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Rewording to be more third-party; "The Japanese do x" is too strong of a claim and sounds like a foreigner wrote it
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{{Short description|Fire spirit in Japanese folklore}}
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{{refimprove|date=July 2016}}
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{{Jmyth infobox}}
{{Jmyth infobox}}
An '''akuma''' (悪魔) is an evil spirit in [[Japanese folklore]],<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ashkenazi|first=Michael|title=Handbook of Japanese Mythology |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gqs-y9R2AekC&pg=PA311 |date=2003|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=1-57607-467-6|location=Santa Barbara, CA |page=311}}</ref><ref name=Bane>{{Cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Spirits and Ghosts in World Mythology |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VSu6CwAAQBAJ&q=akuma&pg=PA19 |last=Bane|first=Theresa|date=2016|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|isbn=978-1-4766-6355-5|location=Jefferson, NC|pages=19}}</ref> sometimes described in English-language sources as a [[devil]] or [[demon]].<ref name=Bane/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Brinkley |first=Frank |url=http://archive.org/details/cu31924082117288/page/22 |title=An Unabridged Japanese-English Dictionary |date=1896 |publisher=Sanseidō |page=22}}</ref> An alternative name for the akuma is ''ma'' (ま).<ref name=Jones>{{Cite book |last=Jones |first=Alison |url=http://archive.org/details/laroussedictiona0000jone_m7w1/page/12 |url-access=registration |title=Larousse Dictionary of World Folklore |date=1995 |publisher=Larousse |page=12 |isbn=0-7523-00-43-1}}</ref> ''Akuma'' is the name assigned to [[Satan]] in [[Japanese Christianity]], and the [[Mara (demon)|Mara]] in [[Japanese Buddhism]].
The '''akuma''' (悪魔) is a malevolent fire spirit in [[Japanese folklore]]. It is also described as a category of undefined beings who brought afflictions on humans.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ashkenazi|first=Michael|title=Handbook of Japanese Mythology|date=2003|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=1-57607-467-6|location=Santa Barbara, CA|language=en}}</ref>

Alternative names for the ''akuma'' is ''ma'' (ま). It is often translated to [[devil]] in English, or [[demon]] (see ''[[oni]]''). ''Akuma'' is the name assigned to [[Satan]] in [[Japanese Christianity]], and the [[Mara (demon)|Mara]] in [[Japanese Buddhism]].


==Mythology==
==Mythology==
Akuma first appeared in Buddhist texts although it became more popular during the [[Heian period]] from 794 to 1186 AD.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Spirits and Ghosts in World Mythology|last=Bane|first=Theresa|date=2016|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers|isbn=978-1-4766-6355-5|location=Jefferson, NC|pages=19}}</ref> Later, mainstream usage associated the name with the Christian Satan. It is said that, due to the lack of monotheism, there was no opponent of God so akuma became the equivalent of Satan.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Link|first=Luther|title=Devil: A Mask Without a Face|date=1995|publisher=Reaktion Books|isbn=0-948462-67-1|location=London|pages=188}}</ref>
The earliest uses of the word ''akuma'' are mainly found in Buddhist texts, but it also appears in literary works, especially those written during the [[Heian period]] (794–1185&nbsp;AD).<ref name=Link>{{Cite book|last=Link|first=Luther|title=Devil: A Mask Without a Face|date=1995|publisher=Reaktion Books|isbn=0-948462-67-1|location=London|pages=188}}</ref> Later, following the introduction of [[Christianity in Japan|Christianity]] to Japan, ''akuma'' became the customary way of translating the English word ''[[Satan]]''.<ref name=Link/>

⚫
An ''akuma'' is typically depicted as an entity with a fiery head and eyes, and carrying a sword. The ''akuma'' is typically said to be able to fly, and to be a harbinger of ominous and terrible fortune and can bring misfortune to those who happen to see it. {{cn|date=August 2017}}


⚫
An akuma is typically depicted as an entity with a fiery head and flaming eyes, and carrying a sword. It is said to be to be a harbinger of misfortune to those who see it.<ref name=Jones/>
⚫
Traditionally, the Japanese describe mental illness as a direct result of the presence of evil spirits, particularly by akuma.<ref>{{Cite book|title=A Nurse's Guide to Women's Mental Health|last=RN|first=Michele R. Davidson, PhD, CNM, CFN|date=2012|publisher=Springer Publishing Company, LLC|isbn=978-0-8261-7113-9|location=New York|pages=34}}</ref>


⚫
There have been attestations of people traditionally associating mental illness with the presence of akuma.<ref>{{Cite book|title=A Nurse's Guide to Women's Mental Health |author=Michele R. Davidson |url=https://archive.org/details/nursesguidetowom0000davi/page/34 |url-access=registration |date=2012|publisher=Springer Publishing Company, LLC|isbn=978-0-8261-7113-9|location=New York|page=34}}</ref>
==In popular culture==
* Akuma is featured in the Japanese novels such as [[Zenzō Kasai|Kazai Zenzo]]'s ''Akuma'' (1912); [[Ryūnosuke Akutagawa|Akutagawa Ryunosuke]]'s ''The Devil's Tobacco'' (1916); and, [[Tamura Taijiro]]'s ''The Demon of the Flesh'' (1946).<ref>{{Cite book|title=Japan Encyclopedia|last=Frédéric|first=Louis|date=2002|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=0-674-00770-0|location=Cambridge, MA|pages=22, 484, 945, 949}}</ref>
*The Japanese translation of [[Diana Wynne Jones]]' ''[[Howl's Moving Castle]]'' was translated into Japanese in 1997 as ''Mahotsukai Hauru to hi no akuma'' (''The wizard Howl and the fire demon'').<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Aoyama|first1=Tomoko|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MU2DBAAAQBAJ&q=akuma+japan+fortune|title=Configurations of Family in Contemporary Japan|last2=Dales|first2=Laura|last3=Dasgupta|first3=Romit|date=2014-09-15|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-97499-4|language=en}}</ref>
*In the fighting game series ''[[Street Fighter]]'', [[Akuma (Street Fighter)|Akuma]] is the American name of a character named Gouki.
* In the television series ''[[Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir|Miraculous]]'', an akuma is a small creature resembling a black butterfly with translucent purple highlights that can grant superpowers to any civilian through negative emotions. No matter their initial intentions, the one granted these powers inevitably goes on a destructive rampage in pursuing whoever caused that emotion turning them into supervillains, Scarlet Akumas are crimson with bright red edges and white markings, and Megakuma looks the same as a regular Akuma but slightly bigger and it’s powerful enough to breaking through and destroy the magical charms created by [[Marinette Dupain-Cheng|Ladybug]], which are used to prevent reakumatizing to anyone who were victims.
* In the manga ''[[D.Gray-man]]'' Akuma are machines created from the souls of deceased humans and are contained within the body of someone who grieves for them.
* ''[[Karateka (video game)|Karateka]]'' based from Atari/Nintendo family system video game, the final boss is called Warlord Akuma who kidnapped Mariko.
* In the ''[[Compilation of Final Fantasy VII]]'', the character [[Sephiroth (Final Fantasy)|Sephiroth]] displays many of the same traits and is known as the Akuma of Wutai, which is often translated as 'Devil', 'Demon', or 'Nightmare' in the English versions.
* In the animated series ''[[The Hollow (TV series)|The Hollow]]'', Akuma is the name of the leader of a group of demon monks.


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
* [http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum/topic/57512-akuma/ Unexplained mysteries.com], accessed 6 July 2016


{{Japanese folklore long}}
{{Japanese folklore long}}


[[Category:Buddhist folklore]]
[[Category:Demons in Buddhism]]
[[Category:Japanese folklore]]
[[Category:Japanese demons]]
[[Category:Japanese mythology]]
[[Category:Japanese culture]]
[[Category:Buddhist literature]]

Revision as of 02:58, 14 May 2024

Part of a series on
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An akuma (悪魔) is an evil spirit in Japanese folklore,[1][2] sometimes described in English-language sources as a devil or demon.[2][3] An alternative name for the akuma is ma (ま).[4] Akuma is the name assigned to Satan in Japanese Christianity, and the Mara in Japanese Buddhism.

Mythology

The earliest uses of the word akuma are mainly found in Buddhist texts, but it also appears in literary works, especially those written during the Heian period (794–1185 AD).[5] Later, following the introduction of Christianity to Japan, akuma became the customary way of translating the English word Satan.[5]

An akuma is typically depicted as an entity with a fiery head and flaming eyes, and carrying a sword. It is said to be to be a harbinger of misfortune to those who see it.[4]

There have been attestations of people traditionally associating mental illness with the presence of akuma.[6]

References

  1. ^ Ashkenazi, Michael (2003). Handbook of Japanese Mythology. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. p. 311. ISBN 1-57607-467-6.
  2. ^ a b Bane, Theresa (2016). Encyclopedia of Spirits and Ghosts in World Mythology. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-4766-6355-5.
  3. ^ Brinkley, Frank (1896). An Unabridged Japanese-English Dictionary. Sanseidō. p. 22.
  4. ^ a b Jones, Alison (1995). Larousse Dictionary of World Folklore. Larousse. p. 12. ISBN 0-7523-00-43-1.
  5. ^ Michele R. Davidson (2012). A Nurse's Guide to Women's Mental Health. New York: Springer Publishing Company, LLC. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-8261-7113-9.
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