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Background and general info for Shinsenden universe.
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The universe of Shinsenden is loosely based on a rather philosophical works
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of a Chinese philosopher Ge Hong (283-343 AD). His works generally referred
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to the way on obatining immortality through proper studying and learning.
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Some of his works were later translated into Japanese and pretty much
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adapted. Honcho Shinsenden or "Biographies of Immortals" was a compilation
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of fables and legends involving immortals who lived among ordinary people.
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Anyway, backgrounds in this game are a sort of mix between Chinese and
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Japanese cultures of Heian period. The authors throw different religious and
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fabulous events and heroes into a single pot, making a rather good story
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in tyhe end. Well, for a NES game.
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==============================================================================
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Encylopedia.
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==============================================================================
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In this case, if comparing to Kitaro, I'll try to explain those
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names I had to shorten or transliterate due to technical reasons (see readme).
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Some of them are still unknown to me so if you're willing to help with finishing
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this mini-guide - I'd be much obliged for any comments. Here we go.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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2-Senkan (baidosenkan) - have no idea about this one - wouldn't mind any help...
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Arhat (Lohan) - in the sramanic traditions of ancient India (most notably
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those of Jainism and Buddhism), signified a spiritual practitioner who had – to
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use an expression common in the tipitaka – "laid down the burden", realising
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the goal of nirvana, the culmination of the spiritual life (brahmacarya).
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Such a person, having removed all causes for future becoming, is not reborn
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after biological death into any samsaric realm.
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Armakuri - it's a pun. Armakuri=Armoured Karakuri (see Karakuri).
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Azatofu (along with Yogsotofu) - seems to be a parody of Yog Sothoth and
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Azathoth respectively (by changing the "thoth" to tofu). Tofu is a traditional
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Japanese bread.
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Bakegani - I know that was the name of a villain from Kamen Rider saries but
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that's it.
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Bakuenryuu (lit. "burst dragon") - dragon-like enemy.
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BeiDuck - Beijing Duck.
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Benigumo (lit. crimson spider) - another spider type)
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BlueCent - Blue Centipede - nothing to explain here.
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Bukon - see Masou.
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BukonA - Bukon Arhat (see Arhat).
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BukonF - Bukon Fencer.
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BukonL - Bukon Lord.
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BukonR - Bukon Rasetsu (see Rasetsu).
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Byakko - or "White Tiger" - During the Han Dynasty, people believed the tiger
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to be the king of all beasts. Legend had it that when a tiger reached 500 years old,
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its tail would turn white. In this way, the white tiger became a kind of mythological
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creature. It was said that the white tiger would only appear when the emperor ruled
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with absolute virtue, or if there was peace throughout the world. Because the color
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white of the Chinese five elements also represents the west, the white tiger thus
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became a mythological guardian of the west. One of friendly NPC's.
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Chimi - Small ghastly being. Generally, it's a mountain Youkai shown as a small
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one-eyed mushroom in the game.
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Daitetsujin (lit. "great iron man") - robo-like enemy.
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Dokuari (lit. poisonous ant) - ant-type enemy.
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Donburi - also frequently abbreviated as "don", thus less commonly spelled
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"domburi") is a Japanese "rice bowl dish" consisting of fish, meat, vegetables
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or other ingredients simmered together and served over rice. Donburi meals are
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served in oversized rice bowls also called donburi. Donburi are sometimes called
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sweetened or savory stews on rice. Have no idea why they called a monster this
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way as I haven't seen it...
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Evil Kashin - Kashin is basically a fire spirit.
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FBlowBug - Fireblow Bug.
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FireCent - Fire Centipede - nothing to explain here.
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Genjutsu (lit. "illusion techniques")- master of illusion techniques that use the
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chakra in the victim's nervous system to create illusions. The most commonly seen
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genjutsu in the series is the simple creation of phantasms causing the targeted
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person(s) to hear, see, smell, taste or feel sensations that are not actually
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there in order to manipulate them. Most genjutsu affects the five senses, though
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other applications of genjutsu exist.
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Hanbou (lit. "half-staff") - a quarterstaff used in martial arts. Traditionally,
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the hanbou was three shaku (90 cm) long, exactly half the length of the usual staff,
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the rokushakubou ("six shaku staff"). As with any weapon, bearers would often find
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one best suited to their build, opting often for one that comes up to about
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waist/hip height.
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FArhat - Fair Arhat (see Arhat).
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FMadara - Fire Madara (see Madara).
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FOrochi - Fire Orochi (see Orochi).
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Garuda - a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu
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and Buddhist mythology. Sometimes called "the emperor's bird".
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Gebaku - Gebaku Lion. Gebaku Hand gesture formed by clasping both hands together
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with the fingers interlocking. When the fingers are interlocked on the outside,
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it is called gebaku (lit. "outer bind"), while when they are interlocked on the
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inside, it is called naibaku (lit. "inner bind").
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(jishi - lion or maybe other symbolic creature).
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Genbu (King Genbu) - black tortoise god said to rule over the northern heavens
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in Chinese mythology. It's also a legendary general in Chinese mythology. One of
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the main villains in the game.
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Gougu - Gougu Theorem is the Pythagorean Theorem in China but focuses more on
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astronomical calculations. It's a 2-head snake in the game though.......
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Haja - Byddhist term of "crushing evil".
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Hakuga - painting on silk. In ancient China, before paper-making was developed,
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silk or haku was used for paintings and calligraphy (called hakusho). Generally,
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the subjects of these paintings were Buddhist, depicting cosmology, mythological
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tales and religious rituals. Many such paintings, dating from the Han Dynasty,
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were discovered in the Ma Wang Dui tombs at Zhang-sha.
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Hippou (lit. a brush stroke) - haven't seen this one in the game...
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HMadara - Hell Madara (see Madara).
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Hyakki (lit. "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons") - was a Japanese folk belief.
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The belief holds that every year Yokai, the Japanese supernatural beings, will
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take to the streets during summer nights. Anyone who comes across the procession
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will die, unless protected by some Buddhist sutra.
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Ikkakuryuu (lit. "mono dragon") - dragon-like enemy.
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Inazuma or Inazumaryuu (lit. "lightning dragon") - dragon-like enemy.
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Jaken - see Masou.
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JakenA - Jaken Arhat (see Arhat).
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JakenF - Jaken Fencer.
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JakenL - Jaken Lord.
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JakenR - Jaken Rasetsu (see Rasetsu).
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Jumonryuu (lit. "spell dragon") - dragon-like enemy.
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Kaimeiryuu (lit. "dark dragon") - dragon-like enemy.
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Kaisenryu (lit. "battle dragon") - dragon-like enemy.
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Kakutei - see Masou.
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KakuteiA - Kakutei Arhat (see Arhat).
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KakuteiF - Kakutei Fencer.
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KakuteiL - Kakutei Lord.
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KakuteiR - Kakutei Rasetsu (see Rasetsu).
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Kantou (kantou-bito) - have no idea why they called this "batman" a Kantou-dweller...
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Karakuri - Japanese call different mechanical gizmoz this way. Robo-like enemy.
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Katsugyo (lit. fresh fish)- fish-type enemy.
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Ketsuyoku (lit. wing beast) - I need help with this one too...
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Kiyo - turkey-like monster - need help with this one too...
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Kokuunryuu (lit. "dark cloud dragon") - dragon-like enemy.
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Koujin - also known as Sambo-Koujin or Sanbo-Koujin, is the Japanese kami (god)
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of fire, the hearth, and the kitchen. He is sometimes called Kamado-gami,
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literally the god of the stove. He represents violent forces that are turned
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toward the good of humankind.
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Kurokan (lit. boiler) - haven't seen this one and have no idea what's that...
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Kyonshi (lit. "stiff corpse") - sometimes called Chinese vampires by Westerners,
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are reanimated corpses that hop around, killing living creatures to absorb life
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essence from their victims. Jiangshi is pronounced goengsi in Cantonese, gangshi
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in Korean, and kyoushi or kyonshi in Japanese. They are said to be created when
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a person's soul fails to leave the deceased's body, due to improper death,
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suicide, or just wanting to cause trouble.
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Lohan (Luohan) - see Arhat.
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Madara - I have a suspicion that Madara is a way of pronouncing "Mandala"...
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Manda is a serpentine creature similar to a Chinese dragon with four small legs
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and prominent horns. It can constrict its body around an enemy and crush them like
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a snake does. Manda can also swim very fast and can breathe underwater.
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Masou - is a clan of undead warriors found in several locations of the game
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(mostly in Fangshui Pagoda), wearing the white mask - a symbol of evil. The other
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clans are Kakutei, Bukon, Jaken and Soken. All clans generally include the
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following warriors: Lord, Fencer, Arhat (see Arhat) and Rasetsu (see Rasetsu).
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MasouArh - Masou Arhat (see Arhat).
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MasouFenc - Masou Fencer.
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MasoRas - Masou Rasetsu (see Rasetsu).
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Menshien - have no slightest idea...
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Mikkun - have no idea about this one...
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MScarab - Madara Scarab.
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Mugenryu (lit. "dream dragon") - dragon-like enemy.
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Orochi (lit. Eight-Forked Serpent) - a legendary 8-headed and 8-tailed Japanese
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dragon that was slain by the Shinto storm-god Susanoo.
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Raseryuu or Rasetsuryuu (lit. "rasetsu dragon", see Rasetsu) - dragon-like enemy.
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Rasetsu - is a demon or unrighteous spirit in Hindu and Buddhist mythology.
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Rouki - have no idea - help me, if you can.
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Ryuuin - a dragon-like enemy.
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Ryujin or Ryojin also known as O-watatsumi - tutelary deity of the sea in Japanese
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mythology. This Japanese dragon symbolized the power of the ocean, had a large mouth,
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and was able to transform into a human shape. Ryujin lived in Ryugu-jo, his palace
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under the sea built out of red and white coral, from where he controlled the tides
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with magical tide jewels. Sea turtles, fish and jellyfish are often depicted as Ryu-jin's
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servants. Ryu-jin was the father of the beautiful goddess Otohime who married the
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hunter prince Hoori. The first Emperor of Japan, Emperor Jimmu, is said to have been
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a grandson of Otohime and Hoori's. Thus, Ryu-jin is one of the ancestors of the Japanese
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imperial dynasty.
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Ryuujinki (lit. dragon sprout) - dragon-like enemy.
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Ryuujitsu - have no idea...
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Ryuusenki - have no idea...
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Ryuushin - Dragon Monk.
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Seioubo - The Queen Mother of the West is an ancient Chinese goddess
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whose origin can be traced back to oracle bone inscriptions of the
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fifteenth century BCE that record sacrifices to a "western mother".
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Even though these inscriptions illustrate that she predates organized
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Taoism, she is most often associated with Taoism. From her name
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alone some of her most important characteristics are revealed:
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she is royal, female and is associated with the west.
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The growing popularity of the Queen Mother of the West, as well as
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the beliefs that she was the dispenser of prosperity, longevity,
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and eternal bliss took place during the second century BC when
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the northern and western parts of China were able to be better
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known because of the opening of the Silk Routes.
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Seiryuu - In Japan, the Azure Dragon (Seiryuu) is one of the four guardian
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spirits of cities and is said to protect the city of Kyoto on the east.
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The west is protected by the White Tiger, the north is protected by the
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Black Tortoise, the south is protected by the Vermilion Bird, and the
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center is protected by the Yellow Dragon. In Kyoto there are temples
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dedicated to each of these guardian spirits. The Azure Dragon is represented
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in the Kiyomizu Temple in eastern Kyoto. Before the entrance of the temple
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there is a statue of the dragon which is said to drink from the waterfall
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within the temple complex at nighttime. Therefore each year a ceremony
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is held to worship the dragon of the east. One of the main villains in
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the game.
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Shinigami - is the personification of death that evolved in Japan, having
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been imported to Japan from Europe during the Meiji period.
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Shinigani - pun with a rather known Youkai name (see Shinigami).
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Shouki - is a figure of Chinese mythology. Traditionally regarded as a vanquisher
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of ghosts and evil beings, and reputedly able to command 80,000 demons, his image
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is often painted on household gates as a guardian spirit, as well as in places
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of business where high-value goods are involved.
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Shuukouki (lit. "condenser") - have no idea what this is...
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Soken - see Masou.
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SokenA - Soken Arhat (see Arhat).
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SokenF - Soken Fencer.
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SokenL - Soken Lord.
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SokenR - Soken Rasetsu (see Rasetsu).
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Soutouryuu (lit. "double-headed dragon") - dragon-like enemy.
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Suzaku - name for the Chinese Vermilion Bird (Zhuu Que), bird guardian of the
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South and one of Japanese emperors. One of the main villains in the game.
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Teikou - judging from the anime called "Qwan", it's a four-winged,
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six-legged demon. However, I've never met this one in Yokai guides...
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Tetsubu - Tetsubujin (lit. "iron woman") - robo-like enemy.
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Tetsujin (lit. "iron man") - robo-like enemy.
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Tobigumo - specific type of a spider, residing in Japan
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Totetsu - it's a shape-shifting Yokai in japanese mythology.
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Toumaryuu (lit. "savage dragon") - dragon-like enemy.
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Unshaku - non-refined liquer proposed to the gods. Another odd name for a
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monster...
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Vajra - is a Sanskrit word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond. As a
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material device, the vajra is a short metal weapon that has the symbolic
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nature of a diamond (it can cut any substance but not be cut itself) and
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that of the thunderbolt (irresistible force). The vajra is believed to
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represent firmness of spirit and spiritual power. It is a ritual tool or
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spiritual implement which is symbolically used by Buddhism, Jainism and
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Hinduism.
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Yogsotofu - see Azatofu.
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YouraiMon - Have no idea about this one...
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Youshou - Right-hand, advisor.
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Zakkun - basically, it's a Thunder Monk in the game.
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========================================================================
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Items and weapons
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========================================================================
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Aikuchi - a form of mounting for Japanese blades in which the handle and
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the scabbard meet without a guard in between.
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Ashoka cloth - Ashoka was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who
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ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from 273 BC to 232 BC. Often
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cited as one of India's, as well as the world's, greatest emperors,
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Ashoka reigned over most of present-day India after a number of military
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conquests.
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Bashou fan - a fan made of Japanese banana plant.
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Bujutsu-gi - another traditional uniform for martial arts' masters.
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Deba knife - Japanese style kitchen carvers used to cut fish, but also
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chicken and meat. There are different sizes up to a length of 30 cm
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(12 inches).
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Dougi - a uniform for training, used in martial arts derived from Japan.
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Gabishi - one of the deadliest swords ever.
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Ginyou sword - a demon-beating sword.
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Gouma staff - a demon-beating staff.
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Hama Blade - a blade to exorcise demons.
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Hiryuu Axe - a flying dragon axe.
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Houken (lit. "treasured sword") - ceremonial sword used in the game.
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Houtengeki - a legendary Japanese spear.
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Jindan (lit. "golden elixir") - mythical substance of Chinese alchemists,
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granting infinite life and powers. A way to become immortal.
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Kan Nu Ren - a legendary demon beating sword.
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Kan Kon Tan - a famous kind of cake in Toyama, soft sponge cake filled
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with custard.
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Kinkoji ring - a ring blessed by Buddha believers.
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Kirin's tail - Kirin is a beast also spelled Kylin or Qilin is a mythical
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hooved Chinese chimerical creature known throughout various East Asian
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cultures, and is said to appear in conjunction with the arrival of a sage.
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It is a good omen that brings rui (roughly translated as "serenity" or
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"prosperity"). It is often depicted with what looks like fire all over
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its body.
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Kouyou Mallet - a demon-beating hammer of charming power.
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Kuchiba Kimono - a traditional yellow-red kimono.
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Onmyou - a whip imbued with powers of Yin and Yang.
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Qi Xing (lit. "seven star") - a legendary Chinese sword named after a
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holy mountain.
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Rou Nai Tan - another type of cake.
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Ruyi Sphere - is a curved decorative object that is of ceremonial nature
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in Chinese Buddhism or a talisman symbolizing power and good fortune in
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Chinese folklore. A traditional ruyi sceptre has a long S-shaped handle
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and a head fashioned like a fist, cloud, or lingzhi mushroom. Ruyi are
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constructed from diverse materials. For example, the Palace Museum in
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Beijing has nearly 3000 ruyi that are variously made from valuable
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materials like gold, silver, iron, bamboo, wood, ivory, coral, rhinoceros
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horn, lacquer, crystal, jade, and precious gems. The "ruyi" image
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Ryuuko - a sword imbued with power of two mighty rivals, like dragon
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and tiger.
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Ryuusen - sword from the famous temple called Ryuusen-ji, in Japan.
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Sanzou mirror - mirror, reflecting three holy images.
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Senkafu - a blossom axe.
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Shinsen sword - the sword of the Immortals.
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Shumei - another legendary sword.
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Sougyo - twin-edge knife used for cutting fish.
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Tai Bai sutra - sutra blessed by the power of Venus.
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Tenkou Blade - a divine celestial blade.
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Zijin Crown - a helmet named after famous Purple Mountain in China.
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