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Monday, January 14, 2013

LuCiD MUD PV Analysis Part 2




LuCiD “MUD” – Part 2

(Part 1 can be found HERE)

When I first began this analysis, at least I assume that is what one can call it; I had not intended to continue it past the first posting. However, I felt it was required due to the amount of information that I would like to share. Putting every bit of information in just one post, I felt, would be too overwhelming.

The use of the Apple is a very old symbol that is believed to represent many things. The oldest example that I know is the story of the Garden of Eden in which the apple was a symbol of Temptation, Sin, and the Fall of Man. In Greek mythology it was the Golden Apple of Discord (believed by many to actually be an orange) that was fought over, ultimately leading to the Trojan War. I’m sure I was not the first think of the apple from the story of Snow White; an innocent gift that was intended to kill the one who ate it. However, in other beliefs it is thought to not be an ill omen but one representing fertility, immortality, reincarnation, youth, innocence, longevity, and knowledge (think Tree of Knowledge here). The apple is even considered a symbol of love and sexuality (especially when associated with the Greek Goddess, Aphrodite), the spherical shape of the apple said to represent the curvature of a woman’s breast and the core of the apple – when sliced in half - is the vulva.

In the case of LuCiD’s PV, I believe the apple is here to mainly represent temptation. A crazed individual tempted by the innocence of another as they lick their lips while eyeing the apple. I feel as if the solitary apple represents the girl lying in the middle of the forest. I believe it is safe to assume that she was murdered due to the red and black silhouette scene near the end of the video as well as the fact that when a single apple is shown, it is displayed in a somewhat sexually teasing manner. It is a twist of something wonderful and innocent that is being scrutinized and played with much like the young woman when chained and blindfolded.


Fan girls; you are welcome.


Now, what about the other two apples? Well, remember the two previous victims of the murderer, the two girls writhing and twitching around? I believe the two apples to be a symbol of their humiliation at the hands of this beast and as Ku lunges at one apple, mouth open, he is devouring their knowledge, their innocence, and their lives; at least this is what I take from it.

Ooo, that one looks tastier.


The fact that the apples are red (because yellow and green apples exist and are equally tasty) could possibly be a reference to the Japanese folk belief in which red is the embodiment of powers that create and sustain life. Also in Japanese folk lore, the color red is associated with protection from demons that may cause illness. Red scarves in particular are believed to shield children, fertility, and safe-guard oneself from illness.



So, why does Ryu have a red scarf? At first I honestly thought that he may have been paying homage to Steven Tyler, front man of Aerosmith, since he is known for having scarves tied on his microphone while performing. But then I noticed that the scarf is darkened on some parts, giving it an almost leopard print design. The red scarves that I know of at the various shrines are plain red scarves with no elaborate design on them, just simple yet beautiful. Perhaps this mottled scarf is a distortion of the aforementioned belief, turning something that one would usually trust into something with sinister intent.

One scene that I will admit that I still am stuck on and honestly am not sure what it is supposed to be:

Just…what are these?

I would love to say that the above are some kind of wiring or something but they seem to have some kind of connecting component in the middle. Being just a mangled mess, perhaps they are indicating that the three girls shown are not the only victims who share their fate; maybe they are just the most recent ones. It’s very hard to say (I apologize for not have a better quality shot) but I don't know. I could just be looking too deeply into this. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know in the comments.
As I review the last few screenshots that I do have, I am getting a feeling that perhaps this whole PV is just either a memory or a sick fantasy. Shown below, Yuto peers out through a concrete wall with the gated-barbed wire top, with a city in the distance. Could this merely be a compound in which the murders took place or is this person locked up in a federal prison? I am really not all that knowledgeable on the Japanese Penal System so I cannot be sure.



Two small scenes that pass quickly but definitely caught my eyes are those of the open safely pin and dripping blood. The safety pin is thought to date back to the 13 and 14 Century BC, in the form of a fibula, which was a sort of brooch. The purpose of the clasp on the pin serves to properly fasten the pin to whatever it is attached to as well as protect the user from being stabbed. In many traditions, safety pins are believed to protect fetuses from birth defects believed to be caused by solar eclipses. They are also seen as a symbol of unity and of personal protection.



Shown above, the safety pin is open, as well as bloodied, thus possibly signifying that whoever wore this is no longer safe, i.e. dead.
The dripping blood (shown before the red silhouetted scene) may illustrate the victim’s life fading away. It may also be a link to the emotional deterioration of the slaughterer, illustrating his further decline into insanity before, during, and after the slayings.



I will honestly say that I am still trying to decipher the last scene with Ryu and the swing. During this time, there are flashbacks to the blindfolded woman on the ground and him dragging her by the hair. Could this have occurred before her death?



Swings are (usually) regarded as a thing of childhood. I know I certainly remembering playing on the swing set at school as a child. It is a simplistic and innocent activity. Upon examining the swing, he violently jostles in about in agitation before grabbing it and angrily throwing in towards the tree. Could the drive to cause such violent acts on his prey be due to a hatred of childhood and innocence stemming from a traumatic event in his previous years? This would explain the choice to prey one young women and having them blindfolded while bound. It shows their lack of control of their own reality and life. They must have power over someone or something else that they see as insignificant and weak compared to themselves and take their life in an attempt to have more control on their own. 

What are your final thoughts?

By Akiterra

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