Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami (Japanese for "gods" or "spirits"). This article will discuss only the typical elements present in Asian mythology, such as the cosmogony, the important deities, and the best known Japanese stories.

Mainstream Japanese myths, as generally recognized today, are based on the Kojiki, the Nihon Shoki, and some complementary books. The Kojiki, or "Record of Ancient Matters", is the oldest recognized account of Japan's legends and history. The Shintōshū explains origins of Japanese deities from a Buddhist perspective, while the Hotsuma Tsutae records a substantially different version of mythology.

One notable result of Japanese mythology is that it explains the origin of the imperial family, and assigned them godhood. The Japanese word for the Emperor of Japan, tennō (天皇), means "heavenly emperor".

† Japanese names or terminology are not be transliterated consistently in all sources, on this, see: #Spelling of proper nouns

"The Man" is a slang phrase that may refer to the government or to some other authority in a position of power. In addition to this derogatory connotation, it may also serve as a term of respect and praise.

The phrase "the Man is keeping me down" is commonly used to describe oppression. The phrase "stick it to the Man" encourages resistance to authority, and essentially means "fight back" or "resist", either openly or via sabotage.

The earliest recorded use^{[citation needed]} of the term "the Man" in the American sense dates back to a letter written by a young Alexander Hamilton in September 1772, when he was 15. In a letter to his father James Hamilton, published in the Royal Dutch-American Gazette, he described the response of the Dutch governor of St. Croix to a hurricane that raked that island on August 31, 1772. "Our General has issued several very salutary and humane regulations and both in his publick and private measures, has shewn himself the Man." ^{[dubious – discuss]} In the Southern U.S. states, the phrase came to be applied to any man or any group in a position of authority, or to authority in the abstract. From about the 1950s the phrase was also an underworld code word for police, the warden of a prison or other law enforcement or penal authorities.

Crispin McDougal Freeman (born February 9, 1972) is an American voice actor. His roles have included Alucard from Hellsing, Kyon from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Shizuo Heiwajima from Durarara!!, Karasu from Noein, Togusa from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, as Holland Novak from Eureka Seven, Touga Kiriyu in Revolutionary Girl Utena, Zelgadis Greywords from Slayers, Straight Cougar from S-CRY-ed, Tsume from Wolf's Rain, Guan Yu from Dynasty Warriors, Siegfried Schtauffen from Soul Calibur III, Itachi Uchiha in Naruto, Rude from Final Fantasy VII, Albel Nox from Star Ocean: Till the End of Time, and Red Arrow in Young Justice.