Aitenshi Densetsu Wedding Peach Notes
Hanasaki Momoko: hana-blossom, saki-future, momo-peach, ko-child
Child Peach Blossom of the Future
Momo is Japanese for peach. The peach blossom can mean I am your captive. In the Japanese Language of Flowers, the peach blossom is a flower for lovers and can mean happiness of love. It is also a symbol of virginity in Japan.
Anime Powers
Wedding Beautiful Flower, Angel Amour Peach
Amour is the French word for love.
Lovely Operation Tempete
Tempete is the French word for tempest. When Peach says this her bouquet turns into a candle. Burning candles are symbolic of God's light.
Saint Miroir Bridal Flash
Miroir is French for mirror.
Wedding Yuinou Gaeshi, Saint Crystal Love For You
Peach uses the Saint Crystal to purify energy, she exchanges negative waves for ones of love. The wand is a traditional symbol for a conductor of magic or energy. Yuinou is Japanese for engagement gift. These gifts are exchanged between the couple to be married. The bride receives an Obi, symbolizing her virtue, and a Hakama skirt to the future groom to represent fidelity. Besides these, nine additional items may be presented for fortune and happiness.
Manga Only
From the manga, her power Bridal Flash actually comes from her bouquet changing into the Sacred Camera.
Lovely Peach Tempest (creates a rain of peach blossoms while the person under Jama's control regains their loving memories)
Other
In her first transformation, she finds herself in the Western traditional white bridal gown and holding a bouquet of roses. White is the symbol of maidenhood and purity, and is representative of the bride. The bouquet represents fertility, life, and growth. The rose is symbolic of love.
Saint Something Old
Ring. In the anime, it symbolizes either family love or love from parents.
The ring has no end or beginning, thus it stands for eternal love. The third finger, left hand grew from an ancient belief. Once it was believed that the vein of love (vena amoris) ran through this finger directly to the heart. A ring on this finger was supposed to bind one's love so that it would not flow out. (Notice, that Momoko wears her ruby ring on this same finger). In Western tradition, the something old symbolizes the bride's tie to her family. She might wear the wedding dress or a piece of jewelry from her mother or grandmother. (Note, Momoko not only wears her mother's ring, but her dress as well at certain key points in the series).
Birthday
March 3-Hina Matsuri is celebrated on March 3. The name is translated as Doll Festival, but the day is also called Girls' Day. On this day, familys with young girls will display dolls costumed in the traditional dress of the emperor's court. The day is also called Jomi no Sekku.
Tanima Yuri: tani-valley, ma-space, yuri-lily
Lily of the Valley
The lily represents purity of the heart. The white lily symbolizes innocence. The day lily, in China, can stand for motherhood. If one dreams of the lily in the springtime, this foretells marriage and happiness. In marriage ceremonies of the Romans and Greeks, lilies were placed on the bride's crown for innocence and purity.
The lily of the valley can represent the return of happiness. In the Japanese Language of Flowers it is a flower of engagements, and can mean the promise of happiness.
Anime Powers
Saint Lipliner Lily Rainbow
The rainbow was symbolic of yin and yang to the Chinese. It has also been viewed as a bridge between Heaven and Earth.
Otome no Bridal Veil, Saint Strahl Stardust
The bridal veil symbolizes virginity, modesty, and youth (note otome no bridal veil translates to maiden's bridal veil). Supposedly, the tradition of wearing the veil may go back to the Goddess of Love, Ishtar. The vapors of the sea and earth covered her like a veil when she came to her beloved. Strahl is German for ray or beam, so her attack translates to Saint Ray/Beam of Stardust.
Saint Something Blue
Earrings. In the anime it is representive of nature.
The tradition of wearing something blue goes back to biblical days. Then blue stood for fidelity and purity. Usually, the bride today will wear a blue garter.
Side note: Yuri found the earrings in a tomb, and in the story they are supposed to have an association with nature. The tomb, symbolically, can stand for the womb of the earth.
In the manga, Yuri and the group find the item in vol. 3. In the graveyard near the school, they find the sculpted grave of Yuri's grandmother. Her grandfather studied abroad for a time and met a French girl who he fell in love with. Despite the fact it was frowned upon to marry a foreigner he did so all the same and lived a long life with her. In his sadness at her death, he spent his remaining time sculpting a loving likeness of her to stand over her tomb. From the love put into it, the second of the sacred something four came to rest and appears to Yuri.
Birthday
July 7: Tanabata is celebrated July 7. Traditionally, this festival is especially popular with young girls for the romantic theme of the story behind it. It is the Chinese legend of the parted lovers, the Weaver and Cowherd Star, or Vega and Altair.
Tamano Hinagiku: tamano-rare, hinagiku-daisy
Daisy of Rarity
The daisy is a symbol of childhood innocence and purity. Once, young girls used this flower to predict when they would marry. With eyes closed, they would pluck a handful of the flowers. When they opened their eyes, the number of flowers they held would determine the number of years until they married. It was good luck to dream of daisies in the spring or summer.
Anime Powers
Ai no Memorial Candle
The Unity Candle is a symbol of the joining of two individuals into one, separate but one, in the ceremony. It can also symbolize joining of two families and heritages in the wedding ceremony. And as candles do many times, it is a sign of light and love.
Saint Pendule Daisy Blizzard
Pendule is French for clock.
Saint Something Borrowed
Pendant. In the anime, it is representative of friendship.
Something borrowed is traditionally worn to remind a bride that family and friends remain with her. For luck in marriage, usually the object was worn in a wedding before. Hinagiku receives the pendant from a friend for remembrance in the anime and in the manga from her mother.
Birthday
Hinagiku's birthday is May 5. Kodomo no Hi is Children's Day or Boy's Day. Also called Tango no Sekku. Today it is used for all children, but before WWII the festival centered around boys. Parents will display carp streamers and symbols of strength on this day (such as a sword, samurai helmet, or armor).
Scarlet O'Hara: The famous heroine from Gone With the Wind. Her first love in the OAV Clark Oasis fits into this injoke as well, since his name Clark comes from Clark Gable who played Rhett, Scarlet's lover in the movie. In the manga her boyfriend's name is Dean Butler (from Rhett Butler). Additional information from Nao Yazawa's site Momo-yome: Scarlet's father in Tenshi-Kai named Butler, her mother's name was Vivian (Vivian Leigh was the actress who played Scarlet in the movie), and her younger brother was named Lee and a soldier (General Lee was the commander of the Southern army during the Civil War).
The red salvia flower can mean forever thine.
Anime Powers
The sword has long been symbolic of courage and strength. The flaming sword is an angelic symbol.
Saint Something New
Tiara. In the anime, this represents either the love between two people or it is a symbol for the future.
Traditionally, something new represents success for the bride in her new life and fortune for the future.
Birthday
Scarlet's birthday is November 3. Bunka no Hi or Culture Day was made a holiday to commemortate the ideals of the love of peace and freedom, the ideals of the Constitution of Japan.
Aphrodite
Greek goddess of beauty and love. She was considered one of the most beautiful of the goddesses. In Wedding Peach, Aphrodite rules Tenshi Kai and calls herself the goddess of love and beauty. She also happens to have long, blonde hair.
Celeste/Sakura
Sakura are cherry blossoms. They are not only the flower of Japan and a symbol for its culture, but a symbol of spring, purity, simplicity, and beauty. It also can stand for hope and new beginnings. April is the month when schools start the new year. Sometimes, the flower is given a tragic connation as well. Celeste's (French for celestial) human name is Sakura.
Etamine and Pistil
His name is French for stamen. Pistil's name is the same in both French and English
(Basic biology, but if you don't remember, these are the male and female reproductive parts of a flower).
Freesia
Freesias are representative of innocence. In the Japanese Language of Flowers, the freesia is a flower for weddings, and can mean immaculate.
Yanagiba Kazuya/Limone
yanagi-willow, ba-place, kazu-figure, ya-valley
Valley of the Willow or Willow in the Valley perhaps
Limone is both French and Italian for lemon. For weddings, the lemon verbena can mean faithfulness or unity.
Side note: Limoneads were nymphs of Roman and Greek myth that were guardian spirits of flowers and meadows.
Amano Takurou
ame-rain, no-field, takurou-?
Aquerda
"Latin aquor which has the form aquer which means to fetch water" (from Ian Miller)
Auros
Latin root for color of gold (Ian Miller)
Blitz
her name is German for lightning
Chispa
from vol. 4 of the manga, her name is Spanish for spark (she is one of Igneous' servants)
Donna
from the German "Donner" which means thunder in English (from David Webley)
Fuuma Yousuke/Viento
fuu-wind, ma-akuma/devil, yousuke-?
his family name-devil of the wind
viento-Spanish for wind
Igneous
Latin, of or characteristic of fire
Jura
pl. for jus, the Latin word for right [Law term]; also for Jurassic
Kachuussha
kachuu means in the fire or in the flames
Noctune
maybe from nocturne; in the manga Nocturne's family possessed a special bracelet that was a song amulet and with it she sang beautifully, after being betrayed by a beloved friend and having it stolen from her she became a demon
Patrid
Middle English for father (Ian Miller)
Petora
from Greek petros which means stone (Ian Miller)
Pluie
French for raindrops
Potamos
her name is Greek for river
Reine Devila/Averse
Reine Devila: French for Queen Devil
averse-downpour/shower (rain)
Uragano
Italian for hurricane (Ian Miller)
Wind Demon Tornade
French for tornado
Western Wedding Traditions
Bell
Symbol of summoning, they also announce a decisive moment. The bell's shape makes it representative of the vault of Heaven. In Wedding Peach, in the second season's opening credits we see the ringing of church bells. And Yousuke owns a tiny bell left to him by his father.
Bride on the Left
At the ceremony, the bride stands on the left and the groom on the right. The origin of this tradition is pretty funny. Once upon a time the groom might very well kidnap his intended. But of course, other men would have the same idea, so he'd have to hold her with his left and fend off those other guys with his sword in his right hand.
Garters
Like the bouquet, the garter is thrown, but in this case to the unmarried men. Whoever catches it, is thought to be the next to marry. It is worn above the knee, on the right leg. In the series, the fighter angels wear an armor garter on their right leg, above the knee.
Something...
Each heroine possesses an object based on the tradition of something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. For the symbolism of each object in traditional wedding custom as well as the form the objects take in possession of each girl.
The manga includes a slightly different version of the story of the Saint Something Four used in Wedding Peach. Originally an angel was married to her beloved and all came for the celebration. She wore white gloves from her mother (something borrowed), veil (something new), grandmother's pearl necklace passed through the generations (something old), and a blue ribbon tying the bouquet (something blue). The demons wanted to destroy the power of love and thus sought to destroy the Sacred Something Four, but the objects scattered and endowed their energy in new objects on Earth. And thus the four objects the four girls hold. In the anime, the four Saint Somethings simply take on the latter as they were once owned by a beautiful angel.
Toast
The toast sends good wishes, and a tradition says that the clinking of the glasses after will scare the devil away. The aitenshi toast with milk.
Tossing the Bouquet
Once, the bouquet was part of the wreath or garlands worn by the bride and groom. It represented happiness. Tossing the bouquet became an offshoot of tossing the garter. The unmarried girl who catches the bride's bouquet will be the next to marry. In the second opening credits, the girls throw their bouquets.
Wedding Cake
The Greeks once threw cakes at the couple (same as confetti), and the Romans (after the couple shared a piece) broke the remainder over the bride's head. The Victorians believed the Roman practice promoted fertility. Today, it is still regarded as a symbol of fertility. The cutting and sharing of the cake, represents sharing of happiness. Note the girls are sitting on a wedding cake during the first end credits for the series.
Japanese Wedding Traditions
Hakuun Kaikan
In episode 3 we see a wedding reception held at Hakuun Kaikan. Hakuun Kaikan is a well-known place for Japanese weddings and receptions. (from T.-G. notes)
Kakushi
In episode 51, the girls are talking about kakushi. The Tsuno Kakushi is a hood that hides the horns of jealousy. It is a sign of obedience.
Oiro-Naoshi
The ceremonial change of wedding gowns between the initial ceremony and the reception in a Japanese wedding. This can be a change from traditional garb to more modern dress. (from Techno-Girls notes) The aitenshi say "oiro-naoshi" when transforming from their bridal gown to their fighter angel outfit.
Cupid
In the commercial break screenshot. The name comes from the Latin for desire. He was the son of Venus and Roman god of love. His Greek equivalent was Eros. He is winged and uses his bow and arrows to shoot the heart to cause his victims to fall in love.
Kokoro
From TechnoGirls translator notes from v. 1: "There are two words for 'heart' in Japanese: 'shinzou,' the bodily organ, and 'kokoro,' the center of the spirit, which is located near the solar plexus. If you 'look into someone's heart' in Japan, you'd be peering into a place above their stomach, which is exactly what you see Peach doing using the Sacred Mirror."
Sei Hanazono Gakuen Middle School
The school's name translates to St. Flower Garden Academy Middle School
Tears of blood
Reine Devila sheds tears of blood after learning Etamine loves another. Blood is representative of divine life. It can also include the connotation of blood vengeance. Reine Devila started the wars out of jealousy and vengeance.
