For information about this supplement see The Anime Companion Supplement main page. Additions are in the Anime Companion Supplement News page.
Hyphenated Japanese terms are listed as single words.
The inclusion of an anime or manga title in these entries is not a recommendation of that title see my Recommended Anime and Manga page for a list of my recommendations
- mabōdofu 麻婆豆腐
-
A Chinese dish of tōfu (The Anime Companion 2 p.100) squares in a reddish sauce. In Japan the sauce is often made with ground pork, negi (The Anime Companion 2 p.61), ginger, sesame seed oil and shōyu (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.124)
Anime:
Mabōdofu base is one of the packaged items bought at the store in the second Urusei Yatsura movie Beautiful Dreamer.
Sources:
Nagasawa Kimiko & Camy Condon. Eating Cheap in Japan p.64, 65, 170 (item)
- machiai shitsu (waiting room) 待合室
-
A waiting room, these can be at the doctor, train station or anywhere such would be needed. In many fūzoku (sex industry) businesses these are where one chooses the girl and services one wants. Staff will make recommendations if one does not know the girls, however such may not be the most desirable choices. In the fūzoku such rooms often have pictures of available girls, a video of short interviews or even a one way mirror into a room where the girls wait for their next customers. Of course not all such businesses provide girls; some also exist for gay clients.
Manga:
Makoto impatiently waits in a machiai shitsu for his meeting with Chiaki in the imēji kurabu (image club) where she works in IWGP: Ikebukuro West Gate Park (p.84-5)
Sources:
Constantine, Peter. Japan's Sex Trade p.60
Sinclair, Joan. Pink Box: Inside Japan’s Sex Clubs p.187
Takahashi Morio. Pocket Romanized Japanese-English Dictionary p.631
MADAI see: tai (The Anime Companion 2 p.94)
- Maebashi 前橋 [市] (The Anime Companion 2 p.54)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.906
- magatama (curved beads) 勾玉 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.78)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.102
MAGAZINES FOR YOUNG MEN see: seinenshi
MAGIC KINGDOM see: Tōkyō Dizunīrando (The Anime Companion 2 p.104)
MAGIC SYLLABLES see: kuji (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.75)
MA-HAZE see: haze (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.43)
MAH-JONGG see: mājan (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.78)
MAID CAFE see: Meido kafe
- maiko (apprentice geisha) 舞子 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.78)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.446, 909
Must-See in Kyoto p.62, p.180
MAIN SHRINE see: honden (main shrine)
- mājan (mah-jongg) 麻雀 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.78)
- Sources:
Japanese Family and Culture p.143
Today's Japan p.87
A Look Into Japan p.135
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.909
- makisu (rolling mat) まきすor 巻きす
-
A small mat made of strips of bamboo held together by cotton thread. Sometimes these are called sudare. These mats are used to make makizushi or other rolled foods. There are three common sizes the largest being the size of an entire sheet of nori (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.97), the smallest a half sheet of nori and the oni sudare made of thicker bamboo strips used for rolled omelets.
Manga:
We see Kyoko make makizushi with a makisu in Maison Ikkoku (v7 p.174, v.8 p.78 in the new edition)
Sources:
Hosking, Richard. A Dictionary of Japanese Food p.90
Omae Kinjiro and Tachibana Yuzuru. The Book of Sushi p.77
Tsuda Nobuko. Sushi Made Easy p.43
- makizushi まきずしor 巻き鮨
-
Rolled sushi (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.128). These are commonly made by placing a sheet of nori (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.97) on a makisu (rolling mat), adding sushi rice and other fillings then tightly rolling them into a cylinder and cutting them into short segments. A thick roll with many ingredients is called a futomakizushi, a thin roll with a minimum of fillings is called a hosomakizushi. Some types of makizushi do not use nori on the outside, instead the ingredients are presented wrapped in rice on the outside, this is called kawari futomakizushi. There are many varieties of makizushi in pleasurable patterns.
Anime:
Kyoko brings some uncut kanpyōmaki, a type of makizushi, to Soichiro's grave in Maison Ikkoku (ep.52)
Manga:
We see Akira punished in a slapstick manner by being hit with a giant uncut makizushi in Black Jack (v.1 p.110)
We see Kyoko make makizushi with a makisu in Maison Ikkoku (v7 p.174; v.8 p.78 in the new edition)
Sources:
Eating in Japan p.26
Hosking, Richard. A Dictionary of Japanese Food p.90
Tsuda Nobuko. Sushi Made Easy p.69-80
- Makudonarudo (McDonald's) マクドナルド (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.79)
- Sources:
Discover Japan v.2 p.54
- makura (pillow) 枕 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.79)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.1205
MALE CHILD'S NAME see: yōmyō (The Anime Companion 2 p.118)
MALE HOMOSEXUAL (DEROGATORY) see: okama (The Anime Companion 2 p.67)
MAME-MAKI see: Setsubun (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.116)
MAMUSHI see: unagi (eel) (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.144)
MAMUSHI FAITO see: mamushi-zake (snake in drink)
- mamushi-zake (snake in drink) まむし酒
-
This is what it sounds like mamushi; (pit viper) in sake (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.109). Mamushi-zake is an old folk remedy made by soaking a mamushi in sake or other alcoholic beverage for about a year. A tradition has it that one snake is good for three batches. This beverage is used as a pick me up and is credited with increasing male sexual stamina. Sometimes this drink is called mamushi faito.
Anime:
When Faye shows up for the first time we see a snake in a jar at the herbalist's Cowboy Bebop (ep.3)
Bottles of "Black Viper" stamina drinks are in the refrigerator at the love hotel (rabu hoteru; The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.105) in Patlabor New Files (Ep 12)
Manga:
On page 24 of volume 33 of Ranma 1/2 we see a boyfriend hungry ghost that has taken the form of Ranma chan serve Mr Tendo breakfast of omelet rice (omuraisu; The Anime Companion 2 p.68) dressed in nothing but a kitchen apron while holding a bottle labeled mamushi-zake, the label translated in the English version as 'aphrodisiac'.
Sources:
De Mente, Boye Lafayette. Sex and the Japanese p.144
Waycott, Agness. Sado: Japan’s Island in Exile p.105
MADE OBJECT WITH A SPIRIT see: tsukumogami (spirit of a made object)
MANBA see: ganguro (black face)
MANDARA SECT ("MANDALA SECT") see: Shingonshū (Shingon sect of Buddhism)
MANDARIN ORANGE see: mikan (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.82)
- manekineko ("beckoning cat") 招き猫 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.79)
- Sources:
A Look Into Japan p.102-3
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.917
Vardaman, James M. and Michiko Sakaki Vardaman Japan From A to Z p.24
MANETE MIMASU YOTSUYA KIKIGAKI see: Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan (Ghost Story of Tōkaidō Yotsuya)
- manga (Japanese comic book) 漫画 or まんが or マンガ (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.80)
- Sources:
Today's Japan p.117
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.214-217
Schodt, Frederik. Dreamland Japan p.95
MANGA ARTIST see: mangaka
MANGA RENTAL SHOPS see: kashibonya
MANGA WRITER see: gensakusha
- mangaka (manga artist) 漫画家
-
A manga (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.80) artist, either a man or a woman, the word is gender neutral. Sometimes they only do the artwork using a story written by a gensakusha. At other times they both write and draw the story. Many mangaka work with assistants who handle inking, running errands, cooking, research and other secondary work.
Anime:
The ghost of a frustrated mangaka causes trouble in Haunted Junction (ep.5)
Manga:
Izumi, a major character in Marionette Generation, is a mangaka.
.
Sources:
Amano Masanao. Manga Design p.570
Comics Journal #269 July 2005 p.21
Lehmann, Timothy R. Manga: Masters of the Art p.247
- manji (swastika) 卍
-
A design known in the West as the swastika. In Japan this is a common Buddhist (Bukkyō; The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.15) symbol originating in ancient India. The manji is depicted in both a clockwise and counter clockwise form. One sometimes sees it on maps to indicate the location of Buddhist temples and monasteries.
Anime:
In episode 14 of the Rurouni Kenshin TV series we see a manji on the Hishimanji garb.
A manji mon (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.89) is formed from scythes on Sakaki Shuranosuke's kimono in Sword for Truth
Sources:
Japanese English Buddhist Dictionary p.194.
Turnbull, Stephen. The Samurai Sourcebook p.22, 25.
- manjū (bun, dumpling) 饅頭 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.80)
- Sources:
Eating in Japan p.129
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.918
Japanese Inn & Travel p.137
- Man'yōshū 万葉集 OLD FORM 萬葉集 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.80)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.919
MAPLES see: kaede and momiji (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.58)
MARATHON MONKS see: kaihōgyō (The Anime Companion 2 p.36)
MARBLES, FLAT see: ohajiki (The Anime Companion 2 p.66)
- Märchen (magical folk tale) メルヘン or メルヒェン (The Anime Companion 2 p.54)
- Sources:
Encyclopaedia Britannica v.7 p. 825 (1990)
MARITIME SELF DEFENSE FORCE see: Jieitai (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.53)
MAROHOSHI see: karakuri jitte
MARRIAGE see: kon'in (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.74)
MARRIAGE CEREMONY see: shinzen kekkon (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.121)
MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE see: kōnin todoke (Notice of Marriage)
MARSH REED SCREEN see: yoshizu (The Anime Companion 2 p.119)
MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING HALL see: dōjō (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.23)
- maru 丸 (The Anime Companion 2 p.54)
- Sources:
De Mente, Boye Lafayette. Japan Encyclopedia p.322
Joya, Mock. Things Japanese p.718
Plutschow, Herbert E. Japan's Name Culture p.12-13
- Marui 丸井
-
A famous chain of department stores and related businesses headquartered in Tōkyō (The Anime Companion 2 p.104). The company was incorporated in 1937, established a system of installment payments and was the first Japanese company to offer credit cards to its customers. The majority of the stores are in Tokyo and nearby cities. Marui buildings can be identified by their distinctive logo which resembles O|O|. The O in the logo is actually a circle and can be pronounced as maru.
Anime:
A common way to represent the logo of the company without actually using it is to represent it as CICI. This is seen in several titles such as The Tales Trilogy: Tales of Misbehavior (ep.1 "Lusty Long Distance Commute"), City Hunter: The Motion Picture, Fushigi Yūgi (ep.51), and Maison Ikkoku (ep.40)
Another alternative representation is QIQI as seen in GTO (ep.20).
Manga:
The logo is seen in Video Girl Ai (v.14 p.34) and, for the Shibuya-ku (The Anime Companion 2 p.82) store, in Silent Möbius (v. 4 p. 139)
Makoto meets up with his friends behind the Ikebukuro Marui store in IWGP: Ikebukuro West Gate Park (v.1 p.138)
Marui is mentioned by a girl at school in GTO (v.9 ep.36)
Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.927
Annual Report 2004
Web Site:
MARUIONE.JP [online store]
MASAKADO see Taira no Masakado (The Anime Companion 2 p.95)
MASAKADO KUBIZUKA see: masakado-zuka
- Masakado-Zuka (Masakado’s Mound) 将門塚 FORMAL 將門塚 (The Anime Companion 2 p.55)
- Sources:
Waley, Paul. Tokyo Now & Then p.41-42
- Masaoka Shiki 正岡子規
-
1867-1902 A poet who championed changes in the writing of the haiku and tanka poetic forms. He was born into a minor samurai (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.110) family of Matsuyama. He moved to Tōkyō (The Anime Companion 2 p.104) in 1883 to study philosophy and politics. There he was exposed to literature, dropped out of Tōkyō Daigaku (Tōkyō University; The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.138) and devoted the rest of his life to poetry. He wrote a series of articles criticizing the sterile formalism that had become common in Japanese poetry calling for reforms to enliven the art. As part of this he helped start the magazine Hototogisu. In 1895, while reporting as a war correspondent in China he realized his TB (kekkaku see: The Anime Companion 2 p.44) had reached a terminal stage. he spent most of the rest of his life bedridden. He is considered one of the four great haiku poets of Japan along with Basho (The Anime Companion 2 p.8), Yosa Buson and Kobayashi Issa (The Anime Companion 2 p.47)
Manga:
Masaoka Shiki, and Hototogisu, are mentiond in The Times of Botchan (v.1 p. 18)
Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.929
MASK OF FUNNY FACED MAN see: Hyottoko
MASK, WHITE SQUARE see: zōmen (The Anime Companion 2 p.123)
MASKS, WEARING SURGICAL MASKS IN PUBLIC see: Surgical Masks Worn In Public (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.127)
MASSAGE PARLORS see: sōpurando (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.125)
MASTURBATION SLEEVE see: onahōru
- masu (box measure) ます or 枡 or 升 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.80)
- Sources:
Condon, Jack and Camy Condon. The Simple Pleasures of Japan p.18
Hosking, Richard. A Dictionary of Japanese Food p.91
Eating in Japan p.141
MASUDA SHIRŌ TOKISADA see: Amakusa Shirō (The Anime Companion 2 p.5)
- Masuya 枡屋 (The Anime Companion 2 p.56)
- Sources:
Hillsborough, Romulus. Ryoma: Life of a Renaissance Samurai. p.213, 222-225.
MAT SERVICE see: matto sābisu (mat service)
MATCH SELLING GIRLS see: matchi uri no shōjo (match selling girls)
- matchi uri no shōjo (match selling girls) マツチ売りの少女
-
While the term refers to to girls simply selling matches it also refers to a form of sex trade. This is practiced in dim light where the customer is sold a match, the seller drops her panties and lifts her skirts and the customer strikes the match and gets to peek until the flame goes out, at which point they can buy another match. This was practiced by some impoverished women after W.W.II as a way of obtaining money without having to resort to prostitution.
Anime:
In The Tales Trilogy: Tales of Misbehavior (ep.2 "The Match Vendor") Igarashi spends his entire six month bonus on buying matches from a young match girl in a sailor fuku (sailor suit) (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.108)
Sources:
Constantine, Peter. Japan's Sex Trade p.33-34
- matoi (banner, standard) 纒 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.81)
- Sources:
A Look Into Tokyo p.68
- Matsudaira Hirotada 松平広忠
-
1526-49 Commonly referred to as Tokugawa Hirotada, he was head of the Matsudaira family and the father of Tokugawa Ieyasu (The Anime Companion 2 p.102). Hirotada attempted to forge an alliance with Imagawa Yoshimoto against Oda Nobuhide. To seal the alliance he sent his son to Sumpu for the Imagawa to hold as a hostage, but Ieyasu was intercepted by Oda clan vassals which prevented him from attacking. Hirotada died in 1549 not long after Yoshimoto succeeded in defeating Noduhide.
Manga:
That Tokugawa Hirotada was stabbed in the crotch by a Muramasa sword is mentioned in Samurai Executioner (v.3 p.23)
Sources:
Turnbull, Stephen. Samurai Commanders (1) 940-1576 p.50
Turnbull, Stephen. The Samurai Sourcebook p.85
MATSUDAIRA IEYASU see: Tokugawa Ieyasu (The Anime Companion 2 p.102)
MATSUDAIRA TAKECHIYO see: Tokugawa Ieyasu (The Anime Companion 2 p.102)
MATSUGAOKA GOSHO see: Tōkeiji
MATSUGAOKA TŌKEIJI see: Tōkeiji
MATSUO BASHŌ see: Bashō (The Anime Companion 2 p.8)
MATSUDAIRA MOTOYASU See Tokugawa Ieyasu (The Anime Companion 2 p.102)
- MATSURI AND NENCHŪ GYŌJI, BY NAME see:
Bon (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.12)
Gion Matsuri (The Anime Companion 2 p.23)
Hina Matsuri (doll festival) (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.45)
Kodomo-no-Hi (Boy's Day, Children's Day) (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.72)
Kurisumasu (Christmas) (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.76)
Nebuta Matsuri (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.92)
Sei-Barentain-no-shukujitsu (Saint Valentine's Day) (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.112)
Setsubun (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.116)
Shichi-go-san (7-5-3 festival) (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.117)
Tanabata (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.133)
MATSURI see also: seasonal symbols
- matsuri to nenchū gyōji (festivals and annual events) 祭と年中行事 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.81)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.361, 1072
- matsutake 松茸
-
Tricholoma matsutake, a type of mushroom which is highly valued by connoisseurs and rather expensive. Matsutake must be collected in the wild in red pine forests in the autumn as no one has developed a technique for growing them. Many matsutake sold in Japan are imported from Korea. The best are those with the cap just starting to open up. Ways of preparing it are in rice, in dobinmushi soup, and grilled (yakimono) while wrapped in foil. A traditional way of preparing matsutake is on a hot stone in a shallow ceramic pot with the lid on, this method is called hōroku-yaki. The word matsutake is also a euphemism for penis. Given the phallic shape of this mushroom and the fact that one can get lost looking for it in the woods there are off color stories about young men and women hunting for it together.
Anime:
The class mistakes the mushrooms Cherry brought as matsutake with delirious results in Urusei Yatsura (ep.86 story 109)
In Samurai Champloo (ep.22) Jin and Mugen go on a matsutake eating binge in the woods.
And in Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi (ep.1) matsutake are only one of several mushrooms mentioned by Sasshi when he lists a series of mushrooms.
Sources:
Constantine, Peter. Japan's Sex Trade p.156
Hosking, Richard. A Dictionary of Japanese Food p.92
Illustrated Eating in Japan p.104
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.938
Vardaman, James M. and Michiko Sakaki Vardaman Japan From A to Z p.70
- matto sābisu (mat service) マットサービス
-
The English phrase "mat service" is used in soaplands (sōpurando The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.125), and some other businesses in the fūzoku (sex industry), to refer to customers being serviced on an air mattress (matto) on the floor. These were introduced in the 1970s and only allowed for a greater range of services which could be offered, and charged, to the customer. The mattesses also reduced injuries from slippery tile and tubs. Some places even have mats in unusual shapes such as square, triangular and round.
Anime:
Moko in My Fair Masseuse often uses an air mattress in the sōpurando (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.125) where she works.
Sources:
Constantine, Peter, Japan's Sex Trade p.35
Sinclair, Joan, Pink Box p.188
MAWASHI see: fundoshi (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.30)
MAY 15TH INCIDENT see: Goichigo Jiken (May 15th Incident)
MAYUZUMI see: see: okimayu
MCDONALD'S see: Makudonarudo (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.79)
MEAT GRILLED see: yakiniku (grilled meat)
MEATBALLS see: tsukune (The Anime Companion 2 p.109)
- medaka (rice fish) メダカ
-
Oryzias latipes. A very small fish found in ponds, rice fields, irrigation ditches and small streams. The range is from Aomori Ken and Southwards. These are usually not used for food, they are popular as an aquarium fish.
Anime:
Yamanami talks about watching rice fish in a stream as a child in Peacemaker (ep 22)
Sources:
Kamohara Toshiji. Fishes of Japan p.31
FishBase entry on Oryzias latipes
MEETING ROOM see: machiai shitsu (meeting room)
- Meguro Gajōen 目黒雅叙園
-
A famous hotel, office and restaurant complex in 1-8-1 Shimo-Meguro, Meguro-ku 目黒区, Tokyo (The Anime Companion 2 p.104) on the banks of the Megurogawa. Sometimes simply called Gajōen, which translates as "garden of lyric elegance", it was also at times referred to as Ryugu-jo, "fairy tale dragon palace". Opened by Hosokawa Rikizō in 1931 and filled with beautiful example of the crafts of the time, including work by artisans from Korea, then a part of Japan. There were over 5,000 paintings in the original structure. From early on it even offered a full range of services for wedding receptions, even a photographer's studio and beauty parlor on site. The present, very modern, structure dates from 1991 and preserves elements of the original buildings as well as having a museum where many of the choicest works not used in present day rooms are on display. About half of the original artworks are still in use. The modern atrium is so large that it houses a traditional building, garden and includes a stream. The present complex fills 30,000 square meters, the office building is 19 stores high. The suites are large enough to handle from 50 to 1000 guests, and the complex can even accommodate 24 events at the same time, that's alot of weddings!
Anime:
In the book The Art of Miyazaki's Spirited Away (p.96) it is said that Meguro Gajōen was one of the major inspirations of the design of the bathhouse in Spirited Away.
Sources:
Architectural Map of Tokyo p.150
Gluck, Jay, Sumi Gluck and Garet Gluck. Japan Inside Out p.1153
Watanabe Hiroshi. Architecture of Tōkyō p.191
Tajima Noriyuki. Tokyo: A Guide to Recent Architecture p214-216
Web Site:
meguro gajoen english
- Meguro-ku 目黒区
-
A ward of Tōkyō (The Anime Companion 2 p.104) bordered on the West by Setagaya-ku, the South by Ōta-ku, Southeast by Shinagawa-ku (The Anime Companion 2 p.85) and the North East by Shibuya-ku (The Anime Companion 2 p.82). The name Meguro means "black eyed" and is commonly held to refer to the Meguro Fudōson a temple dedicated to Fudō-Myōō (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.29) which was consecrated by the Buddhist priest Ennin. In the early 17th century, on the advice of the Buddhist (see: Bukkyō; The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.15) abbot Tenkai, this temple became one of the five protective Fudō-Myōō temples on the outskirts of Edo (The Anime Companion 2 p.18). Other sites in Meguro-ku include Meguro Gajōen, and Tennonzan Gohyaku Rakanji, Formerly a rural local Meguro-ku was the location of one of the areas reserved for the shogun's falconry. Meguro was largely developed as a residential area after the 1923 earthquake (see: Kantō Daisinsai; The Anime Companion 2 p.41) becoming part of the urban landscape of Tōkyō.
Anime:
Shogo has been tracked to Aobadai in Meguro by the mysterious suited men in Megazone 23.
Sources:
Tokyo Metropolitan Atlas 22
Waley, Paul. Tokyo: City of Stories p.167, 176, 236-237
Waley, Paul. Tokyo Now & Then 406, 409
Web Site:
Meguro City English Pages
- Meido kafe (maid cafe) メイドカフェ
-
Maid cafe. These are cafes where the service is provided by waitresses in maid outfits.
Manga:
In Pretty Maniacs (v.2 p.45) the manga club's maid cafe is a big hit at the school festival.
Sources:
Tokyo Walking Around p.37
- Meiji Jingū (Meiji shrine) 明治神宮 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.81)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.953
A Look Into Tokyo p.114
Web Site:
明治神宮-Meijijingu
- Meiji Period [Meiji Jidai] 明治時代 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.81)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.948
MEIJI SHRINE see: Meiji Jingū (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.81)
- meinichi (death anniversary) 命日 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.81)
- Sources:
Japanese Family and Culture p.103
- meishi (business card) 名刺 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.82)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.1045
MEMORIAL ALTAR, BUDDHIST see: butsudan (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.16)
MEN IN BLACK see: kurogo (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.76)
MEN OF HIGH PURPOSE see: shishi (The Anime Companion 2 p.86)
- men rui (noodles) めんるい or 麺類 (The Anime Companion 2 p.56)
- Sources:
Ashburne, John and Abe Yoshi. World Food Japan p.37-
Eating in Japan p.89-98
Hosking, Richard. A Dictionary of Japanese Food p.93
MERMAID see: ningyo (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.95)
MIAI see: omiai (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.101)
- Mibu 壬生
-
An area located in Nakagyō-ku in Kyōto (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.77). Formerly this was a village on the edge of the city. It is well known as the location of the first headquarters of the Shinsengumi (The Anime Companion 2 p.86) as this is where the group was living when it split off from the Roshigumi.
Anime:
In Peacemaker the setting for the headquarters is in Mibu.
Manga:
That the Shinsengumi were founded in Mibu is mentioned in Rurouni Kenshin (v.7 p.15)
Sources:
Hillsborough, Romulus. Shinsengumi: The Shōgun's Last Samurai Corps p.16, 33, 196
Rowthorn, Chris and Mason Florence. Kyoto. p.120
MIBU RŌSHIGUMI see: Rōshigumi
MIBU TEMPLE see: Mibudera
MIBU WOLVES see: Shinsengumi (The Anime Companion 2 p.86)
- Mibudera 壬生寺
-
Located in Nakagyō-ku in a part of Kyōto (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.77) also known as Mibu village. This temple of the Ritsu Sect of Buddhism (Bukkyō The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.15) is a short distance from Ōmiya station. The temple was founded on the orders of Emperor Shōmu and constructed from around 991 to 1005. Today this complex is best known for the annual performance each April of Mibu kyōgen, a silent comedic play style. It is also the location of the graves of many members of the Shinsengumi (The Anime Companion 2 p.86) who died in Kyoto.
Anime:
In episode six of Peacemaker the competition is taking place at Mibudera with the gate to the temple seen at the opening.
Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.956
Kyōto-Ōsaka: A Bilingual Atlas 34 D6
Rowthorn, Chris and Mason Florence. Kyoto. p.120
MICHIZANE see: Sugawara no Michizane
MICHINOKU NO KUNI see: Mutsu no Kuni
MICHI NO MIYA see: Shōwa Tennō (The Anime Companion 2 p.88)
MIDNIGHT VISIT see: yobai
- Mie ken 三重県 OLD FORM 三重縣 (The Anime Companion 2 p.56)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.958
Web Sites:
Mie Prefecture (official site)
MIE PREFECTURE see: Mie ken (The Anime Companion 2 p.56)
- miitsu みいつ or 威霊
-
The high dignity or majesty possessed by a kami (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.59) or the Emperor. The common pronunciation of the word is miizu.
Anime:
In Kami Chu miitsu is translated as 'full of sanctity' when Matsuri speaks of Yurie's attitude when she was being scolded at school. Mitsue says she was just unashamed.
Sources:
Basic Terms of Shinto (revised edition) p.36
Takahashi Morio. Pocket Romanized Japanese-English Dictionary p.665
MIIZU see: miitsu
- mikan みかん or 蜜柑 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.82)
- Sources:
Vardaman, James M. and Michiko Sakaki Vardaman Japan From A to Z p.53, p.68
Hosking, Richard. A Dictionary of Japanese Food p.93
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.959
- mikkyō (Esoteric Buddhism) 密教 OLD FORM 密敎 (The Anime Companion 2 p.56)
- Sources:
Inagaki Hisao. A Dictionary of Japanese Buddhist Terms p.206
Japanese-English Buddhist Dictionary p.197
Arai Yūsei. Shingon Esoteric Buddhism p.9-
Yamasaki Taikō. Shingon p.4-
- miko (shrine maiden) 巫女 or 神子 OLD FORM (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.82)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.960
A Look Into Tokyo p.116
MIKO DANCE see: miko-mai (miko dance)
- mikoshi (portable shrine) 神輿 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.82)
- Sources:
Festivals of Japan p.58
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.961
A Look Into Japan p.90
- miko-mai (miko dance) 巫女舞
-
Ritual dances performed by miko (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.82) at Shintō (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.121) shrines (see: jinja, The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.54).
Anime:
In Twin Dolls and Twin Angels Ai and Mai perform miko-mai.
Sources:
Basic Terms of Shinto (revised edition) p.37
- mikuji (fortune stick) 神籤 also 御鬮 or omikuji 御神籤 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.83)
- Sources:
Vardaman, James M. and Michiko Sakaki Vardaman Japan From A to Z p.44
A Look Into Japan p.22
Must-See in Nikko p.88
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.1148
MILITARY COMMISSIONER FOR KYŌTO see: Kyōto Shugoshoko (The Anime Companion 2 p.53)
MILITARY GOVERNMENT see: bakufu (The Anime Companion 2 p.8)
- mimikaki (ear scoop) 耳かき (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.83)
- Sources:
Discover Japan v.1 p.44
Vardaman, James M. and Michiko Sakaki Vardaman Japan From A to Z p.39
- Minamoto 源 or Minamoto family 源氏 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.83)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.273, 963, 1498
MINAMOTO NO RAIKŌ see: Minamoto no Yorimitsu (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.84)
- Minamoto no Yorimitsu 源頼光 OLD FORM 源賴光(The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.84)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.965
- Minamoto no Yoshitsune 源義経 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.84)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.966
Who's Who of Japan p.44
MINATO WARD see: Minato Ku (The Anime Companion 2 p.56)
- Minato-ku 港区 OLD FORM 港區 (The Anime Companion 2 p.56)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.966
Web Sites:
Minato (official site)
MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND WELFARE see: Kōseishō (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.74)
MINISTRY OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INDUSTRY (MITI) see: Tsūshō Sangyō Shō (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.141)
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR see: Naimushō (The Anime Companion 2 p.60)
- mino (rainwear) 蓑 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.84)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.1459
MINOBŌSHI see: mino (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.84)
- Minshatō (Democratic Socialist Party) 民社党 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.84)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.278
MIRROR see: seidōkyō (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.112)
- mismatched foods [kuiawase 食い合わせ] (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.84)
- Sources:
Vardaman, James M. and Michiko Sakaki Vardaman Japan From A to Z p.71
- miso (soy bean paste) 味噌 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.84)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.977
MISO SOUP see: misoshiru (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.85)
MISO SOUP, NOODLES IN see: miso-rāmen (The Anime Companion 2 p.57)
- misogi (purification) 禊 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.85)
- Sources:
Basic Terms of Shintō (1958) p.40
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.978
- miso-rāmen みそラーメン or 味噌ラーメン (The Anime Companion 2 p.57)
- Sources:
Ashburne, John & Abe Yoshi World Food Japan p.40, 266
Nagasawa Kimiko & Camy Condon. Eating Cheap in Japan p. 30, 31
- misoshiru (miso soup) みそしる or 味噌汁 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.85)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.978
MISTĀ REDĪ see: nyū hāfu (The Anime Companion 2 p.64)
- Mitaka 三鷹 [市] (The Anime Companion 2 p.57)
- Sources:
Naito Akira. Edo: The City That Became Tokyo p. 110
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.979
Exhibiting Animation p. 96.
MITI see: Tsūshō Sangyō Shō (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p. 141)
- Mito han 水戸藩 OLD FORM 水戶藩 (The Anime Companion 2 p.57)
- Sources:
De Mente, Boye Lafayette. Japan Encyclopedia p. 334
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.979
MITO KŌMON see: Tokugawa Mitsukuni (The Anime Companion 2 p.103)
MITOME see: hanko (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.40)
- Mitsubishi 三菱 (The Anime Companion 2 p.57)
- Sources:
De Mente, Boye Lafayette. Japan Encyclopedia p. 335
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.980
Web Sites:
Mitsubishi Corporation Homepage
MITSUBISHI NAVY TYPE 1 ATTACK BOMBER (G4M) see: Betty (aircraft) (The Anime Companion 2 p.9)
MITSUBISHI NAVY TYPE 1 ATTACK BOMBER TRAINER (G6M1-K) see: Betty (aircraft) (The Anime Companion 2 p.9)
MITSUBISHI NAVY TYPE 1 FORMATION ESCORT FIGHTER (G6M1) see: Betty (aircraft) (The Anime Companion 2 p.9)
MITSUBISHI TYPE 0 CARRIER-BASED FIGHTER see: Zerosen (aircraft) (The Anime Companion 2 p.122)
MITSUBISHI TYPE 1 TRANSPORT (G6M1-L2) see: Betty (aircraft) (The Anime Companion 2 p.9)
MITSUBISHI ZERO-TYPE CARRIER-BASED FIGHTER see: Zerosen (aircraft) (The Anime Companion 2 p.122)
MIXED DRINKING SESSION see: gōkon (mixed drinking session)
- Miyabe Teizo 宮部鼎蔵 OLD FORM 宮部鼎藏 (The Anime Companion 2 p.58)
- Sources:
Hillsborough, Romulus. Ryoma: Life of a Renaissance Samurai p.214.
- miyage (souvenir) 土産 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.86)
- Sources:
Japanese Family and Culture p.131
Vardaman, James M. and Michiko Sakaki Vardaman Japan From A to Z p.101
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.986)
- Miyagi Ken 宮城県 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.86)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.987, 1344
Web site:
Well Come to Miyagi's Homepage (official site)
MIYAGI PREFECTURE see: Miyagi Ken (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.86)
MIYAJIMA see: Itsukushima
- Miyamoto Musashi 宮本武蔵 OLD FORM 宮本武藏 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.86)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.989
Who's Who of Japan p.102
Martial Arts & Sports in Japan p.103
Weisser, Thomas and Yuko Mihara Weisser. Japanese Cinema: Essential Handbook p.279
- Miyazawa Kenji 宮沢賢治 OLD FORM 宮澤賢治 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.86)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.990-991
Huddleston, Daniel "Kenji Miyazawa" Animerica vol. 6 #1 p.8-9, 26-29
Supplementary information:
Some of Miyazawa's works are available in English.
Once and Forever, Kodansha. ISBN: 4-7700-2184-4
Milky Way Railroad, Stone Bridge Press. ISBN: 1-880656-26-4
- mizuage 水揚げ
-
While mizuage is usually referred to as "deflowering" or "first sexual experience" it literally refers to unloading goods from a barge. Officially this ceremony launching of a girl to the status of a high ranking courtesan took place when a kamuro reached 18, however the law was often ignored and girls of a younger age often underwent this ceremonial loss of virginity to a high paying patron. However not every kamuro was a virgin, patrons rarely objected to this falsehood as there was a certain honor in being the first patron in the young woman's change of status. The custom also exists as part of the ceremonies for a maiko (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.78) becoming a geisha (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.33), however today often the patron is merely ceremonial or the mizuage is not part of the ceremonies at all.
Anime:
The tayū Akesato mentions that Saya and Ohana are turning 16 the next year so the topic of their mizuage is coming up Peacemaker (ep 13)
Sources:
Dalby, Liza. Geisha p.109-110
Seigle, Cecilia Segawa. Yoshiwara: The Glittering World of the Japanese Courtesan p,179-180
- mizugori (waterfall purification) 水垢離 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.86)
- Sources:
Basic Terms of Shintō (1958) p.40
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.978
- mizuhiki (decorative cords) 水引 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.87)
- Sources:
Vardaman, James M. and Michiko Sakaki Vardaman. Japanese Etiquette Today p.90
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.992
- mizushōbai (water trade) 水商売 or みずしょうばい
-
A slightly old fashioned term for the entertainment business such as restaurants, kissaten (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.70), tea shops, bars, sunakku (The Anime Companion 2 p.93), nightclubs, hosuto kurabu, theaters, brothels, sōpurando (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.125) etc. The term is a metaphor for the unpredictable way entertainment business profits can go up and down, much like water in a river, sometimes it floods, sometimes it is low. I have been informed by a Japanese acquantance that is it also a slang term and has connotations of not being respectable.
Anime and Manga:
In City Hunter we see Ryo return again and again to many of the various mizushōbai businesses found in Kabukichō (The Anime Companion 2 p.35).
Anime:
In The Gokusen (ep 9) mizushōbai, translated as nightlife trade, is mentioned by Kumiko when she is chewing out her students for doing such a bad job with the host club at the school culture festival.
Manga:
Club 9 is the story of a young woman working as a hosutesu (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.47) in the Ginza (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.35), an excellent example of modern day mizushōbai.
Sources:
De Mente, Boye Lafayette. Japan Encyclopedia p.339, 516
Otsuki Hiroshi & Bradley Grindstaff. Cultural Keys p.69-70
- mobo (modern boy) モボ
-
A contraction of the English phrase "modern boy". The mobo was the male equivalent of the moga (modern girl) whom he courted in the urban centers of Japan in the inter war years at the height of the period of eroguro nansensu. The mobo also was a highly Westernized figure in the Japanese society of the time.
Manga:
Mo-boy and mo-girl are two entries visible in a dictionary Misaki checks in Welcome to the NHK (v.2 p.114)
Sources:
Silverberg, Miriam, Erotic Grotesque Nonsense p.51
Waley, Paul, Tokyo: City of Stories p.98
MO-BOY see: mobo (modern boy)
- mochi (rice cake) 餅 OLD FORM 餠 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.87)
- Sources:
Outlook on Japan p.142
Richie, Donald. A Taste of Japan p.76-82
Joya, Mock. Mock Joya's Things Japanese p.270
- MOCHI see also:
-
abekawamochi
ohagi (The Anime Companion 2 p.66)
Kashiwa Mochi (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.63)
sakura mochi (The Anime Companion 2 p.76)
MODERN BOY see: mobo (modern boy)
- moe 萌えor もえ
-
A term, pronounced "mo-eh", used to express feelings regarding cute, usually young, persons and objects one has a special affection for. The modern use of the term seems to be derived from the word for a sprouting plant. That word has a very long history of use as an expression for budding love, for example this use is found in the Man'yōshū (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.80). Today moe is usually applied to cute anime, game or manga characters to express affection at their cuteness and innocence. The term is also applied to actual persons such as idol singers. Moe has a strong platonic element to it, much like the affection and protective urge an older brother has for a younger sibling. However by extension the term is also used for items that are associated with cute characters such maid outfits, glasses, uniforms and so on, this can easily cross the line into fetishism ceasing to be innocent.
Manga:
In Pretty Maniacs (p.175) Rex is accepted into the manga club after he says "I live for Moe girls."
Sources:
Macias, Patrick and Machiyama Tomohiro. Cruising the Anime City p.50-51
Tokyo Walking Around p.37
- moga (modern girl) モガ
-
A contraction of the English phrase "modern girl". The moga was a phenomenon in the urban centers of Japan in the inter war years at the height of the period of eroguro nansensu (erotic-grotesque nonsense). She was largely a mythical construct of the popular press, seen as something of a party girl dressed in modern Western clothing far more interested in the current fashions and frivolous activities than in the liberation of women. Seen as aggressive and erotic the image of the moga was threatening to many conservatives of the time.
Manga:
Mo-boy (mobo (modern boy)) and mo-girl are two entries visible in a dictionary Misaki checks in Welcome to the NHK (v.2 p.114)
Sources:
Seidensticker, Edward, Tokyo Rising p.40
Silverberg, Miriam, Erotic Grotesque Nonsense p.52-65
Waley, Paul, Tokyo: City of Stories p.98
MO-GIRL see: moga (modern girl)
MODERN GIRL see: moga (modern girl)
MOHRI MOTONARI see: Mōri Motonari
- mokugyo 木魚 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.87)
- Sources:
A Look Into Japan p.26
MOLESTER see: chikan
MOLESTER TRAIN see: chikan densha (pervert train)
MOMIJI MANJŪ see: manjū (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.80)
MOMIJI see: kaede to momiji (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.58)
MOMO NO SEKKU see: Hina Matsuri (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.45)
- Momotarō (Peach Boy) 桃太郎 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.87)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.998
- mon (family or organizational crest) 家紋 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.89)
- Sources:
Discover Japan v.2 p.90
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.254
Joya, Mock. Mock Joya's Things Japanese p.8, 669
A Look Into Japan p.60-61
- monaka (stuffed wafer cake) 最中
-
A wagashi (traditional confections) originating in the early nineteenth century. Monaka originally was just dry wafers. Today it consists of double light wafers stuffed with an. The shape and size can greatly vary as can the type of an used in the filling.
Manga:
Square monaka are visible in Doing Time (p.125)
Sources:
Hosking, Richard. A Dictionary of Japanese Food p.97
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.221
MONEY OFFERINGS see: saisen (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.109)
MONGOL INVASION see: kōan no eki (The Anime Companion 2 p.47)
MONK'S STAFF see: shakujō (monk's staff)
MONKEY see: saru (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.111)
MONKEY KING see: Son Goku (The Anime Companion 2 p.90)
MONKEY SHOWS see: saru mawashi (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.111)
MONKS HAT see: sando-gasa (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.111)
MONK'S STAFF, DECEPTIVE see: shikomi shakujō (deceptive monk's staff)
- mononoke 物の怪
-
A vague term for a variety of strange and frightening things. Many references to mononoke are found in Heian Period (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.44) literature such as the Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji). It could be a spirit that possesses another person and causes death or illness. Traditionally these are either spirits of the dead or of living persons who have a strong emotion that leads them to cause harm. In the case of the living the mononoke temporarily separates itself from the body to attack it's victim.
Anime:
The most famous person to be called a mononoke in anime is San in Princess Mononoke.
In the first episode of Inu Yasha when the centipede woman attacks the village you hear someone shout that it is a mononoke, translated as evil spirit in the subtitles and monster in the re-dub.
However as far as I know the first anime to be released in the US with a mononoke is the Tale of Genji movie where the young Murasaki falls ill and someone wonders if it is due to a mononoke.
Sources:
Foster, Michael Dylan. Morphologies of Mystery: Yōkai and Discources of the Supernatural in Japan 1666-1999
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.1002
Morris, Ivan. The World of the Shining Prince p.147-52
MONSHŌ see: mon (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.89)
MONSTERS, GIANT see: kaiju (The Anime Companion 2 p.37)
MOON LUTE OR MOON GUITAR see: gekkin (The Anime Companion 2 p.22)
- Mori Arinori 森有礼
-
1847-89 Born in Satsuma han (The Anime Companion 2 p.80) he attended Zōshikan, a school for samurai (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.110), and later studied Western learning at the Kaiseijo. In 1865 he left Japan to study mathematics, physics and naval surveying in England. After the overthrow of the shōgun (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.123) he became a member of the new government and in 1871 went to the United States as Japan's first envoy to Washington. In the US he studied the educational system and other social institutions, In 1873 he returned to Japan and founded Meirokusha, a society for intellectuals. He proposed many social reforms, including a secular state and religious freedom, and educational modernization. He even went so far as to urge the adoption of English as the official language of Japan. In 1885 he was made the first Minister of Education by Itō Hirobumi. He instituted many educational reforms that have been credited with reinforcing the later rise of militarism in Japan. On February 11, 1889 Mori Arinori was assassinated by a Shintō (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.121) fanatic.
Manga:
The craziness of Mori's proposal to adopt English as the language of Japan is mentioned in Lady Snowblood (v.1 p.232)
Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.1003
- Mōri Motonari 毛利元就
-
1497-1571 A famous daimyō (The Anime Companion 2 p.15) of the early Sengoku jidai (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.113) who originally had little power. He allied himself with the Amako family but later he changed allies and on the orders of the Ōuchi family defeated the Amako. After Sue Harukata killed the head of the Ōuchi family Motonari led his army against Sue in battle on Itsukushima in 1555. With no significant rival in the area over a period of several years he took control of a large territory in western Honshū (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.47) and in Kyūshū (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.78) as well as the Inland Sea (Seto Naikai The Anime Companion 2 p.82). When he died in his mid 70s his grandson Mōri Terumoto took over as clan leader.
Anime:
Saber Marionette J (ep. 6) Hanagata's breaking one log to show that 3 are stronger is a reference to a tale of Motonari giving his three sons a lesson in solidarity by showing them that three arrows together are stronger than one alone.
In Sword for Truth it is mentioned that "Mohri Motonari" is served by the Seki Ninja
Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.1004
Turnbull, Stephen. The Samurai Sourcebook p. 63
Who's Who of Japan p.69
- Mori Ōgai 森鴎外 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.89)
- Sources:
Who's Who of Japan p.161
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.1005
MORI OHGAI see: Mori Ōgai (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.89)
MORI RINTARŌ see: Mori Ōgai (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.89)
- Morioka 盛岡 [市] (The Anime Companion 2 p.58)
- Sources:
Frederic, Louis Japan Encyclopedia p.661
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.1006
Papinot, E. Historical and Geographical Dictionary of Japan p.409
MORNING GLORY see: asagao (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.6)
MOSQUITO REPELLANT see: katorisenko
- mother-in-law [shūto-me しょうとめ or shūto 姑 or gibo 義母] (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.89)
- Sources:
Joya, Mock. Mock Joya's Things Japanese p.670
Japanese Family and Culture p.180
MOTOMAYU see: okimayu
MOTORCYCLE GANGS see: bōsōzoku (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.14)
MOUNT HIEI see: Hieizan (The Anime Companion 2 p.28)
MOUNTAIN DIETY see: yama no kami (god of the mountain)
MOUNTAIN VEGETABLES see: sansai (The Anime Companion 2 p.78)
MOUTH LIKE A SHARK see: kuchi-sake-onna (slit-mouthed woman)
MOUTH ORGAN see: shō (mouth organ)
MOXA TREATMENT see: kyū (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.77)
MOXIBUSTION see: kyū (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.77)
MR LADY see: nyū hāfu (The Anime Companion 2 p.64)
MT. ASO IN KYŪSHŪ see: Aso-san (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.7)
MT. FUJI see: Fuji-san (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.30)
MT. KŌYA see: Kōya-san (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.75)
MT. KURAMA see: Kuramayama (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.76)
MUDRĀ see: inzō (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.50)
- Mugai Ryū 無外流 (The Anime Companion 2 p.58)
- Sources:
Frederic, Louis. Dictionary of the Martial Arts p.160
Draeger, Donn F. Classical Budo p.90 - 94
- mugicha (barley tea) 麦茶 (The Anime Companion 2 p.58)
- Sources:
Hosking, Richard. Dictionary of Japanese Food p.99
Krouse, Carolyn R. A Guide to Food Buying in Japan p.107
MUKASHI MUKASHI OIWA NO KAIDAN see: Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan (Ghost Story of Tōkaidō Yotsuya)
- Muramasa 村正
-
1341- ? A master sword smith who learned his craft under the famous Masamune. His swords were of such high quality that one is said to have been placed upright in a stream and cut floating leaves in two. Muramasa is reported to have been violent and mentally unstable, his blades were said to have been influenced by this in that they were bloodthirsty, and made their owners carry out violent acts or commit suicide. For the Tokugawa clan (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.137) they were considered especially unlucky. For example Tokugawa Ieyasu (The Anime Companion 2 p.102) cut himself on one when he was a child and later when inspecting a Muramasa blade after the Battle Of Sekigahara (Sekigahara no Tatakai, The Anime Companion 2 p.81). His son Tokugawa Nobuyasu had his head cut off by the Muramasa sword of Amakata Michitsuna. His grandfather Matsudaira Kiyoyasu was killed by the Muramasa sword of Abe Yashichi.
Anime:
Sasshi spots a Muramasa blade at a street stall in episode two of Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi.
Kyo's sword is a Muramasa in Samurai Deeper Kyo.
Manga:
That "Tokugawa Hirotada" (Matsudaira Hirotada) was stabbed in the crotch by a Muramasa sword is mentioned in Samurai Executioner (v.3 p.23)
A Muramasa sword is presented as a gift to Freeman in Crying Freeman (v. 3 p.109)
Sources:
Cunningham, Don. Secret Weapons of Jujutsu p.4
Sadler, A. L. Maker of Modern Japan p, 94-95
Ratti, Oscar and Adele Westbrook. Secrets of the Samurai p.263
MURASAKI SHIKIBU see also:
Genji (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.34)
Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji) 源氏物語
- Murasaki Shikibu 紫式部 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.89)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.1015
- Muromachi Period [Muromachi jidai 室町時代] (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.90)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.1017
MUSASHIBŌ BENKEI see: Benkei (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.10)
- musha shugyō 武者修行 OLD FORM incorrect in the book as 武者修行. I cannot reproduce the correct form here. (The Anime Companion 2 p.58)
- Sources:
Skoss, Diane, ed. Koryu Bujutsu p.167
Turnbull, Stephen. The Lone Samurai and the Martial Arts p.62-63
- Mushanokōji Saneatsu 武者小路実篤 (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.90)
- Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p.1022
MUSHROOM, TYPE OF see: matsutake, shiitake (The Anime Companion 2 p.83)
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS see:
-
biwa (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.11)
charumera (The Anime Companion 2 p.12)
gekkin (moon lute) (The Anime Companion 2 p.22)
mokugyo (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.87)
shamisen (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.116)
tsuzumi
taiko (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.130)
MUSUBI see: nigirimeshi (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.93)
- Mutsu no Kuni 陸奥国
-
The Northernmost province of the Tōsandō on the island of Honshū (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.47), originally this province was called Michinoku no Kuni and later also known as Ōshū. It was Emishi (The Anime Companion 2 p.19) territory until they were conquered by troops led by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro in the 9th century. In 1094 Fujiwara no Kiyohira and his vassals took control of the area making Hiraizumi their headquarters. These Ōshū Fujiwara ruled the area until they were overthrown in 1189. During the Muromachi Period (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.90) the Date family came to control the southern part of Mutsu no Kuni while the Nambu family controlled the north. During the Edo period (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.25) Mutsu no Kuni was divided into 20 han (The Anime Companion 2 p.26), the strongest of these were Aizu han (The Anime Companion 2 p.4) and Sendai. Today the area that was Mutsu no Kuni is divided up among Aomori Ken, Iwate Ken (The Anime Companion 2 p.33), Miyagi Ken (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.86), Fukushima Ken (The Anime Companion 2 p.22) and a little of Akita Ken.
Manga:
Rōben and Gao travel to Hiraizumi in "Ohshu" in Phoenix (v.4 Karma p.113)
The gold mines of the shōgun (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.123) in Mutsu are mentioned in Lone Wolf and Cub (v. 6 p.182)
Sources:
Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia p. 1025
MUTSU PROVINCE see: Mutsu no Kuni
- My City マイシテイ (The Anime Companion [vol.1] p.90)
- Sources:
A Look Into Tokyo p.149
Go To: Topical Index
# - A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - Y - Z - Side Bars
Special Supplement: Rurouni Kenshin OVAs
Back to Gilles' home page
Back to The Anime Companion Supplement main page
Questions, comments, raves, flames etc. to:
Created: October 31, 1998
Updated: October 6, 2008
