by Phoenix, HSM team writer

From the pages of myth and legend comes one of the most imaginative personal spaces to arrive upon Home’s shores.

New  from Granzella; My Secret Villa on a Blue Whale. A fantastic and uniquely different experience for Home estate collectors. The idea of a world island carried on the back of a whale is not a new one; neither is the connection of Japan to the whale a new one. So, who else but Granzella could conceive of this space, not to mention a public space as well, and bring them to sparkling reality in this virtual world?

The Japanese are a culture whose history has long been entwined with the sea. They have an affinity and respect for the whale that few understand. Celebrated in the coastal areas there are cemeteries where memorial stones hold dedications to the whales that have been used for food for the people there. There are Buddhist epitaphs to request Buddha be reborn as a whale. In some of these shrines, the bones of the great creatures that have perished have been carefully interred.

It may be hard for some westerners to understand the complexity of the Japanese relationship with the whales. They are known to hunt and eat whales, and yet revere them at the same time. How is this possible?

It is possible because of the culture and animism. There was little belief in monotheism historically in the culture, and a dual belief that the whale is sometimes the object of worship and reverence, and oftentimes considered a gift of nature to the people. Seen as a gift, it is allowed to be eaten in much the same way that naturalists are grateful for the food they gather and eat with appreciation from nature.

In Shinagawa there is a shrine — Whale Mound — that was built to commemorate a whale 56 ft. (17 centimeters) that washed up in a cove after a typhoon in 1798. Local fishermen took the whale, and after it was sold, its head bone was buried there — and Whale Mound was erected in commemoration.  Add to that the many myths and legends throughout the world wherein the earth or an island, teeming with life, rest on the back of some giant creature. The list of mythological world-bearers does indeed have a whale, complete with an island on its back. There is more than one such folktale. For the Iroquois natives here in America, it is a turtle that carries and supports the North American continent on its back. This turtle rose from the depths of the sea when there was nothing but water, and all life springs from there. The Hindus of India have a myth that the world rested on the backs of magnificent elephants. There are numerous tales throughout the world of sailors mistakenly anchoring ships near an island lush with life and roaming this tropical paradise, only to find it was actually the back of a great whale.

But a personal space with a whale carrying the living space…how ridiculous, even for Home, right?  Where but in Home could you find an island perched on the back of a whale for an estate? I expect to see more fantastic creations in Home before we say goodbye. I haven’t been in Home myself in a long time, and hadn’t had the free time to visit. I am a history enthusiast and I love myths and legends. I am intrigued by this space and can say I will likely purchase it. I was reminded of the film The Life of PI in all its mystical beauty when I saw this estate. I will spend sometime here before Home is over, and possibly create some art from this space to remember Home by.

Bringing this magical behemoth to life, as only Granzella could do, is not an insignificant feat — and executed to a remarkable level of detail.  My Secret Villa on a Blue Whale is indeed a myth come true. Here in Home, if you chose to, you can live out the remaining time Home has in a life of relaxation on the back of a gentle giant albino blue whale. There are six different scenic settings to choose from; your whale can travel the sparkling South Seas, a chilled Nordic fjord, or Antarctic Ocean scene, and it’s up to you. Granzella has included six rewards that can be unlocked from the familiar treasure chest Granzella is known for, or they can be received from the dolphins that swim on occasion alongside your whale island. The rewards are as always unique to the personal space and different from the public space.

Who knows how much time Home has left — but unique and captivating virtual goods go a long way towards maintaining interest in it as a viable platform.

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