#kannagi

[nanabansama]

I was looking more into Sumire and Tsukasa's song earlier and I found something interesting.

Here's the English TL and OG Japanese side by side:

One thing that's interesting is that the Japanese one is entirely in hiragana. Well, actually, in Sumire's version only the first part is in hiragana, but I digress... (Tsukasa doesn't know his kanji yet and I respect that)

Regardless, the lack of kanji makes the song a bit...ambiguous. it leaves wiggle room for other interpretations. And if you read the ask I answered about Kagome Kagome recently, AKA the song this is based on, that song is actually somewhat ambiguous, too! There are not only variations of the lyrics but different interpretations of the same lyrics.

Anyway, I want to focus on the first part of the song specifically. Here I've transcribed both versions for you:

English: One Night, Two Dawns, Three Go Together.

Japanese: hito yo, futa aki, mina soko e~

It's clear the English writers were trying to focus on the counting part of the song as opposed to incorporating every meaning possible, which is respectable. Given their lack of hindsight, I love these lyrics!

The only note I would leave is that "Three Go Together" is more like "Everybody Gather There" in Japanese. So it's not limited to just three people.

Anyway, here's me arbitrarily adding kanji to these lyrics to make it match the English version:

一夜、二明、皆其処へ

...and here's another way to write it:

人よ、蓋明、水底へ

Before I tell you the translation, isn't that kinda crazy!? Most of these characters look completely different! You can see why it'd be difficult to translate.

Anyway, here's the translation of these new lyrics:

O' Human, It's Starting, Go To The Waterbed...

Now, it's totally possible AidaIro didn't intend this specific interpretation, but it's interesting how I could even think this, isn't it? I think at least some level of ambiguity was definitely intended.

And it brings to mind something familiar...doesn't it?

...yes!! That's right! The kannagi were sacrificed into a pit filled with water!!! Wow!!

And let's not forget, they all washed ashore in the reservoir below the Red House...

...Which was built on top of a WELL!!

(Look, the text bubbles of the Pit God are even modeled like water bubbles!)

So the two people that sang this song, Sumire and Tsukasa, were both sacrificed into water-filled pits. Neat! I can't imagine that's a coincidence.

I'm not sure if there are any other interesting ways to interpret these lyrics, but in case anyone wants to try their hand at it, I would be most curious to see what you come up with!

[anjuice]

i forgot i'm supposed to post these ones here too

[lanthart]

TVDINT STUFF  △🐶🐱💕

[manekinekocake]

[luv-4-mimis]

me smiling at everyone on monday at school so i can kill myself later:

[greentrickster]

Listen, if it’s been established that two men are in the ultimate ‘It’s Complicated’ relationship, and also that one of these men washes his clothes naked in a river at nighttime, what am I supposed to do? Just not include an intensely homoerotic scene where he’s doing this under a full moon and the other guy sees him and is struck by what a beautiful picture he makes like this in a fanfic I’m writing about them? That’s not how fandom works.

[whosyourfavevoicedby-polls]

[setteidreams]

✿ Kannagi ┊ 136 sheets ✿

… a 2008 TV series with character designs by Kakeru Mima is now available over here.

[z-ero-b]

KanNagi ga yo!

[yimatard]

i never end up doing the things my mind sets on doing

[animenekos]

Kannagi; Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens - Episode 2

[nanabansama]

Garb of the Kannagi

This will just be a quick post, but I came to the realization that all of our sacrifices are donning a particular kind of outfit.

Nene and Aoi...

...Katakuri and the washed ashore kannagi...

...They're all wearing kimono and hakama!

Not only were all of these characters sacrificed (or attempted to be in Nene's case), but they wear the same clothes.

Purportedly, kannagi in real life also donned these sorts of garments. Sometimes translated as "priestess", kannagi would serve their gods (or kami) by soothing them with songs, imparting their godly will onto the people, or even sometimes invoking their spirits and allowing them to possess their bodies--a practice similar to one associated with real-life yorishiro.

Now, regardless of how true any of that is, it remains a common perception of kannagi today. And it kind of has me thinking of somebody else...

...yes, Tsukasa-kun!!

Isn't that interesting? It's not exactly the same, but he also wears a kimono and hakama. Although he wasn't sacrificed while wearing this outfit as a child, and neither was he wearing it at his time of death, he does wear it as a ghost.

I've always been fond of Tsukasa's apparel since learning of its history as being used by male students during the early 20th century, making it a nice parallel to Hanako's own clothes (particularly when he dons his cape) which also has its roots in fashion from that time period. I figured that was the gist of why AidaIro chose this outfit for Tsukasa, but I have to imagine this link between the kannagi and him was intentional.

I wonder if this is supposed to show Tsukasa's connection to the entity that may still dwell inside of him, the one theorized--but not confirmed to be--the same kami/god that the kannagi from Sumire's village were sacrificed to? If so, I really have to hand it to AidaIro!

[anjuice]

@weaver0fwords and I had another art trade!

he wrote a very cute kannagi fic and i drew my favorite scene 😭💖

(read his part here)

[lanthart]

Apologies

[manekinekocake]

[gamerdraluc]

they're funny