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Raijin

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This article is about the Japanese god of Thunder. For the Final Fantasy character, see Characters of Final Fantasy VIII § Raijin.
Fūjin-raijin-zu by Tawaraya Sōtatsu, with Raijin shown on the left and Fūjin right.
Raijin at Nitenmon Gate, Raijin

Raijin is a god of lightning, thunder[1] and storms in the Shinto religion and in Japanese mythology.

His name is derived from the Japanese words rai (雷, meaning ‘thunder’) and shin (神, ‘god’). He is typically depicted as a demon beating drums to create thunder, usually with the symbol tomoe drawn on the drums. He is also known by the following names:

  • Yakusa no ikazuchi no kami: Yakusa (八, eight) and ikazuchi (雷, thunder) and kami (神, spirit or deity)
  • Kaminari-sama: kaminari (神, kami, spirit or deity + 雷, nari, thunder) and -sama (様, a Japanese honorific meaning "master")
  • Raiden-sama: rai (雷, thunder), den (電, lightning), and -sama (様, master)
  • Narukami: naru (鳴, thundering/rolling) and kami (神, spirit or deity)

Origins

According to Kojiki, eight kinds Raijin was born from Izanami.

In Japanese culture

Some Japanese parents tell their children to hide their belly buttons (or navels) during thunderstorms. This is due to a folk belief that Raijin is sometimes credited with eating the navels or abdomen of children, and in the event of thunder, parents traditionally tell their children to hide their navels so that they are not taken away. Raijin's companion is the demon Raiju. In Japanese art, the deity is often depicted together with Fūjin, the wind god.

Raijin is a well-known deity and his fame has spawned characters in many forms of Japanese media. He is often mocked, for example in an episode of Kyorochan, or in Katamari Damacy where he is one of the largest and most valuable objects in the game that the Prince can roll into his damashi ball of trash. In the tokusatsu series Madan Senki Ryukendo, all three Madan Warriors, right after transforming, say their names followed by the word "Raijin!", which stands for "wake up!" or "stand up!". He also appears in a minor role in the Japanese role playing game Final Fantasy VIII as one of Seifer Almasy's henchmen. In Chrono Trigger, he and his brother join to form the Masamune.

In Western culture, Raijin is usually known as Raiden (rai (雷, thunder) + den (電, lightning)), and depicted as a tall monk wearing a large straw hat (these hats are used widely throughout Asia to keep off rain), with the power to create storms, thunder, and lightning. The first use of this archetype was an appearance with other Eastern elemental gods in the 1986 film Big Trouble in Little China, though Lei Gong, a similar Chinese god, might have influenced the character in the film.

It entered mainstream pop culture with an adaptation of Raiden the 1992 fighting game Mortal Kombat. He is somewhat similar to his appearance in Big Trouble In Little China, and repeated depictions of the character in multiple games in the series, making him widely recognizable in the United States.

In Hideo Kojima's video game franchise Metal Gear, a character named Jack, codename Raiden, possesses extraordinary abilities, using a katana as his weapon and, later, uses lightning powers to an extent.

Raijin appears in the popular Warcraft III mod Defense of the Ancients as a lightning-themed hero. In the stand-alone sequel, Dota 2, Raijin has a greater resemblance to the Asian mythology.

In the popular video game franchise, Pokémon, Thundurus is an Electric/Flying type Pokémon, reflecting Raijin's abilities.

In Eiichiro Oda's One Piece, the main antagonist in the "Skypiea" arc, "Enel" [Sometimes known as "Eneru"] is loosely based on Raijin. He ate the Devil's Fruit "Goro Goro no Mi" granting him the powers of lightning, and carries a ring of Drums on his back.

Raijin was referred as the Nakamura Rai-jin turbo in Burnout Paradise.

In Season Four of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spin off, Angel a character was introduced named Gwen Raiden a woman known for summoning electricity and using such abilities to facilitate robberies.

In Dota 2 Raijin was imprisoned in the body of a man creating the playable character Raijin Thunderkeg, the Storm Spirit.

See also

References

  1. ^ Ashkenazi, Michael (2003). Handbook of Japanese Mythology. ABC-CLIO. p. 236. ISBN 978-1-57607-467-1. Retrieved 2008-12-16.
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