cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/68868025
Since quite a few years back, it’s been quite commonplace in fantasy anime and manga to represent casting magic as some kinds of 2D circles or geometric figures with patterns, possibly multiple ones, as in the image on the right (Frieren). I see this idea used in almost all – if not all – anime and manga now.
It hasn’t always been that way though. Older anime and manga used other and different kinds of representations, say from blinking stars (image on the left, Majokko Megu-chan) to smoke, or even just sound effects.
I’m just curious: does anyone have any info or links to share about how this “2D representation” came about and why it’s become so popular? Cheers!
Magic circles are all started in 13th century with Kabbalah, and then every kind of text on demon summoning featured esoteric letters arranged into a circle. What’s interesting is that the historical alchemy did not use magic circles, but invented a crap-ton of new symbols, subsequentlly adopted in texts on demon summoning.
Surprisingly, DnD does not mention magic circles at all, and in the old fantasy literature (Tolkien, Zelazny, Le Guin etc) the magic is more like voice commands to your Google Assistant, or instinctive abilities like breathing fire - no circles are necessary.
And I guess anime draws magic circles because they look good on screen. Overlord even stacks several circles for an impactful magical sphere.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabbalah
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_of_Solomon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lesser_Key_of_Solomon
Ok google, cast fireball.