Ask John: What are Reifus?

Question:
Have you seen Sailormoon? In some episodes, Rei (Sailor Mars) uses a kind of paper with kanji written on it. When the paper is used, it turns the enemy into ashes. Also, I’ve seen a lot of these papers in Devil Hunter Yoko. What do they mean? Do they have a special meaning about Japanese culture?

Answer:
The rectangular slips of parchment used in lots of supernatural anime including Silent Mobius, Ghost Sweeper Mikami, Inuyasha, Yugen Kaisha, Shadow Skill (the TV series), Yakusai Kochou (Demon Hunter Kocho) and more are called “reifus.” They are simply what they appear to be- magic spells captured on paper, released at the command of the user. It’s not uncommon in Japanese tradition to write prayers on paper or small wooden “ema” and leave them at temples. It’s only a small step away to fictionalize magic spells of containment or attack written on paper.