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Ocarina of Time The Forest Medallion~The Controversy

zeldahuman

Graphic Designer
Joined
Feb 22, 2011
Location
Akkala
That doesn't even look like a swastika. I mean really, I swastika is more square; the symbol on the "Uncensored" Medallion obviously resembles a fan. I mean, really, compare them:

23provingapoint.png


They don't even match up correctly. The symbol on the medallion is too rounded...
 

Djinn

and Tonic
Joined
Nov 29, 2010
Location
The Flying Mobile Opression fortress
What exactly makes you so certain that it is a swastika and not a traditional manji in the first place?

Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient India as well as Classical Antiquity. Swastikas have also been used in other various ancient civilizations around the world. It remains widely used in Indian religions, specifically in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, primarily as a sacred symbol of good luck. The swastika is also a Chinese character used in East Asia representing eternity and Buddhism.
....
In Chinese and Japanese the swastika is also a homonym of the number 10,000, and is commonly used to represent the whole of Creation, e.g. 'the myriad things' in the Dao De Jing. During the Chinese Tang Dynasty, Empress Wu Zetian (684-704) decreed that the swastika would also be used as an alternative symbol of the Sun.

In Japan, the swastika is called manji. Since the Middle Ages, it has been used as a coat of arms by various Japanese families such as Tsugaru clan, Hachisuka clan or around 60 clans that belong to Tokugawa clan.[25] On Japanese maps, a swastika (left-facing and horizontal) is used to mark the location of a Buddhist temple. The right-facing manji is often referred to as the gyaku manji (逆卍, lit. "reverse manji") or migi manji (右卍, lit. "right manji") , and can also be called kagi jūji (literally "hook cross").

Even if it was meant to resemble the symbol, Japanese developers would not at all see a connection to Nazism, most likely Buddhism and Hinduism where it is used much more commonly. Basically it has a lot more meanings for them and would probably not instantly create fears of possibly fascist ideology spilling into the game. Western audiences are not as educated in the origins of the symbol and only recognize it as the symbol for Nazi Germany only.

That said, I don't see it at all. The four leaves do not resemble a swastika to me as it is just that, four non connected and curved leaves. I never saw the need to try very hard to look for deeper malicious meanings in what is just a harmless image that is never meant to hold any deeper meaning by the artists in the first place. I also do not think this is really as scandalous since the original LoZ had a labyrinth that actually was a manji, called the manji labyrinth and was shaped as one. It was not at that time meant to be a subliminal message of fascism either, since it is still a very well recognized symbol in eastern traditions that holds no negative connotations.

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Zorth

#Scoundrel
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
I don't the developers had the swastika in mind when they were making OoT. The first thing that comes to mind is the Manji symbol, Probably what they were thinking of, There is even a dungeon in the original LoZ that looks like a Manji and is also called.. Manji.

With that being said, I'm also going to point out that the medallion doesn't even match the Swastika, The Medallion is wider and curved, The Swastika consists of squares that aren't curved.


EDIT: Didn't see Djinn's post, His explanation is better.. Just above mine ;)
 

Adam

Undefeated
Joined
Oct 10, 2011
thank you Djinn! i was trying to make that point, but hard to be detailed in forums when you're at work haha
 

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