Why Do You Always Kill Gods in JRPGs?

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Why Do You Always Kill Gods in JRPGs?

If you've ever played a Japanese Role Playing Game, or JRPG, you've likely encountered this trope before -- why exactly is the final boss, or secret mastermind, always some kind of evil god? Is there a reason for this trope beyond the obvious? Why is the evil god often some kind of alien?

Let's take a very deep dive into Japanese history together, and figure out this mystery together. We will start with the roots of Japanese religion in Ancient China, move through the conflict-filled religious history of Japan, and then finally conceptualize a historical religious cycle now coming to a climax in the contemporary experiences of the Japanese people, as expressed through the medium of video games.

This is the first video I've made over an hour, and so there are a few hiccups in audio here and there! Please excuse this first experiment: I will strive to improve the quality for you, as more videos of this nature are released.
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Chapters:
00:00 - Spoiler Alert
00:17 - Intro, God-Slaying in JRPGs
02:28 - Sponsored by NordPass Business
03:43 - Intro, Pt. 2, Western Games vs. Eastern Games
05:02 - Roots of Japanese Religion in Ancient China; Immortality
11:14 - Japanese Religious History Introduction
14:32 - The Historical Cycle of Religious Conflict, Buddhism vs. the State
21:18 - The West Reaches Japan, the Shogunate vs. Westernization
26:06 - Forced Westernization and the Rise of State Shinto
35:17 - Kokka Shinto and its Consequences for Japan
38:13 - Intermission: Summary of Japanese Cycle of Religious History
40:30 - Modern Perception of Religion in Japan, A New Deity Arises
43:40 - The Postwar Economic Miracle, Rise of Keiretsu
45:58 - What is a Keiretsu, the Mistubishi-Shinra Example, the Peak of the Bubble Era
53:51 - The Collapse of the Japanese Economy, Intro to the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan
56:21 - The China-LDP Example
58:45 - The Struggle of Japanese Life in a Stagnant Economy: A Cruel Angel Investor's Thesis
01:06:15 - Intermission 2: The Miyazaki Transition, Summary of Japanese Experience as it Pertains to Cycle of Religious History
01:07:41 - Application of Context to Video Games, FF7 Case Study
01:10:13 - Other JRPGs as Case Studies
01:11:40 - Persona 5 as a Case Study (SERIOUS SPOILERS)
01:13:48 - Kirby as a Case Study, Reminder Not to Get Too Conspiracy-Minded
01:15:42 - Other Japanese Media as a Case Study, Godzilla, Dragon Ball Z, Transition into East v. West Discussion
01:18:20 - Eastern vs. Western Religious Context, With Regards to Trope; Cultivation vs. Apotheosis
01:21:52 - Why Do JRPGs Borrow From Some Western Religious Themes Then? Norse Religion, Jewish Mysticism, Christian Gnosticism
01:25:34 - Japan as a Canary in the Coal Mine for the West
01:27:34 - Conclusion
01:29:48 - Post-Credits Gag


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Additional Reading:
To Be Added
(The description is breaking the character limit and I need to work on it)

All 63 Japanese Prime Ministers Sing Baka Mitai:
   • 歴代総理の駄目だね　All 63 Japanese Prime Minis...  

World Bank Warns of 'Lost Decade' for Global Economic Potential
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/27/bu...

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The Track List
Intro - The Brink of Time, Chrono Trigger
NordPass - Hip Shop, Deltarune
Intro Pt. 2 - Yearnings of the Wind, Chrono Trigger [SILVA GUNNER]
Ancient China - Medieval Mo Li Hua, Civilization 6
Ctnd. - Corridors of Time, Chrono Trigger
Intro to Japanese History - Secret of the Forest (JP Mix), Chrono Trigger [SILVA GUNNER]
Religious Conflict Cycle - Lufia 2 Battle Theme, Lufia 2
Ctnd. - To Far Away Times, Chrono Trigger
West Reaches Japan - Wind Scene, Chrono Trigger
Ctnd. - Zeal Palace, Chrono Trigger
Forced Westernization - Rufus's Welcoming Ceremony, Final Fantasy VII
Ctnd. - The Promised Land Cycle of Souls, FFVII Remake
Ctnd. - Battle Theme, Octopath Traveler
Kokka Shinto - Singing Mountain, Chrono Trigger [SILVA GUNNER]
Yes, that's the Russian national anthem playing over the Russo-Japanese War! I can't believe nobody discovered my silly joke!
Intermission - The Trial, Chrono Trigger
Modern Perception - Shining Beacon of Civilization, FFVII Remake
Ctnd. - Lurking in the Darkness, FFVII Remake
Postwar Economic Miracle - Anxiety, FFVII Remake
Keiretsu Intro. - Shrina's Theme, FFVII Remake

[Out of Characters!]

(The description is breaking the character limit and I need to work on it)

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Subtitles by: James Hugh
(Thank you, James!)