Four Common Symbols in Anime and What They Mean
Anime as a medium is known for many things; epic fights scenes, anime waifus, deep emotional storytelling, and silly comedic humor. This visual artform is also a master a sneaking in subtle (or perhaps not so subtle) symbolism. If you’ve ever been curious as to what a particular animal or flower in an anime meant then keep reading to see a list of some of my favorites.
1. Spider Lilys
This ominous flower can be found in the credit songs of more than one anime. The Spider Lily, also known as the Corpse flower or Equinox flower amongst other names, is native to Asia. In Japanese they are called Higanbana, which translates to flower of Higan, Higan being a Buddhist holiday that occurs around the autumnal equinox.
As part of Buddhist traditions the arrival of fall would be celebrated with a ceremony at the tombs of their ancestors. During this ceremony they would pay tribute to the dead. A common part of this tribute it laying or planting Spider Lilys around the gravesite.
Additionally, in the Lotus Sutra, an important Buddhist text, flowers matching the description of Spider Lilys grow in hell and guide the dead to their next life and reincarnation.
Thanks to these beliefs and traditions Spider Lilys have come to be associated with death.
In the popular anime Demon Slayer, the Spider Lily appears in the outro song. It also has narrative importance to the show, with the antagonist on a quest to find a mythical Blue Spider Lily that will grant him true immortality. This Blue Spider Lily works opposite the red one, red symbolizing death and blue symbolizing life.
Red Spider Lilys also appear in the ending song of Tokyo Ghoul.
Here they are painted on a white background. White, typically associated with innocence in the west, if often associated with death in the east as it is a color usually used in funerals.
2. Cherry Blossoms
Turning away from ominous flowers, let’s take a look at a far more popular flower. While not ominous, the cherry blossom conveys a wistful longing. With blooms lasting for only a few short weeks the cherry blossom is exemplary of the Japanese concept mono no aware. This concept emphasizes the transient and temporary nature of things. Life is short, impermanent, and ever-changing which is why it must be cherished.
Cherry Blossoms are a popular sight in romance animes like Your Lie in April and A Silent Voice. Beyond romance, these anime showcase the beauty and fragility of life, the etheral nature of cherry blossoms conveying this fragility wordlessly.
3. Butterflies
Another common symbol are butterflies. Butterflies symbolize change, or a transformation. It’s easy enough to understand why, as butterflies transform from caterpillars. In the screenshot below we can see the character Canute, from Vinland Saga, covered in butterflies. Though butterflies have nothing to do with the plot of the story, this visually conveys that the character is going to be going through a transformation, and indeed he does though I won’t spoil anything here.
4. Birds
Birds are perhaps my favorite symbol in all forms of art that they show up in. With their ability to fly, birds symbolize freedom. They are skillfully used in anime to convey the characters inner thoughts and longings without the character having to say a word.
Take for instance this scene from Vinland Saga. The main character Thorfinn, has been single-mindedly focused on one goal his entire life. But in this moment, his eyes are opened for the first time to a world that could be different, a world that could be free. As Emily Dickinson said, “Hope is the thing with feathers/ that perches in the soul/ sings a tune without the words and never stops at all.”
A variety of birds are seen in Vinland Saga, but perhaps most prominent is the seagull. Seagulls in particular can symbolize perseverance, fearlessness, and survival, in addition to freedom. All of which resonate with Thorfinn as he undertakes his journey.
Birds are also an important symbol in Attack on Titan. Eren’s quest is a quest for freedom. Freedom from oppression, freedom from an endless cycle of violence. Eren’s struggle for freedom is also why we see him pictured inside a bird cage in the season four outro song. Just as a bird represents freedom, a caged bird represents the loss of that freedom.
There are a lot of animals used to represent different characters in the sports anime Haikyuu, but crows are amongst the most prominent. Crows are interesting because they can have two meanings. The first is death, danger and misfortune. This reputation comes from their presence on battlefields and other places where they can feed on the dead. But crows also symbolize rebirth, self-reflection, intelligence and loyalty.
All of this perfectly represents all of the different aspects of the Karasuno team. They are a team that was once great and is now on the path to reclaim that past glory. They are loyal to one another, and competitive, constantly pushing themselves forward.
The beauty of symbolism is how much can be conveyed without saying a word, but it order for these symbols to convey meaning you have to be able to speak their language. I hope this article was helpful in teaching you a little bit about that language, and provided a little more insight into some really great shows.
Thank you for reading! Let me know if there are any other examples of the symbols listed above that you can think of, or other common symbols you see in anime.
