The Ocarina of Time was my first Legend of Zelda game. Although the favourite spot went to Majora's Mask for me, the tale of sorrow and healing throughout the Zelda series takes a much more real and serious turn in Ocarina of Time that might be lost to people overseas! The major inspiration of Shintoism in the game. For those who don't know what Shintoism consists of, the term literally translates to "Way of the Gods". In Shintoism, Kamis are worshipped, Kami usually translated to God. This video has shown what an amazing job Ocarina of Time has done staying to Shinto roots and how the story of sorrow and healing is told in an entirely different way than in any other Zelda story.

So where does the story begin with symbolism? In the very beginning with the Great Deku Tree. The tree that tells us of the creation story of Hyrule through the three Goddesses. Then upon leaving the forest you obtain the Ocarina being told that you can use it to speak to the spirits of the forest. Music is a huge part of honoring the gods in nature. The first part of the game is a heavy balance on spirits of nature with the first three dungeons being inside the Deku Tree (Nature), the second being inside Dodongo's Cavern, made up of bones of a dinosaur (Fire) and the third being inside the giant fish Jabu Jabu (Water). Shintoism is very heavy on nature and the gods that reside in them and we can see the beginning of sorrows of the damage Ganondorf is doing when the Great Deku Tree dies. The passing of the Forest Guardian. Through OoT, Link is trying to restore the natural order of balance that Ganondorf's curse is destroying.

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Let's look more into Shintoism to really get the message that OoT is playing on. Shintoism is the great love and respect for nature and for the people to remain in touch with Kami (also referred to as spiritual essence). The video linked above describes Princess Mononoke as a great representation of Shintoism and the battle against industrial and modernisation upon nature.

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Not only is the child-era defining in the elements through the dungeons, but through how each race is bound to these elements of nature. Kokiri are one with the forest, Gorons are one with the mountains, and Zora are one with the waters. There's a lot more that can be talked about in the child-era, but let's move on and if you're really interested in more, take a look at the video above!

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Above is the very first thing you see upon leaving the Temple of Time after being in a slumber for 7 years, as Ganondorf was able to make his wish and rule over Hyrule since you left. The result is catastrophic. Monsters infest the forest, the iconic Death Mountain is now erupting being ruled over by a dragon, Zora's Domain is frozen over and Lake Hylia is barren of water and dark spirits gather in Kakariko Village. In seven years nature and the order of it were completely corrupted. In Ganondorf's quest for greed to obtain complete mastery of the world, he places curses all over the world and nature retaliates in even more challenging monsters plaguing the land of Hyrule that aren't just from Ganondorf. Shintoism also believes that souls with unsettled disputes from their life will come back as dark spirits or ghosts. What do we see all throughout Hyrule Field? Zelda's classic ghost enemy, the Poe. Which also reside in the Graveyard and Forest Temple.

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If you notice as well the change in dungeons, as the child era they were created by nature, but these are much more manmade dungeons symbolizing the loss of nature under Ganondorf's rule. Now it is a Mansion, a Volcanic Temple, some underwater labrynth, a graveyard/torture chamber, and a desert temple. It is up to Link to restore the balance using music and weapons of great power that all seem to have some ancient importance to them. Every dungeon that is completed, Hyrule steps closer to being healed. A new Deku Tree is born in Kokiri, the eruptions of Death Mountain cease, Zora's Domain defrosts, Lake Hylia fills with water again, and the dark spirits plaguing Kakariko Village move on.

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Shinto also speaks of a land of the dead. Yomi. An Evil Realm that tries to drag people down from the land of the living. When Ganondorf is defeated at the end of the game, the Sage of Light calls upon the Gods to open the sealed door and trap Ganondorf within the Evil Realm. This is a representation of Yomi. Now, there's an entirely different story that goes along with Shintoism in Ocarina of Time and that is of age and growth. The 7 years that Link lost, but if you're really interested in that, I advise you take a listen to the video I linked above because he makes a much better and more captivating way of making these connections. It's really in depth at how Ocarina of Time is the saddest Zelda game that no one noticed and the masterpiece of its writing and story telling that was probably lost to you. Not only is the story of Link growing up much sadder than the Shinitoism story, but it's something we can probably all relate to. I'd recommend watching the video to see what a true masterpiece this game really is!