terajk

title: Be Not Afraid
fandom: Ninja Scroll
music: Lullabye for a Stormy Night
artist: Vienna Teng
content notes: physical triggers, graphic violence, nudity, bees, snakes, tryptophobia
length: 3:53

"Be Not Afraid" (Watch on YouTube)

Little child, be not afraid
The rain pounds harsh against the glass
Like an unwanted stranger
There is no danger
I am here tonight

Little child
Be not afraid
Though thunder explodes
And lightning flash
Illuminates your tearstained face
I am here tonight

And someday you'll know
That nature is so
This same rain that draws you near me
Falls on rivers and land
And forests and sand
Makes the beautiful world that you see
In the morning

Little child
Be not afraid
The storm clouds mask your beloved moon
And its candlelight beams
Still keep pleasant dreams
I am here tonight

Little child
Be not afraid
The wind makes creatures of our trees
And the branches to hands
They're not real, understand
And I am here tonight

And someday you'll know
That nature is so
This same rain that draws you near me
Falls on rivers and land
And forest and sand
Makes the beautiful world that you see
In the morning

For you know, once even I
Was a little child
And I was afraid
But a gentle someone always came
To dry all my tears
Trade sweet sleep the fears
And to give a kiss goodnight

Well, now I am grown
And these years have shown
Rain's a part of how life goes
But it's dark and it's late
So I'll hold you and wait
'til your frightened eyes do close

And I hope that you'll know
That nature is so
This same rain that draws you near me
Falls on rivers and land
And forests and sand
Makes the beautiful world that you see
In the morning

Everything's fine in the morning
The rain will be gone in the morning
But I'll still be here in the morning

So I'm making vids for people (which I'm still doing! You--yes, you!--can ask for one!), and inkstone asked for something about Kagero from Ninja Scroll.

Ninja Scroll is a formative anime for me. (Though I was an adult when a friend showed it to me, thankfully.) After a rewatch, I was struck by the contrast between Kagero and Jubei's relationship and the relationship between Zakuro and Yurimaru. Especially when I was clipping and saw places where their movements were similar but the meaning was vastly different. (Kagero kicking Jubei away when he tries to suck the snake venom out of her leg, because it's physically dangerous for people to get too close to her and also because she's been used and abused by literally everyone; Yurimaru pushing Zakura away because he's not attracted to her because he's gay and just doesn't like her because he's a jerk.)

That contrast fits into this general theme of comeradeship. Jubei is an excellent fighter against other humans, but he's still just a human and has a lot more trouble against all these demons that keep showing up. It takes both Jubei and Kagero to kill them or they die because other demons are killing them for petty-ass reasons. Eventually Jubei tells Kagero that they're comrades and kisses her as she's dying...while Zakura blows Yurimaru the fuck up and throws his arm into a lake.