Mazoku
In Japanese mythology and fantasy, mazoku (
Etymology[edit]
The name ma (
Maō (
In mythology and folklore[edit]
The term "mazoku" was used to describe the asura and yaksha in Hindu mythology, as well as Zoroastrianism's daeva. It is a general term for devils, demons and evil beings. In Japanese polytheism, it is an antonym of
A maō is a king or ruler over mazoku. For instance, in Bible translations, Satan is a maō. In polytheism, the counterpart of maō is
The Japanese feudal lord Oda Nobunaga also called himself a maō in a letter to Takeda Shingen, signing it with
In fiction[edit]
In Japanese fantasy, the meaning of "mazoku" differs from work to work. Some works use the term for all evil beings that are enemies of humans or good beings, while others use it to specify a certain group of beings (not necessarily evil). The term
A maō may be a king of the mazoku, or more generally a king of demons, overlord, dark lord, archenemy of the hero or video game boss. The term is not gender-specific.[2] For instance, "Erlkönig", by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, widely translated as "Elf King" in English, was translated as "maō" in Japanese. The term daimaō or daimaou (
References[edit]
- ^ "Demon Guide". Kanzenshuu. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ a b c d Mandelin, Clyde (13 April 2018). "Legends of Localization: Tricky Translations #1: Maou & Daimaou". Legends of Localization. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
- ^ "Zoku". The Origin of Zoku. Retrieved 7 June 2015.