Sakura in Japanese Pop Culture: Cherry Blossoms in Anime and Manga

The image of Sakura (cherry blossoms) invokes a sense of awe for many. While strikingly beautiful, cherry blossoms signify more than simply beauty in Japanese life. They also provide a reminder of how death and life are interwoven, along with the concept of rebirth. This flowering tree has become iconic in anime and manga storytelling because of the varied meanings behind the cherry blossom tree in Japanese culture.

Whether the cherry blossom anime is centered around the beautiful flowers or simply uses them as a catalyst throughout the story, it's challenging to deny their importance in these forms of entertainment.

Below, we dive into how including Sakura in anime and manga has altered the narratives told for the viewer and creator through an exploration of well-known Sakura anime and manga offerings.

The Enchanting Symbolism of Sakura

Understanding the importance of Sakura in anime and manga begins with a deeper understanding of the meaning behind these flowering trees. Each cherry blossom season, these ornamental cherry trees bloom for a short period, demonstrating how fleeting life can truly be.

Additionally, the short life span of the flowers on the cherry blossom trees provides insight into the cycle of life and death and how they intermingle. These trees also serve as a reminder of renewal and the start of the spring season annually. Their ephemeral beauty is also significant, as it has inspired various art and media throughout history. It continues to be present in Japanese arts and media to this day, including literature, paintings, anime, and manga.

As such, Sakura trees have come to represent specific messages in anime and manga as they sit as the background for various scenes. Often, the viewer will see cherry blossom petals floating to the ground when the protagonist is experiencing a myriad of events, including death, love, friendship, new beginnings, and other varied scenarios.

Iconic Anime with Cherry Blossom Flowers at Their Heart

Many famed anime shows and movies display cherry blossom imagery, thus enhancing the effect on the viewer by providing deeper meaning to scenes that contain these images. Below are examples of anime cherry blossom themes, each explored in varying manners.

Cardcaptor Sakura

Noting this anime under this category is essential, as its antagonist is named Sakura after the blossoming cherry trees. Even the beginning of the series delves into the concept of cherry blossoms, with an opening scene offering imagery of falling Sakura petals.

This imagery provided viewers with a preview of the importance of this flower in telling Sakura's story. Thus, it offers a symbolic presence, likely representing Sakura Kinomoto's hope and young age throughout her magical journey.

As a quick summary, this anime follows Sakura Kinomoto, a 10-year-old, as she unexpectedly discovers a book of magical cards (known as "The Clow"). After accidentally releasing the cards, she is charged by their keeper (Keroberos) with recapturing the magic cards.

5 Centimeters Per Second

Even the title of this anime is connected to Sakura tree flowers, as it is a reference to how quickly the petals fall from the branches. In this context, it is meant to discuss the slow pace of life amongst humans, specifically regarding interpersonal relationships.

What may seem like an untouchable relationship meant to last many years can easily become two strangers who were once a significant part of each other's lives. This slow drifting separation and fleeting moments between characters are similar to the slowness of the cherry blossom petals drifting.

This anime film follows the friendship of Tono Takaki and Shinohara Akari, two close elementary school classmates and friends. Once Akari moves away, their friendship slowly pulls apart due to obligations, changing interests, and distance. Like the Sakura blossoms, which initially sit in a cluster, the time has pulled apart these two once close friends.

Your Lie in April

One major theme behind this anime is a major symbol of cherry blossoms - the impermanence and shortness of life. Like the blooms offering temporary beauty, this story revolves around how beautiful, albeit short, life can be.

The blossoms represent other meanings throughout the storyline, as they signify the blossoming and wilting of relationships. This anime offers the story of Kaori Miyazono, a piano prodigy who finds it difficult to play after the death of his mother. Kosei Arima happens upon Kaori playing the piano beneath the cherry blossoms, providing a romantic background for their initial meeting.

Unfortunately, they meet under false pretenses, as Kosei is set up to meet Kaori on the premise of getting to know his friend romantically. In the end, it is revealed that Kaori has had feelings for Kosei the entire time, yet because of a deadly illness, she was not honest about her true feelings. Like the transitions of the flowers, the protagonists' feelings blossomed and wilted throughout this emotional journey.

Manga That Blossoms with Sakura

As with anime centered around Sakura, cherry blossom manga also exists. As such, it also provides important symbolism in written manga stories, further demonstrating its lasting impact on the arts.

Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura

This unique cherry blossom manga combines themes that are not typically portrayed together: romance and action. Crafted as a shojo manga intended for younger girls (12-18), this storyline keeps the reader's interest through exciting character roles, narratives, and an interesting setting.

This historical fantasy is set in a land before electricity, where life was relatively primitive compared to today's standards. Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura details the story of Sakura, a young girl who ends up being a yokai (supernatural entity/monster) in a realm filled with monsters and kings.

Once it is found out that Sakura is a yokai, the prince (Prince Oura) is tasked with ending her life. However, he falls in love with her upon meeting her. This arranged marriage provides a unique situation for Princess Sakura, as she is left to protect her yokai friends against evil spirits. All the while, she is reeling from the loss of multiple friends.

In this story, Sakura's name is significant, as it reflects the princess' destiny and inner turmoil. Like the Sakura blossoms, her life is filled with death, causing her to rebirth as she discovers her lineage, powers, and purpose.

Sakura as a Catalyst for Character Development and Plot Progression

While many manga and anime depict cherry blossoms as a pretty backdrop or perhaps set the scene for media by providing a timeline of events, in other storylines, it provides a deeper insight into the story. In many manga/anime, the appearance of Sakura trees and flowers clues readers/viewers into more subtle themes or alerts them to future arcs. For example, in "Your Lie in April," the falling Sakura petals provide insight into a potential romantic relationship between the characters.

In other anime shows, the symbolism of the cherry blossoms is meant to depict new beginnings for a character or amplify their feelings. For example, in the first episode of "Clannad", Tomoya Okazaki, the protagonist is feeling gloomy and expressing this sentiment through complaints about his life. During this scene, the colors in the background remain dreary, mirroring Okazaki's mentality (including the flowers on the cherry tree).

However, upon seeing another student, Nagisa Furukawa, the colors shift in Okazaki's world, returning to their normal vibrancy. No longer are the flowers dreary, now they are a bright pink and white color. In this case, seeing Nagisa prompted hope in Okazaki, which was reflected in the transition of colors in the scene.

Thus, this flowering tree often acts as a catalyst for character development, pivotal moments, and emotional depth through scenes of transformation and revelation.

The Cultural Impact of Sakura in Anime and Manga Globally

Prior to cherry blossoms appearing in mediums such as anime and manga, they were primarily scenes in other, more traditional art forms such as kimonos, paintings, drawings, etc. However, in the past few years, the meaning of the cherry blossom has spread to these more globally viewed mediums (manga/anime) as they have grown in popularity.

These once-niche art forms have become more widely available in the US and worldwide. Because of this, the fans have substantially grown, providing the ability for more discussions surrounding the meanings behind the inclusion of various themes and objects. Because of the higher visibility of these mediums, it has allowed those not previously intertwined with Japanese culture to delve into the traditions, myths, and stories that have been passed down for generations.

With these larger international audiences, manga and anime can spread Japan's cultural practices and values to even more people. Thus, continuing to keep Japanese culture alive. Additionally, this increased visibility has helped harbor a community that appreciates and understands the culture more. By spreading Japanese culture through popular media, Japan's traditions will remain intact for years to come.

Conclusion

The cherry blossom theme continues to appear in various media, most recently anime and manga, providing an even more layered storyline to these formats. By offering various meanings dependent on the occurring scene and enriching character narratives and arcs, the imagery of the cherry blossoms continues to provide a timeless appeal that can ignite emotions in viewers and readers regardless of age and gender.

Indulge in the magic of anime and manga-influenced by cherry blossoms and flower viewing by purchasing items from the Sugoi Mart Sakura collection. This selection of exclusive items is inspired by the same symbolic blooming cherry trees shown in famous anime and manga. Like their short life spans, these spring-season treasures are also only available for a short time.

Get your limited Sakura items from Sugoi Mart while you can, and enjoy them while you watch your favorite Japanese entertainment!