"Rin, Pyo, Tou, Sha Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen"

[Christopher Fiore]

Mystically inclined anime characters can sometimes be heard chanting this.
I think the most common is Hino Rei, who uses it with her ofuda and (iirc)
while scrying in the fire at the Hikawa shrine. It also appeared in an
episode of Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi, and the OAV "Raven Tengu Kabuto."

Is the chant a specific spell, or is it a more general-purpose manta?
Does the phrase have any meaning, or is it just a nonsensical string of
syllables?

[Ethan Hammond]

Post by Christopher Fiore
Is the chant a specific spell, or is it a more general-purpose manta?
Does the phrase have any meaning, or is it just a nonsensical string of
syllables?

It is a secret shinobi/ninja chant. Like NIN!!!!
If you look up stuff under ninja's in google you
should be able to find out what they all mean.
For I have forgotten.

--
All Purpose Cultural Randomness
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/apcr/index.html

[Kosher Pickle]

Post by Ethan Hammond

Post by Christopher Fiore
Is the chant a specific spell, or is it a more general-purpose manta?
Does the phrase have any meaning, or is it just a nonsensical string of
syllables?

It is a secret shinobi/ninja chant. Like NIN!!!!
If you look up stuff under ninja's in google you
should be able to find out what they all mean.
For I have forgotten.

Right! If you play Samurai Warriors for the PS2, there are multiple
instances of Hattori Hanzo using the chant. When he does it, it opens
up doors, so I don't recall if that's what it's used for...

Apparently, Rei from _Sailor Moon_ also uses the chant when she's doing
the priestess gig.

Interesting article I found by googling for "retsu zai zen":

http://www.bujinkan-france.net/bjk/article.php3?id_article=144

[Ethan Hammond]

Post by Kosher Pickle
Right! If you play Samurai Warriors for the PS2, there are multiple
instances of Hattori Hanzo using the chant. When he does it, it opens
up doors, so I don't recall if that's what it's used for...
Apparently, Rei from _Sailor Moon_ also uses the chant when she's doing
the priestess gig.
http://www.bujinkan-france.net/bjk/article.php3?id_article=144

And Hayabusa says them all in one of his victory poses in DOA3,
maybe he says them in Ninja Gaiden as well.

--
All Purpose Cultural Randomness
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/apcr/index.html

[Julian Fong]

Post by Ethan Hammond
And Hayabusa says them all in one of his victory poses in DOA3,
maybe he says them in Ninja Gaiden as well.

I don't think he says them in Ninja Gaiden, but there is a meter in the
inventory that looks like the kuji, and one of the characters is filled
in each time you collect a Life of the Gods. When all nine are filled
in, you get more health capacity.

[Ethan Hammond]

Post by Julian Fong

Post by Ethan Hammond
And Hayabusa says them all in one of his victory poses in DOA3,
maybe he says them in Ninja Gaiden as well.

I don't think he says them in Ninja Gaiden, but there is a meter in the
inventory that looks like the kuji, and one of the characters is filled
in each time you collect a Life of the Gods. When all nine are filled
in, you get more health capacity.

And if you download the special expansion pack you can fight
neko mimi kunnoichi!!!!

--
All Purpose Cultural Randomness
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/apcr/index.html

[Xelloss]

Post by Christopher Fiore
Mystically inclined anime characters can sometimes be heard chanting this.
I think the most common is Hino Rei, who uses it with her ofuda and (iirc)
while scrying in the fire at the Hikawa shrine. It also appeared in an
episode of Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi, and the OAV "Raven Tengu Kabuto."
Is the chant a specific spell, or is it a more general-purpose manta?
Does the phrase have any meaning, or is it just a nonsensical string of
syllables?

I couldn't give you specific details on the meaning behind it, but I
know the mantra is a general thing, something of a traditional mystic
ritual. It's commonly used in fictional "ninja magic", and the hand
positions that accompany it were likely the inspiration for the Chinese
Zodiac-based "hand seals" seen in Naruto. The mantra is also commonly
seen uttered by onmyouji, miko, or other mystical figures for various
purposes.

[Nodoka]

It seems to be an actual incantation used in onmyoujutsu. (Add Doomed
Megalopolis and something CLAMP, either Tokyo Babylon or X, to the list.
The nine characters might also be the ones used in Rei's Burning Mandala
attack, though I'm not certain of that.)

Interestingly, although anime versions of the Nine Characters are always
performed in a circle, the two more-or-less serious articles I've found
describe it as being done in the form of a cross or a 3x3 square. I say
more-or-less serious because the one at
http://www.bujinkan-france.net/bjk/article.php3?id_article=144 has some very
odd theories. It sounds like it's related to "magic squares" (google
"sator" if you're curious).

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[Manbow Papa]

Post by Christopher Fiore
Mystically inclined anime characters can sometimes be heard chanting this.
I think the most common is Hino Rei, who uses it with her ofuda and (iirc)
while scrying in the fire at the Hikawa shrine. It also appeared in an
episode of Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi, and the OAV "Raven Tengu Kabuto."
Is the chant a specific spell, or is it a more general-purpose manta?
Does the phrase have any meaning, or is it just a nonsensical string of
syllables?

"Kotodama" [word's spirit] is a belief that a word itself has
a power to make something happen. I don't know the origin
of this blief, but I reckon its root is in various Vedas in Hinduism.
Veda is a collection of spells and lore for medicine, healing,
defeating an enemy etc. established 4,000 - 5,000 years ago.

In a fight, those chanting words like "rin" [circle], "tou" [fight],
"retsu" [extreme], "zan" [cut] etc. are "on-yomi" [chinese sound]
of corresponding Kanji that a speaker wants to happen to defeat
an enemy. An onmyoji or a kind may also use Sanskrit orign words
that many don't understand because, I think, you can make a
counter measure if you recognize what the enemy try to spell
on you.