Have you heard of the legend akai ito? A famous Asian belief widely spread in Japan that indicates two people are connected by the red thread of destiny. In this article, we will conduct an in-depth research on this legend and try to answer all the curiosities related to it.
The word akai ito [赤い糸] literally means red thread and applies to a belief/legend of Chinese origin and not Japanese. According to the legend, the gods tie an invisible red string around the ankles of men and women who are destined to be soulmates.
The red thread of Fate is not necessarily a literal red thread. It's like a countdown timer to alert you at the exact moment you find the perfect person. There are several differences between the Chinese legend and the Japanese legend that we will see in this article.
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Origin of the Legend of Akai Ito
Legend says that the red thread can stretch or tie but it will never break, no matter how much time passes, the 2 people will meet. In the Japanese version of the legend, we usually find the red thread tied to the smallest finger of the couple's hand.
The legend emerged in China during the Hokuso Period. It is believed that Yuè Xià Lǎorén, an ancient Lunar God of love and marriage ties these threads at people's birth. It is believed that the longer the thread, the farther and sadder the destined people are…
This legend spread throughout Asia, mainly in 日本 and was fully incorporated into the country's culture, making appearances in various anime, doramas, mangás, and films. There is even a dorama of the same name, which I recommend taking a look at, it addresses several topics that help reflect on life.
Differences between the Chinese and Japanese legend of Akai Ito
The legend is already represented differently in Japan. As mentioned before, instead of a rope on the ankle, in Japan it is a red thread tied to the pinky finger. The Japanese version of the legend shows a boy who says he will never marry until the God Xia Lao Yue tells him that he is connected to a girl by a red thread.
Indignant about this, upon finding the girl, he throws a stone at her and says he will never get married. The boy grows up and never manages to fall in love until he meets a girl whose face he is unable to see and marries her. When he asks why she covers her face, she says it's because in childhood a boy threw a stone at her and left a scar on her sobrancelha.
In the Chinese version, a man is about to get married, and the God says that she is not the right person and points to a baby through the red thread. Angry, he sets fire to the baby's house and marries the wrong person and has an unhappy life. The story repeats itself, and he ends up marrying the girl who survived.
Yubikiri Genman (指切り拳万)
It was from the Japanese legend that the famous promise Yubikiri Genman (指切り拳万) emerged. That famous Japanese oath, in which two people making a promise join their pinky fingers and sing:
指切りげん: まんうそ ついたら 針 千本 飲ます指切った。
Yubikiri gen: Man use tsuitara hari Senbon nomasu yubi kitta.
Little finger promise: If I lie, I will swallow 1000 needles and cut my finger.
- 指 - finger;
- 切り- Cut or a cut;
- げんまん - Fish;
- うそ - Lie;
- うそ ついたら - If I lie;
- 針 - Needle;
- 針千本 - 1000 needles;
- 飲ます - Drinking, swallowing;
- 指切った - I'll cut off my finger;
The red thread of destiny can sometimes also be related to Romance de Reencarnação as seen in Darling in the Franxx. Sometimes the works that represent Akai Ito combine things like first love, love at first sight, or forbidden love.
Anime, movies and dramas related to Akai Ito
Both akai ito and yubikiri appear several times in anime, music, and games. My most recent memory is in the second opening of oreimo. Let's now recommend some works related to Akai ito for you to watch:
Akai Ito - This drama tells the story of Mei and Atsushi who study at the same school and have birthdays on the same day, each with their own lives. In this work with the same name as the theme of the article, we will see how the red thread will act to unite these 2 people.
Koizora – Another drama/movie based on a mobile game that became a huge romantic hit. Koizora tells the story of Mika, a young student who wants to fall in love as soon as she enters high school. One day, she starts receiving calls from a mysterious boy until she is won over and some bullshit happens that will make you cry.
Koi To Uso – An anime that strongly questions the ties of akai ito showing a modern Japan where the government chooses the spouse a person will marry. How does a person feel if they are in love with someone else? Will the red thread of fate change that?
Kimi no Nawa – A masterpiece of animation that conquered everyone in 2016/2017 that manages to have action, comedy and romance with a beautiful animation and direction. The story initially shows 2 young people who usually switch bodies randomly. A must-see movie!
Curiosities involving the red thread of fate
In India there is a red string called the Rakhi which indicates a bond between a brother and a sister and serves as a protective talisman. In fact this thread is sometimes used to kill off romantic interests of others. It is a literal cord and is usually tied around the wrist rather than connecting one person to another.
There are gestures involving the fingers that serve as an abbreviation. If we hold the little finger we indicate a boyfriend, if we hold the thumb we indicate a girlfriend. It is believed that this gesture came about because of the akai ito.
There are songs that mention or reference the legend of the red thread such as Red Chord by Frames; Tip of My Tongue by The Civil Wars; L'espoir ~Mahô no Akai Ito~; Nankai Renai by Gumi; Dive Bar by The Tower and The Fool and many others.
Even in the game Zelda: Skyward Sword, one of my favorite franchises, there is a small reference to Akai Ito. The main villain Lord Ghirahim says that Link is destined to meet him and that they are connected by a red thread of fate. The villain even received a related attack in the game Hyrule Warriors.
There are movies and dramas that make references to akai ito such as Dolls, Touch, Hanamuko wa 18sai, Ashurajou no Hitomi and many others. Several other anime like Black Clover, Tsuki ga Kirei, Ranma ½, Toradora, Inuyasha, Pokemon, Naruto and many others that also make references. Can you remember some?
When was the last time you came across akai ito in some Japanese work? Leave your comments and if possible share with friends. Thank you and see you next time!
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