#the asuka period

[2001hz]

the asuka period (538-710c), Kuse Guze Kannon first half 7th century buddha. Location: Ikaruga, Nara, Japan, Hōryū Temple

wood plated with gold, crown bronze open work gilt. made in the image of Prince Shōtoku himself.

[divixxyy]

some people want to fill the world with silly love songs,

and what's wrong with that? (song link)

i talk more on instagram

[hauntingblue]

"We need more problematic women in media" you guys can't even handle asuka evangelion

[crazyfox-archives]

"Tachibanadera in Yamato, the nativity location of Shōtoku Taishi"

A postcard of Tachibanadera Temple (橘寺) in Asuka Village, Nara Prefecture, published between 1907 and 1918

Image from the photograph collection of the Nara Prefectural Library

[21st-century-minutiae]

Neon Genesis Evangelion was an influential late twentieth century anime series with an early twenty-first century reboot/continuation series. It is a dark, science fiction, drama about trauma, social isolation, and children piloting giant robots to fight existential threat of omnicidal aliens.

Shinji Ikari is the protagonist of the series, who, at the start of the series is summoned by his estranged (and emotionally abusive) father to pilot a giant robot to fight aliens. Over the course of the series it is revealed that Shinji's relationship with his deceased mother is what permits him to pilot said giant robot (which his mother was heavily involved in creating), making his participation necessary for the security of the planet.

The above posts are drawing an intentionally farcical connection between Shinji Ikari's role as a giant robot pilot with perceived nepotism. They are tongue in cheek references.

Neon Genesis Evangelion was extremely popular, but it remains a niche story in the early twenty-first century. Individuals who watch anime or float in those circles are likely to be aware of the general plot and characters (or have outright watched the show), and would understand the connection and the humor. But it wouldn't be strange for a person to be completely unaware of the context.

shinji ikari

[naniwagusto]

Writing a reply is making me think I will be the only person on planet earth that now stands by the decision to have Asuka not speak to Jin in 8 at all, including cutting her special intro dialogue that was planned with him- however I still would have given them a special intro where she's at least silent and apprehensive anyway, but the fact that a loud arrogant bastard who's sociable and always has something to say was completely quiet around Jin only showing emotion through her face says everything about how confused Jin makes her feel now imo, saying nothing is a choice that says everything too

[asnowperson]

A short Takemiya Keiko interview from 1998

My "All Things Takemiya" detective friend, Platypus, provided me with a two-page Takemiya Keiko interview scanned by @97tears from the now discontinued Hato yo! (鳩よ! - Oh, Pigeons!) magazine. It was a literary magazine published between 1983 and 2002—a publication you probably wouldn't look at if you were searching up on Takemiya, ig.

You can see the Japanese original taken from the 1998 April issue of the magazine, and my (poor) translation of it under the cut.

Takemiya Keiko Interview from issue #4 of Hato yo (1998) 

An interview with a master mangaka herself! 

I’ve always wanted to meet them! 1 – Takemiya Keiko 

“I wanted to draw real love” 

Takemiya Keiko. Born in Tokushima in 1950. Debuted with “Ringo no Tsumi” in 1968. Won the 25th Shogakukan Manga Award with “Kaze to Ki no Uta” and “Terra e.” Representative works include “Pharaoh no Haka” among others. “Tenma no Ketsuzoku” is currently being serialized in Asuka Magazine.  

I read “Kaze to Ki no Uta” during elementary school. It has left a very deep impression on me. I remember that when Ms. Takemiya is mentioned. It was like I was looking at something I was not supposed to look, and I still remember the thrill I felt.  Takemiya: Oh, is that so? (laughs) 

Thank you so much for being with me today.   Takemiya: And thank you for having me. 

Shall we start with what prompted you to become a shoujo manga artist?  Takemiya: Fundamentally, I was not suited for shoujo manga. I debuted in COM, and my dream was to draw manga that was neither shounen nor shoujo. But alas, the magazine in which I could draw my ideal manga was no more. My style didn’t have much “power” in it, so I inevitably had to choose a shoujo manga magazine. I think my art style was really uncommon at the time. But it was what it was, and I thought to myself, maybe capitalizing on that was the path I should take.  

Your works have an extraordinary depth as far shoujo manga goes... They have a unique art style...  Takemiya: It hasn’t always been like that. My shoujo manga technique was the fruit of what I have studied. It was not a result of my personal taste, nor my innate skills. Girls like that feathery, light touch. They like fine lines. But I didn’t have any of those. So, I figured drawing things girls would like a lot was my only choice. For instance, when I thought how they must like Europe at the end of the 19th century, I went on a trip as a result. I saw the real thing at its source, and did research on it.  

Then was Kaze to Ki no Uta born because you thought girls would like it?  Takemiya: That might have played into my choice of the time period the story’s set in. However, romance stories between a boy and a girl was the norm in shoujo manga at the time. You could only draw “And they lived happily ever after...” stories. And that happiness was only on the emotional level. It was normal to exclude all physical contact. But that is simply “affection.” I wanted to draw “real love.” I admit it was a little too sensational, but I thought doing it through same-sex love was the best way to go about it. That’s how I drew Kaze to Ki no Uta.  

The sex scenes between men were quite a shock for me as a little child. That’s how I learned homosexuality existed.   Takemiya: At the time, there was an official notice published by the Ministry of Education that stipulated that “You shall not draw a boy and a girl getting intimate!” However, if it was two boys, things were somehow fine... I thought I’d found a loophole! (laughs) 

These days, there are more extreme books labeled as “yaoi.” What do you think about them?  Takemiya: At the end of the day, doujinshi are doujinshi. They focus on personal enjoyment of a group. I consider myself a “craftsman,” and if I look at it from a craftsman's standpoint, I am not wholly satisfied with how they leave many things unexplained, or how they have no conclusion. At their level, I’d liked if those artists too felt more dissatisfied... If they aimed to be more conclusive. They have the talent to draw, so I’d love them to polish those skills. I’m sometimes told that it all started with “Kazeki,” and that I must take responsibility. And every time, I think to myself, “Oh... Re-really? Dit it?” (laughs) I wish someone drew something so awesome that it would blow Kazeki out of the water... 

I’d love that too! You called yourself a “craftsman,” but what exactly makes you think so?  Takemiya: I really love the word “craftsman.” I’m not interested in trying to reach an ideal of art that would not resonate with the public. I believe manga is something aimed at the general public. Otherwise, I would not consider it to have artistic value.  

Spoken like a real pro... Which brings me to Terra e... I think that’s the most widely-accepted manga of yours by the general public, and it was published in a shounen magazine. Why is it the outlier to be published in a shounen magazine?  Takemiya: I received an offer for it, but the truth is, I had always wanted to draw for a shounen magazine. That’s why accepted. But I needed to draw in the shoujo manga audience too, so I wanted the story to offer the best for both demographics. So I tried to have the concept to be that of shoujo manga, and the style to be that of shounen manga as much as possible.    

Is it different to draw for a shounen manga magazine, and a shoujo manga magazine?  Takemiya: You don’t have to hold back in shounen magazines. It fine to draw more hardcore stuff. But in shoujo magazines, that’s out of the question. There’s a trend that dictate that you should explain things in long-winded ways and spoil the reader, because girls like it when you reveal things to them through subterfuge, so don’t hit them directly with hard stuff. 

But after that, you’ve never drawn for shounen magazines which allowed you to draw as you wished.  Takemiya: Shounen magazines are mostly weekly. I cannot keep up with that. My art has fine details, so it takes me a lot of time to draw.  

Then will you be solely drawing for shoujo magazines in the future?  Takemiya: I can’t really say that I will. I’m currently working for a shoujo magazine with “Tenma no Ketsuzoku”, and with volume releases. I recently released an illustration book titled “Hermès no Michi.” I needed to base myself on documents and explain them in drawings. And they couldn’t be any kind of drawing, they needed to be interesting. Trying to come up with ways to do that was a very fun experience. So for starters, I’d like to undertake a work like that again. That kind of work I’m working on right now is a story about the fugitives of the Heike Clan in Tokushima.* 

*T/N: She is referring to “Heian Joururi Monogatari.”  

To finish our interview off, I’d like ask a question about the Year 24 Group (shoujo manga artists born around the 24th year of the Shouwa Era like Takemiya Keiko, Hagio Moto, and Ooshima Yumiko, who have influenced the shoujo manga world in the following years) which is still very prominent: Are you still conscious of it?  Takemiya: Year 24 is a thing of the past in the modern manga scene. I think it’s irrelevant now. Manga is evolving, becoming something else after being painted over continuously. I had fun when I was part of that group, but I don’t feel like dragging it out. I don’t want to cling to nice memories of the past as I work, and want to focus on how I currently think and feel. I want to do what I think is most fun at the moment.  

[diablo1776]

I personally take a different approach on this with my ancestry in the Japanese Warrior Samurai Era. Buddhists are known to be passive and peaceful until the time comes when brutal force is required to defend against evil or protect your family and faith.

The Modern Templar is the same, if you want to be a Soldier of Christ you must do warrior things. 

[noticiasarquelogicasjaponesas]

Sean bienvenidos a un nuevo especial en el cual vamos a hablar de la aldea Shirakawa-go para celebrar que ya somos 2150 seguidores mil gracias. Shirakawa-go se localiza en la prefectura de Gifu en los Alpes japoneses en la isla de Honshu, este tipo de aldeas nos podemos retrotraer al período Asuka ¿Saben que significa la palabra Gassho?¿la conocían? cualquier duda leo gustosamente los comentarios. Está rodeada por el monte Hakusan fue patrimonio de la humanidad por la Unesco en 1995 y los edificios se perciben desde 1976 aproximadamente en sus alrededores se encuentra la prefectura de Toyama con otras aldeas. Espero que os haya gustado os deseo un cordial saludo y que Amaterasu esté con ustedes . - 白川郷の村について、すでに2150人のフォロワーがいることを祝う新しいスペシャルへようこそ。ありがとうございました。 白川郷は本州の日本アルプスの岐阜県にあり、飛鳥時代にまでさかのぼることができます。合掌という言葉の意味をご存知ですか？ どんな質問でも私は喜んでコメントを読みました。 白山に囲まれ、1995年にはユネスコの世界遺産に登録され、1976年から建物が建ち並んでいます。周辺には富山県と他の村があります。 よろしくお願いします。心からのご挨拶と天照大神のご多幸をお祈り申し上げます。 - Welcome to a new special in which we are going to talk about the Shirakawa-go village to celebrate that we are already 2150 followers, thank you very much. Shirakawa-go is located in Gifu prefecture in the Japanese Alps on the island of Honshu, this type of village can be traced back to the Asuka period. Do you know what the word Gassho means? Did you know it? any questions I gladly read the comments. It is surrounded by Mount Hakusan, it was a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 and the buildings have been around since 1976. In its surroundings is the Toyama prefecture with other villages. I hope you liked it. I wish you a cordial greeting and that Amaterasu is with you.

[max1461]

It's gonna bug me so much when, probably in the next couple decades, Japanese Imperial Household Law changes to allow women to ascend to the throne again and the Western media breathlessly reports that ultraconservative Japan is finally getting with the times...

In actuality Japan has had 8 empress regnants (that is, empresses who actually ruled, as opposed to just being the wife of an emperor; not to be confused with "empress regent" which is something else), including one empress who succeeded another empress (Empress Genshō following Empress Genmei) in a matrilineal fashion. Obviously this isn't great as far as gender equality goes, but it's basically comparable to European monarchies—in fact it's the same number of female monarchs as England has had in roughly the same span of time, given that the pre-Asuka emperors are more or less legendary. There's actually another empress, empress regent Jingū, if you want to count legendary figures. She may or may not be the same person as Queen Himiko of early Sino-Japanese records.

It's maybe worth noting also that the Chrysanthemum Throne has been a basically ceremonial position for most of Japanese history, from the 12th century until today, with the brief exception of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. But most of Japan's empresses reigned during the Asuka and Nara periods (6th to 8th centuries), when the monarchs were actually politically in power. In fact, during the Nara period just about every other reign was that of an empress.

Anyway, male-only succession and strict patrilineality weren't enshrined in law until the Imperial House Law of 1889 during the Meiji period, as part of the Prussian-influenced Meiji constitution. Certainly both principles had been strong norms prior to this, but they weren't legally enshrined. There's not any sense in which it would be unprecedented for Japan to have an empress, certainly no less precedented than for England to have a queen.

But it's Japan, right? They're uber traditional over there *katana sound effect* *kabuki YOOO sound effect* *salaryman bowing to his stern looking boss stock footage*. So obviously they're behind the enlightened west...

[i-was-a-teenage-eldritch-horror]

I (unwisely) recently logged on to the website formerly known as Twitter, and was immediately greeted with more eva fandom misogynist apologia on the for you tab. Will this ever end?

Equating Shinji's misogynistic actions towards Asuka (and his more subtle misogyny towards Rei and Misato) to Asuka being rude and abrasive to Shinji is just absurd. Is Asuka rude? Yes. Does she have poor social skills? 100%. But Asuka is not a bully, period. Why? Bullying, like abuse, is about power structures. The only character more powerless than Asuka in this show is Rei. Asuka has no adults on her side. Misato favors Shinji because he reminds her of her father wound and neglects Asuka because she reminds her of the feminine parts of herself (read: her unhealthy interactions with men and boys, particularly Kaji and Shinji, which, ironically, stem from her father wound). Or have we forgotten about this scene? Similarly, once Kaji arrives in Japan, he also begins neglecting Asuka in favor of Shinji.

In addition to Shinji's mistreatment of her, Asuka's also experiencing culture shock (compounded by the fact that she's functionally illiterate in Japanese, since she canonically can't read kanji) and the fact that Kensuke was literally manufacturing and distributing csam material of her (and other girls!). Asuka also lacks the protective Eva Unit that Shinji benefits from at almost every turn. The only ally Asuka has is Hikari, who is an ordinary girl with no power over any of the things that are harming or have harmed Asuka.

The smoking gun here is the fact that Shinji is fantastically unfazed by Asuka (who, it must be said, makes several attempts to be kind to Shinji -- which he typically shuts down). Until eoe, the most emotion that he shows around her is when he's understandably upset that she moved into his room while he was at school, and even then he's not upset with Asuka, he's moreso upset at the situation. When he does finally get angry at her in eoe, it's because she was honest with him about how he hurts her and how she does not want to help him (to be clear: she's not obligated to).

Besides that, he nonchalantly tells her not to speak to him that way, or confesses to another character that he finds her bothersome or annoying. There is no real evidence that Asuka has any significant, negative impact on Shinji's psyche the way an actual bully would have on their victim; no, the characters who have the most negative impact on Shinji are Gendo, Yui, and Misato.

What empowers bullies of any age in real life is a power structure (be it at a school, workplace, or in the home) that is negligent towards the victim. There is a reason why school bullies tend to be star athletes, high academic achievers, or exceptionally well-liked (by students, staff, or both) students -- it's because these students often come from privileged backgrounds and/or are aligned with the power structure of the school. Power empowers, go figure.

Misato's treatment of Shinji is definitely not admirable (let's not forget that by the end of the series, Misato has assaulted Shinji); but it's not neglectful. She's very concerned with and involved with his inner life, albeit for selfish reasons. Conversely, Misato knows every ounce of Asuka's pain (rewatch the end of episode 10) and still neglects her! Keeping both Asuka and Shinji in the same household after episode 9 was a mistake on Misato's part. A good, competent caretaker would've discussed the issue (the nonconsensual kiss) with them both separately with the end result being one or both of them moving out into the dorm-like housing that NERV has.

Point being is that the power structure exclusively benefits Shinji relative to Asuka. Despite also suffering as a child soldier and a victim of trauma and abuse, he is privileged relative to Asuka due to how the adults who have power over him and Asuka favor him through their interactions.

Finally, eoe beats us over the head with how uncompassionate Shinji is towards Asuka, Rei, and Misato. Characters who just to happen to be...women and girls. Huh. How about that? It's almost like there's a message there. Although there are a few moments in the show where it's suggested that Shinji ought to empathize more with boys and men like Toji, Kaji, and Gendo (suggestions to empathize with Gendo tend to come from Rei in particular, which I'm not a huge fan of, for the record, but I also recognize that this is Rei imparting her own perspective regarding her own internal journey of questioning onto Shinji), the fact that in eoe, the piece that marks the end of the series, much of the narrative focuses on Shinji's treatment of the women and girls in his life is absolutely significant and sends a message about misogyny.

Does being a misogynist make Shinji a horrible, irredeemable character? Well, that's up to each viewer to decide. My take is that he can still break the cycle and improve. Any story about childhood trauma and abuse would be incomplete without at least one of the characters going down the road of turning into an abuser and/or their traumatizer -- Shinji fits this bill in eva, same with Misato and Ritsuko. Despite everything, I like Shinji. I find him endearing and even identify with him to a certain degree.

When you ignore these facts about Shinji's character, you are erasing a large, very interesting part of his character. Reducing him down to any flavor of sensitive, soft boy is as boring as it is cliche after the more than a quarter of a century since the first episode aired in 1995.

The softness, the sensitivity -- this is Shinji's exterior. Beneath it lies someone who is selfish, callous, bitter, rude, and self-flagellating. As is the case with every eva character, the interior is more interesting than the exterior.

The thing is that everything I've discussed in this post isn't just some throwaway line or a piece of blink and you'll miss it symbolism. It's present in this show basically from episode 1 onward. Seriously, rewatch episodes 1-7. Shinji clearly has some misogynistic ideas about how women should be and this rubs off on how he thinks of Misato (and Rei!), especially regarding how women should dress, keep house, and interact with their sexuality. He not uncommonly makes jabs at Misato for being a slob and having poor dating prospects. After Asuka arrives, much of this is transferred to her.

If anything I've written here sounds like vilification to you, I'd encourage you to examine why. For better or worse, this is the reality of eva and Shinji as a character. Will you face this reality, or just keep on dreaming?

[panicinthestudio]

Sho-Kanzeon Bosatsu or Kannon Statue, early 8th century

Hakuho (645–710) or Asuka (538–710), Japan

Gilded bronze

188.9 cm (74.4 in)

Inside the East Hall stands a statue of Kannon (also known as Kanzeon), the bodhisattva (bosatsu) of mercy. Kannon is sometimes depicted in extraordinary forms, with 11 faces or 1,000 hands, but this statue has a simpler, more natural appearance. Hair flows over shoulders, while bodily movement, even the folds of flesh around the neck, seem almost tangible. This National Treasure is said to be one of the most beautiful Kannon statues in Japan. The “kan” in Kannon refers to a supernatural power that permits the seeing and hearing of what is normally invisible and inaudible. Kannon is often spoken of as the bodhisattva who employs this power to see and hear all beings on earth with compassion, coming to them in times of need. The Sho Kanzeon Bosatsu inside the East Hall (“Sho” meaning “sacred”) dates back to the Hakuho period (645–710) and incorporates characteristics that suggest foreign influences. For example, the thin, sari-like robe of the image reveals the contours of the legs and makes the feet and ankles clearly visible. Such details are reminiscent of Avalokitesvara images found in India. In fact, many statues at Yakushiji display a greater leaning toward Indian forms than is found at other Nara temples. No record remains of who crafted the Sacred Kannon or other statues at Yakushiji, though some believe they may have been based on artifacts brought to Nara from Buddhist realms such as India or Sri Lanka. Collection of Yakushiji Temple, Nara, Japa

[modormouth]

episode 22 of evangelion is so aggravating bc asuka's cries go completely unheard no matter how loud they become. she's distancing herself because she doesn't feel worthy. culminated ire is handwaved as period problems. 'asuka's sync rates are sinking below again. maybe we should reconfigure the core?' maybe i should grind you into dust beneath my heel.

[autistic-ben-tennyson]

How EVA Helped me Grow Up

Neon Genesis Evangelion is a franchise I’ve become obsessed over. I discovered it for the first time last spring when looking for something to watch on Amazon prime and saw the rebuild movies. I’m kind of a weirdo who started with the rebuilds then worked my way backwards with EoE and the 90s anime. In some ways, the series was a form of therapy for someone like me who struggles with self love and is still very closeted as a trans woman. Some western cartoons have messages of self love but there’s a key difference between EVA and those shows. One enables you to mope around with self pity. The other pushes you to grow up and stop feeling sorry for yourself.

EVA’s message of loving yourself is a lot more mature and nuanced than “imperfections are beautiful and it’s the world’s fault for not being understanding”. It’s a harsh but important lesson about how you can’t just wait around and hope for validation. For me that was important. When I first started watching, I was going through a period of depression. My parents were moving us to Florida and I had a poor experience coming out to them. I get why people like me latch onto the former idea because of how queerness or neurodivergence are treated as imperfections that need to be stamped out, but that line of thinking can turn into toxic positivity and a way for people to infantilize themselves and act like they are incapable of doing wrong by blaming others.

NGE’s message pushed me to grow up and stop trying to get validation from those who weren’t going to give it. I don’t like my living situation but instead of moping around, I found work and am trying to save money to move out. I identified a lot with Shinji and watching him at his lowest point in EoE was sort of a wake up call. If all you do is try to get validation while never maturing, then you’re not going to be able to enjoy life. I see parts of myself in all 3 pilots. Asuka’s ego and ambitious personality, Shinji’s need to please others as an INFP who struggles with that and Rei’s arc about growing as an individual by breaking away from Gendo. That’s what makes EVA a great series. It’s not some toxic positivity BS about flaws but rather one that forces you to look at the side of you that you dislike and come to terms with that you can’t have the good without the bad.

[itsmarjudgelove]

Wasabi is one of the most distinctive condiments in Japanese cuisine today, particularly for sushi and sashimi. But how did we get here? The journey of this pungent green root, also known as Japanese horseradish, spans over a millennium of culinary and cultural history. The story of wasabi in Japan begins in the Asuka period (538-710 AD), when it was first recognized not just for its unique flavor but also for its medicinal properties. Growing naturally in cool, clear mountain streams, wasabi was initially foraged before cultivation methods were developed. The plant's scientific name, Wasabia japonica, reflects its Japanese origins. A pivotal moment in wasabi's history occurred during the Keicho era (1596-1615), when villagers from Izu presented the plant to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. Ieyasu was so impressed by wasabi's flavor and the resemblance of its leaves to his family crest that he declared its cultivation methods a closely guarded secret. During the Edo period (1603-1868), wasabi's popularity soared, particularly as an accompaniment to raw fish in sushi. Its antibacterial properties made it invaluable in an era before refrigeration, helping to prevent food poisoning and allowing the flourishing of Japan's raw fish culinary traditions. By the Meiji era (1868-1912), wasabi cultivation had spread to other regions of Japan, such as Shizuoka Prefecture, which remains famous for its wasabi to this day. For those interested in experiencing wasabi's history firsthand, the Daio Wasabi Farm in Azumino, Nagano Prefecture, is a must-visit destination. This farm, established in 1915, offers visitors a chance to see traditional wasabi cultivation methods and even taste wasabi-flavored ice cream while exploring the picturesque wasabi fields.

[kyotodreamtrips]

This is the thirteen-story wooden pagoda of Tanzan jinja in Sakurai-shi, Nara-prefecture. It was built in 1532 and is a reconstruction of the structure built by Jo'e in the Asuka Period.