Ema are small wooden talismans on which people write prayers. These votive talismans can occasionally bear pictures instead of words, and they can occasionally be very big — though in the case of Tokyo's Sensoji Temple, a large ema hasn't been offered in nearly 100 years. That changed today when YAIBA: Samurai Legend and Case Closed manga creator Gosho Aoyama unveiled a massive YAIBA: Samurai Legend ema at the shrine. RELATED: YAIBA: Samurai Legend Anime Prepares for Second Cour with Cast Announcements, New Opening and Ending Theme Songs Aoyama presented the plaque today ("8/18" can be read as ya-i-ba ), accompanied by comedy duo Gerrardon and Sensoji Temple director Yujun Moriyama. The massive art piece was drawn in marker, and Aoyama described having to work over a table while avoiding touching the carvings on the ema's edges. Here's a picture of Aoyama (accompanied by Yaiba) next to the ema for scale: RELATED: YAIBA: Samurai Legend Anime Cour 2 Powers up with Creditless Opening, Ending Videos The plaque will be on display to the public from August 19 until the end of September. After that, it will be moved to the temple's Ema Hall, where it will be preserved alongside ema offered by famous artists and historical figures. Re-adapting the Gosho Aoyama manga that ran from 1988 to 1993, Takahiro Hasui ( Mob Psycho III ) directs YAIBA: Samurai Legend at WIT Studio, with Toko Machida ( Kemono Michi: Rise Up ) on series composition, Yoshimichi Kameda ( Mob Psycho 100 ) on character designs and chief animation direction and Yutaka Yamada ( VINLAND SAGA ) and Yoshiaki Dewa ( Hell's Paradise ) on music. YAIBA: Samurai Legend is currently streaming on Hulu and Netflix. The official website's introduction section describes the story: The protagonist, Yaiba (Kurogane Yaiba), is a wild samurai boy who trains in the jungle with his father, Kenjuro! By chance, Yaiba returns to Japan, where he meets his rival Takeshi Onimaru, who has the same samurai spirit as Yaiba, in a new training ground. Yaiba is living a life of serious competition, but when Onimaru obtains the “Legendary Demon Sword”, he is on a journey full of spectacle and great adventure…! Source: Comic Natalie
