Segment 3: Themes and Symbolisms 

One of the main themes of Danmachi is found family. 

• Hestia and Bell 
• Bell and Welf
• Bell and Lily

Another theme is What is means to be a true hero? 

• Rescuing Haruhime
• Saving the intelligent monster Wiene

Sup! How’s everyone doing tonight!? Good? Well, you’ll have to be good, because this is a pre-recorded podcast and my, like, two listeners- and that’s being generous- can’t respond. ANYWAY, you are listening to Over-Analyzing Anime, the podcast with your host Hannah Pietras.

In this episode of Over-Analyzing Anime we will discuss the themes and symbolisms within the anime, get ready for this one, we’ll be here all week, Danjon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Daro Ka, or, because we all like to breath, better known as Danmachi, or in english, because that title is iconic- why are overly long titles such a fad in Japan right now?- “Is it Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?”

The city of Orario is the center of the world, due to the Tower of Babel, the behemoth building designed to contain the fount of Orio’s wealth: The Dungeon. Beneath Babel’s stone walls, the labyrinth of the Dungeon births monsters from its depths, made of magic stones that can be harvested to craft magic items and other coveted items, as well as be exchanged for the world’s currency. The brave souls that traverse the Dungeon’s belly, in order to pave a new frontier for humanity and to collect these magic stones by killing monsters, are called Adventurers. Adventurers gain their power from the Gods, who departed from heaven to the lower worlds in search of entertainment, choosing to forgo their heavenly powers to enjoy the perils of the earthly realm to its fullest. The God’s compete with one another to see which of their adventurers, their children as they call them, who fight under the banner of the god who unlocked their falna- their status, which includes ability scores, their level, and special skills- is the strongest and achievements and glory they can bring them with all the possibility of death. 

The story follows one Bell Cranel, a fourteen year old boy who dreams of becoming a hero like the ones in the fairytales that his grandfather read to him and having a chance encounter with a girl(preferably by saving her life from a vicious monster, causing her to fall in love with his heroic figure). But Bell quickly learns that he’s out of his depth when a Minotaur escapes from the lower floors and Bell is cornered, prepared for the end. It is in that moment that in the scenario that Bell often daydreamed about, the roles are reversed, and it is Bell who is the Damsel in Distress in need of rescueing, as the one Sword Princess, Aiz Wallenstein- first class adventurer, one of the few levels five that exist in the whole world, and holder of the world record for leveling up to level two from level one in the shortest amount of time- spares him from death and slaughters the beast. Bell is instantly smitten, but discovers that until he becomes strong enough, he will never stand a chance at being at her side. This the story of how Bell became a hero of legends. 

• Hestia: The greek goddess of hearth and home.
• Freya: (Old Norse, Freyja, “Lady”)is a renowned goddess of Norse Mythology. Freya was famous for fondness for love, beauty, and fine material possessions, but...

 Hello everybody! And welcome to fifteen minutes of time killing. You are listening Over-Analyzing Anime the podcast with your host and anime enjoyer, who can't call themselves a connoisseur for having never watched Berserk, Hannah Pietras  

In this episode of Over-Analyzing Anime the Podcast we will discuss: the themes and symbolisms within the anime Noragami. 

In times of dire, sometimes you'll see a strange phone number scrawled in red. And should the desperate choose to call,  the Yato-god will answer, ready for your wish to be heard- for the cheap price of five yen, of course. 

Yato dreams of being a "God of Fortune '' and having one million worshipers, but without a shrine, he's practically unknown- a god without a name. He spends his days as a "self proclaimed delivery god", doing odd jobs here and there and executing "ayakashi '', malevolent spirits that feed off of darkness and corrupt the good in human's hearts. But after his shinki- human souls that when gifted a name by a god, can transform into weapons- gets fed up with Yato's compulsive behavior and sleeping on the steps of another, more famous gods shrine in the cold at night, quits, Yato finds himself unarmed, and must find a new shinki before ayakashi come prowling. 

But just as things seem grim for the delivery god, fortune comes his way in the form of  middle schooler, Hiyori Iki, a young girl with the ability to see phantoms and spirits, who "supposedly"saves Yato from being hit by a truck, taking the blow for him. Hiyori miraculously survives, but finds that her soul has been shaken loose, allowing her to leave her body as a half ayakashi. Yato charges her five yen to change back, but is unable to fix her condition unless he finds a new shinki. Hiyori agrees to help him, and things finally seem to be looking up for the minor god. 

Bishamon, also called Bishamonten: is a japanese war god who is a member of the Shichi-fuku-jin(The Seven Gods of Luck, a collective group of deities from India, Japan, and China respectively who bless their worshippers with good luck and fortune all year. This includes the warrior Hindu-Buddhist deity Daikokuten(who in Japan is transformed into a god of Wealth and prosperity. His virtue is fortune),Benzaiten(Hindu goddess of water, who in Japan is the Goddess of Arts and Knowledge. Her virtue is Joy,) Fukurokuju(brought from China's Taoist-Buddhist religion and the God of Wealth, Happiness,and Longevity whose virtue is longevity. Hotei, god of Happiness and Abundance, and who was apparently based on the Chinese merchant Budaishi who virtue is Happiness, and Jirojin, god of Wisdom and virtue of Wisdom). He is identified with the Four Heavenly Kings, and is the Buddhist guardian of the north and the leader of Yaksha(a broad class of nature spirits connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and the wilderness with a broad range of characteristics),  known Vaisravana or Píshāméntiān in China. Vaiszravana is also associated with...