~Beyond the Border~ > Akyu's Arcade
[VLP] Let's Play The Legend of the Mystical Ninja, Goemon's SNES adventure!
dosboot:
Episode 6: Saving the Princess at Ryukyu Islands
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0U4wrTXULk
dosboot:
One subject I mentioned in this episode was about finding places to use the "useless-to-marginally-useful" items in games, such as the bombs in Mystical Ninja. Even if the best places aren't all that effective, sometimes the satisfaction of having those deliberate spots that make the item fun or else are "befitting" for that item is enough incentive to use them. Hunting for these niche usages is also quite fun in of itself.
This is a deep vein about my own gaming habits that I didn't completely connect together from numerous individual games until I was thinking about it before this episode. If anyone relates to this, I would be super interested in hearing about more examples of marginal items you like to use and any other thoughts along these lines.
Two notes about cultural references in this episode:
i. Zone 8 takes places on the Ryukyu Islands. This is an archipelago that stretches from the southern tip of Japan down to Taiwan. If you've heard of Okinawa, then you've heard of one of the most well known Ryukyu islands. I suggest taking a glance at this article for numerous pretty pictures: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ryukyu-islands-japan_us_586d3e1fe4b0d9a5945d9218
The two websites I linked in the first post have differing interpretations regarding the way the game has weird looking NPCs in this level who don't speak your language. The first points out that the Ryukyu Islands are the home to several groups of peoples with a distinct culture and history from mainland Japan. In particular, there are several native languages on the islands which would explain the need for a translation book to talk to them. The second article believes that the NPCs represent Americans, since Okinawa has a rather well known American military base and some of the NPCs have unusual blonde hair.
I have no idea, but if you are like me perhaps you'll find that first part interesting. I never really knew thought about Okinawa other than being a wayward part of Japan whose locals have a particularly healthy lifestyles/genes. Learning that there was an independent Ryukyu Kingdom that was later incorporated into Japan was an interesting historical tidbit.
ii. What I found really cool though about this level (and completely unrelated to Ryukyu itself) are the Daruma dolls. This is a toy-like doll without arms and legs that is weighted so that it returns upright when you attempt to knock it over. Both bosses in this level, along with tons of the regular enemies, are based on them:
From Wikipedia:
--- Quote ---A Daruma doll (達磨 daruma) is a hollow, round, Japanese traditional doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen tradition of Buddhism. These dolls, though typically red and depicting a bearded man (Dharma), vary greatly in color and design depending on region and artist. Though considered a toy by some, Daruma has a design that is rich in symbolism and is regarded more as a talisman of good luck to the Japanese. Daruma dolls are seen as a symbol of perseverance and good luck, making them a popular gift of encouragement. The doll has also been commercialized by many Buddhist temples to use alongside the setting of goals.
Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th/6th century AD. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Ch'an (Zen) to China. Little contemporary biographical information on Bodhidharma is extant, and subsequent accounts became layered with legend.[1] According to one tradition, Bodhidharma gained a reputation for, among other things, his practice of wall-gazing. Legend claims that he sat facing a wall in meditation for a period of nine years without moving, which caused his legs and arms to fall off from atrophy.[2] Another popular legend is that after falling asleep during his nine-year meditation he became angry with himself and cut off his eyelids to avoid ever falling asleep again.
--- End quote ---
So the dolls lack arms and legs due to this legend about the monk they are based off. If you've ever heard about happiness/good luck charms in Japanese culture, then this is another one of those. The philosophy surrounding Daruma dolls often also involves "resilience", a trait symbolized by the fact that you can't tip them over.
Although these dolls are plainly commercialized, that doesn't mean they are without fun traditions: people use them to observe targets/goals by buying one and coloring in one of his pupils. Once it comes to fruition, they color in the remaining one.
dosboot:
Finale:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx_XkY1yz10
And with this last update the LP reaches a conclusion.
This Let's Play was twice as fun as I expected. I learned some new things about the game, a lot of new things about cultural references, and I'll probably remember some moments for a long time to come. To everyone who watched the whole thing I would like to say thanks for coming along!