Latest news with #NausicaaoftheValleyoftheWind
Japan Forward
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Forward
Georgia Says No to Russia Without Restoration of Territory
Teimuraz Lezhava, Georgia's Ambassador to Japan, is famous for his witty and viral posts on X (formerly Twitter). Recently, he spoke exclusively with the Sankei Shimbun in an interview. With 20% of Georgia still under illegal Russian occupation, he made his position clear: "There will be no resumption of diplomatic ties with Russia unless our territory is restored." Lezhava also reiterated his country's unwavering support for Ukraine and commended Japan's accelerating efforts to bolster its national security. On November 15, 2021, Lezhava officially became the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to Japan. As ambassador, his first viral moment came when he attended Emperor Naruhito's enthronement ceremony wearing traditional Georgian attire. Social media quickly drew comparisons to the iconic costumes of the Ghibli movie Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind , catapulting him into online fame. Now 37, Lezhava first came to Japan with his family at the age of four for his father's research. He went on to attend Japanese elementary, middle, and high schools before graduating from Waseda University. Professionally, his career also began at a Japanese company. Believing his deep understanding of Japanese society gave him a unique voice, he began using X to introduce Georgian culture to a wider audience. That effort has earned him more than 350,000 followers. Although his posts often highlight the warmth of Georgian culture, featuring local wines and comfort foods like shkmeruli, his stance on global affairs is far more sober. Lezhava lived through Russia's 2008 invasion of Georgia and the continued occupation of South Ossetia (Tskhinvali) and Abkhazia. He later witnessed the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, shaping a worldview firmly grounded in harsh geopolitical realities. Ambassador Lezhava emphasized, "Changing the status quo by force must never be tolerated. The rule of law is essential," he said, drawing a clear parallel between Georgia and Japan in their unwavering support for Ukraine. Speaking about Japan — surrounded by powerful neighbors like Russia, China, and North Korea — he observed, "Japan is reinforcing its security at an unprecedented pace." Lezhava added that he now seldom hears the country dismissed as being naively pacifist. Teimuraz Lezhava, Ambassador of Georgia to Japan (©Sankei by Katsuyuki Seki) Georgia's ruling party, Georgian Dream, has drawn criticism for what some see as a pro-Russian stance. Addressing this, Ambassador Lezhava cited a tanka poem by Bokusui Wakayama: "Is the swan not sad — drifting, untouched by the blue of sky or sea?" Using the poem as a metaphor for preserving national identity without succumbing to surrounding influences, he explained, "If we fail to strike the right balance, it could endanger the very survival of our nation." Despite external pressures, he reaffirmed that Georgia remains firmly committed to its constitutional goal of joining the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). (Read the article in Japanese .) Authors: Yusuke Hirata, Shigeyuki Mizuchi, The Sankei Shimbun
SoraNews24
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Princess Mononoke Ghibli accessory line returns with all-natural dagger pendant and more【Photos】
Ashitaka's gift to San can now be a gift for you. Princess Mononoke is the grittiest Ghibli anime. Even compared to the Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and its post-apocalyptic setting, or to The Wind Rises and its constant looming of the outbreak of World War II, Princess Mononoke's narrative is oppressively dark, and even the film's ending acknowledges that there can likely never be a perfectly happy resolution to its fundamental conflicts. And yet, there's beauty to be found in Princess Mononoke too, both in the bonds characters manage to form in spite of the cruel events taking place around them, and also in the anime's amazing visual designs. Symbolizing both of those is the pendant that Ashitaka gives to San as a symbol of his devotion, which fans can now also wear in the real world. About to be restocked by Studio Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku, this necklace differs from the one we took a look at a while back, and is made of all-natural materials. The cord is leather, the bead wood, and the pendant itself is made of sodalite. Sodalite is said to ward off evil, both from external sources and maliciousness born from within stemming from anger or fearfulness. On a less metaphysical level, sodalite also looks really pretty, and since it's a natural stone, each pendant is a unique work of art with its own hue and marbling. If you're looking to further accessorize like Princess Mononoke's female lead, Donguri Kyowakoku has also restocked San's earrings. Once again, the design employs natural materials. Rather than plastic, the discs are made of shell, and the beads are wood (though the fittings are brass). The earrings are available in two versions, one for pierced ears and one that uses ear clips instead. In a deviation from their in-anime appearance, the discs bear a pattern evocative of San's battle mask on one side. Also not necessarily appearing within the anime, but instantly recognizable as inspired by it, is the 'Tataring.' A play on words with tatarigami, as the cursed forest gods are called in the Japanese-language version of Princess Mononoke, the Tataring is a band of the writhing curse energy that Ashitaka becomes infested with which kicks off the chain of events that leads to him meeting San and the inhabitants of Irontown, then becoming entangled in their conflict. The Tataring is, of course, not actually cursed, but the finish on the epoxy resin gives it a gleam that makes it look like it's undulating when viewed from different angles. And finally, if you're looking for someplace to store all of these when you're not wearing them, there's the San Fur Pouch. Don't worry, the designers' penchant for using natural materials didn't extend to them actually skinning a white wolf to make it. The 13-centimeter (5.1-inch) long pouch is covered in polyester imitation fur, though the zipper pulls are natural shell. Anime themed accessories in general, and Ghibli merch in particular, often comes with a bit of premium pricing, but the most expensive item in the bunch is the pendant at 5,940 yen (US$41), with the earrings 2,640 yen, the Tataring 1,980 yen, and the pouch 3,080 yen. Donguri Kyowakoku's restock means that they'll all be available once again through the chain's online store from April 26 at 10 a.m. (pendant here, pierced earrings here, clip earrings here, ring here, and pouch here). Source: Donguri Kyowakoku Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
