#kaku one piece you will always be famous to me

[thwackk]

his awakened devil form is so ugly (affectionate) i made my own version for funsies

[starlight-time-machine]

Week in Review

03/24/2024 – 03/30/2024

Sunday

Week 7 of missing Cipher Academy

WORK IS FINALLY FINISHED GOD FINALLY I CAN READ BOOKS AND MANGA AND WATCH MOVIES AND TV SHOWS AND ENJOY LIFE WITHOUT THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES HANGING OVER ME

Undead Unluck with another amazing chapter as always. I like how Lan contrasts Beast by being motivated by her own personal grudges, and I like how this loop’s Ichico bucks so hard against the previous narrative of her dying for Nico’s gain. With Fuuko so far away, I really hope Nico and Ichico figure out a creative way to take Lan down by themselves.

Okay yeah, I think I’m going to drop RuriDragon. It’s a cute manga, but the translation voice is annoying me too much and I can’t comfortably get into the groove of the story. I wish the mangaka all the best, though, and I hope their new schedule works out for them.

It’s so funny seeing Oshi no Ko just carry on like normal as if they didn’t just drop a grenade in the last chapter lol but oh boy let’s give some characterization to Melt, who I honestly don’t really care about. The bit at the end was funny at least, and I hope the god child beefs it at acting.

Aghhhgh it’s hard to enjoy these cute heartwarming moments of Momo and Zuma bonding when it’s so obvious that it’ll never go anywhere because all signs point to Momo ending up with Otarun… I wish the mangaka wouldn’t introduce secondary love interests unless they were serious about giving them a shot at “winning” by the end… (Fruits Basket you’ll always be famous for this.)

Chainsaw Man!

Woah literally everything is happening in One Piece right now… First off, thank you Oda for the drop of Lucci/Kaku sustenance, I did vaguely ship them ten years ago when I watched Enies Lobby for the first time. It’s always cute seeing Luffy’s Looney Tunes fighting style, and wow now that ancient giant armor thing is arriving…

I’d been saving the Undead Unluck season finale for when I was done my work thing, and I’m so glad I did… This was the chapter that got me fully hooked on UU, and seeing it adapted so beautifully and as the end to the whole season was so incredible… Not only was the action fantastic and fluid, but they really nailed all the emotional beats… Anno’s voice acting was amazing and I cried basically the whole way through his monologue and the ENDING AND THAT FIST BUMP AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I cried so hard I literally gave myself a headache… The ending of this arc and knowing what Anno means to Tozuka gives this story so much more weight and meaning to me… Anno’s desperation to be known and heard and understood may have some more life or death stakes in this context, but I think his feelings are relatable to anyone who’s ever wanted to convey something through their art. And to have the whole crux of the arc and the fight’s success on his sacrifices and message is so moving, and that perfect title drop of “To You From Me” gets me every time. This episode was just so so so so perfect, and I really hope that the anime will get more seasons after this. It’s definitely been a bit of a bumpy ride in terms of quality, and Tozuka’s ambitious ideas don’t always translate well to a weekly anime production, but I think at its core, the team always knew when and how to hit the big emotional moments and I really appreciate them for that. I’m just glad that the anime has such a distinct vision, and isn’t just another soulless carbon copy shounen adaptation. I have Undead Unluck as a whole ranked at a 9/10, but the anime by itself will be a 8/10 for me.

Monday

The new Game Changer episode was interesting, but truth be told I found it a little boring. There were a few funny moments, and I liked all the prop design and how they found new art-themed challenges for them to do, but in terms of comedy there wasn’t much there (not that I was expecting much from people who are professional artists and not comedians).

I finished reading Downton Abbey – A Celebration, and it was perfectly mid. Just a little companion book to the show where you can get some extra details about the characters and how their actors perceived them and some interesting details about the historical period and the set design. If I cared about Downton as much as I did Succession I’d probably devour this book, but for what it is it’s just fine.

Played a little itch.io game called Flesh, Blood, & Concrete and it was pretty fun. The Soviet atmosphere and the meat aesthetic were all on point, and it even got me with a jumpscare, but I appreciated that the tenseness of the horror was punctuated with some moments of levity with Nika (who I found super cute). I think it communicated its themes clearly for such a short game, and I had a fun time exploring each apartment and collecting an ungodly amount of little trinkets. 7/10.

Felt nostalgic about Undead Unluck after finishing the anime so I decided to reread some of the manga since I sped through it so fast the first time through. I remembered most of the key hype moments, but I was surprised to see just how many smaller plot elements I completely forgot. Seeing Feng and Shen’s fight with more context makes it so much more compelling, and also funny when you think about 101 tsundere single father Feng. I think I was so shocked at my favourite character dying that I’d forgotten most of everything else in the Summer arc, but this time I could really appreciate Shen and Mui’s bond and Mui coming into her own as a Negator. But the real highlight of this readthrough was seeing Fuuko’s growth as a fighter and a character – her world’s opened so much after meeting Andy, and now she’s out there being social and getting to know and love people and expanding her own understanding of her ability and it all feels so natural but satisfying. She really is one of the best protagonists I’ve ever read in manga…Tozuka has the “emotional beat heightening a climactic action moment” thing down to a science. I also appreciate the humanization of the UMAs – they’re creatures being used by God, too, and if they could turn against him in Ragnarok then that could really turn the tide. But regardless, I like that they have their own personalities so that each quest can feel unique and not just a monster of the week situation. The competing strategic moves between Union and Under are fun, Andy and Fuuko independently coming to the realization that they’re in love is fun, the Spring fight is soooooo so much fun; once UU hit its stride it’s just been peak after peak. Dang I actually teared up at the end of the Spring fight…Spring is just so cute and sympathetic.

Tuesday

I really did blank out most of the early parts of the Ragnarok Arc from my mind because oh my godddddd I remembered that Rip and Latla tragically die but this was so… Because Tozuka imbues all of his characters with so much pathos, the Negator vs Negator fights always have such insane stakes and tension. I’ve really grown to like Rip on this readthrough…Akira was so right, he’s a nice guy who’s had to kill that part of him in order to achieve his selfish goals, and seeing him fall against Andy was genuinely heartbreaking…

Wednesday

Andy vs Nico was less hype for me – the momentum of the battle felt a little start/stop as Nico has to painstakingly explain just why he’s doing all this and why he’s so tragic, only to turn on Ghost relatively easily in order to grant Andy the win. It’s one of the lesser Negation reveals for me, but it was still decently enjoyable to read. Billy vs Ruin though ohhhhh my godddddddd Billy’s tragedy is a lot easier to understand and empathize with for me, even without the dead wife and kid stuff. The strength of his powers relying on people hating him means that he was always fated to be a villain…doomed by the narrative, one could say… But this coming into conflict with his genuine affection for the others and how it made the fight harder for him was a fantastic story beat, as was Ruin finally seeing him as a threat and giving him the upper hand because of it. And Billy promising to stay alive long enough to see Tatiana die…I haven’t talked about her much, but Tatiana is also another favourite character of mine (this manga is just filled to the brim with good characters) for the strength she’s exhibited in the face of incredible difficulties. It’s both cute and sad to see her behave like an adult when she’s so young…

Thursday

Went outside and got pho with my friend

Friday

Leftover pho tastes sooooooooo good. It’s too bad that today’s DunMesh episode wasn’t food focused, but of course I still enjoyed watching it a lot. The sight gag of the label rolling along with the dragon meat was amazing, and Chilchuck being forced to admit his human emotions for once was so cute.

Drag Race was just fine, as usual. I always get nervous for makeover challenges because my favourites tend to go home on them, but I’m glad to see Nymphia get by. I’m a little worried that she’s fading into the middle of the pack, and that she’ll have to lip sync against Q next episode… I really hope she can win the next challenge so that she can stand toe to toe with Plane and Sapphira in terms of track record.

Saturday Went outside again. When will it end

[btzone]

Buck-Tick and Bonji

Apologies for the long absence. I have written many things in my mind but neglected to actually type and post here.

If you’ve ever wondered about the symbols on Atsushi’s arms from the “Sweet Strange Live Film” concert video, read on. (Warning: long post!)

Bonji are characters of Indian origin that are used in Japanese esoteric Buddhism. In English, it is known as Siddham script. Last night, as I was waiting to be tattooed, I was browsing Japanese tattoo books and came across the use of bonji and there was a slight explanation. I recalled that Buck-Tick has used them in the past. I think some fans may have discussed this online but perhaps not in detail in English. I usually don’t try to unravel the mysteries of the Buck-Tick world but I’m sure there are many who are curious so let’s try to peel a layer or two.

Disclaimer: I am by no means any sort of expert in any religion, nor of Japan, and to be quite frank, nor am I an expert of Buck-Tick. I am a music fan and have passing interests in many things. There are a few reasons why I try not to interpret what Buck-Tick does. Mostly, I don’t really do that for any band or thing that I like! I feel it, not think it, if that makes sense. I may make some connections and have some surface curiosities but no pressing desire to write a thesis on it. So if I ever neglect to cover a topic related to Buck-Tick that you have interest in, it could be for this very reason so please don’t be too upset that I don’t touch it.

Secondly, I think it would take a native Japanese or scholar to begin to examine even pop music (and like it or not, Buck-Tick falls into the realm of pop). The reason being that there are many aspects to culture, such as literature and religion, that may be referenced in music. (Atsushi is the main lyricist and an avid reader.) The connections that a native person of a country would make are different than what a foreigner would make. Not that any interpretation of art is wrong, it just may not be as informed and as I am not a true native, I don’t want to steer foreigners down a divergent path. As I’ve mentioned before, I am half-Japanese and lived there for a bit growing up. However, my involvement with Japanese culture is on the pop level. My involvement with literature and religion in Japan is hardly more than what a child would experience. My mother is not a religious person and where she is from was a kingdom colonized by Japan so it has a separate history, language, and religion though by today’s definition it is Japan. So the exotic image you may have of Japan is at times just as foreign to me!

Buck-Tick has used various symbolism as part of their visual presentation and one could argue if a particular use was because it was superficially cool, misinterpreted on their part, or deliberately used for a deeper meaning. (In the early days, Hisashi remarked that he would look through the dictionary for cool words in English.)

Buddhism is not a Japanese religion but it arrived centuries ago and has woven into the culture. One will practice elements or come across bits and pieces even if one is not a practitioner. It is just a part of Japanese culture. Since I did not grow up going to Buddhist temples, there are many aspects I don’t know. The words for elements of Buddhism may also be vastly different in Japanese, English, and Indian languages so it can be hard for my brain to keep up.

For further reference, one can read up on the Wikipedia entries and other sources. I am just summarizing. Again, bear in mind the localization of Buddhism, that the Japanese pronunciation and use of elements may be a little different than Buddhism in other countries.

梵字 is how bonji is written in Japan. The Japanese wikipedia page explains the history and how it is read in Japanese. The English entry is on Siddham script. In use circa 600-1200 but you will see it in Japan to this day, especially at Buddhist sites. There are many sects of Buddhism, even in Japan. The use of bonji is particularly noted in what is called esoteric Buddhism in English or Shingon-shuu in Japanese. Bonji is used to write mantras. It may be written on wooden sticks, stone pagodas, and even merchandise sold at temples. (For example, at one temple I visited, they sold necklaces of the Chinese zodiac animals written in bonji.) 

The most famous deity in Shingon Buddhism is Fudou Myouou (simplified with macrons as Fudō Myōō) AKA Acala. He always has a sword in his right hand, seems to have a bit of an angry face, is often depicted seated but can be standing, and has two servants that he may or may not be pictured with. There are many variations to the elements of his imagery and these each have a meaning too deep to cover here. Below are images of both the standing and seated versions that I took at a temple in Japan.

All of that is a very long intro to what is actually on Atsushi’s arms but I would be remiss to have skipped all the backstory to understanding what is on his arms. The answer to that is it appears to be the same script that is on 五輪塔 gorintou, or a stone pagoda used for memorial or funerary purposes. As Buck-Tick songs and imagery often deal with death, this should be no great surprise. The “go” in this word means 5 so the script is comprised of five. Each section has a script that represents an element that has further associations. To be honest, the Wikipedia entry in English is lacking. The Japanese entry has more info but to be clear and be sure that I as a non-Buddhist do not misrepresent, I would like to refer the reader to other sources as well. But first, let’s break down the gorintou.

From top to bottom, the characters are read in Japanese as Kya Ka Ra Ba A. Their associated meanings, colors (not noted in chart above), body parts, and shapes are: 

Kya = 空 Sky (space), blue, head, pearl shape

Ka = 風 Wind (moving gas), black, neck, half moon/circle shape

Ra = 火 Fire (flames rise or ascending), red, heart, triangle shape

Ba = 水 Water (flowing or descending), white, belly, round/circle shape

A = 地 Earth (ground or firm), yellow, legs/feet, square shape

The A to Z Photo Dictionary of Japanese Buddhist Statuary has a good entry on Gorinto. For further reading, the site also has an entry on the Number Five in Buddhist Traditions.

To further complicate things, it should be noted that these can also have 4 sides/directions (north, south, west, east) and that the reading of the script is different on each side. Each direction also has meaning. This information is summarized as follows and as a non-practitioner, I hope to do it justice. (Japanese source is where the colors of gorinto are listed)

East reading: Kya Ka Ra Ba A (gateway to spiritual awakening)

South reading: Kyaa Kaa Raa Baa Aa (gateway to ascetic practice/training/Sadhana)

West reading: Kyan Kan Ran Ban An (gateway to enlightenment/Bodhi)

North reading: Kyaku Kaku Raku Baku Aku (gateway to nirvana/Buddha’s death)

It appears that what is on Atsushi’s arms is the same but the hands are different. For the purpose of writing this entry, I did not re-watch “Sweet Strange Live Film” but rather searched for magazine photos and screenshots. Thus, I did not find a clear picture of the hands so you may to do your research on this and I hope I have provided a decent starting point.

For a further Buck-Tick connection to all these elements, in the “Picture Product 2″ video, there is a section devoted to each member. For Toll, there are childhood photos and Toll visits those sites and tries to recreate some photos as an adult. One set of photos is taken at Jigen-in temple AKA Byakue Dai Kannon in his hometown of Takasaki, which is next door to Atsushi’s hometown of Fujioka. 

This temple has a giant white statue of Kannon. Kannon is a female goddess known also as the Guanyin bodhisattva. (Perhaps the camera manufacturer Canon rings a bell? It is an alternative spelling of Kannon.) It is possible to go inside of the Kannon statue and ascend many stairs and see various figures of Buddhism, including Fudō Myōō. Also on the temple site is a Gorintou. Below are pictures I took of both at the Jigen-in temple.

Armed with this knowledge now, it is up to you to decide whether or not there is any connection between Atsushi’s lyrics during the “Sexy Stream Liner” era and the script on his arms.