Hello all and welcome back to Hotsui Matsuri! We’re on day five out of six so we’re in the homestretch now. Today’s post is highlighting yet another (non-anime) culture topic as we explore the realm of Nihongo Legends. A few days ago, Star introduced you all to the wonderful and quirky world of yokai, so today I’m going to be focusing on another kind of spirit. One that you would absolutely have heard of if you watched or read D.Gray-Man. Today, we’re talking about Akuma.
Now, I’m going to let you know that this post is going to be really short. It’s not necessarily because I want it to be, but rather because Akuma are viewed so negatively, that it’s actually best not to speak of them for too long and there’s also not an abundance of recorded stories of akuma, unlike other folklore creatures we talk about. See, I was originally curious about what exactly an akuma was after my first encounter with them in the D.Gray-Man manga. Being the thing that exorcists killed, it certainly made me wonder–what exactly are akuma? Clearly bad since they were the one monster in the show. So I did a little research study sess, and now I have my answer.
Akuma, at the end of the day, are evil spirits. Generally, akuma are most traditionally depicted as fiery spirits that carry swords, have blazing eyes, and fly. They are an ultimate form of ill omen and misfortune to anyone who sees them. These malevolant spirits trace back to the Heian period, and they are mainly and earliest found in Buddhist texts and written stories. They became more and more popularized thanks to Buddhist texts, but interestingly, after the introduction of Christianity in Japan, the word akuma became synonymous with the word Satan. Akuma are also now generally known as or translated as demons or devils.
Despite being seen as evil spirits though, akuma are still pretty popular when it comes to anime and pop culture. There’s akuma in the aforementioned manga D.Gray-Man, and they are mentioned as well in just as popular shounen Blue Exorcist (which does deal with Satan as well). If you’re a fan of Street Fighter, you’re also likely familiar with the character named Akuma. These are just a few examples of these malevolent spirits in popular culture, but there are certainly many more.
That just about wraps up my mini post about akuma! If I were quizzing you, which I’m not, I’d certainly tell you to remember these things: evil spirit, fiery with blazing eyes, flying with sword in hand, ill will, and straight up Satan. Those will pretty much remind you of exactly what akuma are. I hope this was informative and you learned something (or maybe just got a refresher). Thanks for joining me on my last post for this year’s Hotsui Matsuri, and don’t forget to check back in tomorrow for Star wrapping it all up!
Stay weebtastic,
xoxo
Luna
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