The following photograph-rich article features fortune telling (and divination), fortune teller’s shops in Coney Island, legal issues associated with fortune tellers’ business practices, prediction of Islamo fascists’ attack on America on September 11, 2001, criteria of real seers, fraud of Global Warming cult, artworks of fortune tellers & diviners, and other fascinating topics. Most of photographs featured in this article were never shown in public before. Yamada is one of the most active educators and artists in New York City and has had over 450 fine art exhibitions internationally with his paintings and sculptures. The manuscript was produced by Dr. Eriko N. Bond, noted art critic and New York City author, as told by Yamada.

TAKESHI YAMADA

ON

FORTUNE TELLING & DIVINATION

- CONEY ISLAND SIDESHOW AND BEYOND -

Article by Dr. Eriko N. Bond as told by Takeshi Yamada

Chapter 8

この世に偶然は無い　あるのは必然だけ.
There is no coincidence in this world, only inevitability.

-Yuuko Ichihara

(from XXXHolic, Japanese popular TV anime)

Two-headed and six-fingered alchemist (portrait of Takeshi Yamada)

oil/acrylic on canvas, 32 x 24 inch, 2000

This mysterious artwork predicted Yamada’s moving to Coney Island,

where the two-headed baby was one of the most sensational popular attractions there.

 It was one of the curiosities proudly displayed by a sideshow company (SSBTSS)

at amusement park district in Coney Island, Coney Island Library,

American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, NY

and other fine art galleries in New York City.

Fortune Tellers in Japanese Manga and Anime (Part 2)

Example #2: Urusei Yatsura

The anime version of Urusei Yatsura (Those Obnoxious Aliens) spanned 6 films, 11 OVAs, and 195 half hour TV episodes – it is one of the most popular manga in Japanese history created by Rumiko Takahashi. Needless to say, this comedy is one of Yamada’s favorite anime manga. In America, the show is also known as Lum, Lamu, the Invader Girl, and Those Obnoxious Aliens.

The series (manga, anime, movies) is very light-hearted in nature and often quite bizarre, ridiculous, Dadaistic, and Surrealistic. The story centers around an extremely lecherous and very unlucky high-school boy, who chases every girl he sees, Ataru Moroboshi (lit. “directly hit by a star”), and the bikini clad alien princess Lum, who fell love with him in Tomobiki, an area of the Nerima ward of Tokyo, Japan.

Cherry

Cherry (Sakuranbou. Lit. ‘Delirious Monk’ or ‘cherry’) is a powerful wondering Buddhist monk with super natural magic powers and experience. Cherry often appears at the beginning of the episodes and predicts something ominous to befall Ataru.

Urusei Yatsura. Chapter 1: Good Catch.  Cheery is a master of Face-reading style of fortune telling.

Urusei Yatsura. Chapter 2. Little Poor Devil . Cheery warns Ataru again based on his Face-reading.

Urusei Yatsura. Chapter 6. The Things We Do for Love. Cherry reads the night sky.

In the pot, Cherry also see a Chinese pictogram (凶),

which means doom based on the Shinto style fortune telling, Omikuji.

Urusei Yatsura. Chapter 6. The Things We Do for Love. Cherry warns Ataru.

Urusei Yatsura. Chapter 11. The Big Game. Cherry visit Ataru with his niece (Sakura).

Urusei Yatsura. Chapter 16. Tie Yellow Ribbon. Cherry reads the air and escaps.

Sakura

Miss Sakura (サクラ) is a Miko or “shrine maiden”. Miko’s duties descriptions include prophet, medium, priestess (when priest is not available only), nun, witch, or sorceress. Sakura’s uncle is  Cherry.

Urusei Yatsura. Sakura performing exorcism for Ataru at her Shinto shrine.

 (left) Lum, the alien princess from the planet of Oni. She is a variation of Oni (devil) in Japanese mythology.

(middle) Cherry is a is a powerful wondering Buddhist monk with super natural powers.

(right) Sakura in the school nurse uniform. DVD (2002) cover of Urusei Yatsura TV #5 (1982 broadcast)

Miss Sakura is also a school nurse during the day at Tomobiko high school, where most events take place in this manga. There are many episodes about her performing the fortune telling and the exorcism. Sakura appeared on the episode 5 of the TV series for the first time (as a Shinto shrine priestess in the first part and as a newly employed school nurse in the latter part). The episode 104 also tells the detailed relationship between the Ataru Moroboshi and Sakura as told by Ataru.

Urusei Yatsura: Kanketsu-hen (Final Chapter)

Sakura performs divination by looking into the crystal ball (twice at her Shinto shrine) in the movie Urusei Yatsura: Kanketsu-hen (Final Chapter) premiered February 6, 1988 – this is also the personal favor among six UruseiYatsura movies by Takeshi Yamada.

Ran-chan

Ran is a space alien who hates Lum. For the revenge to her, she tries to suck the life energy of her husband, Ataru by kissing him, using her unique succubus-like alien ability.

Urusei Yatsura. Page 11. Chapter 56. Closer Closer Closer. Fortune telling booths at school festival.

Urusei Yatsura. Page 12. Chapter 56. Closer Closer Closer. Ran tries to kiss Ataru at the fortune telling booth.

Note: The copyright of above shown anime and manga belong to each respectable anime production company.

Continue to Chapter 9

Copyright by Takeshi Yamada, Museum of World Wonders in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York, December 2007. Revised in November 2008. All Rights Reserved.    

E-mail: yamada108@verizon.net

Special thanks to Dr. Eriko N. Bond, Lauren D. Travis, Seara (Sea Rabbit), Dr. Abraham Morris, and Maremi Kakushina.

Also special thanks to Jack Frost (Senior Proofreader)

http://www.sideshowworld.com/SSA-15.html

http://www.roguetaxidermy.com/members_detail.php?id=528

http://www.horseshoecrab.org/poem/feature/takeshi.html

http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/events/exhibitions/other/worldwonders.jsp