This explanation does a great job of blending pop culture analysis with ancient history. I particularly like the use of primary sources. The author seems to be a biologist and paleontologist[1]; anyone know if he's written anything else on history?
There are semi-frequent "Japan weird" (and contrasting) articles that show up here, but my impression is that their culture is indeed uniquely different and lends itself to these sorts of phenomenon. The tendency of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_anthropomorphism to appear may also be related.
I am also tempted to mix in another cultural reference: Prejed! How do you feel about Medjed?
As always, Nico Nico Encyclopedia[0] and Pixiv Encyclopedia[1] are good entry points for Japanese pop/otaku culture (though they tend not to have as many excellent sources as this article does).
This entry in the Pixiv Encyclopedia is valuable because it mentions the two most popular Japanese IPs using god Medjed in them and not covered in the article, Fate/Grand Order and One Piece.
> revolveth in heaven inside a flame produced by his own mouth, whilst his own form is invisible
Such a beautiful hermetic formula. It could totally describe a god in Lovecraftian universe. That, and also the fact that a minor deity was so easily transplanted from an Egyptian myth into a Japanese video game to me illustrates the amazing unity of human culture.
I mean, I get that a lot of biblical material was lifted from e.g. the myth of Osiris, but this is on another level.
[+] [-] AdamH12113|2 years ago|reply
[1] https://rodrigobsalvador.wordpress.com/
[+] [-] gwern|2 years ago|reply
I liked https://jgeekstudies.org/2021/12/28/the-astolfo-effect-the-p... https://jgeekstudies.org/2023/04/06/a-practical-implication-... https://jgeekstudies.org/2021/02/11/mary-anning-fossil-colle... https://jgeekstudies.org/2021/02/06/the-giant-snails-of-ark-... https://jgeekstudies.org/2018/10/17/douglas-adams-and-the-wo... https://jgeekstudies.org/2018/05/19/dogu-from-prehistoric-fi... https://rodrigobsalvador.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/soares-... https://jgeekstudies.org/2019/05/19/pokemollusca-the-mollusk... https://www.scielo.br/j/hcsm/a/3f7pGvQSBQNC4kkC8MXsbQQ/?form...
[+] [-] userbinator|2 years ago|reply
I am also tempted to mix in another cultural reference: Prejed! How do you feel about Medjed?
[+] [-] Cpoll|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] bashauma|2 years ago|reply
This entry in the Pixiv Encyclopedia is valuable because it mentions the two most popular Japanese IPs using god Medjed in them and not covered in the article, Fate/Grand Order and One Piece.
[0]: https://dic.nicovideo.jp/a/%E3%83%A1%E3%82%B8%E3%82%A7%E3%83... [1]: https://dic.pixiv.net/a/%E3%83%A1%E3%82%B8%E3%82%A7%E3%83%89
[+] [-] butz|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rootsudo|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] fiforpg|2 years ago|reply
Such a beautiful hermetic formula. It could totally describe a god in Lovecraftian universe. That, and also the fact that a minor deity was so easily transplanted from an Egyptian myth into a Japanese video game to me illustrates the amazing unity of human culture.
I mean, I get that a lot of biblical material was lifted from e.g. the myth of Osiris, but this is on another level.