Untitled

Greg

If someone already covered this somewhere, sorry. I don't read spoilers and didn't see it elsewhere. If a mod wants to combine it please do so but since Zoro is a BMF he deserves this.

Rashoumon 羅生門

An odd choice. Both Kanji and kana are exactly the same as the title of the novel and classic Akira Kurosawa film. He usually packs a few meanings in there. The kanji may be literally read as:

The Life-Catching Net Gate. A 'ra' is literally a net for catching birds or also "guaze" and is a real gate in Kyoto.

Gyuuki Yuuzume 牛魂勇爪

MUCH COOLER SOUNDING AND A MUCH COOLER BACKSTORY THAN RASHOUMON but ultimately a much less sweet move in my opinion (like anything can beat a 'drawing technique'). A Gyuuki is a Cow Demon but distinctly Japanese, as opposed to the Buddhist Cow Demon known as a 牛頭 or Gozu. This nasty ass MOFO lives in the sea (and by no coincidence the gang is at sea) and comes from Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku (YAAAAY! I LOVE EHIME). This demon will eat up anyone that sees it and bears some nasty long claws. It should also be noted, this demon is called 'Ushi Oni' not Gyuuki so maybe something else is in there. Hence the attack:

Cow Demon's Brave Claws

Why brave for what is traditionally a nasty demon? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT ZORO IS!!! HE CUT A FRIGGING TRAIN IN HALF!!!!

The fictional demon was supposedly mentioned in Sei Shonagon's classic work The Pillow Book.

Want to see a Cow Demon? Be my guest:
http://www10.ocn.ne.jp/~hiko/ushioni.htm

Ugly bastard.

Buccaneer

Ah, yes, that's where I recognize "Rashomon" from. And the Geese Howard SDM.

That cow demon is really ugly, but the story behind the Zoro attack is indeed interesting.

oceanizer

I posted this in chapter thread, but whatever.

Re: Rashou-mon, I think myself as an average Japanese, and thought of Rashou-mon in Stephen's second example, not the movie.

Originally posted by Stephen
However, in Japanese, "Rashomon" also represents the decay and corruption of culture, because the gate fell into disrepair and became a place for thieves, corpses and unwanted babies.

At least everyone learn this in Jr. High, but I don't think every kids (or whoever the reader is) watch or even heard of movie Rashou-mon unless they're hard core fans. I don't know, I might be wrong.

By the way, it's 牛鬼 not 牛魂. Cow soul would be indeed lame

Greg

Re: Rashou-mon, I think myself as an average Japanese, and thought of Rashou-mon in Stephen's second example, not the movie.

Which is precisely why I mentioned the novel Japanese HS students are usually required to read. (see above)

The other reason I mentioned the film is because, Oda's hobby is film appreciation and by no coincidence his favorite Director is Akira Kurosawa. You can't forget you have to know about the man himself when making predictions, not just your opinion.

By the way, it's 牛鬼 not 牛魂. Cow soul would be indeed lame

Meh, that's NJ Star. Note I read it and translated it as demon

Oh, and we say 'would indeed be'

Carly

His favorite director is Kurosawa ? Wow, I really wasn't half off then. :lol: I did make the Kurosawa connection (I've seen Rashoman before; I think they show it on IFC or something) but predictably I felt like the last one to get it after I saw this and Stephen's notes on it. It sucks to make connections after everyone else :lol:

Greg

Haha, well that's why I was dissapointed with the move, the name at least. It's just too simple, while the move itself is beyond comparison. To date his best named Zoro move is IMO the 'Cannon' series. He really thought that one through.

d3adpool

the name isn't something great really. (despite how awesome the movie is) and the attack is superb. since i know squat of japanese when i read Iai Rashoumon i thought of Gate Opener then considering that the train was like a a double door spread open… also ain't Rashoumon and Oni of some kind in mithology? Or where an Oni got locked in.... dun noe for sure.

and that cow thigie is awesome but less cool than rashoumon, no matter how ugly the monster is ^^

Yay, ushi-oni!

Here is a thread with entirely too much information about them.

Greg

Hmmmm, be careful about what you read in that thread Tengu. It has some incorrect data. For instance, one of the Cow Demon spirits it shows a picture of isn't even a cow demon. It's a Goat Demon. I say this only because I've actually been to that Temple where that statue is! ^O^

It's one of the 88 Temples of Shikoku and is located at the peak of a mountain in Kagawa Prefecture about 45 minutes from a very close friend of mine's house. I have a picture of it and it would be off-topic but I could post it sometime.

BTW for those into demons etc. here's a nice site (the one where I found that cow demon) that has a listing of a helluva lot of em with neat pictures and fun facts.

http://www10.ocn.ne.jp/~hiko/youkai.htm

You mean the hakutaku? Yeah I caught that. I've seen pictures of him around. here he is again: http://www10.ocn.ne.jp/~hiko/hakutaku.htm

I don't know why the fellow misidentified that picture; he's posted information on hakutaku on that board before.

Greg

No! In fact I'm wrong! I know I was told it was a Goat Demon because I wrote it down in my journal however, my friend's mom who took me to Negoroji must have been mistaken! I just checked out the history of the temple and it is indeed a 'breed' of cow demon. Specifically a Negoro Cow Demon indigenous to that area.

I'm very sorry about that!

oceanizer

Originally posted by omae no kaasan v.2@Jun 15 2005, 08:04 PM
Which is precisely why I mentioned the novel Japanese HS students are usually required to read. (see above)

Yeah, I wrote that reply before posting, so… Well, too much info doesn't hurt, right (Wait, you didn't mention HS kids need to read this, did you?)

The other reason I mentioned the film is because, Oda's hobby is film appreciation and by no coincidence his favorite Director is Akira Kurosawa. You can't forget you have to know about the man himself when making predictions, not just your opinion.Â

I know, but I'm saying probably Oda wouldn't expect average readers to know the movie. They might have heard of it, but not the story line… He would definitely be happy to hear if readers know about it though.

Meh, that's NJ Star. Note I read it and translated it as demonÂ

I guessed (even though I don't know how NJ Star could mix up those thing :P). That's why I erased my translation

Oh, and we say 'would indeed be'

Oh okay. I know I mix up those things…

PS. And I do think Rashou-mon came from the novel since... it's kind of folk tale. And as omae said, Gyuuki is a folk tale, too, right? Oda tends to categorize all the techniques to relate to one theme.

Greg

I know, but I'm saying probably Oda wouldn't expect average readers to know the movie. They might have heard of it, but not the story line…

Whether he would expect them to know it or not I don't think is at the heart of the matter, it's what he knows. The case may indeed be that his famous double-meaning includes the film but I highly doubt he created the name thinking only about the ideas presented in HS.

Just food for thought but the Japanese OP Community I'm a part of picked up on the movie before the HS text interestingly enough.

joekido the Second

Neat. Oda is good at naming Zoro's move. Oda possibly took this from the movie to use as a attack

oceanizer

Care to link me? I've never found good community except 2ch

Greg

It's Mixi, were you ever invited?

oceanizer

Yes I don't step in there so often though. +_+ I shall go find my login info.

ps I found you xD

… They don't allow you to spoil until the 0am of release day, and nobody's talking about Kurosawa movie >.> Unless there's a hidden community of it +_+

Greg

… They don't allow you to spoil until the 0am of release day, and nobody's talking about Kurosawa movie >.> Unless there's a hidden community of it +_+

^o^ You don't have access to my PM's with members Mr. Daniel Lin.

oceanizer

You said community, not individiual, but whatever :x

Greg

That's right Dan, I said the community I'm a part of. They make up the community. I didn't say it was in/a thread.

Phlemingo

Eh. Rashoumon is just so cool. It's inspired me to make a Rashoumon sig too.

sera

Hey, my friend taught me that 牛鬼勇爪 is a pun of ぎゅうぎゅうづめ (gyuu gyuu zume )!!
Did you notice? I didn't notice. That's funny! :lol:

Greg

AWESOME!!! THANK YOU SERA!!! I knew there must have been a reason he wrote gyuuki instead of ushioni!

That is funny as HELL! Well I guess that certainly is one way to deal with a crowded train ^O^!!!!!

Buccaneer

Is an explanation possible?

Greg

Gyuugyuuzume can infer like something being overflowing or filled to the top, like a train. ^_~

oceanizer

Just saw that on Mixi, too

Gyuuki Yuudume
Gyuugyuu dume

Whoever realized it, whoa…

Cap'n Carter

Man, I miss the Doraemon mecha. But anything is better than that creepy-ass kabuki caveman guy.

Greg

Mecha-Dora will be back. But for the time being Zoro deserves some respect.

But anything is better than that creepy-ass kabuki caveman guy.

Ochimusha? The fallen samurai? Well he's still my ava. Just wait, he's going to rule the world someday.

Cap'n Carter

The avatar is fine because he's all cute and small and a cartoon.

The real life version is just scary.

Greg

Well, ever since he went through his 'manly training' he's been pretty popular with the ladies. :lol:

Anyway, about demons, youkai etc. Thought this was rather appropriate and timely. There's sure to be an ushioni somewhere in this film which APPEARS to be a family flick from Takashi Miike (never thought you'd hear 'family film' and 'Miike' together did you?)

http://yokai-movie.com/movies/yokai_big.wmv

Kinai

Originally posted by omae no kaasan v.2@Jun 16 2005, 08:47 PM
**No! In fact I'm wrong! I know I was told it was a Goat Demon because I wrote it down in my journal however, my friend's mom who took me to Negoroji must have been mistaken! I just checked out the history of the temple and it is indeed a 'breed' of cow demon. Specifically a Negoro Cow Demon indigenous to that area.

I'm very sorry about that!
[snapback]71217[/snapback]**

Really they are ugly. <_<

Kinai.