Okay. So unknown to many, I have a secret love of anime. I know! I know! How embarrassing and aren’t you 22 already? Yes, But whatever!
I came across this short 12 episode series, Katanagatari, which had mad reviews – and in all honestly, YES it truly is AMAZING!! – So I started watching it and I’m almost through with all 12 episodes. But there was a part in one of the episodes that I absolutely loved because it’s something that I’ve written about before and a concept that I keep so close to my understanding of human character, that I was so intrigued to come across it here.
KATANAGATARI
So the main protagonist of the story, Yasuri Shichika (The guy beside the girl), comes across a slightly loopy holy man and they have this conversation which I really enjoyed listening to.
Yasuri: “What exactly is a holy man?”
Holy Man: “Well, in a word, a holy man is something like a mirror to people.”
Yasuri: “A mirror?”
Holy Man: “Yes. A magic mirror that reflects the truth. Yasuri-kun, have you heard of this foreign fairytale?”
Yasuri: “What?”
Holy Man: “In a far off land there lived a queen. She had a mirror that she always asked, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?” The queen wanted the mirror to say it was her, but it would reply with the name of another whom she hated.
What do you think Yasuri-kun? Should the mirror have given that answer?”
Yasuri: “It’s not like a mirror can talk in the first place!”
Holy Man: “Exactly! It wasn’t the mirror answering but rather the queen’s true feelings responding her vanity.”
Yasuri: “If what you say is true then everything just becomes what you want to see.”
We all know the tale of Snowhite. But I’d never actually thought about the meaning behind the queens actions before. So as they were talking about it, it clicked. I had to pause it because my mind went on a race-course journey into the world of human perception, physical forms, reality vs meaning, Snowhite, holy men… the works.
I know the anime barely scratched the tip of that entire concept of ‘the world being a mirror of ourselves’, but it just takes planting the seed and those who can see it will understand and look further.
There are always bits and pieces of momentary enlightenment hidden the language of storytellers but this one just spoke to me.
I really enjoy being surprised by drops of wisdom in the most unusual places. ^_^
You can watch the episodes here Katanagatari
A Silly Little Something 