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Fairies to Frog Prince
Fairies
Firefly
Four Gods
Fox
Frog Prince
Fan
The use of fans in religious ceremonies, to keep cool, or even for fashion (not to mention keeping insects off most likely) goes back to 3000bc China and ancient times in the Classical World and
elsewhere. In the 1700s, hand fans found their way to Europe. Many fans held by women from this period and the 1800s were painted or hand-crafted by artists, and by the Victorian period would
become an accessory used for hidden code within social gatherings. Just as Victorians used the language of flowers to communicate, so did women use the language of fans.* For instance,
to put a half-open fan to one's lips was to give the ok for a kiss, or to use the motion of fan twirled in one's left hand to give warning of being watched.**
In Japan the fan was ornamental or might give a lesson in history or Japanese culture by the scene painted upon it. But fans were not merely decorative, they were also used as "weapons,
musical instruments, umbrellas, and serving trays."*** Originally brought from China, the handfan was also used by the Chinese for court performances as well as ceremonies, and like
artists elsewhere in the world to show off talents by the paintings upon the fan. "In traditional Chinese operas...waving their fans in different ways, characters can reveal their inner
character in different situations."+
There's a Chinese legend about a Magic Iron Fan that when waved once quenched fire, twice it produced a strong wind, and thrice it
created rain. Originally it was owned by the Iron-fan Princess, but ended up in the possession of Sun (Monkey from Chinese legend).
The tessen, iron fan, is also used by ninjas. "Closed, it could make a harmful weapon as a small club, and opened it could deflect projected missiles, the iron fan often had s
harpended points. The fan was good when the ninja was in disquise and couldn´t carry a sword or staff."++
Tasuki in FY wields a magic iron fan. In the first CCS film Yelan uses a fan ito channel her magic, much like Madoushi uses her ribbons or Sakura her wand. The snake-like shinma in ep. 10
of the Miyu series also uses a fan to channel her powers. She sends snakes from it when she waves it through air.
*From http://www.history-magazine.com/trivia.htm
**http://www.morbidoutlook.com/fashion/historical/1999_00_fans.html
***http://www.indiana.edu/~ealc100/Group2/fans.html
+http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa040901a.htm
++From the following webpage: http://www.martialarts.com/martial-arts-articles/ninja_weapons.htm
Ferret
Aki is a white magical ferret from Licca: Wondrous Magical Ring. Aki is one of four spirits in the stones of a bracelet, but while three are spirits of night, Aki is the spirit of day. In the two episodes the other three spirits try to capture and get Aki out of the way so that day won't return again and they can do as they please. Licca and Peter who normally guards the bracelet both work to protect Aki until he can bring the dawn. At the end of the OVA Licca sees Aki pulling a chariot across the sky with Peter in it and the moon full behind them. Japolo from Shamanic Princess is the second companion of Tiara and aids her in the retrival of the Throne of Yord. She can also put up magic barriers.
Fetal Position
Usually in anime when a character has pulled inward they might be shown in a fetal position. They may be floating in their unconscious, so deeply fallen back into themselves consciously that they reach this state. Yuu in Fushigi Yuugi and Mawata in Pretear both do this at the end of their series. Other times they may not be in quite such a deep state, but still somewhere between consciousness and dreaming. Usagi in the second season of Sailor Moon finds herself here with Luna when she encounters her mother, Queen Serenity. In the first two examples, and in a case such as Anthy in the Utena series, they have emotionally or mentally collapsed and retreated to where they have regressed to a state that seems safe to them. A fetal position is the first position of life, the state of growth within the womb. They reach the state needed for a personal rebirth. This is shown by a return to the womb until spiritually and mentally they are stronger than before.
Fire
Fire can be a symbol for illumination, or purifying. It can also be consuming such as with the fire of passion or the fire of the intellect. It can also be a symbol for rebirth or awakening. In the Utena series, a fire kills 100 students and is the background for the Black Rose Saga. Vampire Miyu uses flames she controls from her hands to seal the shinma and send them back to the dark. It is her power as the guardian.
Flower
In volume 1 of Alice 19th, Alice thinks while looking at her sister who is in love with Kyou: My sister is so pretty, like looking at a blooming flower. The flower is a common symbol of coming into adulthood, or a budding flower the girl
just on the cusp of her full potential and beauty. So for Alice, her sister is like this. A young girl becoming a woman, and she's seeing this change right before her eyes.
Flowers are another symbol of emotional or sexual awakening. In the end of the opening credits of the Kakyuusei OVA we see a closed flower with petals
opening.
In the Glo-Ri-A OVA, Mary is seen often among the flowers. She has a child-like nature and the flowers, especially the white and pastel ones we see
her with, are a reflection of her innocence and her time before awakening into herself. As the story progresses, her feelings for Kira grow, and finally the time comes
when they make-love. She has finally sexually awakened, and at her climax, red petals burst across the screen to reflect her change in herself. Her flower
symbol is now red for womanhood, bleeding from her loss of virginity, and for that she has made a conscious decision at this point to change she tells him. She knows
a way to help her family (throughout the story, the family has been in danger of losing its heritage and power), and from this point on Mary will
awaken as a capable woman to handle the situation the family is in, and later through a marriage with Kira, go on it is implied to lead the Gloria family.
In the Unico pilot, Zephyrus gives Unico a bouquet of flowers that can cure any sickness, which Unico brings to Chiko before he leaves her. The small hut is filled with light and Chiko is made well
again, though when she looks for Unico, he has already left. The bouquet symbol from ep. 2 of Debut. In the childhood flashback one girl gave the other a bouquet as a symbol of friendship. At the end of the episode, the pink-haired girl though leaving the
others behind remembers their friendship and a group of pink flowers bloom in the morning, her gift in return.
Flower of Life
The Red Flower of Life from ep. 2 of Sorcerer Hunters is a magic flower that the sorceress Lady Amore uses to try to create the perfect man. But to do so it requires the draining of life to be used. This theme of a beautiful magic flower taking life from its victims to channel elsewhere also appears in Sailor Moon ep. 4 where the flowers pinned to the chest suck the life from the wearer to be used by the Dark Kingdom. Magic life draining flowers also appear in the first Sailor Moon movie.
Flute
The Pied Piper of Hamelin is about a village plagued by rats but a piper who's music is
magical leads the rats from the village. Later, when the people will not pay the piper, he uses
his music to lead the children of the village away and they are never seen again. The flute was used in old societies in fertility or other ceremonial rites. Sometimes it might be used
to communicate with spirits. Due to its connection to nature in some places, and a belief certain animals responded to the flute, it became the instrument of shepherds.
Magical flutes appear in several anime series. Ail and the 3 o'clock fairies in Sailor
Moon all play magical flutes, and the 3 o'clock fairies even lead the children
away from their homes just as the Piper did. Toby in the third Unico movie led the living puppets in a Piper-like fashion. Both Amiboshi (Fushigi Yuugi) and
Lena (Shamanic Princess) play magical flutes. Hamelin (from Hamelin the Violinist) is named
from this folk story, though the theme used in the series is the idea of a magical instrument
that can enchant. From
the Minky Momo movie, Peter says he grew up on stories both of Peter Pan and the Pied Piper, stories of the ideal of youth and keeping it forever. After the adults are
changed into children they are led to his castle, in a bit like Pied Piper fashion. In ep. 6 of Sorcerer Hunters Kou channels his power to crystalize through a grass whistle. Both Miyu and Lilith in the VPM TV series use a flute, Miyu to announce her
arrival and to penetrate illusions, and Lilith to channel her powers and create illusions. The connection to nature can be seen in the Nausicaa manga, her wormflute is used to calm
the Ohmu and other insects. In Sugar, A Little Snow Fairy the season fairies all use different instruments to channel their magic to create the weather.
A magic flute shows up in OVA 3 of Dream Hunter Rem. The old woman gives Rem the flute, only her ancestors can use it. The monk tries to, but no sound comes forth. At the end of the
episode Rem plays the flute; while the music plays sakura petals fall on the wind and the armor of the headless samurai spirit falls to pieces, and the young man's ghost appears before
Rem. The sound of the flute reminded him of his lover from centuries ago and broke through the savage nature of the armor that murdered to the young man beneath. His spirit freed
he continues on to the afterlife at peace to join his beloved.
A leaf flute is an enchanted item in the first Inu-Yasha movie.
Food
Common item in folklore and tales. To keep Chihiro in Spirited Away from disappearing Haku makes her eat a piece of food from his world. He tells her she will disappear if she does not. It is a provision for a human to remain in the spirit world, they must partake of the food. A second instance is Haku puts a spell on the food he brings her the next day so that it will help her gain her strength back quicker.
Forest
Many times in fairy tales the forest contains the dangers young people must challenge in
order to survive their rite of passage and become adults. It represents the unconscious.
The forest can also represent feminity in the eyes of a young man. The Arena Forest is where the duels take
place in Shoujo Kakumei Utena.
In volume one Nausicaa says of the forest: "I'm sure the forest itself was created to cleanse the world. It takes into its body the pollution left in the soil by the old civilizations,
turns it into harmless crystals, then dies and turns to sand."
Fountain of Youth
A legendary fountain sought by the explorer Ponce de Leon; believed to both restore youth and grant eternal youth to those who found it. In the Minky Momo movie, Peter's father discovered the fountain but Peter himself put it to use and with it he turns anyone who comes to his island into a child and they live there in perpetual youth and happiness in a Never Never Land type kingdom.
Frey
A lotis master in Alice 19th. His name is from Norse mythology. Frey was a god of the sun and rain, but also known as a brave warrior and to be quite handsome. His sister was Freya. In the manga, Frey is a very handsome bishounen character, and he knows it well. He wants to marry Alice (as a Warera master he must marry a Lotis Master) but is a great flirt and quite charming and seems fond of females in general. Frey is also a confident and strong lotis master.
Freya
Norse love and feritlity goddess. From Chris: In episode 16 of Princess Tutu there is a character named Freya who likes to grow flowers.
Frogs and Slugs
The male workers of the bathhouse are frogs and the bath women are spirits of slugs in Spirited Away.
Fruits Basket
A children's game, Tohru and her schoolmates once played in the anime of the same name. Players each received a name of a fruit (peach, apple, banana, etc.), but she was always given the name onigiri (rice ball) and so she was made the odd one, and left out. This of course makes a fitting title for the series, as Tohru and all the characters are finding their place, finding their own family. And each one in their own way is left out somehow, and wanting to be included and belong.
Fujin & Raijin
Fujin was the name for the Japanese god of winds, and Raijin was the god of thunder. These are names for the two parasite companions of Natsuki in Hyper Police, and when they lend
their power to her she has powers of electricity or lightning.
From Chris: For anime Yaiba: "Two legendary swords Fuujin and Raijin. Basically when one
person who holds one of the swords is taken over by the sword they
become an oni. The only way to stop it is to have someone who can
control the other sword wield it and stop the other.
I recognized the names Fuujin and Raijin from Flame of Recca."
Fur of the Fire Rat
Inu-Yasha wears a cloak/cloth made from the fur of a fire rat, and explains that it's stronger than any suit of armor. This is a reference to the tale of Kaguya-hime; one of her tasks to her
suitors was to bring this for her.