Significance & Symbolism

Tenjo Tenge: Where the boys are bad, and the girls are badder.

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Aya_Natsume
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Significance & Symbolism

Post by Aya_Natsume »

I was reading Tenjho Tenge manga & watching the anime again from the past arc. Remember the part where Mitsuomi removed 4 of his earrings then placed them on Mana & Shin's grave? I can't assume the symbolism of it but is it suppose to represent the 4 Juken club members remaining left? (Mitsuomi, Maya, Asshat/Scum, & Bunshichi) I'm sorry if my theory isn't correct...or that the Juken club is no more in his view? Is it that he is stuck inbetween his past and present?

I noticed yes in the anime Mitsuomi's voice changed, hair style, clothes is different and he is no longer the same. Why did he keep one pair of earrings? I mean its sad how he made Maya cry and she called him a fool at her brother's funeral. I notice OG seem to have mostly one sided romance of pairs. Isn't it sort of a foreshadowing that Mitsuomi wants Maya to fight on his side as the past seems to repeat itself? A pair can't be a couple unless it has its own match. (Something I learn growing up.)

For example...
Madoka----> Masataka ----> Aya
Masataka---->Aya---> Souichiro
Aya-----> Souichiro----> Maya
Souichiro---->Maya----> Mitsuomi
Mana---->Shin----> Maya
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Re: Significance & Symbolism

Post by kk1 »

Aya_Natsume wrote:I was reading Tenjho Tenge manga & watching the anime again from the past arc. Remember the part where Mitsuomi removed 4 of his earrings then placed them on Mana & Shin's grave? I can't assume the symbolism of it but is it suppose to represent the 4 Juken club members remaining left? (Mitsuomi, Maya, Asshat/Scum, & Bunshichi) I'm sorry if my theory isn't correct...or that the Juken club is no more in his view? Is it that he is stuck inbetween his past and present?

I noticed yes in the anime Mitsuomi's voice changed, hair style, clothes is different and he is no longer the same. Why did he keep one pair of earrings? I mean its sad how he made Maya cry and she called him a fool at her brother's funeral. I notice OG seem to have mostly one sided romance of pairs. Isn't it sort of a foreshadowing that Mitsuomi wants Maya to fight on his side as the past seems to repeat itself? A pair can't be a couple unless it has its own match. (Something I learn growing up.)

For example...
Madoka----> Masataka ----> Aya
Masataka---->Aya---> Souichiro
Aya-----> Souichiro----> Maya
Souichiro---->Maya----> Mitsuomi
Mana---->Shin----> Maya
Shouldn't that be Mits--->Mana--->Shin?, and don't pay any attention to the anime it's worthless for figuring out the story.
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Post by kujoe »

When Mana asks Mitsuomi why he sleeps with her when he clearly has his eyes on Maya, he answers, "Because you're Shin's girlfriend."

With the exception to the "Mana-->Shin" part, I think the answer to that would be a no. :wink:
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Post by Dgames »

mana loved shin she only slept whit mitsuomi because she though that only mitsuomi could defeat him and after that shin might be leave is dark side
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Post by kujoe »

I thought the reason for Mana sleeping with Mitsuomi was in order for him to stay away from Maya..? For Shin's sake, of course.

On the other hand, Mitsuomi slept with Mana mainly for two reasons: (1) he was horny, and (2) he resented Shin.
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Post by Aya_Natsume »

Well I ran out of space so only posted the amount...anyways there is a lot of symbolism the author throws in like some of the artwork. Animals like Masataka- black panther, Mitsuomi- lion, Maya- tiger, Aya- dragon, and Souichiro- dragon. There's significance to colors on a spiritual level relating to their auras.

Mana loved Shin but he focused his affection over Maya. Mitsuomi knew he made a mistake sleeping with Mana but she did that to help defeat Shin. Yeah Mana is jealous of Maya but she knew that Shin is obsessed with protecting his sister. Well the story has been pretty much revolving around one-sided romance or love triangles.
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Post by Dgames »

where did u get that animals significance? i've never heard about that :P

i can understand aya and souichiro animal but why is mitsuomi a lion?? isn't he a snake? i mean he as a snake "eating" his heart the snake of fear.
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Post by kk1 »

Dgames wrote:where did u get that animals significance? i've never heard about that :P

i can understand aya and souichiro animal but why is mitsuomi a lion?? isn't he a snake? i mean he as a snake "eating" his heart the snake of fear.
She's referring to pics that have appeared in the manga.
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Post by Kyu1982 »

Dgames wrote:mana loved shin she only slept whit mitsuomi because she though that only mitsuomi could defeat him and after that shin might be leave is dark side
hmm, there is another reason.
Mana knew that Shin is in love with Maya.
And, She believed that if Maya and Mitsuomi become lovers, Shin will be heart-broken. So, she tried to interfere with them.

And, I do not think that Mana believed that mitsuomi could defeat Shin.
I think all the thing with Mana sleeping with Mitsu was due to her mission from Takayanagi family.
Mana always saw how crazy Shin can be.
And, i don't think Mana would trust Mitsuomi that much.
She always knew Dogen made stage and decided actors and their roles.
Shin as Villian & Mitsuomi as Hero.
So, she said, she waited for Mitsuomi to enter High school.

Back to the topic, Aya_Natsume, your pink color words hurt my eyes. :shock:
Mitsuomi and Maya always love each other. They just have different stands on the same issue.

And, I cannot say Aya and Souichiro are in love, but they might get there. Souichiro has a small posibility to change and starts having feelings for Aya.

What I want to see, is Aya + Masataka. I wasn't really into this, but after seeing past arc, I think getting them together might be romantic because Masataka really looks like Nagi Ichiyu Kengo, and Masataka managed to kick Sohaku's ass two times in the same day. I think Ichiyu and Masataka are only ones who are close enough to damage Sohaku.
And, Aya + Ichiyu liked and respected each other. (I wouldn't say love)

For the last, I wouldn't go crazy with anime.
Animators go different way than manga writer.
And, I do not believe earing means anything.
I think he wants to remember Shin and Mana, and those animals are just representives that are close to each character.
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Post by tkstka »

I don't think Mana realy had true love for Shin.
At least when he went bed with Mitsuomi.. She knew that Shin would see it with his dragon eye.. Shin had love for Mana and was jelous over the issue.
So he was trying to ignore her after that.. He even went for rampage after she had sex with mits because he was mad about it..

But even more Shin was mad for mits for taking his woman and trying to take his sister too.. Mana knew getting involved with mits would make Shin mad and he would be the bad guy after that..

But to say they didn't have any feelings for each other Is Bulls***.
when the final fight came.. they show'd there love for each other and made lovers suicide..
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Post by Dgames »

what made shin mad was the fact that is own sister was hunting down the katana members, his friends and he was trying to protect her and he didn't want his friends to know that Maya was hunting katana members
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Post by DemonNeedle »

back to the animal significance, don't tigers represent the White Feathers while Dragons represent the Red Feathers? It's like the Dragon Versus Tiger thing that they always represent in Martial Arts and how they are total opposites of each other. Tiger to the West and Dragon to the East.
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Post by kujoe »

While Masataka is able to hurt Souhaku, I wouldn't use "kicked his ass" as a way to describe it. Mitsuomi "kicked" Souhaku's ass even harder and we know how that went.

Moreover, I really don't see anything similar between Masataka and Ichiyou. Ichiyou is on a league of his own, but he also somewhat comes off as a more serious and charismatic version of Souichirou that grew up better.
Kyu1982 wrote:For the last, I wouldn't go crazy with anime. Animators go different way than manga writer.
I wouldn't either, but it's not true that the anime is totally divorced from the manga. While the anime misses a little of this and added a little of that, this case isn't similar to something like Full Metal Alchemist.

The anime is actually pretty good in terms of content, but quality is another matter entirely.
DemonNeedle wrote:It's like the Dragon Versus Tiger thing that they always represent in Martial Arts and how they are total opposites of each other.
You mean like yin and yang?
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Post by DemonNeedle »

Yeah, like the Yin/Yang. Byakko is the west guardian and Seiryu is the east guardian.
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Post by Aya_Natsume »

DemonNeedle wrote:Yeah, like the Yin/Yang. Byakko is the west guardian and Seiryu is the east guardian.
Lets not take it on the Fushigi Yuugi level. lol Yeah but I know what you mean...there is a Yin & Yang symbolism. Look at how the Natsume sisters are tied with the Takayanagi brothers. The siblings don't get along with each other but likes the one close to their age range. Don't you think its a coincidence? In martial arts they often utilize the imagery of animals along with their characteristics.

There's a story about the panther and the lion where there are 2 warriors of its opposing Yin & Yang. The "White Lion" vs. the "Death Panther" like brothers apart of the same cat familly but fight for completely different reasons. A lion is usually represented as the "King of Beasts"of the 12 families fighting for the justice of virtue. Panthers are an inspiration for humankind and is the symbol of chastity in the bible or mythology.

Animal significance in Shaolin Kung Fu.
http://www.shaolin.com.au/panther.html
http://www.shaolin.com.au/tiger.html
http://www.shaolin.com.au/snake.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_dragon

Maybe the author took a few symbolic significances from the bible because they even mention how dragons are related to serpents that they can be either good or evil. They said even the blood of a dragon was used to heal people. These are only speculations but I find it rather interesting to study a manga. As for the tiger & dragon; I think it represents the Natsume sisters...one is striving to be stronger. ^_^
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Post by IAS »

Did Mitsuomi kick Sohaku's ass harder than Masataka?Don't think so. Mitsuomi kill his body, yeah but against a master of dead that do not help that much. Masataka in the other hand damaged sohaku's scence. Remember that was the only occassion in wich someone managed to put Sohaku (while his power is active) on his knees.
About the animal symbolism, i don't really think there are that much important, at least the story do not grow around them. There just nice draws for the right ocasion but with little importance.
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Post by kujoe »

I didn't mean "kicking ass" in a literal sense, as if that what's actually happened, mainly because this is Souhaku we're talking about here. What I meant was: they "kicked" his ass, but in the end, so what? Small steps perhaps but Souhaku still has the upper hand as of now.

Moreover, as much as the Takayangi brothers are good fighters in their own right, Masataka had help and so did Mitsuomi. Not to mention, different situation and different circumstances are part of the overall equation.

I was merely criticizing the use of such words.
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