Raccoons and Statues...

[Graedius]

I noticed somethign interesting recently when playing through the SNES game, "Pocky and Rocky"... a very interesting game indeed (I love it, I'd highly recommend it.) Anyways, one of the main characters is a Raccoon, named "Rocky"... He differes barely in moves form Pocky, except for his charge-up ability to turn into a statue, an ability we once saw from another raccoon friend of ours...



Hm, image quality is reduced here... well, you get the picture.


Notice that they both have Staves, as well as two little ear lobey-thingies.

Anyone know what's with the Japanese, and Raccoons and Statues?
What connetion do these two totally different things have?

I won't be surprised if Fifth knows.


I have however heard that Rocky was based off of a Japanese figure of Luck.
What does it all mean?




(Don't be surprised if you see more of Rocky form me in the future... he's so darn cute, don't you agree?)

[teh yoshi]

From what I think I can remember, in Japan, you're apt to find statues of raccoons or bear type raccoon whatever with massive testicles that bears significance in Japanese folklore. Raccoons are known hold the power of shape-shifting, and once had a fight with humans because of spacial issues (I think). Raccoons would morph into scary things such as ghosts to scare away people. Male raccoons would use their testicles to change into things to lure humans to their death, such as creating a false bridge that would disappear under your feet. Eventually, the raccoons lost and shape shifting tired them. They would become very exhausted and that's how they form bags under their eyes .
Anyway, I hope that somewhat helps with raccoons (tanuki) and statues. I'm not too entirely sure on the matter, either.

[Fifth]

Um, I DO know, but only in part...
This would be the Tanooki (or tanuki, just different translations.) It's a raccoon-like creature (it is an actual creature) that has a lot of, um... mythology, I guess, attached to it.

They're rumored to be cunning creatures who can change their shape, and often do this to trick people. They can also change leaves into other objects (like Tom Nook/Animal Crossing.)
As for statues... I don't know EXACTLY what's up with that PARTICULAR statue (I have also seen it in other Japanese games)... I know that people would put Tanooki statues for good luck/prosperity/something of the like.

There's actually a lot of Japanese mythology in video games... a lot of Tanooki stuff, along with Kappas, ghosts and demons (Thunder Lakitu from Yoshi's Island is based off of the Thunder God Raiden)...
But I won't claim to have a great deal of understanding on the matter. I just know that such things are present.

~EDIT - Ah, I see teh got to some of it... I guess I took too long in typing...

[Yoshiki]

Hmm, Nintendo = Luck from heaven…

Lots of myths and superstitions. You could write a book about all these things around the world.

[Koshizu]

I also thought Tanuki were somehow connected with being guardians of forests and things...

Yes, Mario games do infact have quite alot of japanese mythology packed into them, hehe. n_n

[Mailtroid]

Dont forget all the Pokémon games! They are filled up with Japanese mythology!

[Tempest]

What? They are? Like what? I thought pokemon was supposed to be simple!

[Rainbow Yoshi]

They sometimes have weird letters that look japanees.

[Graedius]

I do recall hearing about the bit with the giant testicles...

Now that you mention it, Rocky uses leaves as his main weapon... interesting...

[Yoshiki]

Anybody notice the Google ads at the top of the page. Who wants raccoon repellent?

[teh yoshi]

Whoa, that strangely came out of nowhere!
I actually wish to see raccoons in real life. Wouldn't want to repel those little guys. I just hope they aren't rabid and dangerous.

[Graedius]

Yes, Raccoons are very sweet.

And yes, theres 10000 million tons of mythology on Pokemon. Virtually every legendary Pokemon ls linked to a myth, as well as many Others.

I.E.

Ho-oh = Phoenix
Ninetails = A God reincarnated in a vengeful form.
The legendary dogs - Elemental sprits

[teh yoshi]

Holy crap, I was searching up images of Rocky & Pocky on Google, and I actually remembered playing that game in one point in my life. I believe it was because my cousin rented it when it was still very new.
Wow... good times...

[Koshizu]

Oh yeah, Pokemon is basically Japanese mythology in monster form. XD Only joking...here are some more examples;

Golduck = Ancient monster called Kappa
Gyarados = A Leviathan type creature
Misdreavous = Based on the Irish Banshee ghost

And there are probably a ton more, but those are all that come to mind at the moment. =]

[teh yoshi]

Yay, after playing Pocky & Rocky 1 and 2 last night, I decided to ask a friend who knows quite a bit on Japanese mythology that most of those monsters has derived from. I feel kind of enlightened now. I asked her about those jumping umbrella things and that lady with the very elongated neck. I'm too lazy to explain . I'm eating ube ice cream as I type.

[Graedius]

teh said:

Holy crap, I was searching up images of Rocky & Pocky on Google, and I actually remembered playing that game in one point in my life. I believe it was because my cousin rented it when it was still very new.
Wow... good times...

Pocky and Rocky owns so much. I love this game to peices! It rocks so much in multiplayer!

Yet, the Final Boss is intensely hard... on the easiest difficuly.


Pocky and Rocky 2 was disapointing, seeing as you couldn't be Rocky as a main character.