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Anime characters giving the "peace symbol"


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Satanachia



Joined: 24 Jan 2006
Posts: 143
Location: Canada
PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:16 pm Reply with quote
I've noticed a lot lately that in most anime series, when a character has set his/her mind onto an objective they usually put up two fingers at the end of their thought. For example, when Kagome was trying to get Miroku and Sango together, she put up two fingers at the end of her speach. Can someone tell me what all this finger upage is about, it really has me curious.
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LydiaDianne



Joined: 28 Jan 2006
Posts: 5634
Location: Southern California
PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:24 pm Reply with quote
I've always understood, or at least thought, that the meaning, in anime at least, of the two fingers in a "V" meant something along the lines of "I did it!" I've seen that in several series, from Sailor Moon up to Inu Yasha.

Of course in Western culture they mean either "peace" or "V for victory."
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 19140
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:30 pm Reply with quote
It's my understanding that the "v" sign in Japan is equivalent to a "thumbs-up" in America.
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Zalis116
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Joined: 31 Mar 2005
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Location: Kazune City
PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:30 pm Reply with quote
It's "V" for "Victory," taken from the American soldiers who were stationed in occupied Japan after World War II. In Japan, it seems as though it's pretty much mandatory to give that symbol whenever one's picture is taken, not just in anime, but in real life as well.
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Satanachia



Joined: 24 Jan 2006
Posts: 143
Location: Canada
PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:35 pm Reply with quote
I see. I never thought the "V" was from World War II. Even more so on that it meant "Victory" or "I did it" ( I'm pretty clueless). I have seen people make that symbol when they have their photos taken in New York or Toronto or any big city in North America or anywhere at that matter.
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Bemman



Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 10
Location: Fredsburg, VA
PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 7:00 pm Reply with quote
http://kungfool.transpect.net/webpages/archive_CK/200307_1.html#04

I remembered this from a couple of years ago so figuring it had to do with the topic... Smile
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d.yaro



Joined: 08 Feb 2006
Posts: 528
PostPosted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 12:53 am Reply with quote
Another reading of the ubiquitous Japanese "V" gesture: "This may be considered the equivalent of 'Hang loose' in the US". That's the little blurb that goes with gesture #64 in Hamiru-aqui's "70 Japanese Gestures" (published by Stone Bridge Press...just in case anyone either wants to find the book).
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fighterholic



Joined: 28 Sep 2005
Posts: 9193
PostPosted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:02 am Reply with quote
Isn't the "V" sign a little old school over here? I mean, that's what they do in Japan, but isn't the "in" thing over here the one with the pinky and the index finger up?

Warning: semi-explicit content
spoiler[Just to be a little nasty, I've seen Japanese porn where the girls give the v sign while they're getting fucked or after they've been cummed on. They just look at the camera, smile and go "Peace!" with both hands. Some of them even wave.]
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MorwenLaicoriel



Joined: 26 Feb 2006
Posts: 1617
Location: Colorado
PostPosted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:22 am Reply with quote
I'm pretty sure it's just a sort of thumbs-up gesture. My japanese teacher surprised us by inviting some college-age kids visiting from Japan to our class so we could practice our Japanese. Afterwards, we posed for pictures, and EVERY. SINGLE. ONE did that sign. Anime hyper Some with two hands, of course.

So...yeah...it's just a thumbs-up sort of thing. ...And it makes me feel cool when I do it, too. Anime hyper
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joel_s95387



Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 1804
Location: California... The Village Hidden In The Porn
PostPosted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 2:27 am Reply with quote
Thanks to the video game Street Fighter II, I always thought that the peace sign was like a thumbs up. When the character Ken would win, one of his poses was a peace sign and something along the lines of "yay" was uttered. When I saw it in Anime, I always thought thats what it meant.
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darkhunter



Joined: 13 May 2004
Posts: 2992
Location: Los Angelas
PostPosted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 3:48 am Reply with quote
What does the V stand for?

a. V for Verizon Wireless (V Cast)
b. V for Vendetta
c. V for Victory
D. None of the Above.
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joel_s95387



Joined: 29 Jun 2005
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 3:56 am Reply with quote
Why does seperating two fingers mean peace?
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Mohawk52



Joined: 16 Oct 2003
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Location: England, UK
PostPosted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:04 am Reply with quote
joel_s95387 wrote:
Why does seperating two fingers mean peace?
It was a gesture assimilated by the "Hippies" of the late 60's from the V for Victory sign.

BTW the same gesture but showing the back of the hand in the UK is a vulgar sign meaning "f*** off." This dates back to Henry the V and the battle of Agincourt in 1415 when allegedly the Kings archers would show their two fingers to the French solders to show they had them to shoot arrows with. Apparantly it was the custom by the French to cut these fingers off of any English solder captured alive rendering them useless to the King.
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joshuafer



Joined: 03 Jan 2006
Posts: 262
PostPosted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:07 am Reply with quote
I had always assumed it meant Victory as well. Just cause they usually say Success or Victory when they make the sign.
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Space_cowboy64



Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 337
Location: Great Britain...not all that great
PostPosted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:15 am Reply with quote
Mohawk52 wrote:
joel_s95387 wrote:
Why does seperating two fingers mean peace?
It was a gesture assimilated by the "Hippies" of the late 60's from the V for Victory sign.


It actualy dates back a little futher than that. During of course WW2 Sir Winston Churchill used the two fingures as a sign of peace.

http://www.winstonchurchillbc.org/directors.htm

space
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