"SHAMAN KING FLOWERS" is a sequel to the popular "SHAMAN KING" series, which ran in "Weekly Shonen Jump" until 2004. An anime adaptation is scheduled to air in January of next year, and is already a much talked about title. As this is a battle story, it makes use of a lot of technical terms. One term you'll want to know in particular is "Flower of Maze," which could be said to be the keyword at the heart of the story. In this article, we'll explain what exactly Flower of Maze is! If you've read the original, read this as a refresher, and if you haven't yet, read on as a primer!
About the Story
Hana Asakura, a junior high school student living in Funbarigaoka, is the son of Yoh Asakura and Anna Asakura (née Osorezan), and a thoroughbred shaman. He was expected to be the next head of the prestigious Asakura family, but with no opportunity to utilize his talents, Hana found his days extremely boring and frustrating. Then, two assassins appeared before him. His encounter with these two men, descendants of another Asakura family, the "Ura Asakura," thought to have vanished into the darkness of history, marks the beginning of a new battle: "Flower of Maze." A new story begins, starring Hana Asakura.
What is the Flower of Maze?
An important keyword in this work is "Flower of Maze" (FOM). It is also known as the "proxy war of the gods." If the "G8" Shaman Kings cannot reach an agreement at the "G8 Summit," a meeting of eight kings, a battle will be fought under set rules. This battle is the "Flower of Maze." In fact, it turns out that the Shaman King is merely a human, and that his actions are controlled by a being superior to him. It's unclear whether FOM has been held in the past, but it wasn't held in the previous series. However, it seems that it was decided to be held when Hao, the founder of the Asakura clan, became King, and preparations for FOM may have been underway behind the scenes in various places.
About the Battle
Unlike the battles in the previous series, FOM is a battle between Shaman Kings. As a result, factions that have never participated in a Shaman Fight will appear, as will the world's mastermind, and even the mastermind behind that mastermind. Gods and angels from various myths will also appear. The scale of the Shaman Fight is incomparable to that of the previous game, and even the Spirit of Fire, which was the most powerful spirit in the previous game, feels insignificant in this game. Some shamans even reincarnate specifically for FOM, and it is not uncommon for young children to be included in the participating teams.
Background of Flower of Maze
Flower of Maze is an event whose purpose is for the gods of Earth to decide Earth's management policies. Therefore, gods and spirits living on other planets cannot participate. Furthermore, many participants are forced to participate due to unavoidable circumstances. This is reflected in the fact that characters who were allies in the previous game have become enemies, and there are enemies who can understand the protagonist's feelings. To motivate these participants, a "Miraculous Reward" is provided, allowing members of the winning team to have one wish granted.
Summary of Flower of Maze
While there's still much mystery surrounding the Flower of Maze, it's a consistent theme throughout the series, so knowing about it will help you enjoy the story even more! There's still some time until the anime airs, so if you haven't read the original, why not check it out? That's all for today. Thank you for reading.
