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Ebon Ju & WWII Tenno Heika
Both are religious and political figures.
Both continue to assure vague victory over a powerful enemy even when defeat seems obvious; yet both are causing the conflict themselves.
Both use border islands as a buffers to protect central areas.
Both, though not necessarily evil, cause suffering to their people before they are defeated.
Represents changing attitudes towards World War II; sympathy for victims, especially Okinawans.
Similar to how Ultraman was written “as an allegory of the US military occupation of Okinawa” (Lie, 69)
Notes:
There are also many parallels between Ebon Ju and the position of Tenno Heika during World War II. Both are in positions of political power that also have religious significance; Ebon was a summoner, and Tenno Heika is viewed as a descendant of the Sun Goddess. Both leaders are the cause of a conflict; because of Ebon, Shin keeps coming back, and the Emperor was in charge of Japan when they invaded China during the late 1930s. In both cases, border islands were used as a buffer zone to protect central areas. In the game, Shin attacks the outer islands first, and only after they are devastated does it turn its attention towards the main cities. Similarly, during World War II Japan steered the conflict toward outer islands, such as Iwo Jima and the Ryukyu islands in order to protect mainland Japan. Clearly, there are many similarities between the two situations. While there is insufficient evidence to determine if this correlation is intentional, this type of allegory is not without precedent. In the 18th century, kabuki plays such as Chuushingura used historical settings as allegories for contemporary political issues (Spencer). More recently, the popular TV series Ultraman was written “as an allegory of the U.S. Military occupation of Okinawa” (Lie, 69). Whether the similarities are conscious or subconscious, however, they represent more apologetic attitudes towards World War II and its victims, especially Okinawans.