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True meaning of "Kuwabara"

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 5:23 am
by Takamichi
I have discovered why Volgin mutters, "kuwabara kuwabara". In the booklet that came with the Limited Edition, Kojima explains Volgin says "kuwabara" as a spell to ward off lightnings.
Here are the historic facts and legends accordingly.

Back in 9th century, there was one Japanese aristocrat called Sugawarano Michizane. After his death, he became a thunder god and began killing his enemies with lightnings.
The land that Michizane owned was Kuwabara, so people thought it would be good idea to claim the land he/she is standing is Kuwabara, so that Michizane would hesitate to strike his own people.
The very people living in Kuwabara at that time relied the Kuwabara spell, and the land of Kuwabara is said to have remained unthundered by doing so.

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 11:58 am
by Artemio
Thanks Takamichi, so far I used to believe what was said in an article long ago, that it was just a kid's saying... It is way better knowing what it says realy, thanks a lot for sharing.

And happy new year my friend.

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 12:06 pm
by Jonathan Ingram
I heard somewhere it meant something like "the horror, the horror..." but it was almost untranslatable. Your definition seems much better though, tying in with Volgin's lightning motif (and if it came from Kojima himself, then there's no argument).

Thanks for sharing though, as Snatcher mentioned. And indeed, Akemashite-Omedetou gozaimasu.

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 3:18 pm
by Snake Plissken
Great, he cleared it up, in the USA player's guide the legendary Neil Ross (volgin) didn't even know the true meaning when he was interviewed a line he performed (but thats assumable). I wish I could read me magic pp booklet but I dont know japanese. But I know your online if I need a quick pointer with something hahaahah :wink:

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 4:47 pm
by ReasonWhyNot
I thought "kuwabara" meant mulberry of that sort. I know that "kuwabatake" means mulberry field, and I thought I heard the two words were related in meaning.

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 9:20 pm
by Takamichi
ReasonWhyNot wrote:I thought kuwabara meant mulberry or something. I know kuwabatake means mulberry field (know from Yojimbo), so I thought the two were related. But two kuwabaras might have a whole different meaning than one kuwabara. Does anyone know?
You are right, Kuwa=mulberry, bara=field. Maybe Michizane's land had a plenty of mulberry trees. Anyway, this place name no longer exists, therefore I cannot figure out the link between mulberries and Michizane.

Note: Sugawarano Michizane is an extremely known historical figure and he is still fervently revered as a deity. He quitted thundering people. For details, see:
http://www.fukuokalatina.com/uk/fukuoka/dazaifu.html

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 2:20 am
by LazyDave
ran across these a while ago.

from http://www.kitombo.com/e/mikami/0218.html <---interesting read ...
What is interesting is that people of such era chanted "Kuwabara, Kuwabara" once they hear the rumble of thunder, to shy away from getting struck by it.
Also from http://www.thebakken.org/research/light ... erence.htm
Protection was also sought from incantations such as kuwabara-kuwabara, which was believed powerful enough to keep whole areas free of thunderstorms and lightning strikes, and is still heard today.

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 12:24 am
by ReasonWhyNot
*Spoilers*

So really, the ultimate irony is that Volgin gets struck by lightning after all the times he went around chanting "Kuwabara, Kuwabara" for his protection.

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 1:29 am
by Artemio
** SPOILERS **

I don't recall... But he may not have chanted it around that time you beat him.... (and the sorrow plays a little part anyway)

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 9:54 am
by Jonathan Ingram
Yeah, he doesn't say it at the end, when he arrives at the final battleground, so he fails to 'clear' the area, plus as you say Snatcher, The Sorrow is there too.

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 4:04 pm
by ReasonWhyNot
Snatcher wrote:I don't recall... But he may not have chanted it around that time you beat him.... (and the sorrow plays a little part anyway)
True.

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2005 6:05 am
by Jonathan Ingram
I don't agree. He says it when you see him in new, outside areas, but he omits it in the final battle, so it could be said that the chant actually works, in which case the irony isn't that you hear him saying it a lot and he gets struck anyway, but that the one time he doesn't say it he gets struck. It doesn't sound like much of a difference, but there is one.

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 11:16 am
by ReasonWhyNot
Jonathan Ingram wrote:I don't agree. He says it when you see him in new, outside areas, but he omits it in the final battle, so it could be said that the chant actually works, in which case the irony isn't that you hear him saying it a lot and he gets struck anyway, but that the one time he doesn't say it he gets struck. It doesn't sound like much of a difference, but there is one.
Yeah, that's basically what I meant. I should have been more careful with my wording.

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 1:16 pm
by Jonathan Ingram
I can see that may have been what you meant, but the wording is important as the effect of where the irony is placed is important. I wasn't being pedantic, just making sure that you weren't mistaken.

Re: True meaning of "Kuwabara"

Posted: Fri May 06, 2005 5:51 am
by Snake700
Takamichi wrote:I have discovered why Volgin mutters, "kuwabara kuwabara". In the booklet that came with the Limited Edition, Kojima explains Volgin says "kuwabara" as a spell to ward off lightnings.
Here are the historic facts and legends accordingly.

Back in 9th century, there was one Japanese aristocrat called Sugawarano Michizane. After his death, he became a thunder god and began killing his enemies with lightnings.
The land that Michizane owned was Kuwabara, so people thought it would be good idea to claim the land he/she is standing is Kuwabara, so that Michizane would hesitate to strike his own people.
The very people living in Kuwabara at that time relied the Kuwabara spell, and the land of Kuwabara is said to have remained unthundered by doing so.
Thanks for the infomation now i know that

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 4:49 pm
by fogleus
i havent played through in a while but i dont recall seeing anything to do with sorrow at any time around that battle.

unles you mean that he caused the rain and the storm that ultimately finished him of. thats all i can think of write now