does make it into the book are generic buddhist terms like nirvana, dharma, karma, samsara. the sanskrit terms suggesting he’s either referring to buddhism in its most broad and non-specific form, or theravada canon (whereas using the chinese terms would have signaled to me straight away that he’s tackling mahayana buddhism). 

he describes mindfulness and meditation, but that is yet again an all-inclusive buddhist trait. it indicates nothing. he also goes on to mention 八正道 / the eightfold path and 四圣谛 / the four noble truths, as well as 四正勤 / four right exertions, and gives a general textbook explanation with no nuance or meaningful wisdom. he does mention 二谛 / the two truths which was the only thing that was recognizably mahayana focused, but even then it went nowhere.

the use of sanskrit terms, plus the mess of vague buddhist concepts and explanations and the sudden (1) mention of a mahayana concept is... confusing. the buddhism he presents is scattered all over the place. it jumps from one big umbrella to another. i have no idea if he’s aware that clear distinctions exist within buddhism. it’s as if anything goes as long as it’s under the universal label of buddhism. which is, of course, exactly the case. the answer to ‘why this?’ is simply because it is buddhist.

he presents an incredibly blurred image where nothing substantial can be made out. though nothing he says in his book is wrong (other than the afterword where he proceeds to rationalise how a strictly non-violent religion like buddhism can sometimes allow murder and violence, yes, buddhists can have a little murder if they think it’s right, as a treat), nothing about it is right either. there’s simply no substance to it, so it falls in the grey area where no judgement can be placed upon it. nothing can be said about it, it sparks no discussion. it is very simply, utterly nothing.

thanks for nothing, matthew.

and everyone else who has proudly made buddhist & sw meta that serve no other purpose but to stroke your own ego.

[almasexya]

The Strongest Man (The Three Treasures, 1959)

In my quest to watch as many Japanese giant monster movies as can be found, I end up stumbling into things I didn’t even know existed. The Three Treasures, a 1959 epic from Toho aiming to chronicle the Japanese creation myth itself, is as ambitious as that description would suggest. Its original Japanese title, The Birth of Japan, is much more appropriate given the scope of this work, especially considering the film begins with nothing less than the gods creating the earth itself.

The Three Treasures is a difficult movie to discuss from a plot perspective. It can be compared to the old Hollywood epics of the 50s and 60s, such as The Ten Commandments or Ben-Hur. Sets, extras, and actors abound - Toho clearly pulled out all the stops with this one, throwing out nearly every well-known actor at the time, including some serious stars such as the venerable Toshiro Mifune as Yamato Takeru. The runtime of the Japanese version is three hours long - by far the longest of any films I’ll be looking at for this series, and at times it can certainly feel it, though you really can’t watch this film without being reminded of the sheer ambition behind it. There was apparently a US release that slashed out two-thirds of the running time, paring the film down to a svelte 90 minutes, but I was unable to find it in any capacity, my copy being a DVD bootleg of the original Japanese release.

Like many epic films from the period, discussing the plot of The Three Treasures necessitates a general overview. Toshiro Mifune plays the crown prince of the Yamato clan, destined to succeed his father the emperor and become the next ruler of Japan. He is however at odds with those in the imperial court who don’t want to see him take the throne, and is sent by his father on dangerous campaigns against the eastern clans in the hopes that these battles will result in his death. His legend only grows with each victory, earning him the title of Yamato Takeru, roughly translated as “the strongest man,” forcing his enemies to take even more drastic actions against him.

At many points within this plot, the movie sometimes decides to just do something else for awhile, which is where its religious myths come in. These myths, set down in works known as the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in late 600 AD, form the bedrock of what would come to be known as Shintoism by the time of the Meiji Restoration in the mid 1800s. Ostensibly they’re a collection of stories and genealogies written to record Japan’s ancient history, but in practice they also served to legitimize imperial rule, as the emperors are purported to be descended from the gods themselves, messengers of the heaves that must be obeyed and respected. The Divine Right of Kings takes many forms, but in practice it nearly always looks the same But our place is not to dig into ancient history - context is just an important thing.

These mythological stories also hold the reason I’m even discussing this movie in the first place - at around the two hour mark, Yamato Takeru sits down to tell his men the story of his legendary sword, a gift from his aunt supposedly handed down by his father the emperor. As it turns out, the sea god Susano’o pulled it from the corpse of Yamato no Orochi, a legendary eight-headed hydra. This battle between the god and the hydra is the standout scene in the film, and not without good reason. Five years before Toho created its most well-known hydra in King Ghidorah, we have Orochi, a much more complicated prop, though one that as far as I can tell doesn’t contain an actor inside. Information on this film is, by and large, quite sparse in the English language, so if anyone knows otherwise, feel free to correct me.

The Orochi prop is pure serpentine menace - introduced as a monster devouring the children of a helpless family each year, the beast emerges from the waters of a nearby lake with dark, green skin and sinister glowing eyes. The battle with Susano’o is fast and frenetic, with the hydra’s heads striking out every which way while Susano’o flashes at it with his sword. As far as I can tell this is the first time a human and a giant monster went to-to-toe, and considering that, it works fairly well. Some of the effects that put Susano’o and Orochi in the same frame can appear hokey, but between Eiji Tsuburaya’s effects and Akira Ifukube’s bombastic score, you can’t ever call the fight uninteresting. The battle ends with Susano’o climbing and straddling a massive prop representing Orochi’s body and tail, after which he literally pulls the magic sword out of the creature’s ass. Let’s go ahead and not ask how it got there.

The rest of the film is focused squarely on the exploits of Yamato Takeru, a noble, gentle, and powerful warrior who can’t seem to catch a break. He’s reminiscent of a Japanese hercules, a godlike figure beset on all sides by his enemies, and clearly not handling the pressure well. Mifune gives the role the best he’s got, but there isn’t a ton for him to do, and it can be challenging to get invested in the characters. Director Hiroshi Inagaki is great at squeezing the emotion and grandeur out of the sweeping Japanese countryside and the otherworldly, fog-drenched sets that comprise the realm of the gods, but the characters always seem to be held just at arm’s length, and it’s difficult to truly care about what’s happening to anyone on screen. Despite also directing the Samurai trilogy, also starring Mifune, even the sword fights feel lesss impressive than they could, likely because Yamato Takeru just isn’t a compelling character, robbing the scenes of their emotion and depth. Spartacus this ain’t.

The true star is the effects, which represent some of the wildest action Tsuburaya ever pulled off, between an eight-headed hydra, numerous mystical locales, and a climactic volcano eruption complete with thunderous earthquakes and torrents of boiling lava. The film’s budget just about slaps you in the face with every new scene, and it never seems to run out of ambitious set pieces as the runtime goes along, not to mention plenty of extras to fill them with.

That said, it’s three hours long, and that’s a pretty big ask. For kaiju fans, the hydra scene is worth a watch, but going through the whole movie is a challenge, and you’re better off finding the clip on Youtube, as it doesn’t really lose any punch by being taken out of context (it more or less lacks any context to begin with). I spent the better part of a day watching it in increments, and even then it felt overlong. If you have the time for it, it’s worth it as both a history lesson and a snapshot of Japanese genre cinema, but I can only recommend this one to hardcore fans.

[a-marlene-s]

This is a... long list of stuff I have watched or read. Along with a list of Au’s I would write for.

If any of you want to know what ‘Fandoms’ I would write for, here’s a list of things I have seen or watched, and I am willing to write for. Along with a list of AU’s I will write for. 

Keep in mind, the list is subject to change and I had left out some things or I forgot about it. If any of you have any questions, throw me an ask or message.

Anime/Manga:

Books:

Ancient Magus’ Bride

Attack on Titan

Black Bird(Read the first couple of chapters, I need to go back an continue it.)

Black Butler

Black Lagoon(First season-ish?)

Bleach

Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo

Cyborg 009

Digimon Frontier. (Due to reasons, I will only write for this season.)

Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball Z(Still a better love story than Twilight.)

Durarara!!(I really need to watch the rest of this…)

Fairy Tail

Fullmetal Alchemist/Brotherhood

Hellsing

Hetalia(I… I only watched it because my brother told me one of his friends watched it. There’s a fine line of insanity, and it crossed it for me.)

Howl’s Moving Castle

Inuyasha

Kiki’s Delivery Service

Kimetsu no Yaiba

La Corda D’Oro

My Hero Academia

Naruto/Naruto Shippuden/Buroto

Oban Star Racers(I love this show!!!!!!!!)

One Piece(First couple of seasons. It’s been a while…)

One Punch Man

Ouran High School Host Club

Ponyo

Prince of Tennis

Princess Mononoke(My first Studio Ghibli movie. I wasn’t even ten.)

Seven Deadly Sins

Shaman King

Soul Eater

Soul King

Spirited Away

Sword Art Online(Only watched the first couple of episodes. I like it.)

Tokyo Mew Mew

Trigun(I really need to rewatch this.)

Wolf Children

YuGiOh/YuGiOh GX/YuGiOh 5D’s(I will only write for Yugioh 5D’s. Due to personal reasons.)

Zatch Bell

Cartoons: (I’ve seen a lot more, but I won’t mention them here.)

A Christmas Carol

BFG

Charlotte’s Web

Harry Potter

House Of Night Series

Hunger Games(Only the first book.)

Twilight

Games:

6Teen

Addams Family

American Dragon: Jake Long

Atlantis

As Told By Ginger

Avatar: Last Airbender

Batman

Batman Beyond

Batman the Animated Series

Ben 10

Chalkzone

Code Lyoko

Codename: Kids Next Door

Courage The Cowardly Dog

Danny Phantom

El Tigre

Fillmore

Gargoyles

Generator Rex

Growing Up Creepie

Hazbin Hotel(I recently just watched the pilot… it was interesting.)

Hercules: The Animated Series

Hey Arnold

Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi

Jackie Chan Adventures

Jimmy Neutron

Johnny Test

Josie and the Pussycats

Kim Possible

Legend of Korra

Lilo & Stitch

Men in Black, The Series

Mighty Ducks

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Chat Noir

Monster High

Mummy: The Animated Series

My Life as a Teenage Robot

Mystery Skulls Animated

Pokémon

Proud Family

Pucca

Rocket Power

Rugrats/All Grown Up

Sabrina, the Teenage Witch

Samurai Jack

Scooby Doo

Secret Saturdays

Speed Race: The Next Generation

Static Shock

Super Robot Monkey Team

Sym-Bionic Titan

Teen Titans

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Three Delivery

ThunderCats

Time Squad

Total Drama Series

Totally Spies

Voltron: Legendary Defender

Winx Club

X-Men

X-Men Evolution

Xiaolian Showdown

Yin Yang Yo

Young Justice

Movies:

(A lot of Otome games. Just ask.)

Dragon Age

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

Elder Scrolls: Blade

Elder Scrolls: Skyrim

Eldarya

Fable

Fallout

High School Story

Hollywood U

Love Nikki

Mortal Kombat

My Candy Love/University

My Forged Wedding

My Sweet Bodyguard

Mystic Messenger

Sly Cooper

Super Smash Brothers

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger

Tv Shows: (English and Spanish)

10,000 BC

101/102 Dalmatians

13 Ghosts

2012

50 First Dates

A Cinderella Story

A Little Princess

A-Team

Ace Ventura

Addams Family

Agent Cody Banks

Alice in Wonderland

Aliens/Predator

An American Tail

Anastasia

Annie

Antz

Aristocrats

Atlantis: The Lost Empire

August Rush

Batman

Beauty and the Beast  

Beetlejuice

Big Hero 6

Black Cauldron

Borrowers

Brave

Camp Rock

Casper

Charlie Angels

Cinderella

Coco

Conjuring

Coraline

Corpse Bride

Crimson Peak

Dawn of the Dead

Despicable Me

Doctor Doolittle

Ella Enchanted

Emperor’s New Groove

Epic

Fifth Element

Finding Nemo

Firehouse Dog

Forrest Gump

Frozen

Green Mile

Hairspray

Halloweentown

Harry Potter

Hellboy

High School Musical

Hobbit

Hocus Pocus

Holes

Homeward Bound

Hotel Transylvania

How To Train Your Dragon

Hunchback of Norte Dame

Hunger Games(One the first movie.)

I Am Legend

I, Robot

Ice Princess

The Incredibles

Independence Day

Inside Out

Iron Giant

James and the Giant Peach

John Wick

Jumaji

Krampus

Kung Fu Panda

Legend of Tarzan

Lila & Stitch

Lord of the Rings

Matilda

Meet the Robinsons

Megamind

Moana

Mostly Ghostly

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium

Mummy

Nanny McPhee

Night At the Museum

Nightmare Before Christmas

Parent Trap

Penelope

Peter Pan

Phantom of the Opera

Pirates of the Caribbean

Pocahontas

Polar Express

Princess and the Frog

Princess Diaries

 Moves under the Main Disney Banner:

Bones

Marvel or under the same publication:

Snow White

DC Films: 

X-Men

DC Animted:

Superman I, II, II (1978, 80 and 83)

LIst of AU’s I will write for:

Superman: The Animated Series

A Christmas Carol

[timetrickster]

Living W/ Immortality: Episode 4: The Dance Battle To Save The World (Final)

FINN now in an ancient temple sees LUCIAN was moving around near an altar in a circular room. TAVEN & ATHENA are wrapped in ropes and stuck toward walls somehow. Faint music is heard from the entrance and FINN slowly walks in. The ceiling had this magical view of the moon and moonlight showered the room.

LUCIAN/NARRATOR (V.O)

And so it’s the final episode… jeez, that was quick. The author didn’t have time to expand? Whatever here we are the final act of the story, this time it’s hero vs villain! I hope there’s a fight involved. But anyways, let’s hope, Ms. Plant, Ghost Person, and the Two-faced dumbass are up for a challenge. Ready for the show?

As FINN walks in, the music gets louder. The song “I Think We're Alone Now” by Tiffany is playing. LUCIAN was dancing to the music.

LUCIAN

The one thing you humans did right was music. God, this song is amazing!

FINN stars at him awkwardly. Then looks toward TAVEN & ATHENA with a confused look and they shrug as well. LUCIAN turns off the song off at 1st Chorus.

LUCIAN (V.O)

Anyways, I should do my whole villain monologue, right? It’s the right thing to do. Nice to finally meet you all. Anyways, let’s get straight to the point! I’m starting a war where humankind and the magical fight each other. Just for the hell of it all. And I want you three to join me. You three are the only…

A random noise is heard as LUCIAN says his villain monologue.

You three are the only ones that can…

LUCIAN (cont’d)

(Looks around hearing the random noise)

What is that noise?

LUCIAN looks around then looks at FINN sitting on the floor of the room.

LUCIAN (cont’d)

Are you… are you eating?

FINN was holding and eating his plate lunch from earlier while sitting down and stops after being awkwardly caught.

FINN

Yes…

(He says with food in his mouth)

LUCIAN

You are seriously eating food while I’m trying to tell you about my plan.

FINN

(swallows food)

But I’m listening… you don’t have to get angry.

LUCIAN We’re in an ancient temple for God’s sake how did you even get your food here?

(Looks are the food with interest)

What do you have?

FINN

Fried rice, uhhh lemon chicken, crispy pork belly, tocino, and I think duck? I think.

LUCIAN

That sounds really delicious. Where did you get that?

FINN

Chun Wah Kam. Lovely place, lots of variety. Really good.

(Looks at watch)

Closes at 7… and it’s 7.

LUCIAN Thank you, I’ll be sure to find that when I’m done and…

Son of a bitch, what the hell am I saying?! We’re a hundred feet underground! There isn’t a food court here!

Shouting from LUCIAN in the background.

TAVEN

(whispers to ATHENA)

Seriously how did he get that plate lunch? He didn’t even have a bag.

ATHENA

(whispers back to TAVEN) I have no clue but that’s impressive that he brought that with him without a bag and being captured.

LUCIAN (V.O)

(Inner thoughts)

As much as I am mad at him for rudely eating during my monologue. I’m just curious how he has that with him.

LUCIAN

You three have powers passed down to you by the previous immortals. Life and Time died to keep the world spinning, Acheron ran away and was promoted to a higher rank. Now you three are capable of wielding their power for whatever you desire. And the big man upstairs won’t do shit.

FINN

You’re gonna start a war just so to see the world burn?

LUCIAN

Was it not that obvious? Of course, I’m bored. I’m an immortal sociopath who lived for eons and killed generations upon generations of your past incarnations. Just felt it was time to shake things up, ya know? What do you say? Want to join me?

FINN

(Sarcastically)

Yeah, I want to join you on a chaos and mayhem fueled war and pit humanity and magical creatures for the hell of it.

LUCIAN

I’m aware of your sarcasm and knowing you three having good hearts.

He snaps his fingers. All of a sudden FINN begins to scream in pain. Holding his head, until ERIN is brought out and separated from FINN’S body. They both look at each other and realize their situation.

FINN & ERIN

Oh, fuck me.

LUCIAN

Let’s have some fun. Weapons or fists?

FINN & ERIN

Weapons! Fists!

They both look at each other.

LUCIAN

Eh, why not both?

LUCIAN throws them a katana. ERIN nudges FINN to take it and he does so. The two stand up ready to fight. LUCIAN steps onto the floor ready to fight as well. He snaps his fingers and two monsters appear. A Kaupe & Kappa.

LUCIAN

I’m not much of a fighter. I’m the type of character that you fight at the end when you kill the penultimate boss with immense power. Meet Konane and Kuzenbo.

LUCIAN snaps his fingers and KONANE & KUZENBO become even more monstrous. Turning both magical creatures into even more horrid versions of themselves.

FINN & ERIN

Fuck.

FINN

You know what this feels like?

ERIN

What?

FINN

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret Of The Ooze. Remember there was a mutated wolf and snapping turtle?

ERIN

Oh yeah…  we’re so fucked. Since Michelangelo and Donatello are hanging on the wall.

LUCIAN

Hold on, let me play that Vanilla Ice song!

FINN

Can we make a request?

LUCIAN

Of course.

FINN & ERIN

Let’s Groove by Earth, Wind & Fire!

LUCIAN

Let’s dance!

The song “Let’s Groove” by Earth, Wind & Fire plays as LUCIAN snapped his finger. A fight ensues between the duos. Two immortal dumbasses and a magically mutated wolfman and turtle man. FINN & ERIN make the first move as they charge at the towering monster. ERIN punches KUZENBO’S face a couple of times and FINN cuts KONANE on one of his arms.

KUZENBO & KONANE are unphased by their simple attacks.

FINN

I’m sorry.

KONANE punches FINN in the face and he falls to the ground. KUZENBO does the same and ERIN follows FINN. Both groan in pain. The song pauses for a moment.

FINN

I think I’m dead.

ERIN

Just give us a minute.

LUCIAN/NARRATOR (V.O)

Really? This is what the author does.

FINN & ERIN get back up and go for round 2. LUCIAN snaps his finger and the song continues. They last longer this round, as ERIN’S skill in boxing comes into play beating and bruising KONANE. FINN suddenly gained sword skills out of nowhere and was fast enough to block the razor-sharp claws of KUZENBO.

FINN

How am I doing this?!

As he holds the katana from top to hilt from the claws of the monstrous Kappa. ERIN tackles the Hawaiian wolfman down and gets back down.

ERIN

Muscle memory?! We both love samurais and ninjas growing up.

The song stops playing. FINN the gigantic turtle man away and kicks him down, knocking him on his shelf. The song finishes thus ending round 2.

LUCIAN

Crap… songs over. Um, any req…

They interrupt him immediately.

FINN & ERIN

DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT!

The song “Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind, & Fire plays. Round 3 begins and the monsters are back on their feet.

LUCIAN

Let’s make this interesting!

LUCIAN snaps his fingers and the music begins to play. Each duo on their side ready to fight. Suddenly FINN starts dancing with a sword in hand.

ERIN

Finn? What are you doing?

FINN

I’m not doing this!

KONANE starts to dance too and to the rhythm of the song. ERIN looks at LUCIAN who is dancing then starts laugh.

ERIN

What did you do?!

LUCIAN

Oh… I turned this battle into the dance battle to save the world.

LUCIAN snaps his fingers and ERIN & KUZENBO start to dance suddenly.

ERIN

Son of a bitch…

The duos do their dances to the song and ERIN punches KONANE in the guy. KONANE tries to scratch him but does a backflip and dodges his attack.

FINN

Dance Battle! I get it! We can still fight, we just have to keep dancing while we fight!

FINN swings his sword and rushes toward KUZENBO stabbing him. Then kicking him by doing a backflip, then jumps toward him and knocks him down with a punch from the air. He lands kneeling and looks at ERIN.

FINN

You gotta dance dude!

ERIN

FINE!

KONANE is the only one left standing since KUZENBO had just easily fallen. LUCIAN snaps his fingers again and the ground rises up.

LUCIAN

Keep dancing boys and girls!

ERIN starts to break dance and trips KONANE onto the floor. He gets back on his feet and punches the back of his head really hard. The floor returns to the ground and LUCIAN is applauding them.

LUCIAN

You two are amazing at what you do. You know I was wrong about you two. The Dual Faced Immortal. You have won fair and square. So I will now return myself to my prison and wait another few hundred years to kill this world.

LUCIAN holds his hand out.

FINN

That’s it?

LUCIAN

Psyche!

LUCIAN snaps his fingers and the ground rises and holds FINN & ERIN in place.

LUCIAN

Did you really think, the villain plays fair?

His eyes begin to glow. As well as ERIN’S eyes too.

LUCIAN

What?! No! This wasn’t in the script! Author!

FINN

Erin, what’s happening?!

ERIN

I don’t know?!

LUCIAN rises between them and realizes what’s going on.

LUCIAN

Your Deus Ex Machina.

FINN & ERIN

WHAT?!

LUCIAN

When the main characters are in an unsolvable problem. The plot device saves you.

Both FINN & ERIN look confused again. LUCIAN smiles.

LUCIAN

Your time powers.

They both realize that their time powers had just begun to develop.

LUCIAN

Like I said. Deus Ex Machina. That sneaky little bastard. He planned this all this time.

FINN & ERIN break out their dominant hands and blast LUCIAN with blue and red time energy. They both look at their hands unscathed from the blast. LUCIAN gets up weakly from the blast. His face is broken some more and shows he’s hollow inside. They are frightened by this.

LUCIAN

This isn’t over.

FINN & ERIN grab each other’s hands and a purple portal opens behind them. And drags them in. Both still holding their hands and swirl into the unknown of the portal. Eventually, they’re thrown out of the portal and land on a sidewalk.

They both get up and wipe off the dust off their clothes.

FADE IN: FINN’S NEIGHBORHOOD

FINN

Where are we?

ERIN looks around.

ERIN

We’re home. It’s morning. Did we win?

FINN

I don’t know…  Erin. Look.

He points at the person he sees. Far in the distance, it was someone he recognized.

ERIN

What?

ERIN looks in the same direction and what follows is a scared look on his face.

ERIN

No fucking way.

In the distance they both see FINN putting his headphones on. FINN’S phone suddenly starts playing “Crocodile Rock” by Elton John.

FINN & ERIN

Oh shit…

FINN

Erin? What the hell just happened?

(Intensely worried)

ERIN

I have no fucking clue.

(Intensely worried)

CUT TO: BLACK

(End of Episode 4. End of Season 1)

Tags: @cometworks, @cookiecuttercritter, @coloursintheblur

[greysprofile]

Sneaky ninja tactics to employ

#SNEAKY NINJA TACTICS TO EMPLOY SERIES#

They were widely feared at the time and certainly seemed to live up to their name.Īncient assassins known as Thuggees worked as a team. The Thuggees have been called the world’s first Mafia and it is believed they were responsible for around 2000,000 deaths. Rather than working alone as many ancient assassins did, Thuggees attacked as a group with each member of the gang playing a different role such as look-out. A cult of ancient assassins called the Thuggees (which is Sanskrit for ‘concealment’) were a gang of assassins operating in India between the 13th and 19th Centuries. ( Frédéric Prochasson / Adobe) 3.They Could be ThugsĪncient assassins could be thugs - it’s actually where the word ‘thug’ originates. Ninja women call the kunoichi were particularly formidable ancient assassins. After they had gained access to their target, they dispatched them just as ruthlessly as their male counterparts and had no qualms utilizing the famed throwing stars and katanas we associate with ninjas today. The kunoichi liked to take advantage of the fact people generally regarded women as harmless housewives, and they were able to get far closer to their targets to either gather information or kill them because the men did not anticipate this. However, in the world of assassins, women should not be forgotten, and a special order of ninjas called kunoichi were particularly formidable assassins. Warfare has traditionally been left to men and as a result most great warriors and generals have been men. Espionage was something that other groups would often refuse to do, for example samurais felt that espionage was beneath them which meant people would hire ninjas instead. Their ability to stay hidden and undetected also made them perfect candidates to conduct espionage and assassins were sometimes hired with the sole intention of spying on and not killing or harming a target. It is often considered their most significant assassination. He was wise enough to heed the warning and did as they had instructed.ġ4th-century painting of the successful assassination of Nizam al-Mulk, vizier of the Seljuq Empire, by an ancient assassin from the Hashashins. The notorious Muslim leader Saladin allegedly received one of these threatening Hashashin notes pinned to his table with a poisoned dagger as he slept, along with a tray of Hashashin scones. The Hashashins, a group of assassins formed in Persia and Syria, were so feared that when they left a warning note and a calling card, such as scones made in the characteristic Hashashin way, it was often enough to persuade someone to do what they were told The word ‘assassinate’ today means to kill an important figure for political reasons, but the assassins of the past did not always resort to killing to get their point across. From secret codes to secret weapons, these are ten facts about assassins you may not have heard before. The truth behind these ancient groups of assassins is often clouded in mystery – their activities were clandestine and discussing their work was often considered taboo – but the surviving information about assassins provides some fascinating information about the roles they played in ancient society and the tactics they were willing to employ. The games are known for their historical accuracy and while the society itself may be fictional, there really were assassins in most, if not all, of the ancient civilizations we are familiar with today.

#SNEAKY NINJA TACTICS TO EMPLOY SERIES#

The game series Assassin’s Creed is a wildly successful franchise following a secret order of assassins who have existed for thousands of years.

[reneg661]

Is a former member of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate, who left by faking his death after falling in love with a woman called Julia. He then became a bounty hunter and the partner of Jet Black, the captain of the Bebop. Spike and Jet pursued criminals across the populated planets and moons of the solar system. His ship was the Swordfish II. During his adventures on board the Bebop, Spike is drawn back into a bitter feud with Vicious, a rival from the Syndicate who seeks to kill him. Spike is a slothful, nonchalant, indifferent, and lazy character. He passes the vast majority of his time on the Bebop lounging, watching TV, or sleeping. In a few rare occasions, he is also seen practicing Jeet Kune Do, a martial arts practice he is very skilled in, being among other things passionate of Bruce Lee and his philosophies (for example, he follows Lee's "water" analogy for his style of fighting). He is a hardened smoker, shown with a cigarette in his mouth in practically every shot (the poor conditions in the cigarettes that are depicted recall those of Daisuke Jigen.) Although he rarely acknowledges it, Spike has very little patience. He repeatedly states he hates dogs, children, and women with attitudes, and is anything but happy when each one of the three joins the Bebop, but as the series progressed, he warmed up to Edward, Ein, and Faye, all three of which fall in the category of the three things he particularly hates. He also claims to dislike cats. Spike is rarely seen excited about something and, even less frequently, says he likes something. He usually behaves phlegmatically and walks slouching almost as if he is sleepwalking. He appears to be tormented by the ghosts of his past and has frequent nightmares of his life in the Red Dragon. He considers he already died once and therefore doesn't often show fear at the possibility of being killed, often acting as if to challenge death. One of the recurring themes surrounding Spike's character is how he views himself and his life. Following the implant of an artificial eye, he says his left eye, the real one, sees the past while the synthetic right eye sees the present, making the past indelible in his mind, not allowing him to get rid of or forget about it. Despite that, he usually encourages others to forget the past as "not important." Spike's star sign is Cancer, which fits with his inability to let go of the past. When he is not working, Spike is very laid back, sarcastic, and lively to the dismay of his crew mates. He is typically found either resting on the couch or reading magazines. Spike's philosophy seems to be based on the ancient samurai ideals of immediacy, such as considering oneself as dead and the idea of death as being an awakening from a dream, which are both elements of bushido illustrated in the Hagakure. Although people often talk about cowboys in an almost heroic sense, his image is far from the idea of one and, on the contrary, has characteristics typical of an antihero. He never acts to protect anyone, but only for interest, so he often has to be persuaded to commit himself to a hunt he considers only a little exciting, has a rather sharp and cynical sense of humor, when he pursues a bounty, he throws himself headfirst into action, regardless of damage caused to people and buildings, and doesn't have the slightest moral scruples of having to kill someone. In the movie, he even tells an old woman that he and the Bebop crew don't serve and protect and that their work is strictly business, though Jet doubts that he actually means that. In spite of all this, Spike still has a good heart and, whether he admits it or not, is more caring than he lets on and more than willing to help out others without expecting anything in return, which is rather ironic considering his line of work. A good example of this is in Session 7, when Victoria Terpsichore offered him a wad of cash, and he only took a single note while saying the rest was for her husband. He has also shown compassion for Rocco's blind sister in Session 8, even buying flowers when he went to visit her in hospital and being saddened and sympathetic by the loss of her brother. He treats Ein as kind of emergency food and Ed as a burden, but in reality, despite never showing his companions appreciation, Spike nurtures an obvious affection for each of them and often seems willing to help them. This affection is shown through his constant choice to not interfere as they face their past, even if meaning he has to pass up a bounty. In particular, Spike shares a genuine brotherly affection with Jet, and it is safe to say that they consider each other their best friend. In fact, they are often seen talking together like two old friends. Although they often fight because of the excessive stubbornness of Spike, occasionally resulting in him being banned from Bebop, these arguments are always resolved in short time. Jet is also the only person Spike confides about his past. Spike's most complex relationship in the series is the one he has with Faye. Most of the time they usually bicker, however, in moments of danger Faye has always shown concern for Spike, and Spike has shown some empathy for Faye's situation, but perhaps due to their stubborn natures they can't outright admit to this. Faye has also always taken care of Spike when he was injured, although she still kept a bitter attitude. The affection between them is obvious, and many people have speculated that Faye could be in love with Spike and desires to find a connection with him. Watanabe has addressed the subject saying, "Sometimes I'm asked the question, 'What does Spike think of Faye?' I think that he likes her quite a bit. But he's not a very straightforward person and makes sure not to show it." In Session 26, during their final scene together, Spike ignores Faye's pleas to remain on the Bebop. He walks away from her without looking back. He is never shown thinking of Faye or any other member of the Bebop crew again, but is instead shown thinking about his lost love Julia repeatedly.

Spike Spiegel (c) Cowboy Bebop Art (c) reneg661

[halloweentv]

Netflix and chills!

v.2017

Celebrate Halloween on Netflix! Below is a list of Halloween themed shows and movies available on Netflix streaming that you can play for Halloween! Enjoy!

Stranger Things

S1 After a game of D and D with his friends Will disappears. His friends try to find him but instead find a mysterious girl

S2

Takes place during Halloween and the boys dress as the ghostbusters. 

Supernatural S4 It’s the Great Pumpkin Sam Winchester” Investigating two mysterious deaths in a small town, Sam and Dean discover a witch is sacrificing people to summon a dangerous demon. 

Friends

S8 “The One with the Halloween Party” At Monica’s Halloween party, Phoebe becomes attracted to her two sister’s fiancé.

Frasier

S5 “Halloween” Niles hosts a Halloween party for the Library Association where the guests dress as literary characters.

S9 “Room full of heroes” Frasier has a Halloween party and asks his guests to dress as their heroes. 

American Horror Story

S1 “Halloween Part 1 & 2″ the ghosts can leave the house on halloween night. Tate runs into some ghosts from his past. S3 “Fearful Pranks Ensue” the witches raise the dead on Halloween S4 “Edward Mordrake Part 1 & 2″ the freaks don’t want to perform on halloween in fear of a ghost coming to visit.

Freaks and Geeks “Tricks and Treats” - Lindsay spends Halloween making mischief with her new friends while Sam goes trick or treating even though he’s in High School now.

Parenthood S2 “Orange Alert” The Bravermen’s gear up to celebrate their favorite holiday, Halloween! Max wants to go trick or treating for the first time, so his parents do their best to prepare him for the night, since he is on the spectrum.

Parks and Recreation S2 “Greg Pikitis” Leslie enlists the help of Dave and Andy in order to catch a local teen vandal. Meanwhile, Ann struggles to make her Halloween party fun and gets help from an unlikely source. S4 “Meet n Greet” Ben is mad when Andy and April decide to throw a Halloween party at their house without asking him. Tom emcees an event for Leslie’s campaign but manages to also promote his company. Meanwhile, Ron and Ann give Andy and April an unusual wedding present.

13 Reasons Why

“Tape 2 Side B” Its Halloween in the present and Clay strikes back at someone who wronged Hannah. In the past Hannah thinks someone is stalking her. 

Jem

S2 “Trick or Techrat” Jem and friends encounter spooky mishaps while preparing an old opera house for a Halloween concert

Fuller House

S2 “Curse of Tanner Manor” DJ attempts to throw the scariest Halloween party for Max. Stephanie works as a zombie at a haunted house.

Star Trek TOS

S2 “Catspaw” Kirk and the crew land on a planet with a spooky castle and witches.

Pac’s Scary Halloween

Sinister Dr. Pacenstein schemes to swap bodies with Pac during a Halloween party.

Pac Man and the Ghostly Adventures

S1 “A Berry Scary Night”  Count Pacula attempts to drain the last yellow orb in Pac World on Halloween night. 

S2 “The Shadow of the were-pac” Pac and his friends are confronted by spooky space ghost pirates. 

The Real Ghostbusters

S1 “When Halloween was forever” An ancient spirit shows up in New York to make Halloween last forever. And Frankenstein is groovin!

S2 “Halloween II ½” While everyone is trick or treating on Halloween Sam Hain escapes.

S4 “The Halloween Door” Crowley wants to end Halloween once and for all and does so even without the help of the ghost busters. 

Cult of Chucky

Chucky has some scores to settle with some old enemies.

Young Frankenstein

In this pitch perfect parody, the grandson of the infamous Dr. Frankenstein follows in his footsteps and creates a monster and puts on the ritz!

Tales of Halloween

Anthology series of shorts set on Halloween. Including trick or treating aliens and kidnappers in way over their heads.

Mr. Young

S3 “Mr. Candy” The gang are hungover from too much candy the previous night and struggle to put together the events from Halloween.

Cheers

S3 “Fairy tales can come true” Cliff meets the woman of his dreams at the bar on Halloween night but is afraid of meeting her when he’s not in costume. 

S10 “Bar Wars V: The Final Judgement” Sam’s latest trick may have killed Gary, but is it really Gary who is playing the trick on Sam?

Charmed S3 “All Halliwell’s Eve” The sister’s go to the 1600’s to save a witch and her baby

Family Guy S9 “Halloween on Spooner Street” Stewie’s candy is stolen by bullies

F is for Family

S1 F is for Halloween” Frank secretly torpedoes Sue’s shot at a real job and a bully leaves Bill afraid to don his costume.

How I met Your Mother S1 “Slutty Pumpkin” Ted holds out hope of seeing the Slutty Pumpkin, a girl he met at a Halloween before. S7 “The Slutty Pumpkin Returns” Ted finally meets the slutty pumpkin again.

Girl Meets World

S1 “Girl Meets World of Terror″ Augie hosts scary Halloween tales and meets a monster under his bed.

S2 “Girls Meets World of Terror 2″ Riley and Maya discover the ghost a flapper living in the bay window. 

S3 “Girl Meets World of Terror 3″ Augie does a scary time theater and shows what the world would be like if Riley and Maya never became friends. 

Power Rangers S1 “Trick or Treat” Kimberly goes on a Halloween game show…cuz those exist. S1 “Life’s a Masquerade” Isn’t set on Halloween but has a cool Frankenstein monster in it. and costumes. S2 “Zedd’s Monster Mash” Tommy faces some real Halloween monsters after he’s kidnapped by Goldar. 

Power Rangers Samurai “Party Monsters” and “Trickster Treat”

Power Rangers Megaforce “Raising Spirits” 

Power Rangers Dino Charge “The Ghostest with the Mostest” and in Dino Super Charge “Trick or Trial”

Dreamworks Spooky Stories “Scared Skrekless” Shrek and Co tell scary stories “Monsters vs Aliens Mutant pumpkins” Ginormica and co battle mutant pumpkins! Dreamworks Spooky Stories Vol. 2 “Monsters Vs Aliens: night of the Living Carrots” Picks up right after the previous special Also included another MVA short, Megamind, and Shrek.

From R.L. Stine: Monsterville A group of kids find out a haunted maze at the carnival is more realistic than they thought.

Mostly Ghostly 3

As Max tries to help his ghost pals Nicky and Tara find their parents, he stumbles on an enchanted crystal–and an evil new plot by Phears. 

Goosebumps

Good show for the season but the Halloween episodes in particular are S5 “The Haunted Mask” Carly Beth’s scary mask begins to change her. S5 “The Haunted Mask 2” A boy’s creepy Halloween mask won’t come off and begins to harm him. S2 “Attack of the Jack O'Lanterns” Jack O‘Lantern aliens terrorize some trick or treaters. 

Goosebumps Movie

A teen moves to a new town and falls for the girl next door but soon finds out her dad is R.L. Stine and his book characters become all too real. 

The Haunting Hour series

Another good show for the season. The halloween episode is S2 “Pumpkinhead” - a group of siblings fear the legend of a farmer who takes kids heads and turns them into pumpkins.

————- Glee S2 the class attempts to out on a performance of Rocky Horror for Halloween. 

New Girl S2 “Halloween” Jess gets hired as a zombie at a haunted house. S3 “Keaton” Jess hosts a Halloween party and a Michael Keaton batman costume helps cheer up Schmidt. Spooky Buddies The buddies encounter the Halloween Hound and evade an evil sorceror on Halloween night. . Louie S3 “Halloween/Ellie” Louie takes his daughters trick or treating and encounter some punks.

Malcolm in the Middle S2 “Halloween Approximately” -Malcolm and his brothers build the ultimate stealth weapon. S7 “Halloween” - Reese and Dewey evade an old man they egged while Loos tries to get out of work so she can trick or treat. 

My Babysitter’s a Vampire S2  "Halloweird" In a total “not rip off” of Buffy, a mask makes people turn into real-life versions of their costumes.

The Vampire Diaries S1 “Haunted” Matt takes Vicky to a haunted hous ebut the night takes a terrifying turn

That 70’s Show S2 “Halloween” The gang visit their old burnt down school while Kitty remincies about their first Halloween in the house. S3 “Too Old to Trick or Treat, Too young to Die” A Halloween episode filled with parodies of Alfred Hitchcock movies: “Rear Window”, “Vertigo”, “The Birds”, “North By Northwest” and “Psycho”.

CSI Miami “By the Book” A body is found that appears to have had the blood drained by a Vampire

Bones “Mummy in the Maze” A mummy found in a Halloween maze leads to an investigation. Bones has a Wonder-ful costume!

The Office S2 Halloween Downsizing leads corporate headquarters to order Michael to fire somebody by the end of October. Michael procrastinates until Halloween, when he still has not decided whom to fire. When he decides to fire Creed, Creed manages to convince Michael to fire Devon. S6 Koi Pond While on the way to a business meeting, Michael falls into a koi pond. The staff tease him so he holds an anti-bullying seminar. Pam and Andy go cold-calling to stir up some new business; they reluctantly use clients’ mistaking them as a couple to their advantage. S7 Costume Contest Michael freaks out when Darryl goes over his head by taking an idea to corporate. The employees partake in a Halloween costume contest in the office. Meanwhile, Pam tries to get the truth from Danny about their dating history. S8 Spooked Erin works to make a spooky, non-childish Halloween party, with help from Gabe. Dwight becomes friends with Robert’s son, and Pam and Jim debate the existence of ghosts. Meanwhile, Robert tries to figure out everyone’s deepest fears in order to culminate a ghost story.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia S6 “Who got Dee Pregnant” The gang think back to their Halloween party to figure out who got Dee pregnant.

Pretty Little Liars S2 “The First Secret” in a flashback some backstory to the mystery of A is revelaed. S3 “This is a Dark Ride” The girls get aboard the Rosewood ghost train S4 “Grave New World” A clue suggests that Ali may still be alive so they crash a cemetery party to find her.