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[[Image:Oni_matrix_overlays.png|thumb|right|214x172px|<center>What is the matrix?</center>]]
[[Image:Oni_matrix_overlays.png|thumb|right|214x172px|<center>What is the matrix?</center>]]
The '''"Oni matrix"''' is Bungie's name for a pattern of binary digits, [[wikipedia:Kana|kana]] and [[wikipedia:Kanji|kanji]] used recurrently as a background element in [[:Category:Promotional_art|promotional art]], [[:Category:Packaging_images|packaging]], [[:Category:Splashscreens|level splashscreens]], and even the [[:Image:Main_Title_Screen.png|Main Menu]]. It appears in animated form in Oni's [[Trailers|1999 trailer]]. It was likely inspired by "[[wp:The Matrix|The Matrix]]", which came out during Oni's marketing phase.<ref>"The Matrix" came out in early 1999, but the iconic [[wp:Matrix digital rain|"digital rain"]] visual was revealed somewhat earlier, in a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8e-FF8MsqU&t=2m25s late 1998 trailer].</ref>
The '''"Oni matrix"''' is Bungie's name for a pattern of binary digits, [[wp:Kana|kana]] and [[wp:Kanji|kanji]] used recurrently as a background element in [[:Category:Promotional_art|promotional art]], [[:Category:Packaging_images|packaging]], [[:Category:Splashscreens|level splashscreens]], and even the [[:Image:Main_Title_Screen.png|Main Menu]]. It appears in animated form in Oni's [[Trailers|1999 trailer]]. It was likely inspired by "[[wp:The Matrix|The Matrix]]", which came out during Oni's marketing phase.<ref>"The Matrix" came out in early 1999, but the iconic [[wp:Digital rain|"digital rain" visual]] was revealed somewhat earlier, in a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8e-FF8MsqU&t=2m25s late 1998 trailer].</ref>


A distinctive feature of Oni's "matrix" is the non-random meaning of the Japanese symbols, which was deciphered by dedicated fans over the years. Digest results of that research are presented below (a detailed historical account is available [[/Translation_effort|HERE]]).
A distinctive feature of Oni's "matrix" is the non-random meaning of the Japanese symbols, which was deciphered by dedicated fans over the years. Digest results of that research are presented below (a detailed historical account is available [[/Translation_effort|HERE]]).
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*'''shin-rai ni atai-su-ru hito i-na-i''' <span style="background:rgb(255,0,255); border-radius:0.33em; padding:0.25em">'''信頼に値する人いない'''</span> : literally "[there is] no one worthy of trust", likely intended to mean "no one left to trust" (the third tagline);
*'''shin-rai ni atai-su-ru hito i-na-i''' <span style="background:rgb(255,0,255); border-radius:0.33em; padding:0.25em">'''信頼に値する人いない'''</span> : literally "[there is] no one worthy of trust", likely intended to mean "no one left to trust" (the third tagline);
*'''fu-ru ko-n-ta-ku-to a-ku-shi-yo-n''' <span style="background:rgb(0,255,255); border-radius:0.33em; padding:0.25em">'''ㇷルコンタクトァクシヨン'''</span> : a katakana transcription of "full contact action" (one of Oni's [[Oni/Positioning|Unique Selling Points]]);
*'''fu-ru ko-n-ta-ku-to a-ku-shi-yo-n''' <span style="background:rgb(0,255,255); border-radius:0.33em; padding:0.25em">'''ㇷルコンタクトァクシヨン'''</span> : a katakana transcription of "full contact action" (one of Oni's [[Oni/Positioning|Unique Selling Points]]);
*'''i-i kei-kan / waru-i kei-kan''' <span style="background:rgb(0,255,0); border-radius:0.33em; padding:0.25em">'''良い警官 / 悪い警官'''</span> : "good cop" / "bad cop" (likely a reference to the ambiguity of the [[Oni/Early_Story|early story]])<ref>As the streamer wraps around, you actually get a contiguous 悪い警官良い警官, i.e., "bad cop good cop" instead of "good cop" / "bad cop".</ref>;
*'''i-i kei-kan / waru-i kei-kan''' <span style="background:rgb(0,255,0); border-radius:0.33em; padding:0.25em">'''良い警官 / 悪い警官'''</span> : "good cop" / "bad cop" (a phrase used in [[Oni/Early_Story|Oni's early story]])<ref>As the streamer wraps around, you actually get a contiguous 悪い警官良い警官, i.e., "bad cop good cop" instead of "good cop" / "bad cop".</ref>;
*'''bu-ra-mu / ko-ru-ta-na''' <span style="background:rgb(255,165,0); border-radius:0.33em; padding:0.25em">'''ブラム / コルタナ'''</span> : "Blam" / "Cortana" (cross-marketing for the upcoming Halo; "Blam" was the codename for Halo as well as a [[Blam|general Bungie meme]]);
*'''bu-ra-mu / ko-ru-ta-na''' <span style="background:rgb(255,165,0); border-radius:0.33em; padding:0.25em">'''ブラム / コルタナ'''</span> : "Blam" / "Cortana" (cross-marketing for the upcoming Halo; "Blam" was the codename for Halo as well as a [[Blam (meme)|general Bungie meme]]);
*'''ko-ru-ta-na wa kuru ru yo''' <span style="background:rgb(192,192,192); border-radius:0.33em; padding:0.25em">'''コルタナは来るよ'''</span> : "Cortana is coming" (more cross-marketing)<ref>The '''ru る''' kana is superfluous here, i.e., it should be just '''wa kuru yo は来よ''', not '''wa kuru ru yo は来るよ'''.</ref>.
*'''ko-ru-ta-na wa kuru ru yo''' <span style="background:rgb(192,192,192); border-radius:0.33em; padding:0.25em">'''コルタナは来るよ'''</span> : "Cortana is coming" (more cross-marketing)<ref>The '''ru る''' kana is superfluous here, i.e., it should be just '''wa kuru yo は来よ''', not '''wa kuru ru yo は来るよ'''.</ref>.
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File:Oni_Comic_Issue_3_Inside_Cover.jpg
File:Oni_Comic_Issue_3_Inside_Cover.jpg
File:Notepad_4.jpg
File:Notepad_4.jpg
File:Windows_(RU)_box_art_-_front.jpg
File:Windows_(RU)_jewel_case_-_front.jpg
Image:Act_2_.MISSION_FAILED.png
Image:Act_2_.MISSION_FAILED.png
Image:Chapter_4_.MISSION_COMPLETE_(HD).jpg
Image:Chapter_04_.MISSION_COMPLETE_(HD).jpg
Image:Chapter_14_.MISSION_COMPLETE_(HD).jpg
Image:Chapter_14_.MISSION_COMPLETE_(HD).jpg
</gallery>
</gallery>
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File:Early_box_art.jpg
File:Early_box_art.jpg
File:Early_box_art2.jpg
File:Early_box_art2.jpg
File:Mac_(EU)_box_art_-_front.jpg
File:Mac_(UK)_box_art_-_front.jpg
File:Windows_(DE)_jewel_case_art_-_front.jpg
File:Windows_(DE)_jewel_case_art_-_front.jpg
</gallery>
</gallery>
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===Ghost in the Shell (1995)===
===Ghost in the Shell (1995)===
A possible inspiration for the "digital rain" in "The Matrix" is the opening titles of "Ghost in the Shell" (1995) ([https://youtu.be/iHil4Y4r3Wk?t=260 seen here]). In this case we are looking at a monochrome screen (hexagonal halftone) densely packed with lines of fixed-width characters (with slight height variations from one line to another). There are no letters or kana, and the digits are decimal rather than binary. Instead of scrolling, the digits are flickering in rapid succession, seemingly at random (patterns can be identified only by looking at snapshots). The opening titles' lines are gradually "extracted" from this rapid succession of digits, not unlike a [[wp:Split-flap_display|split flap display]].
A possible inspiration for the "digital rain" in "The Matrix" is the opening titles of "Ghost in the Shell" (1995) ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHil4Y4r3Wk&t=260s seen here]). In this case we are looking at a monochrome screen (hexagonal halftone) densely packed with lines of fixed-width characters (with slight height variations from one line to another). There are no letters or kana, and the digits are decimal rather than binary. Instead of scrolling, the digits are flickering in rapid succession, seemingly at random (patterns can be identified only by looking at snapshots). The opening titles' lines are gradually "extracted" from this rapid succession of digits, not unlike a [[wp:Split-flap_display|split flap display]].


Since Oni's 1999 trailer specifically uses the sliding matrix columns as a background for titles (with titles seemingly emerging from the flowing data), it is possible that the GitS opening had a direct influence as well.
Since Oni's 1999 trailer specifically uses the sliding matrix columns as a background for titles (with titles seemingly emerging from the flowing data), it is possible that the GitS opening had a direct influence as well.


===Meteo (1990)===
===Meteo (1989)===
Meteo is an old Hungarian thriller. It is far lesser-known than "The Matrix" or GitS, but it has an [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpuijKR-054&t=1m50s interesting scene] with a perplexed coder staring at pages of cryptic data. Some of the code uses densely packed characters from the extended ASCII table, flickering at random, and visually similar to Matrix code.  
[[wp:Meteo (film)|Meteo]] is a Hungarian science-fiction art film. It is far lesser-known than "The Matrix" or GitS, but it has an [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpuijKR-054&t=1m50s interesting scene] with a perplexed coder staring at pages of cryptic data. Some of the code uses densely packed characters from the extended ASCII table, flickering at random, and visually similar to Matrix code.


==Notes==
==Notes==
Retrieved from "https://wiki.oni2.net/Special:MobileDiff/33431...44398"