What does the Beckoning Cat represent?

Key Takeaways

• DANDADAN's Turbo Granny is a mascot character, providing comedic relief and exposition in the series.
• The Maneki Neko, or howling cat, represents luck and is a suitable “prison” for Turbo Granny in the series.
• Turbo Granny's relationship with the Maneki Neko reflects the story's themes of protection, wisdom and positive change.

One thing that shōnen often does is have some kind of animal sidekick or mascot character that is like the poster child of the series in some way. FOR DANADADANTurbo Granny's less than impressive appearance when trapped in a cat statue serves as such a mascot character, and her personality is a great compliment to the series, as she acts as he's the comedic relief and provides much-needed exposition during encounters with other supernatural entities.

The “cat statue” is a symbol that has been around for a few centuries, and is called “maneki neko“, or “calling cat”. What does the spy cat symbolize, and why is it the perfect “prison” for Turbo Granny?

What is Maneki Neko?

Statues from Edo Japan

the maneki neko (written 招き猫), known in English as “beckoning cat” or “lucky cat” is a statue believed to bring good luck to its owner. It is a classic figurine that depicts a calico Japanese bobtail cat with its paws raised in a meowing gesture. It originated in Tokyo during the Edo period (1603-1868) after its discovery. In the West, the repetitive motion of pointing at oneself with the palm raised, or curling all the fingers towards oneself with the palm.

In Japan; The movement, however, is repeated down the wrist with the fingers placed slightly near the palm, then moving the hand back and forth. This cultural difference is why many Westerners think that the cat is waving instead of calling. Statues are ubiquitous in modern times, appearing near the entrances of various businesses, buildings and homes. They can be different colors and made of ceramic or plastic, but they are usually white with red, yellow and black, with white associated with good luck in general, red with good health, yellow or gold with wealth. and black to protect against evil.

Traditionally, the cat is depicted sitting with a large gold coin or “beat” (an oval-shaped Japanese coin minted in the early 1600s; gold-foil boxed copies are now sold as good luck charms) with the other leg. , while the right leg is high more requires more money, and therefore is related to the cat house that we see today, Meowth (“Nyaasu”https://gamerant.com/”Nyarth”) from the Pokémon franchise is a model of cat calling, that's right explaining the beat on the forehead. The association of cats with coins comes from the practice of placing coins around the cat's neck instead of bells.

Why Is It Related To Luck?

There are two famous stories

The origin of the association of cats beckoning for good luck has two legends behind it, the first of which features a widowed woman who could not feed her beloved cat and had to abandon it. The cat visited him in a dream, forgave him and encouraged him to make a cat statue in memory of his pet. He managed to save enough money to buy enough clay to make a small statue that he displayed in the window. His fortunes soon changed, with the community coming together to pull him out of poverty. People borrowed her lucky cat and saw their fortunes improve, with the spread of the lady's lucky clay cat and countless people wanting to buy it from her, allowing her to keep her new comfort.

A second origin story involves a 17th century monk who had a white cat in his care even after the Gōtoku-ji Buddhist temple he lived in collapsed. When he told his pet cat that he needed to find a new place to live, the cat chose to stay close to its owner, sitting on the torii of the temple. One day, a rich lord named Ii Naotaka was passing by the temple when he was caught in a severe thunderstorm and took shelter under a nearby tree. While under the tree, he noticed a white cat approaching the temple gate, so he walked out of curiosity, literally moments before lightning struck, causing the tree he was using to fall where he was. refuge. d already stood up. Naotaka saved the temple from destruction. Gōtoku-ji Temple, in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, still stands today, decorated with countless white cats in honor of the lucky cat that saved Naotaka's life. It is also called “The Cat Temple” today.

Catalyst of Change Fortune

The significance of the cat shape in Granny's Beckoning Cat turbo

The reason why the beckoning cat is such a good vessel for Turbo Granny has a bit to do with the widow's story about the statue. It was established after Okarun and Momo defeated Turbo Granny that the yōkai tied to the tunnel because it was the site of several attacks and murders of women led by men they trusted there. After Okarun was cursed, it was Turbo Granny who tried to intervene during the difficult-to-watch scene with the Serpo guests before Momo's psychic awakening, and presumably the “banana” Turbo Granny's way of getting rid of the men who get there. the tunnel with a woman in an attempt to protect them, but also to console the souls of the girls who suffered a terrible end. According to Seiko, detectives have been hunting Turbo Granny ever since, a yōkai who will always appear in the places where the girls have suffered an unjust death, comforting the souls of the girls because they could not rest in peace.

The face of Turbo Granny can be associated with the type of mother's nature in her desire to protect women and girls, because grandmothers are often associated with more wisdom and experience in the existence of women, and may have some kind of terrible human experience. before reaching a yōkai. Knowing this about Turbo Granny makes you realize that calling her an “evil” spirit is far from the truth about her, and because she took good care of staying with the girls, she became an Earthbound Spirit Crab. , became part of their cause. was able to find peace through the efforts of Momo and others. For Momo and Okarun, Turbo Granny made their friendship go beyond their first relationship, which, for Okarun, was a dream come true. These developments reflect the maneki neko legend says that the cat is either a harbinger of improving wealth, or a protector.