In anime witches are often depicted as Magical Girls who wear cute outfits and own cats. Could the origins of their power be something more sinister?
Over the years, Magical Girls and witches have become a popular genre in anime. But…what if I told you that Magical Girls gained their powers based on principles of Buddhist and Shinto spiritual philosophies in Japanese Culture?
Continue reading “Anime Witches in Japanese Culture “A new installment in the Sunday series – this week focusing on Madara from Natsume’s Book of Friends.
This series will explore yokai, their history, and prevalence in a series. Japan is a land where spirituality is prized over religion, and Shintoism is viewed more as tradition than a bind. The tradition of visiting temples on the New Year, adding yuzu fruit to baths during the Winter Solstice, Jizo statues and local shrines are so old that no one remembers its origin story.
See our previous post on Nyanko Sensei, the Maneki-Neko.
Continue reading “Madara, the Okuri-Inu Youkai”Kicking off the #YokaiSpiritSunday series on the official first day of fall, today we will take a look at Nyanko Sensei from Natsume’s Book of Friends!
Of late I’ve found myself writing a lot about yokai, or Japanese spirits. I have always had an interest in them, and read books pertaining to all types of ghosts and supernatural phenomena.
Continue reading “Nyanko-sensei, the Maneki-Neko Youkai”
In Asian Spaces 