Ganon is Muslim

[EzraPound]

From Wikipedia (several other sources have confirmed this):

Later versions of Ocarina of Time featured minor alterations in the final build of the game after its initial release. These alterations included the removal of a Muslim chant in the background music of the Fire Temple and the moon and star symbol that was on the Mirror Shield and other objects scattered throughout the game (signs, blocks, etc) for their Islamic references. The moon and star symbols were replaced with more generic ones. Ganondorf's blood was also altered from red to green.[31]

I always suspected this because of the desert stages and vaguely religious iconography, though it's interesting to see it confirmed. This tidbit of information would also suggest that OoT's narrative and styling is partially based upon the Medieval era, and more specifically the tensions between Christendom and the 'Saracens'. Anyone suspect Hyrule might be analagous to the European frontiers?

Also: apparently, Japanese xenophobia is largely directed at Iranians. WTF?

 

[Ultrajoe]

From Wikipedia:

Later versions of Ocarina of Time featured minor alterations in the final build of the game after its initial release. These alterations included the removal of a Muslim chant in the background music of the Fire Temple and the moon and star symbol that was on the Mirror Shield and other objects scattered throughout the game (signs, blocks, etc) for their Islamic references. The moon and star symbols were replaced with more generic ones. Ganondorf's blood was also altered from red to green.[31]

I always suspected this because of the desert stages and vaguely religious iconography, though it's interesting to see it confirmed. This tidbit of information would also suggest that OoT's narrative and styling is partially based upon the Medieval era, and more specifically the tensions between Christendom and the 'Saracens'.

Also: apparently, Japanese xenophobia is largely directed at Iranians. WTF?

Or it's just the design choices of the team. They might have just like the symbols.

 

[Cheesus333]

Keyword: 'Wikipedia'

You should always take wikinformation with a handful of salt, you know.

 

[EzraPound]

Keyword: 'Wikipedia'

You should always take wikinformation with a handful of salt, you know.

It's not just Wikipedia; I read a similar thing on IGN the other day, and remember owning a copy of OoT where the moon and star symbols were visible.

Or it's just the design choices of the team. They might have just like the symbols.

Though the plot is obviously an extremely loose interpretation of Medieval themes, I would differ with you about it being random: Ganon is from a desert that is clearly a stylistic homage to the Middle East, for example, and it seems unlikely that both those symbols and a Muslim prayer chant would be featured in the game.

 

[Omnidum]

Keyword: 'Wikipedia'

You should always take wikinformation with a handful of salt, you know.

It would be a funny discovery if it turns out to be real.

 

[rossatdi]

Also: apparently, Japanese xenophobia is largely directed at Iranians. WTF?

In my experiences more or less every nation is pretty damn racist or xenophobic as a whole. Except for Canada and the UK. One doesn't need to look for very long at Japanese media to find a wonderful host of black stereotypes that would make a gollywog blush.

 

[EzraPound]

It would be a funny discovery if it turns out to be real.

It is real. Several sources confirm it.

Also, a quick google search would suggest 'Ganon' is an actual name used in the Middle East. And the Christian Holy Trinity obviously resembles the Triforce.

 

[Cheesus333]

remember owning a copy of OoT where the moon and star symbols were visible.

The moon and stars are common in a lot mof things, aren't they? Maybe Gonondorf is an eager astronomer. Or maybe he designs symbols to represent cookie-cutter shapes. I mean who doesn't like cookies!?

 

[EzraPound]

The moon and stars are common in a lot mof things, aren't they? Maybe Gonondorf is an eager astronomer. Or maybe he designs symbols to represent cookie-cutter shapes. I mean who doesn't like cookies!?

To anyone who's studied Islamic or Medieval history it's not random, man. Like I said:

1) Ganon is from a desert region resembling the Middle East
2) OoT originally featured a Muslim prayer chant and moon and stars symbols
3) Ganon is a Middle Eastern name
4) The Triforce resembles the Holy Trinity
5) The 'good' parts of Hyrule all resemble Medieval Europe

And there's alot more, too. Now tell me those are all 'coincidences'...

P.S. Both Hylians and Gerudos worship Din, too, which is analagous to how both Christians and Muslims theoretically worship the same god. And you're telling me this isn't a Mid-East homage?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/92/Gerudo.JPG

 

[Graustein]

The Japanese like putting religious symbolism in their media. What's that anime where they fire lasers shaped like the cross? They do it because it's exotic, not to make a statement.

 

[Fire Daemon]

The Mirror Shield has nothing to do with Gannon (does it?). I think the Dev team looked towards desert images for inspiration when creating characters that come from the desert such as the star and moon (from the Turkish flag I believe). He's not "Muslim". He just shares similarities with Arabic culture.

It's not like the Kokori are Druids and the Hyrulians are Christian.

 

[EzraPound]

The Japanese like putting religious symbolism in their media. What's that anime where they fire lasers shaped like the cross? They do it because it's exotic, not to make a statement.

I never implied they were trying to make a statement; they were presumably just looking for good characterization, though it does suggest a subtle historical bias in favour of western culture over Islamic.

The Mirror Shield has nothing to do with Gannon (does it?).

You attain it in the Spirit Temple in the desert where the Gerudos live; so yeah, it does.

I think the Dev team looked towards desert images for inspiration when creating characters that come from the desert such as the star and moon (from the Turkish flag I believe). He's not "Muslim". He just shares similarities with Arabic culture.

It's not like the Kokori are Druids and the Hyrulians are Christian.

Well, duh. I didn't mean that Ganon prays five times to Allah every day when he's not out kicking Hylan a*s, I just meant that the characters and factions in OoT are vaguely allegorical to real, historical ones.

By the way, the moon and stars are don't just symbolize Turkey, but historic Islamic empires in the same way as, say, the cross symbolizes Christianity (though it's important to distinguish between the former's political usage and the latter's spiritual).

 

[Graustein]

The Japanese like putting religious symbolism in their media. What's that anime where they fire lasers shaped like the cross? They do it because it's exotic, not to make a statement.

I never implied they were trying to make a statement; they were presumably just looking for good characterization, though it does suggest a subtle historical bias in favour of western culture over Islamic.

Right, my bad.
Although, I find it funny that you call the Gerudos Muslim when they're all scantily clad ninja pirate women.

 

[TheIceface]

Also: apparently, Japanese xenophobia is largely directed at Iranians. WTF?

Lawl, Xenophobia. How did you arrive at the conclusion that the Japanese are terrified of foreigners from that?

 

[EzraPound]

Lawl, Xenophobia. How did you arrive at the conclusion that the Japanese are terrified of foreigners from that?

It's no mystery Japan's fairly xenophobic, or that China, Korea, and Iran tend to be at the butt end of most of their cultural quips. That said, I wouldn't describe OoT as 'racist' by any stretch or even directly suggestive of Japanese bias: quasi-historic settings are fine, and whatever Muslim groups forced Nintendo to revise OoT's first run are clearly loony.

 

[Rezfon]

The Mirror Shield has nothing to do with Gannon (does it?).

You attain it in the Spirit Temple in the desert where the Gerudos live; so yeah, it does.

I think the Dev team looked towards desert images for inspiration when creating characters that come from the desert such as the star and moon (from the Turkish flag I believe). He's not "Muslim". He just shares similarities with Arabic culture.

It's not like the Kokori are Druids and the Hyrulians are Christian.

Well, duh. I didn't mean that Ganon prays five times to Allah every day when he's not out kicking Hylan a*s, I just meant that the characters and factions in OoT are vaguely allegorical to real, historical ones.

By the way, the moon and stars are don't just symbolize Turkey, but historic Islamic empires in the same way as, say, the cross symbolizes Christianity (though it's important to distinguish between the former's political usage and the latter's spiritual).

The mirror sheild does not have much to do with ganon cause if you played the other games then you would understand that. The mirror sheild is in the other games. Also the whole culture thing is a load of crap. Think about it, in OoT there is a forest area, a green plains area, a desert area, a snowy area, a water area, a lava area, a mountain area and an undead area. Just because there is a desert area does not mean that they are wanting it to be islamic.

It's peoples sub consious that plays a big part in this as if you think about the whole religion issue then you will obviously see links and things relating to it. It's like how sometimes you look at a pattern and you think you see a face or something but nobody else sees it and you can't seem to shake it.

 

[EzraPound]

I thought I read somewhere that the chants in the Fire temple are Hebrew, not Islamic.

And since when do Muslims have green blood?

a) I listened to an .mp3 of the chant and it clearly sounds Arabic.

b) The green blood was added in the revised cartridge. Though I suspect all Muslims have green blood, anyway.

 

[Fire Daemon]

Well, duh. I didn't mean that Ganon prays five times to Allah every day when he's not out kicking Hylan a*s, I just meant that the characters and factions in OoT are vaguely allegorical to real, historical ones.

A lot of games draw inspiration from history, the arts and fiction. Ocarina of Time isn't the only one. There are many characters from fiction that you could say are "Muslim" even though they more than likely follow a different religion, such as Gannon/Gannondorf.

By the way, the moon and stars are don't just symbolize Turkey, but historic Islamic empires in the same way as, say, the cross symbolizes Christianity (though it's important to distinguish between the former's political usage and the latter's spiritual).

I had only ever seen it on the flag, I've never seen it anywhere else but I suppose it isn't surprising that is stretches back through Muslim history.