Shikigami
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Shikigami (式神) (also read as Shiki-no-kami (式の神)) is the term for a being from Japanese folklore. According to the Shinto scholar Inoue Nobutaka, it is thought to be some sort of kami, represented by a small ghost.[1] The belief of shikigami originates from Onmyōdō. According to the tradition of Onmyōdō, shikigami is a symbol of onmyōji's power because onmyōji can freely use shikigami with magical powers. It has been associated with "curses" since the 1000s of the Heian period, and was often depicted as a bird or a child in Japanese literature and Emakimono.[2]
Description
[edit]Shikigami are conjured beings, made alive through a complex conjuring ceremony. Their power is connected to the spiritual force of their master, where if the invoker is well introduced and has much experience, their shiki can possess animals and even people and manipulate them, but if the invoker is careless, their shikigami may get out of control in time, gaining its own will and consciousness and can even raid its own master and kill them in revenge. Usually shikigami are conjured to exercise risky orders for their masters, such as spying, stealing and enemy tracking. Shikigami are said to be invisible most of the time, but they can be made visible by binding them into small, folded and artfully cut paper manikins. There are also shikigami that can show themselves as animals.[1][3][4]
In the Izanagi-ryū (Japanese: いざなぎ流) folk religion, the most elite onmyōji could also conjure an exceptionally powerful type of shikigami called a shikiōji (Japanese: 式王子) to ward off disasters or demons that cause sickness. Regular mystics could not attempt to summon it without risking losing control of it due to its oni-like nature.
In popular culture
[edit]Within the realm of the manga and anime series Jujutsu Kaisen, shikigami play a pivotal role in the arsenal of jujutsu sorcerers, notably Megumi Fushiguro. The supernatural entities are conjured through the manipulation of cursed energy, typically facilitated by talismans and summoning magic.[5]
History and Folklore
[edit]In orthodox Onmyōdō, Shikigami is bonded using intricate rituals and incantations. As the rite involves total spiritual energy, only through the experience and strength of a sorcerer can a Shikigami be invoked. Such spirits may have several missions: they can offer protection, espionage, or execution of harmful acts. Shikigami are natively tied to the master's energies; hence if the practitioner is inexperienced, the Shikigami may revolt against the caller.
Traditionally, Shikigami were said to be implicated in the summoning and even control of spirits which most people considered bad-luck omens or mission secrets. In literature from the Heian period, 794-1185, Shikigami were often described as small birds or children, invisible to most unless given material forms, traditionally through paper talismans, paper effigies, or small manikins. The small manikins can be used as a host vessel in housing and controlling the spirit.
Characteristics and Traits
[edit]Shikigami appear in various forms and possess varying powers. They may be conjured as remaining spirits but can also be formed within an object or a creature. The type of Shikigami often corresponds to the magician who wields them-while some take the forms of simple and humanoid shapes, others look like animals or even more grotesque forms, as would be necessary to achieve.
In one school of Shintoism, izanagi -ryū, even elite onmyōji are inhabited by Shikigami. Their potency allows them to call up a very powerful one: the Shikiōji (式王子). The Shikiōji was said to possess the physical strength to banish away evil spirits, as well as offer protection from catastrophe. Still, for all but the most skilled practitioners, summons were dangerous due to the capricious, oni-like nature of the Shikiōji.
Popular Culture and Shikigami
[edit]Shikigami survived and entered the modern world, where they are seen in a huge number of manga, animes, and video games; they are no longer only folklore but, most often are redesigned to perfectly fit modern stories.
Jujutsu Kaisen
[edit]Shikigami is a supernatural phenomenon that controls the majority of the powers of jujutsu sorcerers, such as Megumi Fushiguro. The control he develops over Shikigami in the manga and popular animated series is related to controlling the flow of cursed energy. Several rituals bring these spirits through talismans or hand signs.
Onmyoji Arena
[edit]Shikigami is a crucial element of the franchise of the mobile game Onmyoji Arena which has lots of shikigamis as a part of the game. Relatively speaking, the amount of Shikigami in the game is quite a few. Their abilities vary from the Japanese folklore myths. Players participating in this particular game are onmyōji who are calling, summoning, and bringing in Shikigami to fight. Along with the Shikigami comes a unique enactment of folklore and magic along with imaginative storytelling. The game is an in-game interpretation of a tale revived from the ancient times. It introduces diverse Shikigamis with varied personalities and skills, be them super-powerful warriors, mystic healers, or guardians of spirits.[6]
Naruto
[edit]Another very interesting aspect where Shikigami is ostensibly applied is in the Naruto universe. Most of the ninjas as well as particularly those who have the technique of summoning may ask for battle support with Shikigami. They are mostly seen in the roles of animals or spirits, much like in folklore.
In Video Games
[edit]Well, Shikigami can be said to feature mostly in many Japanese video games, but in the Onmyoji series, they play a central role in the game mechanics. The game boasts of calling, controlling and battling enemy forces in battles that advance puzzle solving or protect sacred places. Usually, Shikigami in games own a well-deepened background, where old myths are incorporated with creative powers and abilities to satisfy contemporary audiences. Play adaptation takes much from ancient myths and brings that recreation of Shikigami to one field of competitive gaming, which now constitutes a whole folklore record expanded with new and exciting narratives. The game Onmyoji Arena, a mobile multiplayer online battle arena, is an example where the player summons different Shikigami, which have different skillsets.[7]
See also
[edit]- Dogū
- Familiar
- Haniwa
- Hōko (doll)
- Kokeshi
- Paper doll
- Pelesit
- Poppet
- Spirit animal (disambiguation)
- Totem
- Ushabti
- Voodoo doll
- Zuijin
References
[edit]- ^ a b Inoue, Nobutaka (2002). An Encyclopedia of Shinto. Tokyo: Kokugakuin University. pp. 84–90. ISBN 978-4905853084.
- ^ Wakako Nakajima. "陰陽道の式神の成立と変遷 文学作品の呪詛にも触れつつ" (PDF). Hokkaido University of Education. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-12-18. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ Avant, G. Rodney (2005). A Mythological Reference. Bloomington, Indiana: AuthorHouse. p. 356. ISBN 978-1418492786.
- ^ Drazen, Patrick (2011). A Gathering of Spirits: Japan's Ghost Story Tradition: from Folklore and Kabuki to Anime and Manga. Bloomington, Indiana: Iuniverse. p. 224. ISBN 978-1462029426.
- ^ Yehia, Ahmed (2024-02-06). "Jujutsu Kaisen: What are Shikigami?". Game Rant. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
- ^ Mobeen (2024-08-02). "Unlocking the Secrets of Onmyoji arena Game". OnmyojiArena. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Mobeen (2024-08-30). "Know All About Onmyoji Arena Shikigami". OnmyojiArena. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
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