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Alice Books to Atlantis
Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass
Angel
Anima and Animus
Animal Bridegrooms and Brides
Asura
Atlantis
Aclla
Virgins of the Sun. From Inca religion, they lived in cloisters from a very young age, being taught by women called Mama-Cuna. They kept the sacred fire going, and in time of need would sacrifice their life to the gods. Aquira in Nazca is an aclla.
Adam
Adam can mean "man". Adam was made from the dust from across the Earth, the first man God
created according to Genesis. According to the Talmud, Adam was the exact image of God and androgynous.
In Evangelion, Adam is the name of the first Angel. The Adam and Eve story is told with a twist at the end of the sci-fi movie Gall Force: Eternal Story. A solely women race, Solonoids, are at
war with a strictly male non-human race, Paranoids. To bridge the differences in the races and perhaps find a means to end the war, a plan is conspired by the powers that be to implant
the genes of the Paranoids in a Solonoid host, combining the two in a new lifeform. Finally, a member of the main crew survives and a successful new life is made. He looks just
like a human male. In the end, to truly have hope for a world in peace, the two remaining survivors launch Rumy (their shipmate) and the boy both sides seek from the experiment, to
the unihabited planet Terra. The main fleets and survivors die in the explosions that result at the end, but both Rumy and the boy live and land on Terra, resulting in the birth of the human
race to what we know of the inhabitants of Earth today.
Aizenmyo
Aizen Myoo is the Japanese name for Ragaraja. This deity is said to save people from the
pain that comes with love. Appropriate since Aizen Myoo is the Japanese god of love. He
is supposed to have three eyes. He also is the Spirit of Love for Illumination in Buddhism
in Japan.
Aizenmyo of CLAMP's RG Veda is a young queen who sold her soul to the demons because
she was lonely. She uses a third eye in a purple jewel on her forehead to control Yasha at
one point, since she wants him to remain with her forever.
Akio Car (Shoujo Kakumei Utena)
The site DreaMensions says of the car: "The Self and where it is in one's life journey and
how one is currently traveling that path." During the Black Rose Saga, the objects on the desks represented the duellists; now
during the Akio Saga, the cars in the arena serve the same purpose, only the duelists are going deeper into their psyche in this saga. They are a reminder to the car ride the duellist takes
earlier in the episode where they must face their inner conflict or something they have been fighting to face within.
Also, the cars in the arena contribute to the dream-reality quality of the arena and duels. An interesting note is the first appearance of the Akio car is a semi-normal car scene
with Akio driving and the passengers traveling down the street, revealing what they really feel. Then the second instance follows with the surreal car duel, and the cars all over the arena
make it dreamlike, like when a person goes to sleep and dreams, taking an image from the day and having it appear in the dream. In psychology dreams are a state of revelation,
quite fitting for the duels.
In the final dual with Touga, Utena's overcoming the cars
that speed in upon her and Anthy may represent overcoming masculine power.
A little note on the reversal of masculine and feminine at this point in the series.
Before, the Rose Bride was the human sheath for the sword and Dios descended from
the lit castle. Both the Bride and the castle are feminine. But beginning with this saga, the
roles are reversed. The masculine (the duellist) is the sheath for the sword, and the
headlights of the cars (likely masculine again) must light up first before the castle, allowing
Dios to descend. Also, the sword is a phallic symbol and the sheath yonic. Yet another
interesting twist to have the phallic sword drawn from the duellist (masculine). And
remember the duellists are representative of the prince archetype.
Alpha and Beta
These are the names of Dream Hunter Rem's kitten and puppy, her companions. They are named from the first and second letter of the Greek alphabet. Like Rem they have the ability to transform inside dreams and battle dark spirits and nightmares.
Alseides
From the online Encyclopedia Britannica: Alseids were nymphs of the groves and glens in Greek mythology. Dilandau and his Dragon Slayers piloted Guymelefs named Alseides Units in Vision of Escaflowne.
Amaterasu
Japanese Shinto sun goddess. In episode 53 of Sailor Moon, the cardian is named from Amaterasu.
Amazons
The Amazons (or Greek, Amazones, breastless) were women warriors of Greek legend. They raised their daughters as warriors, but allowed no men amongst them. They earned the name "Amazones" or "breastless" from the custom of burning off their right breast to better use a bow. Artemis and Ares were their chief deities. The Amazon Trio and Amazones Quartet in Sailor Moon may get their name from the Amazons.
Amulet
A small object that protects its wearer. Hotaru talks about her amulet protecting her in the BSSM manga. In Rayearth, Hikaru is given a pendant by Lantis which protects her twice in the second season: first, against Nova in ep. 45, and in the last ep. Lantis sends his power to protect Hikaru through the pendant. In the second volume of the Wedding Peach manga the demon Nocturne once possessed a song amulet that allowed its owner to have a voice unequaled. In this case the object while called a song amulet might be closer to a talisman.
Animals
The spider, vulture, butterfly, and bird all appear in artwork and symbols from Central and South America. The spider was often times associated with an earth goddess or other female deity in Mesoamerica. These appear in the anime Nazca.
Ankh
This Egyptian sign means "life." The ankh symbol can be seen in the Yu-Gi-Oh series.
Anteater
From ep. 3 & 4 of the Licca OVA. A magic carnival appears mysteriously over a single night and Licca has her adventures that play out almost dream-like.
The structure of the story is similar to Midsummer Night's Dream or the Nutcracker. One of the strange sights they see is a transparent spirit-anteater but instead of ants
it eats bouncing stars.
From Chris for Princess Tutu: In episode 2 the Anteater is possesed by the feelings of the piece of the Princes lost
heart and loses her true feelings. Her dance is violent, painful, desturctive, and not fun. The piece of heart manipulates her, and causes her to suffer.
Anthy's Backdrop (Shoujo Kakumei Utena)
Seen when Anthy impaled on swords, and Utena sees her for first time while with Dios. The lines/blades radiate out like veins against red, making it resemble a human heart. At same the time, like a rose where petals are breaking apart.
Anubis
Egyptian god of the underworld, and was the deity with the head of a jackal. He protected the dead and took care of judgement. In Ronin Warriors, the character who takes over for the Ancient is named Anubis.
Aphrodite
The Greek counterpart to Venus. She was born from foam on the
sea. According to Homer her parents are Dione and Zeus. Zeus
married her to Hephaestus, but she wasn't exactly faithful. She had
many lovers, among them Ares and Adonis. The swan, dove,
sparrow, hare dolphin, lime, and pomengrate are sacred to her.
She was also "goddess of the shifting gale and changeful sky...
goddess of storm and lightning, she was represented armed at
Sparta and Cythera; and this perhaps explains why she was
associated with Ares, both in worship and in legend, and
worshipped as a goddess of victory" (Seyffert, 39). She was
worshipped by sailors as the goddess of the sea and maritime
traffic. She was calming and protective, while Poseidon was more
easily angered, and needed to be appeased. She is also a goddess
of Spring and groves. She is the most beautiful and vain. "In her
girdle she wears united all the magic charms that can bewitch the
wisest man and subdue the very gods" (Seyffert, 39). At times she
had the opposing distinctions of goddess of marriage, and of
sensual love. Throughout, she remained the ideal of female beauty.
Some said her hair was long and gold and her eyes blue.
Sailor Venus possesses some characteristics of Aphrodite such as appearance and her associations with the goddess of love; also,
Aphrodite is the name of the head goddess of Tenshi Kai, and calls herself the goddess of love and beauty.
Apophis
In Egyptian myth this was an evil serpent. Odion summons Apophis warriors in his duel with Joey in Yu-Gi-Oh.
Apple
Thought of as a forbidden fruit, particularly from the Genesis story. In ep. 11 of Sorcerer Hunters the apple is turned around as a positive symbol after Forbidden Magic is used to separate the spirit from the body
(Mind Separation) and transfer that spirit to another body or form. These tama once released from the body float as a blue orb and the person's body becomes a magatama. But to give the
spirits new life, Yukke perfoms Mind Harmonize and turns them into apple seeds. The apple seeds grow into trees and are nurtured by those who loved the person whose spirit resides in the
tree. This connection between trees and spirits also touches on the Japanese belief that some trees have a spirit inside them.
Can be the fruit of knowledge or the fruit of immortality. But they were also sometimes
associated with death or poison. It can also mean love or joy. In episode 32 of Utena, there is a
parallel made between the impaled apple (with Kanae, maybe shown for Kanae) and
Anthy as the impaled Rose Bride.
The apple is the prominent image with the girls in the end credits of the Kakyuusei TV series. Like the lemon from the OVA the apple is a symbol for the sexual and emotional
awakening of the characters. The apple is green throughout the sequence but in the last still is red as Ai-chan takes a bite from it. She is the character who will be married by the end,
but also the red apple serves as a symbol for sexual awakening or experience, emotional too as each character will fall in love for the first time.
Golden Apple
From Nebby-chan: Atalanta is a very
beautiful woman but also very fast and many men want
to marry her but she says the only way they'll win her
hand in marriage is if they beat her in a race which
is practically impossible. But one man who is in love
with Atalanta prays to Aphrodite to help win her
heart. Aphrodite appears to him and gives him a golden
apple to use in the race. So the following day during
the race Atalanta is winning until the man throws the
golden apple in front of her which causes her to stop
and look at it. The man succeeds in winning the race
and marries Atalanta. But he forgets to thank
Aphrodite so she causes them to stop in a sacred
shrine on their honeymoon for a rest. The goddess this
shrine is for is offended and as punishment turns
Atalanta and her husband into lions to draw her
chariot.
From Chris: Episode 5 of Princess Tutu has a golden apple which is given at a fire festival to the best couple. I think I remember a story
that Paris gave a golden apple to Aphrodite. If I recall it was saying who was the most beautiful amoung the goddesses. Him giving the apple to Aphrodite angered Hera.
And in revenge Troy was destroyed in the Trojan war.
From Chris, there's another reference in Detective Conan where Shininchi and Ran went to see a play in
New York. And the play was a version of the story where Paris gave the apple to Aphrodite. According to what Shinichi tells Ran the godess of discord, Eris, started the
whole thing by throwing in the golden apple and written on it was For the Fairest. And it was decided that the Trojan Prince Paris would decide between Hera, Aphrodite
and Athena. And each promised him something if he choice them: Hera, power; Aphrodite, love; and Athena, victory on the battle field. And it all leads to the destruction of Troy.
Arjuna
He was a son of Pandu and one of the Pandava princes. He is likewise known as a son of Indra. He became a great warrior, and performed many labors and tests.
As a skilled bowman he also fought in the civil war between the Royal Family. When he's on the front, looking out on the battle, he is saddened to see those he loves there.
Shoji Kawamori uses this legend as background for the story Earth Girl Arjuna.
Artemis
Daughter of Zeus and Leto, sister to Apollo. She was the goddess of fertility, childbirth, hunt, and wilderness. Sometimes she was depicted with the crescent on her forehead. Sometimes she was identified with Selene, as she became a goddess of illuminating the night. She carried the bow and arrows. She was also a healing deity, but at the same time she might spread disease. She honored her purity above all else, and punished severely any who would attempt any dishonor to herself or her maidens. She was also a protectress of the young, especially young girls. Artemis appears in Sailor Moon as the cat guardian to Sailor V, being named after the goddess due to the association with the moon.
Asgard
Known as the home of the gods in Norse and Teutonic mythology. In the Vision of Escaflowne, Asgard is known as the dark continent and believed to be where the Mystic Valley can be found, and within the Mystic Valley, the lost capital of Atlantis.
Astral Projection
In the second VHD film, Bloodlust, when Grove is in a state of unconsciousness, induced by some kind of drug, he is able to astral project himself in order to fight vampires or other creatures with a kind of spiritual energy. In fact, Grove seems almost angel-like in his astral state. TheMystica.com says "Astral projection is the act of separating the astral body from the physical body. Normally this occurs as part of the sleep process, usually at the deepest dream level...Astral Body is the spiritual, ether-like counterpart of the physical body. The body is composed of astral material and is an exact energy duplication of the physical form that it encompasses. This energy body is attached to the physical body, usually at the naval, by a silver-like cord. The astral body accompanied by the mind is capable of travel during period in which the physical body sleeps. Such an act is referred to as 'astral projection.'"
Asturia
Asturia was a province in Hispania Tarraconensis (from Harper's Latin Dictionary, 1907). In Vision of Escaflowne, Asturia is home to Princess Millerna and Allen Schezar.
A.T. Field in Neon Genesis Evangelion
Absolute Terror Field. A field around Evas and Angels. Kaoru explains later that humans have it too, it is the "light of the soul."
Athena
Pallas Athene. Minerva in Rome. She sprang from Zeus' head in full armour. Before this legend though, she was called Tritogeneia (born of Triton or the roaring flood). She was a virgin goddess, and goddess of war, victory, the sky and air, and wisdom. Palla-Palla in Sailor Moon and Saori Kiddo/Athena in Saint Seiya are both named from this goddess. Pallas was one of the tennyo lines just like Juno in Ayashi no Ceres.
Avalon
The island from Arthurian legend where King Arthur's sword was forged, and also the island where he was conducted at the end of his life. Morgan le Fey is sometimes portrayed as presiding there along with a number of maidens. In Faeries' Landing, Avalon is the faerie world. In Bastard, Avalon is alluded to in one of Dark Schneider's spells.
Ayanokoji Rem
From Dream Hunter REM, Her name may be a pun on Rapid Eye Movement (REM), the deepest level of one sleeping/dreaming. She is the Dream Hunter or the Dream Guardian. She can
enter dreams and battle dark spirits or nightmares.