

I noticed that red apples seem to have symbolic meaning in Anime and I wonder
if it is in line with western interpretations.

**Erased** : After waking up in the hospital, Satoru's nemesis Yashiro sits
besides his bed and peels a red apple.

**AnoHana** : When Jinta's mother explains the concept of reincarnation to
Menma, she peels a red apple.

**Death Note** : Well... Ryuks favorite food and he's a Shinigami, a death
god...

So yea, common theme, must have to do with death.

From what I gather, a typical western interpretation, among others (e.g. sin)
is rebirth, which does fit the bill regarding the first two examples and to
some extend also the third.

So my question: Is it what it seems or is there yet another meaning attached
in eastern symbolic that I don't know of?


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death-note anohana erased
Symbolic meaning red apples


Forbidden fruit - Death Note makes many references to Christianity. The apple
is popularly thought to be the forbidden fruit in Genesis, which the snake
told Eve would make her smarter, open her eyes, and elevate her to the status
of God. ... Eating the apple was the Original sin and the first symbol of
temptation.

[Here](https://www.quora.com/In-Death-Note-what-is-the-significance-of-apples)
is an answer to a similar question.

Many anime use this symbolic meaning of apples.

Hopefully that answers your question :)


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I don't have a copy on hand to check, but according to the Death Note Wiki:

_" in Death Note 13: How to Read, Tsugumi Ohba states that there was no
underlying reason for his choice of apples. He is quoted as saying that he
liked the way the red apples contrast with Ryuk's dark appearance."_

So so much for that idea. Doesn't surprise anyone.

A lot of the time authors of popular fiction put something in their book
because they thought it sounded or looked good or it was something that
reminded them of a friend or family member and the moment the reviewers,
critics and teachers get hold of it it becomes some awesome symbol of death or
evil or whatever.

But even though the apple symbolism turns out to be readers' bias rather that
author intent, Death Note stil has tons of symbolism to discuss, most notably
the ubiquitous doves and crows ...


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All of these references point to similar ideas. Erased, Anohana and Death Note
all have similar plot lines dealing with death:

[Erased](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5249462/)

> 29 year old Satoru Fujinuma is sent back in time 18 years to prevent the
> events leading to his mother's death, which began with a series of
> kidnappings in his 5th grade year.

[Anohana](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1913273/)

> Five childhood companions reunite when the ghost of their dead friends
> appears, and demands they grant her final wish.

[Death Note](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0877057/)

> An intelligent high school student goes on a secret crusade to eliminate
> criminals from the world after discovering a notebook capable of killing
> anyone whose name is written into it.

Apples represent a few things in myth and fiction, one being death and the
other being rebirth--usually in the form of having your eyes opened (revealed
knowledge). A common one is from [Genesis
3:5](https://biblehub.com/genesis/3-5.htm):

> "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you
> will be like God, knowing good and evil."

The use of the apple also shows up in Disney films, one being Snow White,
where Snow White eats a poisoned apple. This type of common theme is called an
"[archetype](https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/archetype),"
or the perfect representation selected across time to convey an idea. These
types of ideas can be rooted in human biology and passed down through our
genes, the [apple specifically is one of those
ideas](https://youtu.be/SW1IDBMtA00?t=25). Human vision is precisely evolved
to detect danger(blood), ripe fruit as well as human sexuality _(blood in the
blushing of cheeks and red lips--also why sports cars are red, they're more
sexually appealing that way)_.

_**A BIT OF PRE-HISTORY LESSON**_

The specific correlation here is that humans evolved to detect danger through
acute color vision to see blood and death (red, like apples). Simultaneously
the acute vision lead to the ability to see time and look into the future
where you could possibly die. So humans started to store up food and gather
resources. Women couldn't always take care of themselves in history due to
child birth, so men did all of the hunter gather stuff. So what happens is
that men gained selection pressure through resources over women (best hunter
got the best women, survival). Simultaneously women had less danger to contend
with and evolved to convey sexuality (ripeness) through their skin, lips and
cheeks. This would appeal to hunter gatherers and the best hunters would flock
to the most sexually ripe women. Men also achieved this feat, in that
sexuality (ripeness) is correlated with fitness (ability to hunt).

Now when it comes to reproduction, the main function is to pass on your
genetics. So whomever holds genetic selection power can pass on their genetics
more easily. So if you were less visually appealing it usually correlated to
your ability to either provide (men) or reproduce (women).

This gave women sexual selection power over men in that they can decline men
the ability to pass on genes, e.g. death because their looks correlated to
their ability to gather resources. Which is important for childbirth and care.
This made men subconscious of their looks and abilities. Hence why in Genesis
Eve gives Adam the apple, she judged him and made him aware and self-
conscious.

This play between men and women was in essence what caused the awakening of
consciousness, ability to see death and the future as well as to see ripe
fruit. Hence the correlation between the different stories with women, apples
and death.

_**UTILIZATION OF ARCHETYPES**_

So when this sort of archetype is utilized in media in this manner it's
usually subconsciously being used to convey an idea that your physiology may
understand, but consciously you don't. That's why these shows are so
captivating, they have ideas rooted in their substructure that appeal to you
at your core and represent ideas spanning the entirety of human
evolution/existence.


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