Sofi

I recently read A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and boy oh boy do I love Dunkin Eggs! XD So here's a scene from The Mystery Knight featuring Egg and Lord Bloodraven - it's not in explicitly the book but it's a scene that would've happened in the background (no doubt we would've seen it if we had an Egg pov loll)

What is the Medicine Seller?

The subjectivity of Mononoke is a large part of what makes the series unique. But, one of the biggest mysteries that the show leaves unanswered is what exactly the Medicine Seller is supposed to be. From his weird powers, traits, and appearance to the fact that he clearly doesn’t age, it’s an understatement to say that this isn’t a normal guy. All kinds of theories have been floating around about the Medicine Seller’s true identity, that he’s a onmyōji, a god, or some kind of benevolent mononoke. 

However, for my money, looking at all the evidence combined from the show and Japanese mythology, I’ve concluded that the Medicine Seller is most likely a kitsune. 

Now, I feel like most anime viewers have at least a cursory idea what a kitsune is, but just to recap: “Kitsune” (狐) is the Japanese word for fox. Traditional Japanese folk beliefs attributed all sorts of mysterious powers to foxes, including shapeshifting, creating illusions, and warding off evil spirits. Taking cues from ancient Chinese lore about fox spirits, kitsune have captured the imagination of Japanese artists and storytellers for centuries and continue to do so in the present day.

I’m far from the first person to come up with the “Medicine Seller is a fox” theory. It’s the only theory cited on the admittedly bare-bones Mononoke Wiki, and numerous commentators and Tropers have speculated that our favorite flamboyant exorcist might be a fox in disguise. So, allow me to take some time to display all the compiled evidence as to why I think this is the most plausible theory.

Several pieces on the Medicine Seller’s outfit, especially the jewelry, bandana, and mouth markings, bear more than a passing resemblance to the traditional clothing worn by women of the Ainu indigenous group of Japan.

For those unaware, the Ainu are an ethnicity that were conquered by the Japanese in the 9th century. The majority of modern-day Ainu reside in the northern province of Hokkaido. The Japanese government finally passed legislature recognizing the Ainu as an indigenous people in April of this year. Watch for them during next years Olympic Opening Ceremony in Tokyo, as the Japanese newspaper the Asahi Shimbun has reported they will participate. 

Traditionally, among other accessories, Ainu women wear embroidered headbands called matanpushi, a necklace that reaches down to the chest called a tamasay (or a shitoki if it has a medallion), and dark mouth tattoos, starting at the upper lip and being gradually made bigger as the woman ages, all items that resemble effects worn by the Medicine Seller. That dark purple marking on his mouth is probably literally a tattoo, since it doesn’t disappear with the rest of his markings when he transforms.

Why the Ainu? It’s hard to say, but it might be a reference to his age. The Medicine Seller is older than any human alive, so he might be accordingly dressed to match a people that have been around since long before modern Japan came into existence. It’s possible he’s Ainu himself, but I don’t find that likely, seeing as how he’s not wearing actual Ainu clothing but rather items that resemble what they wear, i.e. the “shitoki” is actually a mirror, the “matanpushi” is actually a bandana, etc.

A short summary of Mononoke lore. Originally posted this on Twitter, basically the same but I added some stuff after rereading the bagua wikipedia page

Sources:

- On multiple medicine sellers and their swords

- On the Shuuga realm and Shingi

WEIRD/UNUSUAL DIVIDERS PT II

WEIRD/UNUSUAL DIVIDERS PT II