Welcome to another Day of Otakutober and why not add to the series of blogs called Nihongo Legends where I set the records straight in a spark note version of Japanese Myth! This time I’ll be talking about the oh-so-elusive Shinigami.
DEATH GODS. (Not to be confused with Shikigami.) These gods aren’t just attracted to death it’s their jobs AND their obsessions. For lack of a better translation, they are Grim Reapers but a lot more mischievous in nature. They come in many different forms and often only seen only by those who have seen death and/or are dying.
Below I will list some Shinigami in different anime genres because well… They’re everywhere when you look hard enough.
In Shonen
I won’t lie to you, I almost forgot Bleach was a story was FILLED of Shinigami. It’sfunnyhowpopularitycanskewstoryline. Anyways this first few episodes really set the tone for this society of death gods.
In Gothic
This fabulous creature from Kuroshitsuji aka Black Butler is probably the most flamboyant Shinigami I have seen so far. He also took the cosplay world by storm thanks to his luscious hair, sharp outfit, and outgoing personality.
In Shoujo
Don’t let this weird pose fool you, this Full moon wo sagashite aka Full moon is very sad. Although, very beautiful. It was actually these two that inspired this post. This story, is about seeing the beauty in life and death while love blossoms in the worst (or best) or times.
In Psychological Thrillers
I couldn’t leave him out. Being that this Death Note has many ironic motifs, one of them is Ryuk who was often pictured eating an apple. I always thought the apple represented temptation. Being that Ryuk is bored and mischievous.
I hope you enjoyed this wonderful installment of 13 Days of Otakutober! See you in the next Nihongo Legends!
AishiteLOVEru~
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