#201 Ghost of Tsushima: Waka poem by the Game’s Hero
| Size： | about 37×6 cm |
|---|---|
| Dressing： | framed |
What kind of verse?
| verse: | Nodoka naru, yami womo chirasu, hi wo abite, nao tsuyoku are, omou ware nari |
|---|---|
| (imho): | The gentle sunlight drives away the darkness, and then I am the one who wishes to be even stronger. |
| poet: | Sakai, Jin (Game’s Hero) |
| in: | 2024 |
This waka poem, “Refugees’ Headbands,” is filled with the determination of refugees in difficult circumstances to live strong lives, without losing hope or energy, even in harsh conditions.
brief comment
What is “Ghost of Tsushima”?
Have you heard of the game “Ghost of Tsushima”?
This open-world game is set in Tsushima, the Japanese territory closest to the Korean Peninsula during the Mongol invasions in 1274. With beautiful graphics that rival any movie and a realistic historical perspective, it’s hard not to empathize with the people of Tsushima, who are being overrun by Mongol soldiers.
The PC version, which was released in May this year, has a higher frame rate than the previous PlayStation version, making the game feel more immersive.
Well, the main character of this game, Jin Sakai, is one of the few samurai who survived the Mongol invasion. He tries to defend Tsushima in a way that is different from the traditional samurai strategy known as “honor.” It was a desperate measure to fight against the Mongol army in the face of a lack of resources, both manpower and materials.
The origins of this poem
In order to obtain items that will make him stronger, he composes several waka poems. The waka poem in this work is one of them.
After the topic and the first 5 characters of the poem are presented, the player can choose next words from three options. There will probably be 27 different waka poems completed. Each player will create a waka poem that reflects their own feelings.
Post-Sequel
I couldn’t write it as I wanted and had to rewrite it several times.
The chronological order is: Opus 1 ⇒ Opus 2 ⇒ Opus 3.
In Op.1, I wrote as I wanted, using variant kana, without being conscious of the fact that it was “readable. Even now, I think this is the closest expression to the world of the game.
I wrote Op. 2 with an awareness of the fact that it should be “readable. I did not use irregular kana and avoided expressions that were difficult to read.
However, I was somewhat unsatisfied with it, and thought about various ways of expression. As a result, I came up with Opus 3. I wrote the upper and lower clauses in two separate paragraphs, which I think improved the readability of the piece. I also emphasized “Be strong” to appeal to the main character’s feelings. However, I think it may have been a little too fluent.
Which one is your favorite?