Torii - Protecting what is Sacred

Introduction
The piece serves as a tribute to the "innocent things"—life, culture, and nature—that are too often taken from us. Through this project, I hope to evoke reflection on the shared human cost of destruction and the enduring need to cherish and safeguard what we hold sacred.

As the user your goal is to protect the Innocent Kami (by using your hands) from the incoming Ominous Projectiles being ejected by the Ominous Kami.

Concept and Background Research
Japan remains one of the world's most culturally rich and vibrant countries. The influence of its primary religions on architecture and culture is both distinct and stunning, making it one of the most beautiful cultural landscapes globally. Notably, Japan’s religious history is unique and largely independent of other nations. While Shintoism was the original belief system of the Japanese people, the introduction of Buddhism—and the development of Zen Buddhism—did not replace Shintoism but instead complemented and elevated it. This stands in contrast to many other regions, where the arrival of Judeo-Christian religions, such as in the Americas, the Global South, and parts of Asia, often led to the decline or near-eradication of indigenous practices and traditions. These shifts caused significant cultural losses worldwide. Despite facing challenges, Japan has remarkably preserved its vibrant and thriving cultural heritage.

This project draws significant inspiration from these facts. As a result, it is deeply rooted in nature, incorporates elements of Japanese architecture such as pagodas, bridges, and torii gates, and narratively conveys this story.


References and Citations
Tutorial:
YouTube, YouTube,    • 3d Hand Tracking in Virtual Environment | ...  . Accessed 12 Jan. 2025.
Machine Learning Model:
Hand Tracking:
“Hand Landmarks Detection Guide | Google Ai Edge | Google AI for Developers.” Google, Google, ai.google.dev/edge/mediapipe/solutions/vision/hand_landmarker. Accessed 12 Jan. 2025.
Sound and Musical Assets:
Fireball:
Free Whoosh Sound Effects Download - Pixabay, pixabay.com/sound-effects/search/whoosh/. Accessed 12 Jan. 2025.
Free Fire Sound Effects Download - Pixabay, pixabay.com/sound-effects/search/fire/. Accessed 12 Jan. 2025.

Water:
Free Forest Sound Effects Download - Pixabay, pixabay.com/sound-effects/search/forest/. Accessed 12 Jan. 2025.
Ambience:
Free Morning-Ambiance Sound Effects Download - Pixabay, pixabay.com/sound-effects/search/morning-ambiance/. Accessed 12 Jan. 2025.
Animal:
Free Walking on Grass Sound Effects Download - Pixabay, pixabay.com/sound-effects/search/walking%20on%20grass/. Accessed 12 Jan. 2025.
Free Death Sound Effects Download - Pixabay, pixabay.com/sound-effects/search/death/. Accessed 12 Jan. 2025.

Research References:
“Torii.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 Jan. 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torii.
Nagatomo, Shigenori. “Japanese Zen Buddhist Philosophy.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 7 Mar. 2024, plato.stanford.edu/entries/japanese-zen/.
“Shinto.” Asia Society, asiasociety.org/education/shinto#:~:text=Shinto%20. Accessed 12 Jan. 2025.
“Japanese Pagoda.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Nov. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_pagoda#:~:text=Pagodas%20are%20quintessentially%20Buddhist%20and,not%20rare%20at%20shrines%20either.
“Kami.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Dec. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kami.
“Religions - Shinto: Kami.” BBC, BBC, 4 Sept. 2009, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/shinto/beliefs/kami_1.shtml.

Graphical Assets:
HandPainted Skybox:
“Free Stylized Hand-Painted Skybox: 2d Sky.” Unity Asset Store, assetstore.unity.com/packages/2d/textures-materials/sky/free-stylized-hand-painted-skybox-265475. Accessed 12 Jan. 2025.
Unity Terrain Demo:
“Unity Terrain - URP Demo Scene: 3D Environments.” Unity Asset Store, assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/environments/unity-terrain-urp-demo-scene-213197. Accessed 12 Jan. 2025.
Flames:
“VFX Magical Flames: VFX Particles.” Unity Asset Store, assetstore.unity.com/packages/vfx/particles/vfx-magical-flames-293962. Accessed 12 Jan. 2025.
Images and Textures:
Savva, Dimitrios. “Wood Floor Deck Texture • Poly Haven.” Poly Haven, polyhaven.com/a/wood_floor_deck. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
“Scuffed Gold PBR Metal Material - Texture Download.” Free PBR Materials, 19 Mar. 2024, freepbr.com/product/scuffed-gold-pbr-metal-material/.