Momotarō (桃太郎?) is a popular hero from Japanese folklore. A hero (from Greek grc ἥρως hērōs) in Greek mythology and Folklore, was originally a Demigod, the offspring of a mortal and Japanese folklore is the Folklore of Japan. It is heavily influenced by both Shinto and Buddhism, the two primary religions in the country His name literally means Peach Tarō; as Tarō is a common Japanese boy's name, it is often translated as Peach Boy. Momotarō is also the title of various books, films, and other works that portray the tale of this hero.
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Story
According to the present form of the tale (dating to the Edo Period), Momotarō came to Earth inside a giant peach, which was found floating down a river by an old, childless woman who was washing clothes there. The, also referred to as the Tokugawa period (徳川時代 Tokugawa-jidai) is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868 The woman and her husband discovered the child when they tried to open the peach to eat it. The child explained that he had been sent by Heaven to be their son. Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyond The couple named him Momotarō, from momo (peach) and tarō (eldest son in the family).
An older form of the story has the old, childless woman discover the giant, floating peach and take it home with her, as she finds it to be of good color and tasty-looking. After eating a piece of the peach, the old woman is suddenly rejuvenated and regains the beauty of her youth. When her old husband comes home from the hills, he is astounded to find a dazzling young lady in his house. At first he does not even recognize his own wife in her rejuvenated form, but she explains to him how she has picked up an unusual peach floating in the river and brought it home to eat it and was magically transformed. She then gives her husband a piece of the peach to eat, and he also regains his youthful vigor. That night, the newly invigorated couple make love, and the woman becomes pregnant as a result. She eventually gives birth to their first child, a son, whom they name Tarō, as that is a common Japanese name for a first son. This version of the story is the oldest one that is historically documented, but it appears to have been replaced with the sexless version in school textbooks of the Meiji period, perhaps owing to a newfound sensitivity to sexual subjects that was introduced to Japan through contacts with contemporaneous European and Euro-American cultures, and the censored textbook version rapidly supplanted the traditional tale in the general Japanese social consciousness. It is notable that the peach is often seen as a symbol of sex or fertility in Japan, as its fruit is believed to resemble a woman's buttocks.
Years later, Momotarō left his parents for an island called Onigashima to destroy the marauding oni (demons or ogres) that dwelt there. An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant Onigashima (鬼ヶ島 literally "Island of Oni," is a mythical ogre-infested island that features prominently in the traditional Japanese tale of are creatures from Japanese folklore, variously translated as Demons Devils Ogres or Trolls They are popular characters in Japanese An ogre (feminine ogress) is a large cruel and hideous Humanoid Monster, featured in mythology folklore and fiction En route, Momotarō met and befriended a talking dog, monkey, and pheasant, who agreed to help him in his quest. The dog ( Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated Subspecies of the gray wolf, a Mammal of the Canidae family of the order A monkey is any member of either the New World monkeys or Old World monkeys two of the three groupings of Simian Primates the third group being Pheasants are a group of large Birds in the order Galliformes. At the island, Momotarō and his animal friends penetrated the demons' fort and beat the demons' leader, Ura, as well as his army, into surrendering. Fortifications are Military Constructions and Buildings designed for defense in Warfare Humans have constructed defensive works for Momotarō returned home with his new friends, and his family lived comfortably from then on.
Momotarō is strongly associated with Okayama, and his tale may have its origins there. is the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan. The demon island of the story is sometimes associated with Megi-jima Island (an island in the Inland Sea near Takamatsu) due to the vast manmade caverns found on that island. is located in central Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku in Japan, and is the seat of the prefectural government A cave is a natural underground void large enough for a human to enter [1][2]
Variants
There are a few variants to the story, depending on geographical region. Some say Momotaro floated by in a box, a white peach, or a red peach. Stories from Shikoku and Chugoku region muddy the distinction with characters from another folk story, the Monkey-Crab Battle (ja:さるかに合戦）that Momotaro took with him allies to Oni Island, namely a bee(蜂), a crab(蟹), a mill stone(臼), a chestnut(栗), and a cowpie(牛の糞). is the smallest (225 km long and between 50 and 150 km wide and least populous (4141955 as of 2005 of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū The or is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest Island of Japan. Millstones or mill stones are used in Windmills and Watermills including Tide mills for grinding Wheat or other grains Cow dung is the Waste of bovine animal species These species include domestic Cattle ("cows" Bison ("buffalo" [3] In old days, all these animals and objects were believed to possess spirits and could move by their own will. The cowpie was sometimes given the honorific don (殿). This was to appease the cowpie spirit, so as it won't move to be under you when you stumble or take a step.
Momotarō's song
The popular Children's song about Momotarō titled Momotarō-san no Uta (Momotarō's Song) was first published in 1911. Children's songs may be Nursery rhymes set to music or modern creations intended for entertainment or use in the home or education One version of it is included below with romanization and translation.
Momotarō-san no uta (Momotarō's Song) 桃太郎さんの歌
Momotarō-san, momotarō-san (Momotarō, Momotarō) 桃太郎さん、桃太郎さん
Okoshini tsuketa kibidango (Those millet dumplings on your waist) お腰につけたきびだんご
Hitotsu watashi ni kudasai na? (Won't you give me one?) 一つ私に下さいな！
Agemashou, agemashou (I'll give you one, I'll give you one) あげましょう、あげましょう
Ima kara oni no seibatsu ni (From now, on a quest to conquer the ogres) 今から鬼の征伐に
Tsuite kuru nara agemashou (If you come with me, I'll give one to you) ついてくるならあげましょう
References in popular media
The folklore character, Momotaro, has been featured in various animated films, such as Momotaro's Divine Sea Warriors and Momotaro's Sea Eagles. Proso millet ( Panicum miliaceum) is also known as common millet, broom corn, hog millet or white millet. is the first Japanese feature-length animated film. It was directed by, who was ordered to make a Propaganda film for the war by the Japanese is an animated Japanese Propaganda film produced in 1942 by Geijutsu Eigasha and released March 25, 1943.
Momotaro is also featured in Hudson Soft's Momotaro Densetsu series and its spin-off, the Momotaro Dentetsu board game series. Hudson Soft Company Limited is a Japanese Electronic entertainment publisher (also known by the abbreviated name Momoden) is a Console role-playing game series in Japan featuring the character Momotarō from Japanese folklore as (also known by the abbreviated name Momotetsu) is a long-running Board game -style video game series in Japan in which players travel by rail, ship and
The game Shin Oni Ga Shima is loosely based on Momotaro's story, which is combined along with the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (Princess Kaguya). is a video game title for the Famicom Disk System developed by Pax Softnica and released by Nintendo. The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (Japanese 竹取物語 Taketori Monogatari) is a 10th century Japanese folktale, also known as One of the main characters is Donbe, which is based on Momotaro and has Hikari (based on Kaguya) as his half-sister. The dog, monkey and pheasant, called Ringo, Matsunosuke and Ohana , respectively, also appear alongside Donbe and Hikari.
The story was adapted in the Japanese Mario OVA, Mario's Peach Boy Taro (スーパーマリオ ももたろう). is a Fictional character created by game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. abbreviated (and sometimes as OAV) is a term originating from Japanese animation ( Anime) for animated films and series which are made specially to be Princess Peach who was being raised by two elderly Hammer Bros., is kidnapped by King Koopa in an effort to make her his wife. This article is about the princess from the Mario series For the video game starring her see Super Princess Peach. This is a list of enemies in the ''Mario'' series of Video games Blooper Bloopers ( in Japanese originally known in English as Bloobers Bowser, also known as King Koopa, is a Video game character and the main antagonist of Nintendo 's ''Mario'' series. Saddened by Peach's capture, the Hammer Bros. suddenly come across a giant Peach, which gives birth to Mario. After growing up big and strong, Mario sets off to rescue Peach, befriending some familiar Mario series enemies along the way. This is a list of enemies in the ''Mario'' series of Video games Blooper Bloopers ( in Japanese originally known in English as Bloobers Working together, they defeat Koopa and rescue Peach.
A stage in the 2007 Nintendo DS game Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2 serves as a sort of comic sequel to the Momotaro legend. The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. is a rhythm Video game developed by INiS and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console. Now an elderly man in modern Japan, Momotaro embarks on a journey to fight the demons of Onigashima once again. In the end, he convinces the oni to convert the island into an amusement park.
The legend is also featured in the cartoon Samurai Jack in the episode "Jack and the Baby. Samurai Jack is a 4-time Emmy Award -winning American Animated television series created by animator Genndy Tartakovsky that aired " Jack tells him the story of Momotaro as a bedtime story to sooth the baby to sleep.
A demon fighter for Team Uratogi in the anime YuYu Hakusho named Kuro Momotaro (Black Peach Boy) is loosely based on Momotaro. is a Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi with an Anime adaptation [4]
In the game We Love Katamari in the Katamari Damacy series, one of the items that can be picked up in a food-eating level is Momotaro, symbolized by a small figure inside a peach. We Love Katamari (or We ♥ Katamari, known in Japan as is a Video game published by Namco for the PlayStation is a third-person puzzle-action Video game that is published and developed by Namco for the PlayStation 2 Video game console.
The Imagin Momotaros from the tokusatsu series Kamen Rider Den-O is based on Ryotaro's memories of hearing of Momotaro. are a fictional race that are the antagonists in the Kamen Rider Series Kamen Rider Den-O. is the seventeenth installment in the popular Kamen Rider Series of Tokusatsu programs This is furthered in the Imagin anime shorts when Momotaros tries to retell the story he's based on in vain.
In the video game Okami, Amaterasu encounters a boy named Momotaro in Sei An city. He asks him to find his stolen millet dumplings.
One story in the comic-book series Usagi Yojimbo puts the title character in the starring role of the Momotaro tale. is a Comic book series created by Stan Sakai. Set primarily at the beginning of Edo period Japan (early 17th century with anthropomorphic
Shichiroji, a character from the anime series, Samurai 7 was nicknamed Momotaro due to the fact that he had been found by his girlfriend named Yukino while floating down a river in a capsule that resembled a peach after being seriously injured during a battle. (anime in Japanese, is a 2004 Japanese Anime series produced by Gonzo and based on Akira Kurosawa's popular 1954 movie Seven Samurai.
In the manga One Piece, the three admirals are known as the Blue Pheasant, the Red Dog, and the Yellow Monkey. ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly is a Japanese Shōnen Manga written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda, that has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine They are named after the three befriended animals in this folklore.
In the manga Ouran High School Host Club, the Host Club cosplays as Momotaro, the pheasant, the dog, and the monkey. ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly is a Manga series by Bisco Hatori, serialized in Hakusensha 's LaLa magazine since August 5 2003
In the animated television series Urusei Yatsura, a young alien arrives on earth in a peach-shaped space capsule. is a well-known late 1970s to 1990s Manga ( 1978 - 1987) and Anime ( 1981 - 1993) series created by Rumiko He is initially referred to as Momotarō. [5]
In the first volume of the manga Eyeshield 21, there is an extra which is a parody of Momotaro. ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly is a Manga about American football written by Riichiro Inagaki and illustrated by Yusuke Murata. Sena appears as Momotaro, Mamori appears as the old lady that adopted Momotaro, Cerberos appears as the dog, Kurita appears as the monkey, Ishimaru appears as the pheasant, and Hiruma appears as oni.
A 2D platformer being developed for the PC called Moon Boy Momotaro, is based on the story of Momotaro and The Moon Princess, also known as The Tale of the Wood Cutter.
Also, there is a reference to Momotaro in the anime Amatsuki, in which a character sings a rap-like song talking about Japanese myths. (anime in Japanese, is an ongoing Manga series by Shinobu Takayama, serialized in Monthly Comic Zero Sum.
The 2008 comic mini-series Batman: Death Mask by DC comics makes a small reference to Momotaro in the second issue when Kurosaki refers to Bruce Wayne as being just like "Momotaro, the Oni-Slayer". DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company
References
- ^ Oni-ga-shima(or Megijima)
- ^ Megijima & Ogijima
- ^ 桃太郎
- ^ List of YuYu Hakusho characters
- ^ Urusei yatsura - Space Mail Delivery! Ten-chan Arrives! at the Internet Movie Database
Ishida Eiichirō Momotarō no haha 1966
See also
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Mythic texts and folktales: | |
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