Reading Notes: Week 2 Anthology

I have watched the anime Naruto Shippuden and these Japanese characters are mentioned and embodied in this show. However, this story was pretty different from those portrayed in the show. Because of my previous experience with this idea, it was my favorite from the Anthologies.

Character thoughts:

• Susanoo is a deity so this story does a good job at portraying him as such: caring, brave, witty, strong, and skillful fighter.
• Orochi is talked up to be a quite fearsome opponent, but thanks to Susanoo's witty tricks, he is easily defeated.

Story thoughts:

• The magical elements that Susanoo possesses brings a whimsical feel but also supports his power in being a deity. (Changing the women to and from a hair pin).
• The conversation between Susanoo and the parents creates good suspense for impending battle.
• It also had the typical element of many folk stories: saving a damsel in distress to earn her affections.

Likes/Dislikes:

• Not a lot of action, while the dialogue is important, the build up that was experienced never really saw a climax. That being said, I would have liked to see more of a battle, but this route was also interesting as it shows a value in intelligence/problem solving.
• Lots of detail, so it was easy to create a clear picture, felt like watching a short film.
• Kushinada-hime has no voice or expression. Just silently goes along with Susanoo's wishes. However, it would be hard to object to a deity saving you from a scary snake-dragon monster.
• Enjoyed that the moral was focused more on out-thinking an opponent and less on blind bravery and brute strength.

(Susanoo rescues Kushinada Hime from the dragon)

Reading: Heavenly Beings: Susanoo and Orochi

Story Source: The Eight-Forked Serpent of Koshi