Does anyone know the origin of Swanchika?

[SEVA]

I'm just wondering what the origin of the name 'Swanchika' is.

Of all of the Jugdral legendary weapons, Awakening renamed two - Ichival to Yewfelle and Swanchika to Helswath. All of the other weapons were fairly recogniseable mythological weapons, so they stayed as they were.

I recently discovered that Ichival was in fact named after a mythological weapon - a bow owned by Odin, more commonly spelled 'Ichaival', but that is fairly obscure knowledge so I can understand that Awakening's translation team missed that.

That leaves only Swanchika, but a quick scour of the internet yielded no results on that. Does anyone have any idea as to what the weapon was originally named after?

[Rapier]

It was inspired by the swastika (not Hitler's symbol, which IS based in the original swastika). The symbol apparently depicted Thor's hammer. I think that is why they changed the name, as well.

Info.

The Meaning of the Swastika

The meaning of the swastika, then, seems to have been the same as that of Thor’s hammer. Being hallowed with this symbol made the consecrated person or thing holy, lucky, safe, and prosperous.^[8] In spells, especially runic inscriptions, the presence of the swastika/sunwheel/hammer heightened the potency of the spell.^[9] The swastika was the quintessential and mightiest Germanic “good luck charm,” and was believed to take its bearer from one state of being – that of chaos, the mundane, and weakness – to another – that of sacred order and strength. In its many forms it seems to have been as central to the pre-Christian religion of the Germanic peoples as the cross was (and is) in Christianity.

Edited July 16, 2015 by Rapier

[Gomez_Addams]

It was inspired by the swastika (not Hitler's symbol, which IS based in the original swastika). The symbol apparently depicted Thor's hammer. I think that is why they changed the name, as well.

Info.

Seems kind of a stretch to me, especially considering there's already a weapon named after Thor's Hammer. Also, I've seen some pretty bad engrish in my time, but turning swastika into Swanchika?

[Person123]

All I know is that Swanchika sure is fun to say.

[Rapier]

Seems kind of a stretch to me, especially considering there's already a weapon named after Thor's Hammer. Also, I've seen some pretty bad engrish in my time, but turning swastika into Swanchika?

The name is very similar (switch the n for s and you've got swaschika or swastika. Sometimes ch is used instead of t, and vice-versa, like Tiki and Chiki, which was an issue with translating her name before IS confirmed Tiki), and the source says the swastika was also used to represent Thor's Hammer, Mjolnir. I think it is likely.

All I know is that Swanchika sure is fun to say.

Swan Girl is possible, since Squid Girl exists.

wait, that's princess tutu

Edited July 17, 2015 by Rapier

[Tetragrammaton]

I hate stupid localization, and all the fan translations that follow the same stupid logic

[Radiant Dragon]

Seems kind of a stretch to me, especially considering there's already a weapon named after Thor's Hammer. Also, I've seen some pretty bad engrish in my time, but turning swastika into Swanchika?

Pretty sure Swanchika never had an official English translation before Awakening (which changed it to Helswath) though, correct? I have no idea if the Japanese spellings are different, but the connection doesn't seem like much of a stretch to me (especially considering the game was made after WWII).

[Gomez_Addams]

The name is very similar (switch the n for s and you've got swaschika or swastika. Sometimes ch is used instead of t, and vice-versa, like Tiki and Chiki, which was an issue with translating her name before IS confirmed Tiki), and the source says the swastika was also used to represent Thor's Hammer, Mjolnir. I think it is likely.

Swan Girl is possible, since Squid Girl exists.

wait, that's princess tutu

But there's already a weapon in the game called Mjolnir. All the other holy weapons have different origins from each other; why is this one different?

[Original Alear]

But there's already a weapon in the game called Mjolnir. All the other holy weapons have different origins from each other; why is this one different?

Because Reptor and Langobalt were allies in gen 1.

EDIT-I actually don't feel particularly persuaded about the swastika thing, I'm just saying what came to my mind.

Edited July 17, 2015 by Severian

[Ϲharlie]

I'm not convinced by the swastika theory either. For one, it's important to remember that the symbol we call the swastika is over 12,000 years, and it has gone by many different names and symbolized many different things over the millennia. The word swastika is actually Sanskrit in origin. The people who used it to depict Thor's hammer did not call it a swastika if they even had a name for it at all. Moreover, the swastika is not an uncommon symbol in Asian countries, where it is generally more closely associated with Hinduism and Buddhism. It seems rather unlikely that someone would knowingly name a weapon after a Sanskrit word in a game that was heavily influenced by Celtic and Norse mythology.

[Rapier]

For one, it's important to remember that the symbol we call the swastika is over 12,000 years, and it has gone by many different names and symbolized many different things over the millennia. The word swastika is actually Sanskrit in origin.

Ok, but I don't see how this is a contradiction?

The people who used it to depict Thor's hammer did not call it a swastika if they even had a name for it at all.

Maybe we call it swastika today (for reasons I don't know about), but that symbol, as the source I cited said (it might be wrong, I admit), used to represent Thor's hammer. Maybe it did symbolize more things, and maybe it was relative to the culture the symbol was used on, but the link says one of the meanings was Thor's hammer.

Moreover, the swastika is not an uncommon symbol in Asian countries, where it is generally more closely associated with Hinduism and Buddhism. It seems rather unlikely that someone would knowingly name a weapon after a Sanskrit word in a game that was heavily influenced by Celtic and Norse mythology.

It could be a common symbol in Asian countries, have a different meaning in Asian countries, but mean Thor's hammer in norse culture, as the link says. Also, for the latter part, maybe Kaga did not know it was a sanskrit word, and associated the swastika with norse culture as any amateur would? It is by far the most known example (I blame Hitler).

Well, too many suppositions of my part and no evidence. That's lame. What does the kanji for swanchika say? Maybe we can try to understand what the translator thought, and see why it was translated as swanchika.

[NoNameAtAll]

It was inspired by the swastika (not Hitler's symbol, which IS based in the original swastika). The symbol apparently depicted Thor's hammer. I think that is why they changed the name, as well.

Info.

The original swastika was a manji if I recall correctly. At least in Japan.

[CT075]

What does the kanji for swanchika say?

スワンチカ

"su-wa-n-chi-ka"

it's in katakana (aka it's spelled out phonetically; those characters have no actual meaning) which implies that it's of foreign origin but that's about it

Edited July 19, 2015 by CT075

[Shin]

スワンチカ

"su-wa-n-chi-ka"

it's in katakana which implies that it's of foreign origin but that's about it

I've done a little googling and I can't find any sort of weapon in Norse or Irish mythology with a name even remotely similar to it. Either the name's been changed beyond recognition or there's something that a non-Japanese speaker wouldn't get.

[Ϲharlie]

Ok, but I don't see how this is a contradiction?

Maybe that's because I wasn't pointing out a contradiction?

Maybe we call it swastika today (for reasons I don't know about), but that symbol, as the source I cited said (it might be wrong, I admit), used to represent Thor's hammer. Maybe it did symbolize more things, and maybe it was relative to the culture the symbol was used on, but the link says one of the meanings was Thor's hammer.

It was also used to represent the sun and Odin. So which is it? Thor's hammer, the sun, or Odin?

It could be a common symbol in Asian countries, have a different meaning in Asian countries, but mean Thor's hammer in norse culture, as the link says. Also, for the latter part, maybe Kaga did not know it was a sanskrit word, and associated the swastika with norse culture as any amateur would? It is by far the most known example (I blame Hitler).

Most laypeople in my experience aren't aware that the swastika ever represented anything other than Naziism. It seems rather odd that Kaga would have knowledge of something as obscure as the swastika representing thor's hammer (along with many obscure Norse and Celtic myths) but not know that swastika is not a Norse term. Why not use the old Norse term sólarhvél instead?

Either the name's been changed beyond recognition or there's something that a non-Japanese speaker wouldn't get.

Or it could just be a made up name. To my knowledge, Neir has no known mythological references either.

[王小小]

ここは、PukiWikiを利用して『ファイアーエムブレム』（FE）シリーズに登場する

人物、国、地域、武器、道具などの名称の由来（元ネタ）を事典の形にまとめるサイトです。

Found this Japanese wiki that talks about the origins of the names of people, countries, places, weapons, and items in the Fire Emblem games.

This page seems to suggest that weapon Swanchika comes from the Sanskrit "svastika" which is called "manji" in Japanese.

スヴァスティカ【 स्वस्तिक （svastika）】　（サンスクリット語）

仏教で用いられる吉祥の記号「卍」。

日本では「まんじ」という。

ちなみにナチ党の党章「ハーケンクロイツ」は「卐」でありいわゆる「逆まんじ」である。

Of course, the true origin of Swanchika is still speculation without direct confirmation from the creators of FE4.

[Tamanoir]

I'm just wondering what the origin of the name 'Swanchika' is.

Of all of the Jugdral legendary weapons, Awakening renamed two - Ichival to Yewfelle and Swanchika to Helswath. All of the other weapons were fairly recogniseable mythological weapons, so they stayed as they were.

I recently discovered that Ichival was in fact named after a mythological weapon - a bow owned by Odin, more commonly spelled 'Ichaival', but that is fairly obscure knowledge so I can understand that Awakening's translation team missed that.

That leaves only Swanchika, but a quick scour of the internet yielded no results on that. Does anyone have any idea as to what the weapon was originally named after?

btw, what does Helswath refers too. ?

I always thought it was because Langobalt liked to beheads swans in his free time, so I have no damn idea.

Edited July 22, 2015 by Tamanoir

[Fëanen]

One strange thing I've stumbled upon is that the name appears in one place outside of FE:

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Dissidia_012_Final_Fantasy_Weapons#Axes

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Dissidia_012_Final_Fantasy/Translations#Weapons

Two possibilities occur. A) They're referring to the same mythological weapon (probably an axe) and every English-speaking FE fan has totally missed it somehow. B) Somebody on the Dissidia 012 Dev team is a big FE nerd like us and inserted an obscure reference. Either way, it's strange.

[Tetragrammaton]

http://us.battle.net/d3/en/profile/umbr30n-6311/hero/37193196

[Katie]

I'm betting it's a FE reference, given that it also features a lance called Reginleif, and since Reginleif is a Valyrie in Norse mythology, not a lance, I'm betting both Swanchika and Reginleif are subtle FE references. The other weapons shared with FE(Balmung, Tyrfing, Gae Bolg, Gungnir, etc.) are probably just coincidental though, considering that those are actual recurring weapons in the FF series, and the fact that those weapons are also those same types of weapons in the original mythology.

[Gomez_Addams]

btw, what does Helswath refers too. ?

I always thought it was because Langobalt liked to beheads swans in his free time, so I have no damn idea.

Well, "Hel" is the name of the underworld in Norse mythology, so it's probably related to that.

[Wanuska]

The design of the Swanchika is identical to the French Francisque double stylisée, a mythical axe used in 1940s Vichy Regime's coat of arms. Double stylisée means that a second cutting edge has been added.

It is a symbol of power and punishment, as a reference to the lictores from the Roman Empire, who used to execute the sentences of the court, like death penalty and torture.

The francisque was a typical weapon from the Francs, the people who founded our glorious nation, and only elite soldiers were able to wield it.

There is a very famous short story in the French folklore involving Charlemagne using a francisque, called Le vase de Soissons.

Check it out here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vase_of_Soissons

The tomahawk is a weapon directly inspired from this axe, and the fasces or faisceau in french is still used in our Republic's coat of arms, the double stylisée being replaced in order to avoid the sad memories of the Vichy Regime, who collaborated with the Nazi under Maréchal Pétain's rule.

This is not the first Weapon related to early Franch history, two other weapons, Durendal and Hauteclaire are from the Chanson de Roland

Edited November 29, 2015 by Wanuska