Hi all
A day earlier than usual due to some weird working hours this last few weeks... to conclude my last post here are the remaining 3 "Lucky Gods" from the Rising Sun expansion.
Daikokuten[edit]
Daikokuten (大黒天) is also one of the Shichifukujin. He is the god of commerce and prosperity. There are other characteristics which have also been attributed to him, such as being the patron of cooks, farmers, bankers, and protector of crops. Curiously, he is also considered a demon hunter − legend says that the god Daikokuten hung a sacred talisman on the branch of a tree in his garden and, by using this as a trap, he was able to catch a demon. This god is characterized by his smile, having short legs and wearing a hat on his head. He is usually depicted with a bag full of valuable objects.[1][2] Daikokuten originated as a syncretic conflation of the Buddhist death deity Mahākāla with the Shinto deity Ōkuninushi.[3] The Japanese name Daikoku and the Hindi name Mahakala both translate to "Great Blackness". Per the Butsuzōzui compendium of 1690 (reprinted and expanded in 1796), Daikoku can also manifest as a female known as Daikokunyo (大黒女) ("She of the Great Blackness") or Daikokutennyo (大黒天女) ("She of the Great Blackness of the Heavens").[4]
Bishamonten[edit]
Bishamonten's(毘沙門天) origins can be traced back to Hinduism, but he has been adapted by the Japanese culture. He comes from the Hindu god Kubera and is also known by the name "Vaisravana" from Hindu culture.
He is the god of fortune in war and battles, also associated with authority and dignity. He is the protector of those who follow the rules and behave appropriately. As the patron of fighters, he is represented dressed in armour and a helmet, carrying a pagoda in his left hand. He also acts as protector of holy sites and important places and holds a spear in his right hand to fight against the evil spirits. He is usually depicted in illustrations with a hoop of fire.
Jurōjin[edit]
Considered the incarnation of the southern pole star (南極星 "nankyokusei"), Juroujin (寿老人) is the god of the elderly and longevity in Japanese Buddhist mythology. It is said that the legendary Juroujin is based on a real person who lived in ancient times. He was approximately 1.82 meters tall with a very long head. Besides his distinctive skull, he is represented with a long white beard, riding a deer and is often also accompanied by a 1500 year old crane and a tortoise, as symbols of his affinity with long lives. In addition, he is usually represented under a peach tree, as the fruit of this tree is considered, by Chinese Taoism and corroborated by scientists[citation needed], able to prolong life as it has antioxidant properties. In his hand he holds a cane and a book or a scroll. The wisdom of the world remains written in its pages. Jurojin enjoys rice and wine, and is a very cheerful figure.[1]
So that is the 7 Lucky Gods of the Rising Sun expansion "Daimyo's Invasion". Not my favourite sculpts for the game, but still (in the main) decent enough for a board game and there are some comical bits to them.
Next up is the Monsters Expansion, adding 4 new monsters to the game...
hope you enjoy
dGG
Nice work on them all dude. They all look cracking sculpts and I love how you have painted them all.
ReplyDeleteThanks dude, appreciate it
DeleteGreat work on these latest additions Andy
ReplyDeleteCheers Dave
DeleteNothing says rising sun than a cockerel making an infernal racket! Great job Andy.
ReplyDeleteIndeed Michael
DeleteYou are clearly on a roll here, Andy. They are all painted to your usual high standard. Just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you Bryan, most kind
DeleteThey might not be your favourite sculpts for the game, but you've still MORE than done justice to 'em Andy - they look fantastic mate!
ReplyDeleteKeep an eye on your dice rolling, you might just find the 7 Lucky Gods smiling on you in appreciation of your efforts :-)
Haha I could do with some divine intervention Greg...
DeleteWhether or not they're yor favourite sculps, you've done an excellent job on them all, with the final group shot showing just how individual they all are.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joe, I just think compared to the big monsters they are a little soft. Still they paint up ok
DeleteInteresting collection of characters, Andy, and nice to see them represented in miniature, as usually these sort of games just concentrate on the monsters and samurai. Can you see these being used outside the game itself, like as a random element in a Bushido game, for example? Two factions vying for victory and suddenly one of these Gods turns up and puts a spanner in the works...a bit like having the Monkey King turn up halfway through a conflict and start pulling everyone's trousers down.
ReplyDeleteThey certainly have a certain quirkyness about them Jez. Tbf all of the miniatures scale well with 32mm, the same as Bushido
Delete