Sections
Shinigami (死神): what it means in anime
死神
しにがみ · shinigami · god of death; Death Not on JLPT lists
Shinigami means "god of death" or "death spirit": 死 (death) plus 神 (god). Bleach's soul reapers, Death Note's Ryuk and Soul Eater's headmaster are all 死神.
Where you hear it 3 of 42 series
Lines from the Japanese subtitles of episodes 1–3 of each show. A translation is shown only when it clearly matches the line; counts are subtitle lines containing the word.
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Bleach · 30 lines in episodes 1–3 · this one from episode 1
死神のにおいと共に 近くに…With the smell of the god of death nearby...
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Soul Eater · 25 lines in episodes 1–3 · this one from episode 1
期待してろよ 死神様Expect the best from us, Lord Death.
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Death Note · 25 lines in episodes 1–3 · this one from episode 1
実際 今の死神っていうのは暇でね
Usage and nuance
Each show gives the word a different shape. In Bleach, 死神 are an organised force guiding souls and fighting hollows, translated as Soul Reapers. In Death Note they are bored monsters who drop notebooks. In Soul Eater the 死神 runs a school.
The folklore figure is young by Japanese standards, borrowed partly from the Western Grim Reaper, which is why anime feels free to reinvent it.
Outside fiction, 死神 can be a dark nickname for someone who brings bad luck, and in card games it is the Death card.
Hear 死神 in Bleach30 lines in episodes 1–3 · tappable subtitles · free, no account