Japanese mythology in popular culture
Encyclopedia
Elements from Japanese folklore
and mythology
have appeared many times in popular culture.
Amanojaku
Amefurikozō
Azukiarai
Bakeneko
Binbōgami
Chōchinobake
Funayūrei
Gashadokuro
Hone-onna
In the anime
Hell Girl, one of Ai's assistants, is a Hone-onna of the same name. She usually appears as an attractive woman dressed in a kimono and is also the one who becomes the red straw doll whenever revenge is requested.
Jorōgumo
Kamaitachi
Keukegen
Kitsune
Mokumokuren
Mujina
Noppera-bō
Nue
is the name of one of the three strongest Tayutai in Lump of Sugar's bishōjo game
Tayutama: Kiss on my Deity
. Oddly, however, her true form is not a Nue; instead being some sort of mollusc.
Nure-onna
Onibaba
Rokurokubi
Satori
Shikigami
Shinigami
Tanuki
Tengu
Tsuchigumo
Tsukumogami
Umibōzu
Ushi-oni
Wanyūdō
Yuki-onna
Zashiki-warashi
Japanese folklore
The folklore of Japan is heavily influenced by both Shinto and Buddhism, the two primary religions in the country. It often involves humorous or bizarre characters and situations and also includes an assortment of supernatural beings, such as bodhisattva, kami , yōkai , yūrei ,...
and mythology
Japanese mythology
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...
have appeared many times in popular culture.
AmanojakuAmanojakuAmanojaku, or Amanjaku is a demon-like creature in Japanese folklore. It is usually depicted as a kind of small oni, and is thought to be able to provoke a person's darkest desires and thus instigate him into perpetrating wicked deeds.One of the amanojaku's best known appearances is in the...
- There is a Japanese musical group called Amanojaku. Founded in 1986 by Yoichi Watanabe, their sound is a fusion of Western music styles with taikoTaikomeans "drum" in Japanese . Outside Japan, the word is often used to refer to any of the various Japanese drums and to the relatively recent art-form of ensemble taiko drumming...
.
- Amanojaku is the demon who possessed the cat Kaya in the animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
Ghost StoriesGhost Stories (anime), also known as Ghosts at School, is a 19-episode anime series created in 2000 by animation studio Pierrot and Aniplex for Fuji Television, based on a book series by Toru Tsunemitsu....
.
- In episode 13 and 14 of the anime Hanada Shōnen ShiHanada Shonen Shiis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Makoto Isshiki about a mischievous young boy, called Hanada Ichiro, who attains the ability to see and talk to the supernatural after an accident to the back of his head. It was serialized in Mr. Magazine from 1993 to 1995...
, an Amanojaku is the "ghost of the day".
- The narrating character in the mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
Legend of the Overfiend is named Amano JyakuAmano JyakuAmano Jyaku is a fictional character, and the titular protagonist of Urotsukidōji . A renegade man-beast, Amano has spent the past three hundred years scouring the planet for the Chōjin .-Synopsis:...
.
- In Japanese, the term amanojaku also refers to a person who is deliberately contradictory, someone who argues for the sake of arguing, or can be used in common Japanese conversation to refer to someone who is a "Perverted Demon".
- In Final Fantasy XIFinal Fantasy XI, also known as Final Fantasy XI Online, is a MMORPG developed and published by Square as part of the Final Fantasy series. It was released in Japan on Sony's PlayStation 2 on May 16, 2002, and was released for Microsoft's Windows-based personal computers in November 2002...
, Amanojaku is a katana which gets stronger as the user gets closer to death.
- In Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
, the Amanojaku is a monster of the week and was adapted into Marvo the Meanie in Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
.
AmefurikozōAmefurikozoAmefurikozō is a weather spirit illustrated by Toriyama Sekien in his Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki.-Description:It appears as a strange child carrying a paper lantern and wearing a hat made from the husk of an old umbrella. According to Sekien, it is in service of U-shi, a Chinese god of...
- An Amefurikozō appears in a short mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
story of the same name, known as "Rain BoyRain Boy (anime)is the second anime episode in the Lion Books series. It was an OVA release.-Story:The story is about a boy named Mouta who offered his shoes to another boy in need during a storm. The boy turned out to be a ghost who transformed into a creature granting Mouta 3 wishes...
" in the West, by comic artist Osamu TezukaOsamu Tezukawas a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
.
- The PokémonPokémonis a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
Castform seems to have originated from this child due to its childlike appearance and its ability to control weather.
- An Amefurikozō appears in the KarasKaras (anime)is a six-part original video animation. Tatsunoko Production produced it to commemorate its 40th anniversary of anime production. Each Karas episode was first televised in Japan as a pay-per-view program from March 25, 2005, to August 3, 2007, before being released onto DVDs...
anime voiced by Sandy FoxSandy FoxSandra Marie "Sandy" Fox is an American voice actress who has had numerous roles in various animated cartoon and Japanese anime series, and video games....
.
- Shinichi and Misao are Kitsune from Japan that terrorizes towns and destroys them for their own entertainment.
- Misao is supposedly the person that controlled the girls in the Salem Witch TrialsSalem witch trialsThe Salem witch trials were a series of hearings before county court trials to prosecute people accused of witchcraft in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Middlesex in colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693...
, controlling them with malach.
Amikiri
- The Amikiri appears as a monster of the week in Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
and was adapted in Witchblade in Mighty Morphin Alien RangersMighty Morphin Alien RangersMighty Morphin Alien Rangers is a Power Rangers miniseries set at the end of the third season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers...
.
AzukiaraiAzukiarai, or , is a ghostly phenomenon in Japanese folklore, in which a mysterious noise that sounds like azuki beans being washed or ground is heard. It usually occurs near a river or other body of water...
- Azukiarai appeared in Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
as a garbage-based monster. It was later adapted into Garbage Mouth in Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
.
BakenekoBakenekoA is, in Japanese folklore, a cat with supernatural abilities akin to those of the fox or raccoon dog. A cat may become a bakeneko in a number of ways: it may reach a certain age, be kept for a certain number of years, grow to a certain size, or be allowed to keep a long tail. In the last case,...
- In the manga/anime series InuYashaInuYasha, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
, Kirara, Sango's demon companion, is a type of nekomata that can transform from a cute two-tailed cat-like creature into a large demon surrounded in flame and capable of flight.
- Bakeneko are featured in the anime series Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales and Mononoke.
- In the mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
Shaman KingShaman Kingis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiroyuki Takei. Shaman King follows the adventures of Yoh Asakura as he attempts to hone his shaman skills to become the Shaman King in the Shaman tournament....
, Hao Asakura's spirit ally from 1,000 years ago is a nekomata named MatamuneMatamuneMatamune is a fictional character in the Shaman King manga.Matamune, who appears in volume 19 and 20, is not in the Shaman King anime. Matamune is a Nekomata, a type of cat spirit with two tails; he also carries around a pipe with him and wears a necklace with three bear claws...
.
- In the manga/animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series Hyper PoliceHyper Policeis the name of a manga and anime series created by Minoru Tachikawa under the pseudonym MEE. It is a comic science fiction, set in a period in the far future, in which humanity is almost extinct and most of the population are monsters...
, the character Natsuki Sasahara is half-human/half-nekomata.
- In the anime Inukami!Inukami!is a Japanese light novel series written by Mamizu Arisawa, with illustrations by Kanna Wakatsuki. The series originally started serialization in volume seventeen of ASCII Media Works' now-defunct light novel magazine Dengeki hp on April 18, 2002...
, the character Tomekichi is a benevolent nekomata who honors an obligation to a deceased priest who once took care of him.
- In the PokémonPokémonis a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
game series, the Psychic-type Pokémon Espeon is a lavender cat-like creature with a forked tail.
- In the video game Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, Beast Nekomata appear as recruitable allies in GinzaGinzais a district of Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi.It is known as an upscale area of Tokyo with numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses. Ginza is recognized as one of the most...
and Ikebukuro. Nekomata is also one of the main Protagonist's summonable Personae in Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3. They also appear in some fashion in most of the other Shin Megami TenseiShin Megami Tenseiis a console role-playing video game from Atlus that was originally released on October 30, 1992 and later on several platforms, although no installment was released outside of Japan. It was originally released on the Super Famicom and was later ported to the PC Engine Super CD-Rom and Mega-CD...
games, although some of the earlier US releases renamed it during translation.
- In KarasKaras (anime)is a six-part original video animation. Tatsunoko Production produced it to commemorate its 40th anniversary of anime production. Each Karas episode was first televised in Japan as a pay-per-view program from March 25, 2005, to August 3, 2007, before being released onto DVDs...
, the character Yurine (voiced by Piper PeraboPiper PeraboPiper Lisa Perabo is a Golden Globe Award nominated American stage, film and television actress.-Early life:Perabo was born in Dallas, Texas and grew up in Toms River, New Jersey, the daughter of Mary Charlotte , a physical therapist, and George William Perabo, a professor of poetry at Ocean...
in Vol. 1 and by Cree SummerCree SummerCree Summer Francks , best known as Cree Summer, is a Canadian actress, musician and voice actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as college student Winifred "Freddie" Brooks on the NBC sitcom A Different World...
in Vol. 2) appears as both a human and a white cat with a forked-tail.
- In the series ClaymoreClaymore (manga)is a dark fantasy manga series written and illustrated by Norihiro Yagi. The series initially premiered in the now defunct Monthly Shōnen Jump in the May 2001 issue. When the magazine was canceled in June 2007, the series was temporarily moved to Weekly Shōnen Jump where it was still published...
, Luciela, the abyssal one of the South, has an awakened form resembling a two-tailed cat demon.
- In the video games Disgaea: Hour of DarknessDisgaea: Hour of Darknessis a tactical role-playing video game developed by Nippon Ichi Software and published by Nippon Ichi Software in Japan, Atlus USA, Inc. in North America, and Koei in Europe for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console...
and Disgaea 2: Cursed MemoriesDisgaea 2: Cursed Memoriesis a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Nippon Ichi Software for the PlayStation 2 video game console. Disgaea 2 is the sequel to 2003's Disgaea: Hour of Darkness for the PlayStation 2 and was released in Japan on February 23, 2006 and North America on August 29, 2006...
, the player has the ability to create nekomata characters.
- Chen and Rin from Touhou ProjectTouhou ProjectThe , also known as Toho Project or Project Shrine Maiden, is a Japanese dōjin game series focused on bullet hell shooters made by the one-man developer Team Shanghai Alice, whose sole member, known as ZUN, is responsible for all the graphics, music, and programming for the most part...
are nekomata. Chen is a nekomata shikigamiShikigamiShikigami are a kind of spirit, found in Japanese Mythology summoned to serve a practitioner of onmyōdō, much like a western familiar. Shikigami cannot be seen by most people, but according to the Heian period onmyōji who were said to control them, shikigami often looked something like a...
, while Rin is a cross of both a nekomata and a Kasha.
- In the manga/anime series Naruto, Kakuzu and Hidan find the two-tailed bijuu which has the appearance of a giant nekomata when fully materialized.
- An artist by the name of "Nekomata Master" is present in multiple KonamiKonamiis a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
related video games, especially in the BEMANIBemaniis Konami's music video game division. Originally named the Games & Music Division, or simply G.M.D., it changed its name in honor of its first and most successful game, Beatmania, and expanded into other music-based games.-Bemani video games:...
series.
- In the DigimonDigimon, short for , is a Japanese media franchise encompassing digital toys, anime, manga and video games. The franchise's eponymous creatures are monsters of various forms living in a "Digital World", a parallel universe that originated from Earth's various communication networks.-Conception and...
series, there is a DigimonDigimon, short for , is a Japanese media franchise encompassing digital toys, anime, manga and video games. The franchise's eponymous creatures are monsters of various forms living in a "Digital World", a parallel universe that originated from Earth's various communication networks.-Conception and...
named Persiamon who takes the form of a two tailed cat woman. Gatomon X also has two tails as opposed to the one of the regular kind.
- In the anime series Xam'd: Lost MemoriesXam'd: Lost MemoriesXam'd: Lost Memories, released in Japan as , is an anime series, conceptualized by Bones and co-developed by Sony Computer Entertainment, Aniplex and Bones, which made its debut on Sony's inaugural launch of the PlayStation Network video download service at E3 in the United States on July 16,...
, there is a small, green and white, rabbit-like creature called a nekomata adopted by two children who name it Roppa.
- In the manga/anime series BleachBleach (manga)is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Noriaki "Tite" Kubo. Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a —a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki...
, Yoruichi Shihōin has the ability to transform from human to cat. Byakuya KuchikiByakuya Kuchikiis a fictional character in the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo. He is the captain of the 6th Division in the Gotei 13. His lieutenant is Renji Abarai.-Character outline:...
referred to her as a Bakeneko in his younger days.
- The PC game Battlefield 2142Battlefield 2142Battlefield 2142 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Digital Illusions CE and produced by Electronic Arts . It is the fourth game in the Battlefield series...
contains a hover tank for the PAC called the Type 32 Nekomata.
- The character Shino from Oni-Gokko is a Bakeneko.
- In AdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest Worlds, often shortened to AQWorlds or simply AQW, is a browser-based MMORPG or massively multiplayer online role playing game developed by Artix Entertainment in 2008. Unlike most massively multiplayer role playing games, AdventureQuest Worlds was developed entirely in Adobe Flash...
, the Nekomata is featured as an NPC and a monster. He pretends to help the players by getting rid of the Skello Kitty infestation. He later turns out to be in cahoots with Kitsune and the player fights Nekomata.
- In Rumiko TakahashiRumiko Takahashiis a Japanese manga artist.Takahashi is one of the wealthiest individuals, and the most affluent manga artists in Japan. The manga she creates are popular worldwide, where they have been translated into a variety of languages...
's manga series, Rin-neRin-neis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It began serialization in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday manga magazine on April 22, 2009...
, the black cat called Rokumon is called a Baneneko.
- In another of Rumiko Takahashi's manga series, Ranma 1/2, a bakeneko is in the series looking for a bride.
- The character Himari Noihara from the mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
/animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series Omamori HimariOmamori Himari, often abbreviated as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Milan Matra. The manga began serialization in the May 2006 issue of Fujimi Shobo's manga magazine Monthly Dragon Age, and the first tankōbon was released by Kadokawa Shoten on February 7, 2007...
is a bakeneko.
- In the manga/anime series Blue Exorcist, Father Fujimoto's familiar was a cat named Blacky who went berserk and turned into a Nekomata.
BinbōgamiBinbogamiA is a kami or god who inhabits a human being or his house to bring misery and poverty. Several Japanese folklores, essays, and rakugos refer to it.-Description:Generally, binbōgami appears as a skinny, dirty old man, with an uchiwa in his hand...
- Binbogami makes an appearance in the Megami TenseiMegami Tensei, commonly abbreviated as , is a Japanese console role-playing game metaseries which was originally based on the novel series Digital Devil Story by Aya Nishitani and has gone to become one of the major franchises of the genre in its native country...
games as a member of the Fiend race. He is shown as being an effeminate, but highly masochistic demon riding upside-down on a cloud. - Binbōgami appears as a monster of the week in the super sentai series Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
and did make a cameo in Mighty Morphin Alien RangersMighty Morphin Alien RangersMighty Morphin Alien Rangers is a Power Rangers miniseries set at the end of the third season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers...
as a crowd monster. - Binbōgami brings (temporary) economic ruin to the town in the anime series Kamichu!.
ChōchinobakeChochinobake' are a type of Tsukumogami, a form of Japanese spirit that originate from objects reaching their 100th year of existence, thus becoming animate. Chōchin'obake in particular are created from the chōchin lantern, composed of bamboo and paper or silk...
- Chochinobake appears as a monster of the week in Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
and was adapted as Lanterra in Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
.
FunayūreiFunayureiare spirits found in Japanese mythology. They are the ghosts of people who have died at sea. They approach people on boats and ask to borrow a Hishaku , a utensil for scooping up water. If they are given a ladle, they will pour sea water into the boat until it sinks.-References:* Translated...
- The Funayūrei are featured in AdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest Worlds, often shortened to AQWorlds or simply AQW, is a browser-based MMORPG or massively multiplayer online role playing game developed by Artix Entertainment in 2008. Unlike most massively multiplayer role playing games, AdventureQuest Worlds was developed entirely in Adobe Flash...
. They are located near a river on Yokai Island.
GashadokuroGashadokuroright|thumb|300px|GashadokuroIn Japanese folklore, Gashadokuro or "Odokuro" are giant skeletons, often fifteen times taller than an average person. If a gashadokuro sees a human, it will grab it and bite its head off if it does not flee quickly. Gashadokuro are created from gathering bones from...
- In the Super Sentai series Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
, Gasha Dokuro is one of the main villains. He appears in Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
, Mighty Morphin Alien RangersMighty Morphin Alien RangersMighty Morphin Alien Rangers is a Power Rangers miniseries set at the end of the third season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers...
, and Power Rangers Zeo as "Rito RevoltoRito RevoltoRito Revolto is a fictional character from the American television series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, as well as the sequel program Power Rangers Zeo. The idiotic skeleton-like brother of Rita Repulsa, brother-in-law of Lord Zedd, and son of Master Vile, Rito is based on the Ninja Sentai...
".
- In the SquareSquare (company)was a Japanese video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. It merged with Enix in 2003 and became part of Square Enix...
videogame Chrono TriggerChrono Triggeris a role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995. Chrono Triggers development team included three designers that Square dubbed the "Dream Team": Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Square's Final Fantasy series; Yuji Horii, a...
, there is a Gashadokuro boss called "Zombor".
- The Gashadokuro is portrayed in varying roles of significance throughout the CastlevaniaCastlevaniaCastlevania, known as in Japan, is a video game series created and developed by Konami. The series debuted in Japan on September 26, 1986, with the release of for the Family Computer Disk System , followed by an alternate version for the MSX 2 platform on October 30...
series.
- In Hellboy: Sword of Storms, a Gashadokuro rises from the ground of a cemetery and rakes the ground to unleash many monsters on Hellboy.
- In Goemon's Great AdventureGoemon's Great Adventure, known as Mystical Ninja 2 Starring Goemon in Europe, is a video game developed and released by Konami for the Nintendo 64 on December 23, 1998. It is the third game in the Ganbare Goemon series released in North America and following Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon, released two years earlier...
a Gashadokuro is encountered in an early level while on a bridge.
- In the Studio Ghibli movie Pom PokoPom Pokois a 1994 Japanese animated film, the eighth written and directed by Isao Takahata and animated by Studio Ghibli.Consistent with Japanese folklore, the tanuki are portrayed as a highly sociable, mischievous species, able to use "illusion science" to transform into almost anything, but too...
, the monster parade scene features a Gashadokuro.
- In AdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest Worlds, often shortened to AQWorlds or simply AQW, is a browser-based MMORPG or massively multiplayer online role playing game developed by Artix Entertainment in 2008. Unlike most massively multiplayer role playing games, AdventureQuest Worlds was developed entirely in Adobe Flash...
, the Gashadokuro is featured as the forbidden Beast of Chaos called the O-Dokuro. Kitsune uses the Hanzamune Blade to free it from a time rift.
- In the mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
/animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series, InuYashaInuYasha, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
, Miroku and Sango fight a being that can control bones, a bone demon, that could possibly be a Gashadokuro.
Hone-onnaHone-onnais a yōkai of Japanese folklore. Like her name suggests, her true form is that of a skeletal woman. In the guise of a beautiful woman, she lures unwitting men while she sucks the life force of her targets dry....
In the animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
Hell Girl, one of Ai's assistants, is a Hone-onna of the same name. She usually appears as an attractive woman dressed in a kimono and is also the one who becomes the red straw doll whenever revenge is requested.
JorōgumoJorogumoJorōgumo is a type of Yōkai, a creature, ghost or goblin of Japanese folklore. According to some stories, a Jorōgumo is a spider that can change its appearance into that of a seductive woman....
- The ero-game Atlach-NachaAtlach-NachaAtlach-Nacha is a visual novel by Alice Soft under the genres "romance and horror". It is named after Clark Ashton Smith's creation Atlach-Nacha, the spider-god from the Cthulhu Mythos.-Background:...
is about a Jorōgumo blending into human society.
- In the Japanese anime Wicked City, a woman similar to the Jorōgumo appears in bed with Taki.
- In the manga xxxHOLiC, a Jorōgumo captures a Zashiki-warashi and consumes Watanuki's right eye, setting her free.
- In the card came Yu-Gi-Oh, the monster Jirai Gumo is based on Jorōgumo.
- In the manga Rosario + VampireRosario + Vampire, often shortened to , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akihisa Ikeda. The story revolves around Tsukune Aono, a boy who accidentally gets enrolled in a school inhabited by monsters and demons. He quickly befriends Moka Akashiya, a vampire who soon develops an obsession with...
, as well as its animated adaptation, Keito, one of the members of the Student Police, is a Jorōgumo.
- In the game Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King AbaddonShin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King AbaddonShin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon, simply known as in Japan, is an action role-playing game in the Megami Tensei franchise. Along with the previous game Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army and the official derivative novel Devil Summoner:...
, Jorougumo is the first boss faced by the Devil Summoner Raidou Kuzunoha.
- In the popular game OkamiOkamiis an action-adventure video game developed by Clover Studio and published by Capcom. It was released for Sony's PlayStation 2 video game console in 2006 in Japan and North America, and 2007 in Europe and Australia...
, the first actual boss called the Spider Queen is based on the Jorogumo.
- In Ghostbusters: The Video GameGhostbusters: The Video GameGhostbusters: The Video Game is a 2009 cross-platform action game based on the Ghostbusters film franchise. Terminal Reality developed the Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 versions, while Red Fly Studio developed the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Wii versions, and Zen Studios...
, the Spider Witch is based on the Jorōgumo.
- In Digimon Adventure 02Digimon Adventure 02, also commonly referred as Digimon Zero Two, is the direct sequel to the previous series and takes place three years after the original series. With most of the original characters now in junior high school, the Digital World was supposedly secure and peaceful. However, a new evil has appeared in...
, the villain Arukenimon is based on the Jorogumo.
- In Soul EaterSoul Eater (manga)is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Atsushi Ōkubo. Set at the "Death Weapon Meister Academy," the series revolves around three teams consisting of a weapon meister and human weapon...
, the villain Arachne was probably based on the Jorogumo.
- In the animated movie Hellboy: Sword of Storms, Hellboy meets a Jorōgumo who tries to kill him and steal the Sword of Storms (which has two powerful demon brothers named Lightning and Thunder sealed within). Like in many stories of legend, this Jorōgumo can breathe fire and tries to lure Hellboy by playing a Biwa.
- One of the common enemies in Castlevania: Aria of SorrowCastlevania: Aria of SorrowCastlevania: Aria of Sorrow, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami for the Game Boy Advance. It is part of Konami's Castlevania video game series, and the third installment of the series on the Game Boy Advance. The game was released in North America on...
is a Jorōgumo named Arachne.
KamaitachiKamaitachiis a Japanese yōkai, most common in the Kōshin'etsu region.There are several conceptions of how it looked or operated, but the most common is one of a trio of weasels with sharp claws, riding on a gust of wind and cutting people's skin on the legs...
- In the long-running anime series GeGeGe No Kitaro, KamaitachiKamaitachiis a Japanese yōkai, most common in the Kōshin'etsu region.There are several conceptions of how it looked or operated, but the most common is one of a trio of weasels with sharp claws, riding on a gust of wind and cutting people's skin on the legs...
is portrayed as a humanoid YōkaiYōkaiare a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore. The word yōkai is made up of the kanji for "otherworldly" and "weird". Yōkai range eclectically from the malevolent to the mischievous, or occasionally bring good fortune to those who encounter them...
with stretched out lips and green skin; able to fly it high speeds and cut through anything he smashes into. He appeared in the 1985 anime version of GeGeGe No Kitaro in the first episode, "The Yōkai Castle" as an antagonist to Kitaro. He is seen working alongside Futakuchi-onnaFutakuchi-onnaA is a type of yōkai or Japanese monster. They are characterized by their two mouths – a normal one located on her face and second one on the back of the head beneath the hair...
and Tantanbou. He also appears in the 2007 anime version, fighting against Kitaro and a tribe of Tengu. He can be seen forming his arms into sharp blades that he uses to attack with.
- Temari in the mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
/animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
NarutoNarutois an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
uses kamaitachi-inspired techniques, including the summoning of a Kamaitachi named Kamatari.
- In the anime series KanokonKanokonis a Japanese light novel series by Katsumi Nishino, with illustrations by Koin. The first novel was released on October 31, 2005, and, as of December 21, 2010, fifteen volumes have been published by Media Factory under their MF Bunko J label...
, the character Omi Kiriyama is a Kamaitachi.
- In the anime One PieceOne Pieceis a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump since August 4, 1997; the individual chapters are being published in tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, with the first released on December 24, 1997, and the 64th volume released as...
, the character Tashigi, a swordswoman, used a technique called Kamaitachi.
- Fuuko in the animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
Flame of ReccaFlame of Reccais a manga series written and illustrated by Nobuyuki Anzai, which was adapted into an anime series spanning forty-two episodes by Studio Pierrot. The series has also been adapted into two video games; Flame of Recca for the Game Boy Advance and Flame of Recca Final Burning for the PlayStation...
uses an air cutter attack on one of her enemies named Kamaitachi.
- Jirobo Ikkanzaka from BleachBleach (manga)is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Noriaki "Tite" Kubo. Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a —a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki...
is known as "Kamaitachi Jirobo" for his Kamaitachi attack method.
- In the DigimonDigimon, short for , is a Japanese media franchise encompassing digital toys, anime, manga and video games. The franchise's eponymous creatures are monsters of various forms living in a "Digital World", a parallel universe that originated from Earth's various communication networks.-Conception and...
series, Kyukimon is a Digimon patterned after the legend of the kamaitachi. The characters 窮奇, used to write Kamaitachi, can alternatively be read as kyūki.
- In the Japanese version of PokémonPokémonis a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
, there is an attack named "Kamaitachi". It was translated into English as "Razor Wind". Also in PokémonPokémonis a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
, two species (Sneasel and Weavile) are based on the Kamaitachi, being weasels with sharp claws that resemble blades.
- There is a series of Sound Novels by ChunsoftChunsoftis a Japanese video game developer specializing in console RPGs and visual novels. It was founded by Koichi Nakamura, a video game designer from Enix...
entitled Kamaitachi no YoruKamaitachi no Yoruis a sound novel developed and published by Chunsoft. The game was first released on November 25, 1994 for the Super Famicom. It became available on the Virtual Console in February, 2007 for 800 Wii Points...
(Night of the Kamaitachi).
- In the PlayStation game Final Fantasy TacticsFinal Fantasy Tacticsis a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Sony PlayStation video game console. It is the first game of the Final Fantasy Tactics series and was released in Japan in June 1997 and in the United States in January 1998...
, Kamaitachi is one of the elementalElementalAn elemental is a mythological being first appearing in the alchemical works of Paracelsus in the 16th century. Traditionally, there are four types:*gnomes, earth elementals*undines , water elementals*sylphs, air elementals...
abilities of the Geomancer Class.
- In the anime Ushio and ToraUshio and Torais a yōkai manga by Kazuhiro Fujita. It received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen in 1992. It was adapted into three OVA series: one with six episodes released from September 11, 1992 to February 1, 1993; one with four episodes released from June 11, 1993 to August 1, 1993; and one single...
, the two-part story "Insanity of the Wind" told over episodes 9 and 10 involves one of the three Kamaitachi triplets going on a killing spree, forcing the other two to ask Ushio for help.
- In the anime MokkeMokkeis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by manga author Takatoshi Kumakura. The manga was first serialized in the Japanese seinen manga magazine Afternoon Season Zoukan on August 2000. The magazine was suspended after its 14th issue, and the manga continued its serialization from the...
, episode 10 concerns a young girl befriending a kamaitachi.
- In the anime Ghost HuntGhost Hunt, originally titled , is a light novel series written by Fuyumi Ono. It follows the adventures of the Shibuya Psychic Research Center as they investigate mysterious occurrences all over Japan with a team of other spiritualists and clever assistants. Although the last novel was published in 1994,...
, episode 24 includes kazuyasu of the Yoshimi family to be possessed by a spirit that uses a kamaitachi as a weapon
- In the Super Nintendo game Ninja WarriorsThe Ninja Warriors AgainNinja Warriors is a beat 'em up video game developed by Natsume and released by Taito Corporation for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994...
, Kamaitachi is one of the three playable characters, a cyborg ninja that attacks with blades on its arms.
- Kamaitachi appear as enemy monsters in the PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
game ŌkamiOkamiis an action-adventure video game developed by Clover Studio and published by Capcom. It was released for Sony's PlayStation 2 video game console in 2006 in Japan and North America, and 2007 in Europe and Australia...
, though in the English version, they are called poltergeists.
- Kamaitachi appear as minor enemies in the Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
game Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier.
- In the Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
game Mega Man ZXMega Man ZXMega Man ZX, known in Japan as , is a video game developed by Inti Creates and published by Capcom for the Nintendo DS handheld game console. It is the first game in the sixth series of the Mega Man video game franchise. For the first time in the Mega Man series, the game features both a male and a...
, one of the eight main bosses, Hurricaune, is a weasel that fights with electric blades.
- In the MMORPGMMORPGMassively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
Ragnarok OnlineRagnarok OnlineRagnarok Online , often referred to as RO, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game or MMORPG created by GRAVITY Co., Ltd. based on the manhwa Ragnarok by Lee Myung-jin. It was first released in South Korea on 31 August 2002 for Microsoft Windows and has since been released in many other...
, the Ninja class has a skill named Kamaitachi. It is described as the wrath of the wind.
- In the anime and manga series Ghost Hunt during the cursed house case, some of the zombie/dead spirits used Kamaitachi.
- In the Monster RancherMonster RancherMonster Rancher, known in Japan as , is a series of life simulation role-playing video games created by Tecmo . The series currently consists of fourteen games across different video game platforms, and future titles are planned...
video game series by Tecmo, Ripper, a swift weasel-like monster species capable of manipulating ice and wind, is based on the Kamaitachi legend. - Kamaitachi is the name of the program used to subvert the Apple Computer-supplied bootloader / kernel system in the Apple iPhone to get it run alternative kernels such as linuxLinux kernelThe Linux kernel is an operating system kernel used by the Linux family of Unix-like operating systems. It is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software....
.
- Kamaitachi is the name of a Mikura (a yōkaiYōkaiare a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore. The word yōkai is made up of the kanji for "otherworldly" and "weird". Yōkai range eclectically from the malevolent to the mischievous, or occasionally bring good fortune to those who encounter them...
turned blood-drinking machine) in the anime/CGI 6-part OVA KarasKaras (anime)is a six-part original video animation. Tatsunoko Production produced it to commemorate its 40th anniversary of anime production. Each Karas episode was first televised in Japan as a pay-per-view program from March 25, 2005, to August 3, 2007, before being released onto DVDs...
voiced by Dave MallowDave MallowDave Mallow is an American voice actor. One of his known aliases is Colin Phillips.-Life and career:Mallow was born in Park Ridge, Illinois. His father worked in radio and television and was a thirty year on-air veteran at Chicago's WGN. He attained a BFA in Theater Arts from Drake University in...
. It is depicted as a humanoid robot with various razor blades.
- In the Game Boy AdvanceGame Boy AdvanceThe is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
game Golden SunGolden SunGolden Sun, released in Japan as , is the first installment in a series of fantasy role-playing video games developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo. It was released in November 2001 for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance and was followed by a sequel, Golden Sun: The Lost Age, in...
, there is an item called a "Weasel Claw" that can be used up in battle to unleash a wind-element attack on the enemy.
- In the Basilisk manga, Chikuma Koshiro has a technique called Senpuu Kamaitachi, a local wind vortex strong enough to partially blow a person's head off.
- In the video game, Muramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon Blade, known in Japan as is an action role playing game developed by Vanillaware and published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan, Rising Star Games in Europe, and Ignition Entertainment in North America for the Wii...
, Kisuke wields a sword technique called Kamaitachi.
- In SVC Chaos: SNK vs. CapcomSVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcomis a competitive fighting game produced by Playmore for the Neo Geo arcade and home platform. The game is a crossover featuring characters from SNKs and Capcoms respective fighting game properties such as The King of Fighters, Samurai Shodown, Street Fighter, and Darkstalkers...
, if Genjuro Kibagami (originally from the Samurai ShodownSamurai ShodownSamurai Shodown, known as in Japan, is a competitive fighting game produced by SNK for their Neo Geo arcade and home platform. In contrast to other fighting games at the time which were set in modern times and focused primarily on hand-to-hand combat, Samurai Shodown is set in feudal-era Japan ...
series) is defeated by Red Arremer (from Ghosts'n Goblins), he will turn into a kamaitachi.
- In the mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
Rurouni KenshinRurouni Kenshin, also known as Rurouni Kenshin and Samurai X, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The fictional setting takes place during the early Meiji period in Japan. The story is about a fictional assassin named Himura Kenshin, from the Bakumatsu who becomes a wanderer to...
, a man called Raijuta uses a technique called the Kamaitachi, which creates a vacuum of air.
- Kamaitachi appear as minor enemies in "Namco X CapcomNamco x Capcomis an action RPG/tactical RPG hybrid game for the PlayStation 2 console, developed by Monolith Soft and featuring characters from games produced by companies Namco and Capcom.- Storyline :...
".
- In Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan manga, in the toono ark he meets one of the youkai ,Itaku, who is a kamaitachi carrying sickles
Kappa
- The Kappa appears in Hellboy: Sword of Storms. Hellboy had to subdue it and drain it of its water in order to gain specific information from it.
- In Tokyo Mew MewTokyo Mew Mew, also known as Mew Mew Power, is a Japanese shōjo manga series written by Reiko Yoshida and illustrated by Mia Ikumi. It was originally serialized in Nakayoshi from September 2000 to February 2003, and later published in seven tankōbon volumes by Kodansha from February 2001 to April 2003...
, Kish created a Chimera Anima version of a Kappa (namely the Hyōsube type) from Aoyamada's spirit.
- In the anime OVA KarasKaras (anime)is a six-part original video animation. Tatsunoko Production produced it to commemorate its 40th anniversary of anime production. Each Karas episode was first televised in Japan as a pay-per-view program from March 25, 2005, to August 3, 2007, before being released onto DVDs...
, Suiko the Kappa (voiced by Keith BurgessKeith BurgessKeith Burgess is an American voice actor. He voiced Akuma in Street Fighter Alpha: The Movie, including Street Fighter Alpha: Generations. He also loaned his voice in the two anime movies Evangelion: Death and Rebirth and The End of Evangelion, including Karas: The Prophecy. He was a staff member...
) is a Mikura (a yōkaiYōkaiare a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore. The word yōkai is made up of the kanji for "otherworldly" and "weird". Yōkai range eclectically from the malevolent to the mischievous, or occasionally bring good fortune to those who encounter them...
turned blood-drinking machine) that resembles a robotic Kappa. It conceals itself in the form of a wrestler.
- In the MMORPG game AdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest Worlds, often shortened to AQWorlds or simply AQW, is a browser-based MMORPG or massively multiplayer online role playing game developed by Artix Entertainment in 2008. Unlike most massively multiplayer role playing games, AdventureQuest Worlds was developed entirely in Adobe Flash...
, there are enemies called Kappa Ninjas. They come in two types: a blue Kappa Ninja and a green Kappa Ninja with an orange shell.
- Nitori Kawashiro from the Touhou ProjectTouhou ProjectThe , also known as Toho Project or Project Shrine Maiden, is a Japanese dōjin game series focused on bullet hell shooters made by the one-man developer Team Shanghai Alice, whose sole member, known as ZUN, is responsible for all the graphics, music, and programming for the most part...
game Mountain of FaithMountain of Faithis the tenth game of the Touhou Project, according to the official numbering by its creator ZUN of Team Shanghai Alice. Like the majority of the Touhou Project games, Mountain of Faith is a doujin scrolling shooter, albeit with a major revamp from its predecessors...
is a Kappa.
- In the video game Muramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon Blade, known in Japan as is an action role playing game developed by Vanillaware and published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan, Rising Star Games in Europe, and Ignition Entertainment in North America for the Wii...
, the main characters battle Kappa that are always located by a river.
- Ouji Karasuma from School RumbleSchool Rumbleis a Japanese Shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Jin Kobayashi. First serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from October 22, 2002 to July 23, 2008, all 345 chapters were later collected in 22 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha. Shōnen Magazine Special published a sequel, School Rumble Z,...
owns rain gear which draws many characteristics of Kappa. He lends the set to Tenma in one episode.
- The Pokémon Golduck appears to be based on the Kappa legend.
- In the anime Arakawa Under the BridgeArakawa Under the Bridgeis a Japanese manga series created by Hikaru Nakamura. The manga was first serialized in the Japanese seinen manga magazine Young GanGan starting December 3, 2004. An anime adaptation by Shaft was broadcast in Japan between April 4, 2010 and June 27, 2010 on TV Tokyo...
the mayor of the river claims to be a Kappa.
- In Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan A kappa is seen many times
- In InuYashaInuYasha, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
Jaken was a kappa that followed Sesshomaru around, serving him faithfully.
KeukegenKeukegenKeukegen is a creature illustrated in Toriyama Sekien's Konjaku Hyakki Shūi. It resembles a small dog covered entirely in long hair...
- Keukegen appears in Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
. It is depicted as a hairy monster with masks sticking out of its body. It appeared as an unnamed background monster in Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
and Power Rangers Zeo.
- Keukegen appears several times in the video game Muramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon Blade, known in Japan as is an action role playing game developed by Vanillaware and published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan, Rising Star Games in Europe, and Ignition Entertainment in North America for the Wii...
for the Wii, having an overall appearance similar to Toriyama Sekien's interpretation except that it is orb-like in shape. A larger Keukegan is also present in the game, which is of great size and seems to be filled with human skulls which are revealed as the creature takes successive levels of damage.
KitsuneKitsuneis the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore; in English, kitsune refers to them in this context. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume...
- Sakura from the anime Hyper PoliceHyper Policeis the name of a manga and anime series created by Minoru Tachikawa under the pseudonym MEE. It is a comic science fiction, set in a period in the far future, in which humanity is almost extinct and most of the population are monsters...
.
- Kitsune is the name of a woman/legendary figure in The Veil trilogyThe Veil trilogyThe Veil Trilogy by Christopher Golden is a series of novels that focus on a lawyer named Oliver Bascombe who is ripped from his ordinary life the stormy night before his wedding when he shows kindness to a creature out of fairy stories...
by Christopher GoldenChristopher GoldenChristopher Golden is an American author of horror, fantasy, and suspense novels for adults, teens, and young readers.Golden was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. He is a graduate of Tufts University...
. Kitsune usually takes the guise of a beautiful Japanese woman who wears a foxfur cloak, but is able to transform herself into a fox when the occasion calls for it. At turns Kitsune is enamored by, and adversarial of, the main character of the series, Oliver Bascombe.
- Miles "Tails" ProwerMiles "Tails" Prower, better known by his nickname , is a character, as well as the main deuteragonist in the Sonic the Hedgehog series of video games, comics, animated series and film released by Sega....
from the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series is said by several sources to be a kitsune, due to him having two tails.
- The PokémonPokémonis a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
VulpixVulpixVulpix, known in Japan as is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Vulpix evolves into Ninetales when exposed to a special item. Created by Ken Sugimori, they first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and later appear in subsequent sequels, various...
, Zorua, and the DigimonDigimon, short for , is a Japanese media franchise encompassing digital toys, anime, manga and video games. The franchise's eponymous creatures are monsters of various forms living in a "Digital World", a parallel universe that originated from Earth's various communication networks.-Conception and...
Renamon, as well as their evolutions, are based on kitsune and similar fox legends.
- The InuYashaInuYasha, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
character Shippo is a kitsune demon. The same manga artistMangakais the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
's (Rumiko TakahashiRumiko Takahashiis a Japanese manga artist.Takahashi is one of the wealthiest individuals, and the most affluent manga artists in Japan. The manga she creates are popular worldwide, where they have been translated into a variety of languages...
) earlier work Urusei YatsuraUrusei Yatsurais a comedic manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi that premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in 1978 and ran until its conclusion in 1987. Its 374 individual chapters were collected and published in 34 tankōbon volumes. The series tells the story of Ataru Moroboshi, and the alien...
also features a fox spirit named Kitsune who becomes a loyal companion to one of the series leads, Shinobu Miyake, and can transform into "chibi" versions (with fox ears) of the other characters from the series.
- Ran Yakumo from Touhou, Yukari Yakumo's shikigamiShikigamiShikigami are a kind of spirit, found in Japanese Mythology summoned to serve a practitioner of onmyōdō, much like a western familiar. Shikigami cannot be seen by most people, but according to the Heian period onmyōji who were said to control them, shikigami often looked something like a...
, is also a kitsune.
- Youko Kurama from YuYu HakushoYuYu Hakushois a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi. The name of the series is spelled YuYu Hakusho in the Viz Media manga and Yu Yu Hakusho in other English distributions of the franchise. The series tells the story of Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage delinquent who is struck and...
is a kitsune spirit living in a human body.
- Wagaya no Oinari-sama is an anime about a mischievous guardian kitsune, Kugen Tenko.
- The series Usagi YojimboUsagi Yojimbois a comic book series created by Stan Sakai in 1987. In 2011 IGN ranked Miyamoto Usagi 92nd in the top 100 comic books heroes.-Concept:Set primarily at the beginning of Edo period of Japan , with anthropomorphic animals replacing humans, the series features a rabbit ronin, Miyamoto Usagi, whom...
by Stan SakaiStan Sakaiis a third-generation Japanese American Cartoonist comic book creator. He is best known as the creator of the comic series Usagi Yojimbo. -Biography:...
contains a recurring female thief and friend of Usagi named Kitsune.
- In Ken AkamatsuKen Akamatsuis a Japanese manga artist from Tokyo.Sailor Moon was his introduction to anime and manga fandom.In his teens, Akamatsu applied himself to Film Study . Eventually, he became famous as an illustrator featured in Comiket . He used the pen name...
's manga series Love HinaLove Hinais a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Ken Akamatsu. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine by Kodansha from October 21, 1998 to October 31, 2001 and was published in 14 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha. The series tells the story of Keitaro Urashima and his attempts to...
, the character Mitsune Konno is nicknamed "Kitsune" due to her having fox-like eyes.
- In the Star Fox video game series, the main character Fox McCloudFox McCloudis an anthropomorphic video game character and the main protagonist of the Star Fox series. He was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and designed by Takaya Imamura. As his name implies, he is a red fox and the main player character of the series....
was partially inspired by a kitsune.
- Chizuru Minamoto from the light novelLight novelA is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
/anime/manga series KanokonKanokonis a Japanese light novel series by Katsumi Nishino, with illustrations by Koin. The first novel was released on October 31, 2005, and, as of December 21, 2010, fifteen volumes have been published by Media Factory under their MF Bunko J label...
is a kitsune who falls in love with the main character Kouta Oyamada. Her brother Tayura and her adoptive mother Tamamo are also kitsune, the latter being based on Tamamo-no-Mae, the golden, white-faced nine-tailed foxNine-tailed foxThe Nine-tailed fox is a mythological creature that has the appearance of a fox but with nine tails. This mythological creature was first created in Asia .-Mythology:...
of Japanese myth.
- In The Legend of Zelda video game series, the Keaton race is based on kitsune.
- In Kelley ArmstrongKelley ArmstrongKelley Armstrong is a Canadian author, primarily of fantasy works.She has published sixteen fantasy novels , set in the world of the Women of the Otherworld and the Darkest Powers series, also two crime novels in 2007 and 2009...
's short story collection, Men of the Otherworld, the story "Kitsunegari" features several kitsune and a part-kitsune werewolf.
- In Ljane Smith's The Vampire Diaries - The Return, Nightfall, the main antagonists is a couple of cruel and malevolent kitsune twins, Shinichi and Misao, who are bent on destroying the entire town for their own amusement
- In the video game series Animal CrossingAnimal Crossing (series)The Animal Crossing games have garnered positive response. The first three games are among the best-selling for their respective consoles. Animal Crossing has sold 2.321 million copies; Wild World 10.79 million; and City Folk 3.38 million...
Tom Nook's shopkeeper rival, Crazy Redd, is a kitsune (opposingly as Nook himself is a tanuki). Redd is known as a trickster in the game, operating the Black Market; he will often sell the player plain objects at inflated prices.
- In Fighting FoodonsFighting FoodonsFighting Foodons, known as in Japan, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoto Tsushima and serialized in Comic BonBon in September 1997...
, Rose Marinade's true form is a two-tailed Kitsune.
- In the manga NarutoNarutois an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
, the main character Naruto UzumakiNaruto Uzumakiis a fictional character in the anime and manga franchise Naruto created by Masashi Kishimoto. The main protagonist and titular character of the series, he is a ninja affiliated with the fictional village of Konohagakure. The villagers ostracize Naruto because the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, a...
is possessed by a very destructive giant kitsune, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox (based on the mythical nine-tailed foxNine-tailed foxThe Nine-tailed fox is a mythological creature that has the appearance of a fox but with nine tails. This mythological creature was first created in Asia .-Mythology:...
), at the time of his birth via a seal. As a result, he has facial markings that resemble fox whiskers and is often mischievous. When enraged, he takes on fox-like traits and occasionally projects a fox-shaped aura with a matching shadow.
- A Kitsune appears in Hellboy: Sword of Storms voiced by Gwendoline YeoGwendoline Yeo-Early life:Born in Singapore, Yeo is the niece of George Yeo, Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs. She moved to California as a teenager, graduating from St. Ignatius College Preparatory in 1994...
. It acts as Hellboy's guide in the Japanese Mythology world.
- In the video game Namco x CapcomNamco x Capcomis an action RPG/tactical RPG hybrid game for the PlayStation 2 console, developed by Monolith Soft and featuring characters from games produced by companies Namco and Capcom.- Storyline :...
, the female protagontist, Xiaomu, is a 765-year-old kitsune.
- The PS2 & Wii game ŌkamiOkamiis an action-adventure video game developed by Clover Studio and published by Capcom. It was released for Sony's PlayStation 2 video game console in 2006 in Japan and North America, and 2007 in Europe and Australia...
incorporates many aspects of the Kitsune legends during the second arc of the game, including Nine-tails, fox-fire, transformation, god-like appearance of white fur, and mischievous abilities (like division and interfering during the celestial brush mode). The myth of Tamamo-no-Mae is also referenced.
- In AdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest Worlds, often shortened to AQWorlds or simply AQW, is a browser-based MMORPG or massively multiplayer online role playing game developed by Artix Entertainment in 2008. Unlike most massively multiplayer role playing games, AdventureQuest Worlds was developed entirely in Adobe Flash...
, the 4th Lord of Chaos is named Kitsune. Kitsune is shown as an anthropomorphic fox whose desire to not have outsiders on Yokai Island. This had led Drakath into Chaorrupting him into an armored Yokai Shogun.
- In the video game Muramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon Blade, known in Japan as is an action role playing game developed by Vanillaware and published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan, Rising Star Games in Europe, and Ignition Entertainment in North America for the Wii...
, Kitsune are seen in the form of women carrying either a lantern or an umbrella and are spotted by the save points.
- In Rosario + VampireRosario + Vampire, often shortened to , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akihisa Ikeda. The story revolves around Tsukune Aono, a boy who accidentally gets enrolled in a school inhabited by monsters and demons. He quickly befriends Moka Akashiya, a vampire who soon develops an obsession with...
, Kuyo, the head of the Student Police (and final opponent of the first story arc), is a four-tailed Kitsune.
- A Kitsune is featured as the "Monster of the Week" in the Super SentaiSuper SentaiThe is the name given to the long-running Japanese superhero team genre of shows produced by Toei Co., Ltd., Toei Agency and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi...
series Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
. It was adapted as Katastrophe, the monster form of Katherine HillardKatherine HillardKatherine 'Kat' Hillard is a fictional character in the Power Rangers franchise. She was played by Australian-American actress Catherine Sutherland in adult form, and by Julia Jordan in child form...
in Season 3 of Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
.
- In the manga/anime series Omamori HimariOmamori Himari, often abbreviated as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Milan Matra. The manga began serialization in the May 2006 issue of Fujimi Shobo's manga magazine Monthly Dragon Age, and the first tankōbon was released by Kadokawa Shoten on February 7, 2007...
, the character Tama is based on the myth of Tamamo-no-Mae.
- In the Dark Swan Series by Richelle Mead, the character Kiyo is a kitsune.
MokumokurenMokumokurenIn Japanese Mythology, are spirits that live in torn shōji . If the shōji has many holes, eyes can sometimes be seen on it, which, if looked at long enough, can make people blind. The only way to remove the spirit from the wall is to patch up the holes in it. Mokumokuren is said to be an invention...
- The Mokumokuren appears as a monster of the week in Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
and was adapted as the See Monster in Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
season 3 and also reappears in 2 episodes of the 10 episode arc Mighty Morphin Alien RangersMighty Morphin Alien RangersMighty Morphin Alien Rangers is a Power Rangers miniseries set at the end of the third season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers...
.
MujinaMujinais an old Japanese term primarily referring to the badger. In some regions the term refers instead to the Japanese raccoon dog or to introduced civets...
- A character in Rumiko TakahashiRumiko Takahashiis a Japanese manga artist.Takahashi is one of the wealthiest individuals, and the most affluent manga artists in Japan. The manga she creates are popular worldwide, where they have been translated into a variety of languages...
's series InuYashaInuYasha, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
was named Mujina and happened to be one herself. - The Mujina appears as a monster of the week in Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
and was adapted as Artistmole in Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
.
Noppera-bōNoppera-boThe , or faceless ghost, is a Japanese legendary creature. They are sometimes mistakenly referred to as a mujina, an old Japanese word for a badger or raccoon dog. Although the mujina can assume the form of the other, noppera-bō are usually humans. Such creatures were thought to sometimes...
- In AdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest Worlds, often shortened to AQWorlds or simply AQW, is a browser-based MMORPG or massively multiplayer online role playing game developed by Artix Entertainment in 2008. Unlike most massively multiplayer role playing games, AdventureQuest Worlds was developed entirely in Adobe Flash...
, there are Noppera-bō versions of Yokai Island's ninjaNinjaA or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
and samuraiSamuraiis the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
.
- In a filler episode from the animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
/mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series InuYashaInuYasha, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
, a man with no face tries to steal Inuyasha's sword Tetsusaiga for Jaken.
- In Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
the Noppera-bō is featured as a "Monster of the Week". - In the Hetalia movie, Paint It White, the world was taken over by faceless aliens called 'Pict'
NueNueA nue is a legendary creature found in Japanese folklore. It is described as having the head of a monkey, the body of a raccoon dog, the legs of a tiger, and a snake as a tail. According to the legend, a nue can metamorphose into a black cloud and fly. Due to its appearance, it is sometimes...
is the name of one of the three strongest Tayutai in Lump of Sugar's bishōjo gameBishojo game
A , or , is "a type of Japanese video game centered on interactions with attractive anime-style girls". These games are a sub-genre of dating sims targeted towards a male audience....
Tayutama: Kiss on my Deity
Tayutama: Kiss on my Deity
is a Japanese visual novel developed by Lump of Sugar. It was first released as an adult game for the PC on July 11, 2008 in both limited and regular editions, and is followed by an all-ages release for the Xbox 360. Tayutama is Lump of Sugar's third title along with their previous titles Nursery...
. Oddly, however, her true form is not a Nue; instead being some sort of mollusc.
- The Japanese band Kagrra has an album titled Nue, containing the track .
- The AvexAvex Trax, listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange as 7860 and abbreviated as AGHD, is the holding company for a group of entertainment-related subsidiaries based in Japan...
artist Tomiko VanTomiko Van, is a Japanese J-pop singer and occasional actress, as well as a member of the band Do As Infinity , along with Ryo Owatari and Dai Nagao, that has resumed activities after their 2005 split.- Beginnings as solo artist :...
has a song called
- The Japanese heavy metalHeavy metal musicHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Onmyouza has a song called .
- A Nue appears in many of the games in the Megami TenseiMegami Tensei, commonly abbreviated as , is a Japanese console role-playing game metaseries which was originally based on the novel series Digital Devil Story by Aya Nishitani and has gone to become one of the major franchises of the genre in its native country...
series, as a potential fight opponent or ally.
- A Nue appears at the gate to the King of All Night's Dreaming's castle in Neil GaimanNeil GaimanNeil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
and Yoshitaka AmanoYoshitaka Amanois a Japanese artist. He began his career as an animator and has become known for his illustrations for the anime Vampire Hunter D and for his character designs, image illustrations and title logo designs for the Final Fantasy video game series developed by Square Enix . His influences include...
's Sandman: The Dream HuntersSandman: The Dream Hunters"The Sandman: The Dream Hunters" is a novella by English author Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano of Final Fantasy fame. The story is tangential to The Sandman comic book series, and can be read without prior knowledge of the main sequence. It won the Bram Stoker Award for Best...
.
- Zabimaru, the zanpakutō of Renji AbaraiRenji Abaraiis a fictional character and major figure in the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo. He is the lieutenant of the 6th Division in the Gotei 13 under captain Byakuya Kuchiki.- Personality :Renji is about as eccentric as any other Soul Reaper...
in the manga/anime series BleachBleach (manga)is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Noriaki "Tite" Kubo. Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a —a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki...
, manifests itself as a Nue.
- A Nue appears as the boss for the Extra Stage of the twelfth Touhou ProjectTouhou ProjectThe , also known as Toho Project or Project Shrine Maiden, is a Japanese dōjin game series focused on bullet hell shooters made by the one-man developer Team Shanghai Alice, whose sole member, known as ZUN, is responsible for all the graphics, music, and programming for the most part...
game, Undefined Fantastic Object, and is named Nue Houjuu. This Nue has the ability to conceal her true form, so all descriptions of her are different. The form she's fought in looks like a human that has three red metallic wings and three blue wings similar to tails. This is her true form, and the fact that it's her true form is the reason she attacked the main characters, so they couldn't go out and tell everyone what she looks like. She's also enveloped in a black cloud during a few of her attacks.
- One of the monsters a player fights in the PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
game Genji: Dawn of the SamuraiGenji: Dawn of the SamuraiGenji: Dawn of the Samurai is a PlayStation 2 game released on September 20, 2005. It is loosely based on The Tale of the Heike.A sequel, Genji: Days of the Blade was released for PlayStation 3.-Storyline:...
is a Nue. In the English version, it's referred to as a chimera.
- In the Japanese version of the game Blood Will TellBlood Will TellBlood Will Tell, released as in Japan, is a PlayStation 2 game released by Sega. It is based on the Japanese manga series Dororo, which was created by Osamu Tezuka. It concerns a hero named Hyakkimaru, who has had much of his body stolen by forty-eight fiends, and has prosthetic replacements...
, Kagemitsu Daigo transforms into a Nue during one of the final battles. However, in the English version, the monster is referred to as a chimeraChimera (mythology)The Chimera or Chimaera was, according to Greek mythology, a monstrous fire-breathing female creature of Lycia in Asia Minor, composed of the parts of multiple animals: upon the body of a lioness with a tail that ended in a snake's head, the head of a goat arose on her back at the center of her...
.
- In the game Breath of Fire IIIBreath of Fire IIIis a role-playing video game developed and published by Capcom originally for the PlayStation console as part of the Breath of Fire series. Initially released in Japan on September 11, 1997, the game was later released in North America and Europe in 1998. It is the first game in the franchise to...
, the first boss is a Nue, which kills villagers to feed its young.
- Nue is the name of a Mikura (a yōkaiYōkaiare a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore. The word yōkai is made up of the kanji for "otherworldly" and "weird". Yōkai range eclectically from the malevolent to the mischievous, or occasionally bring good fortune to those who encounter them...
turned blood-drinking machine) in the anime/CG 6-part OVA KarasKaras (anime)is a six-part original video animation. Tatsunoko Production produced it to commemorate its 40th anniversary of anime production. Each Karas episode was first televised in Japan as a pay-per-view program from March 25, 2005, to August 3, 2007, before being released onto DVDs...
voiced by Jay HernandezJay HernandezJavier Manuel "Jay" Hernandez, Jr. is an American actor.-Early life and career:Hernandez was born in Montebello, California, the son of Isis , a secretary and accountant, and Javier Hernandez, Sr., a mechanic. He has a younger sister, Amelia, and two older brothers, Michael and Gabriel. Hernandez...
. Unlike the other Mikura, he opposes Eko.
- Nue is a tigerTigerThe tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
monster in various Final FantasyFinal Fantasyis a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
games.
- In Monsterology: The Complete Book of Fabulous Beasts, the Nue (Chimera japonicus), is depicted as a relatively small and misunderstood creature, whose reputation derives from the foul odor of the fumes in produces from its rear end when threatened.
- The anime series Mononoke features a two-episode arc, titled "Nue," in which the mononokeYōkaiare a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore. The word yōkai is made up of the kanji for "otherworldly" and "weird". Yōkai range eclectically from the malevolent to the mischievous, or occasionally bring good fortune to those who encounter them...
is determined to have the form/shape (Katachi) of a Nue. Its appearance does not match the historical description; it instead appears as a human at different ages depending on the observer, which is explained as the reason for the nue's fantastic description—that different observers combined rushed glances of different animals into one creature.
- A Nue appears in the Super SentaiSuper SentaiThe is the name given to the long-running Japanese superhero team genre of shows produced by Toei Co., Ltd., Toei Agency and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi...
series Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
as a messenger for the head villain, Daimaou. This Nue is humanoid, and thus does not possess a tail. However, he can unleash a giant snake from a tattoo on his shoulder. It was adapted into Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
as the Hate Master.
- Nue are intelligent and funny looking creatures in the game Chrono TriggerChrono Triggeris a role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995. Chrono Triggers development team included three designers that Square dubbed the "Dream Team": Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Square's Final Fantasy series; Yuji Horii, a...
. They look nothing like their traditional counterparts.
- In the video game Muramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon Blade, known in Japan as is an action role playing game developed by Vanillaware and published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan, Rising Star Games in Europe, and Ignition Entertainment in North America for the Wii...
, a Nue is one of the boss characters.
- In the manga Air GearAir Gearis a shōnen manga written and illustrated by Ito "Oh Great" Ōgure. Air Gear revolves around the life of Itsuki Minami "Ikki", also known as "Baby Face", "Lil Crow", and his friends. The story follows their use of Air Treks, an in-universe invention derived from inline skates...
, the character Nue is named after these creatures.
Nure-onnaNure-onnaA is an amphibious creature with the head of a woman and the body of a snake. While the description of her appearance varies slightly from story to story, she has been described as being 300 m in length and has snake-like eyes, long claws, fangs and long, beautiful hair. She is typically spotted...
- A Nure-onna is featured in AdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest Worlds, often shortened to AQWorlds or simply AQW, is a browser-based MMORPG or massively multiplayer online role playing game developed by Artix Entertainment in 2008. Unlike most massively multiplayer role playing games, AdventureQuest Worlds was developed entirely in Adobe Flash...
. She is depicted as a half-woman half-snake monster that dwells in the Yokai River on Yokai Island. - Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater :Snake Girl
Oni
- In Rumiko TakahashiRumiko Takahashiis a Japanese manga artist.Takahashi is one of the wealthiest individuals, and the most affluent manga artists in Japan. The manga she creates are popular worldwide, where they have been translated into a variety of languages...
's Urusei YatsuraUrusei Yatsurais a comedic manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi that premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in 1978 and ran until its conclusion in 1987. Its 374 individual chapters were collected and published in 34 tankōbon volumes. The series tells the story of Ataru Moroboshi, and the alien...
, the female lead, Lum InvaderLum Invaderis a fictional character and the female protagonist from Rumiko Takahashi's manga and anime series Urusei Yatsura. She is often believed to be the main protagonist of the series due to her iconic status. However, Takahashi has stated that Ataru Moroboshi is the main character. She is named Lamu in...
, is an oni alien depicted wearing a tiger-skin bikini; as a matter of fact, the entire alien race to which she belongs is fashioned after the classical concept of oni.
- Chie ShinoharaChie Shinoharais an award winning Japanese manga artist best known for Red River, known in Japan as Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori: Anatolia Story. She has twice received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo, in 1987 for Yami no Purple Eye and in 2001 for Red River....
's manga Ao no Fuuin uses oni as a main theme when the female protagonist is a descendant of a beautiful oni queen who wants to resurrect her kind.
- Takahashi's Ranma 1/2 features a story in which one of the characters, Kasumi Tendo, is possessed by an oni, causing her to behave in uncharacteristically "evil" (yet humorous) ways.
- The Touhou ProjectTouhou ProjectThe , also known as Toho Project or Project Shrine Maiden, is a Japanese dōjin game series focused on bullet hell shooters made by the one-man developer Team Shanghai Alice, whose sole member, known as ZUN, is responsible for all the graphics, music, and programming for the most part...
series of shoot-'em-up games has a character named Suika Ibuki, an oni with a massive gourd on her back capable of producing an endless amount of sake; legend has it that no one has seen her sober in her 700 year life. A later game in the series marked the appearance of Yuugi Hoshiguma, Suika's oni associate from a group of four incredibly powerful oni that they both belong to, called the "Four Devas of the Mountains." Yuugi, despite being as great a drinker as Suika while being just as cheerful, is even less of a lightweight than Suika, being able to enter into a fight without seeming intoxicated or even spilling any of the sake in her sake dish.
- The BleachBleach (manga)is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Noriaki "Tite" Kubo. Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a —a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki...
character Love Aikawa has an Oni-themed mask. Also, his Zanpakuto's released form is a large spiked kanabō.
- In the Japanese release of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's MaskThe Legend of Zelda: Majora's Maskis an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on April 27, 2000, North America on October 26, 2000, and Europe on November 17, 2000. The game sold approximately 314,000 copies during its first...
, the Fierce Deity incarnation of Link is referred to as Oni Link.
- In the Mortal Kombat universe, the denizens of the Netherrealm (the series' equivalent of hellHellIn many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
) are called Oni (though they represent a drastic deviation from the Japanese concept, being primitive ape-like demons), and the oni character Drahmin's right arm is replaced by a metal club. Another Oni fighter of the series is Moloch.
- In Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, an Oni called King Yemma runs the Check-In Station in Other World, where he decides which souls go to Heaven and which to Hell. The Check-In Station and Hell are also staffed by many other oni, many of which hold iron clubs.
- In the DigimonDigimon, short for , is a Japanese media franchise encompassing digital toys, anime, manga and video games. The franchise's eponymous creatures are monsters of various forms living in a "Digital World", a parallel universe that originated from Earth's various communication networks.-Conception and...
series, there is a level Champion digimon called Ogremon, which is a classical interpretation of the Japanese Oni. Hyogamon and Fugamon (two variations of Ogremon, representing ice and wind respectively) are also Oni.
- In Hellboy: Sword of Storms, HellboyHellboyHellboy is a comic book superhero created by writer-artist Mike Mignola. The character first appeared in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 , and has since appeared in various eponymous miniseries, one-shots and intercompany crossovers...
fought a giant Oni. Before the final blow can be struck with the Sword of Storms, the Oni fades away so that Hellboy can break the Sword of Storms on the statue releasing the brothers Thunder and Lightning.
- Kamen Rider HibikiKamen Rider Hibikiis a Japanese tokusatsu superhero television series. It is the fifteenth installment in the popular Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu programs. It is a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei. Kamen Rider Hibiki first aired on January 30, 2005 and aired its final episode on January...
, a Japanese tokusatsuTokusatsuis a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....
series, uses Oni (which is what the Kamen Riders here are referred as) as a main theme of the series. It tells the story about ancient battle between the Oni and the Makamou. In another popular tokusatsu, the UltraUltra SeriesThe is the collective name for all the shows produced by Tsuburaya Productions featuring Ultraman, his many brethren, and the myriad Ultra Monsters. The Ultra Series is one of the prominent tokusatsu superhero genre productions from Japan, along with Toei produced series Kamen Rider, Super...
series, it is not uncommon for Oni to appear and do battle with an Ultraman.
- In The Venture Brothers season two episode "I Know Why the Caged Bird Kills", Dr. Venture is haunted by a floating Oni which has followed him from Japan. Venture and Doctor Byron Orpheus, a necromancer, attempt to banish the spirit using "tempest tongs" but the effort fails. Venture then attempts to trap the oni in the trunk of his car, at which point the demon possesses the automobile. The Oni attempts to lead Venture to Myra Brandish, Venture's former bodyguard and love who has kidnapped his sons. At the conclusion of the episode, the Oni leaves with Dr. Henry Killinger, for whom the spirit has been working throughout the episode.
- In the video game Muramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon Blade, known in Japan as is an action role playing game developed by Vanillaware and published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan, Rising Star Games in Europe, and Ignition Entertainment in North America for the Wii...
, Oni are one of the various enemies the main characters battle.
- Meisuke "Nube" Nueno of the manga/anime Jigoku Sensei Nube has an Oni residing in his right hand, which he uses to exorcise and defeat demons.
- In Rumiko TakahashiRumiko Takahashiis a Japanese manga artist.Takahashi is one of the wealthiest individuals, and the most affluent manga artists in Japan. The manga she creates are popular worldwide, where they have been translated into a variety of languages...
's mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
InuYashaInuYasha, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
, Oni are common YokaiYokaiare a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore. The word yōkai is made up of the kanji for "otherworldly" and "weird". Yōkai range eclectically from the malevolent to the mischievous, or occasionally bring good fortune to those who encounter them...
in the series.
- The literal translation of Oni is demonDemoncall - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
or ogreOgreAn ogre is a large, cruel, monstrous, and hideous humanoid monster, featured in mythology, folklore, and fiction. Ogres are often depicted in fairy tales and folklore as feeding on human beings, and have appeared in many classic works of literature...
.
OnibabaOnibaba (folklore)is an Oni from Japanese folklore that has the appearance of an old woman but is a yōkai that feasts on humans. Variously known as the “Demon-Hag,” “Old Hag,” “Mountain Woman,” “the Goblin of Adachigahara,” and “Kurozuka,” the Onibaba has many stories behind her name.-Characteristics:The Onibaba has...
- The meaning of the word "Onibaba" in Japanese means "demon mother".
- Onibaba is featured in AdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest Worlds, often shortened to AQWorlds or simply AQW, is a browser-based MMORPG or massively multiplayer online role playing game developed by Artix Entertainment in 2008. Unlike most massively multiplayer role playing games, AdventureQuest Worlds was developed entirely in Adobe Flash...
. She is featured in Yokai Island's junkyard near the Tsukumogami Shrine.
RokurokubiRokurokubiare yōkai found in Japanese folklore. They look like normal human beings by day, but at night they gain the ability to stretch their necks to great lengths. They can also change their faces to those of terrifying oni to better scare mortals....
- Chuda Chiaki in Legend of the Five RingsLegend of the Five RingsLegend of the Five Rings is a fictional setting created by the John Wick and published by Alderac Entertainment Group in 1995. The setting primarily involves the fictional country of Rokugan, though some additional areas and cultures have been discussed. Rokugan is based roughly on feudal Japan...
is a Rokurokubi.
- The 2005 movie Yōkai DaisensōYokai MonstersYokai Monsters is a series of Japanese children's movies created in the 1960s.There were originally three movies made:* Yokai Monsters: Spook Warfare * Yokai Monsters: One Hundred Monsters...
features a Rokurokubi.
- Rokurokubi appears in Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
as a monster that can detach it's octopus-like head. It was featured as a background monster in Power Ranger Zeo minus the octopus-like head.
- Miki Hosokawa in the manga/anime Hell Teacher NūbēHell Teacher Nubeis a horror-comedy manga created by the collaborative efforts of writer and artist Takeshi Okano in Shueisha's manga anthology book Weekly Shōnen Jump. The series ran for 276 chapters from Issue 38, 1993 through Issue 24, 1999...
is a Rokurokubi.
- Rokurokubi are in the film Pom PokoPom Pokois a 1994 Japanese animated film, the eighth written and directed by Isao Takahata and animated by Studio Ghibli.Consistent with Japanese folklore, the tanuki are portrayed as a highly sociable, mischievous species, able to use "illusion science" to transform into almost anything, but too...
, during the "Operation Specter" scene.
- Three Rokurokubi appear in the animated film Hellboy: Sword of Storms. They appear as one of several groups of monsters trying to steal the Sword of Storms from Hellboy so that they can release the spirit of two imprisoned demons.
- The character Orochimaru in the manga/anime NarutoNarutois an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
is shown to stretch his neck great distances while fighting three of the main characters.
- In the movie Fear(s) of the DarkFear(s) of the DarkFear[s] of the Dark is a 2007 French black-and-white animated anthology film on the subject of fear written and directed by several acclaimed comic book creators and graphic designers...
, Sumako, haunted by the spirit of an ancient samurai, sees a Rokurokubi.
SatoriSatori (folklore)is a type of mountain-dwelling yōkai in Japanese folklore that holds the power to read human thoughts. The creature is said to approach travellers on mountain paths in hominid form and speak their thoughts aloud...
- In the Touhou game Subterranean AnimismSubterranean Animismis the eleventh main game of the Touhou Project scrolling shooter series. Made by the dōjin game maker Team Shanghai Alice, the full version of the game was released in the 74th Comiket which commenced in August 2008.-Gameplay:...
, Two characters, Satori Komeiji and Koishi Komeiji are introduced. Both are Satori type Youkai, the former being able to read the conscious mind, and the latter the subconscious.
ShikigamiShikigamiShikigami are a kind of spirit, found in Japanese Mythology summoned to serve a practitioner of onmyōdō, much like a western familiar. Shikigami cannot be seen by most people, but according to the Heian period onmyōji who were said to control them, shikigami often looked something like a...
- In the intermission of the episode of Yu Yu Hakusho appears the Shikigami.
- In the manga Rosario + VampireRosario + Vampire, often shortened to , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akihisa Ikeda. The story revolves around Tsukune Aono, a boy who accidentally gets enrolled in a school inhabited by monsters and demons. He quickly befriends Moka Akashiya, a vampire who soon develops an obsession with...
the shikigami of Kiria in the book nº 8
- In mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series such as Yami no Matsuei, Mahou Sensei NegimaNegima!: Magister Negi MagiNegima! Magister Negi Magi, known in Japan as is a manga and anime series by Ken Akamatsu . The manga is currently being published by Kodansha and serialized in Shōnen Magazine in Japan. Del Rey Manga published the English translated version in the United States and Canada prior to Kodansha...
and many others, shikigami are depicted as magical servants made from folded or cut paper.
- In the animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
OVA Doomed MegalopolisDoomed Megalopolisis an anime rendition of the Japanese historical fantasy epic Teito Monogatari . Like it's live-action predecessor, Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis, the anime is only an adaptation of the first 1/3rd of the original novel. It was released by Toei in 1991 as a 4-part OVA...
(an adaptation of the novel Teito MonogatariTeito Monogatariis a massive Japanese historical fantasy epic written by Hiroshi Aramata.-Overview:The story is a retelling of the history of Edo from an occultist perspective. The premise is based on the idea that the curse of Taira no Masakado greatly influenced the city's history from its inception to the...
), the evil onmyōji, Yasunori KatoYasunori Katois a fictional character, the antagonist of the Japanese historical fantasy series Teito Monogatari, created by Hiroshi Aramata.Since his first cinematic appearance in 1988, Yasunori Kato has gone on to become a well known and well respected archetype in Japanese popular culture having inspired a...
, is constantly seen summoning hundreds of black shikigami to perform his bidding.
- In the anime series Shaman KingShaman Kingis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiroyuki Takei. Shaman King follows the adventures of Yoh Asakura as he attempts to hone his shaman skills to become the Shaman King in the Shaman tournament....
, Yohmei Asakura, the grandfather of Yoh AsakuraYoh Asakurais the main protagonist in the anime and manga Shaman King. In the original Japanese anime, his name has been inconsistently romanized as Yoh, You or Yō; while in the English adaptations, his name is always romanized as Yoh. His seiyū is Yūko Satō, and his English dub voice is provided by Sebastian...
, utilizes sprite-like shikigami resembling small Totoro using tree leaves as mediums for them. Hao Asakura owns two oni-like shikigami, Zenki and Kouki, who are later on used by Anna Kyoyama after she is able to tame the two.
- In The Last BladeThe Last Blade, is a fighting game series created by SNK for the Neo Geo system. The Korean version of the game is known as "The Last Soldier". The Last Blade and its sequel are widely considered to be two of the most accomplished games available for the Neo Geo system, with fan opinion divided as to which is...
, Akari Ichijo is often assisted in battle by a shikigami called Hagure Hitogata, who becomes a playable character in the sequel. Selecting him will result in him assuming his opponent's shape.
- In ZenkiZenkiis a Japanese manga series written by Kikuhide Tani and illustrated by Yoshihiro Kuroiwa. It was serealized in the Shueisha publication, Monthly Shōnen Jump from 1992 to 1996. Zenki was adapted into a fifty-one episode anime television series in 1995 by Studio Deen and also spawned five video games...
, Zenki and Gouki were shikigami of Ozunu Enno, the ancestor of Chiaki Enno, the protagonist. In the series itself, the two act as shikigami for Chiaki.
- Subaru SumeragiSubaru Sumeragiis a fictional character created by Clamp. He is the protagonist of Tokyo Babylon and one of the Dragons of Heaven in X.An alternate version of the character appears in Clamp's crossover series, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle.- Early life :...
and Seishirō SakurazukaSeishiro Sakurazukais a fictional character created by Clamp in their 1990 manga Tokyo Babylon. In Tokyo Babylon, he appears as a kindly veterinarian engaged in a love-hate relationship with the onmyoji Subaru Sumeragi. He is also known as the Sakurazukamori, Japan’s number one assassin...
, onmyōji from Tokyo BabylonTokyo Babylonis a manga series created by Clamp. The series follows Subaru Sumeragi, the head of the Sumeragi clan, and his sister Hokuto as they work to protect Tokyo from a myriad of supernatural perils....
and X/1999, employ shikigami as summoned spies and also to spiritually attack opponents.
- Shikigami are featured heavily in the manga/anime series InuYashaInuYasha, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
. Kikyo uses several to collect souls and to deliver messages and creates three human-like shikigami when she is poisoned and needs to bide time to find a way to recover. Two of her shikigami take on the form of two girls, Kochō and Asuka, and the third one is a replica of herself. Another character in the series, Tsubaki, creates several shikigami as well. Kururugi from the video game Inuyasha: The Cursed Mask uses shikigami as weapons, to heal, and to defend.
- Maggie Mui in the anime Read or DieRead or Dieis a series of light novels authored by Hideyuki Kurata, published under Shueisha's Super Dash Bunko imprint. Read or Die follows Yomiko Readman, codename "The Paper", an agent for the Special Operations Division of the British Library. There are currently 11 Read or Die novels. In volume 11, a...
: the TV, the middle sister of the three Paper Sisters, creates paper monsters to act as weapons and tools; they are sometimes referred to as shikigami.
- The anime Onmyou TaisenkiOnmyou Taisenkiis a Japanese manga series scripted by Yoshihiko Tomizawa and illustrated by Hiroyuki Kaidō. It was adapted into an anime series produced by Sunrise.-General information:...
revolves around the use of shikigami as spirits or fallen deities summoned to fight each other.
- The TouhouTouhou ProjectThe , also known as Toho Project or Project Shrine Maiden, is a Japanese dōjin game series focused on bullet hell shooters made by the one-man developer Team Shanghai Alice, whose sole member, known as ZUN, is responsible for all the graphics, music, and programming for the most part...
game Perfect Cherry BlossomPerfect Cherry Blossomis a vertical-scrolling manic shooter made by Team Shanghai Alice, and is the seventh official game of the Touhou Project. The full game was first released on August 17, 2003, in the 64th Comiket in Japan.- Gameplay :...
contains a boss, Ran Yakumo, who is a shikigami, and another, Chen, who is the shikigami of that shikigami.
- Shikigami along with Shikiouji appear several times in the Japanese video game series Megami TenseiMegami Tensei, commonly abbreviated as , is a Japanese console role-playing game metaseries which was originally based on the novel series Digital Devil Story by Aya Nishitani and has gone to become one of the major franchises of the genre in its native country...
.
- The paper birds in the Hayao MiyazakiHayao Miyazakiis a Japanese manga artist and prominent film director and animator of many popular anime feature films. Through a career that has spanned nearly fifty years, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a maker of animated feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli,...
movie Spirited AwaySpirited Awayis a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy-adventure film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film tells the story of Chihiro Ogino, a sullen ten-year-old girl who, while moving to a new neighborhood and after her parents are transformed into pigs by the witch Yubaba,...
are also shikigami.
- In Japanese anime and manga Ghost Sweeper MikamiGhost Sweeper Mikamiis a Japanese comedic horror manga series written and illustrated by Takashi Shiina. It was published by the weekly manga magazine Shōnen Sunday from 1991 to 1999. In 1993, it won the Shogakukan Manga Award for best shōnen manga...
, Meiko Rokudō (六道 冥子), a sweet and innocent but extremely powerful teenage girl, directly controls twelve shikigami.
- In the video game Tenchu: Wrath of HeavenTenchu: Wrath of HeavenTenchu: Wrath of Heaven is a stealth game developed by K2 LLC and published by Activision in North America and Europe and From Software in Japan for the PlayStation 2 in 2003....
, shikigami take on the appearance of paper-like floating spirits.
- In the Japanese anime and light novel series Rental MagicaRental Magicais a Japanese light novel series by Makoto Sanda, with illustrations by Pako. It is currently in the midst of serialization in The Sneaker magazine published by Kadokawa Shoten...
, Nekoyashiki uses four shikigami which take the form of cats.
- In the video game Tales of SymphoniaTales of Symphoniais a video game first released for the Nintendo GameCube and later for the PlayStation 2 in Japan. It debuted in Japan on August 29, 2003, selling 953,000 copies, in Canada and the United States on July 13, 2004, and in Europe on November 19, 2004. The game received a Japanese-only PlayStation 2...
, the character Sheena Fujibayashi fights alongside shikigami when faced as an opponent by the player.
- In the anime Saiyuki Reload, the four protagonists fight a shikigami that appears to be a clone of themselves.
- In the anime Ghost Hunt, Koujo Lin is a onmyōji and he has five shikigami.
- In the anime Abenobashi: Magical Shopping Arcade, Eutus (who actually is Abe no SeimeiAbe no Seimeiwas an onmyōji, a leading specialist of onmyōdō during the middle of the Heian Period in Japan. In addition to his prominence in history, he is a legendary figure in Japanese folklore and has been portrayed in a number of stories and films....
) has a shikigami serving him. At one time, he said he had dozens helping him, but turned almost all of them off because they were too noisy.
- In the anime/manga series Tsukuyomi -Moon Phase-Tsukuyomi -Moon Phase-is a manga series by Keitarō Arima about a young vampire girl named Hazuki and a Japanese freelance photographer Kouhei Morioka whom Hazuki attempts to make into her servant....
, the vampire girl, Hazuki, has a shikigami by the name of Haiji. This information is according to AnimeNfo.com & the Moon Phase anime DVD set; Vol. 2.
- In several of Laurence YepLaurence Yep-Background:Chinese-American, Yep was born in San Francisco, California to Yep Gim Lew and Franche. His older brother, Thomas named him after studying a particular saint in a multicultural neighborhood that consisted of mostly African Americans. Growing up, he often felt torn between both...
's books (most notably the Tiger's Apprentice series), the antagonists use monsters that, when killed, turn into paper dolls.
- In the anime & manga series NarutoNarutois an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
, the character Konan uses paper to fight and can also turn into paper. This technique is called "Dance of the Shikigami".
ShinigamiShinigamiis the personification of death in Japan. It's unclear when the concept entered Japanese culture; it may have been imported from China , or possibly been imported from Europe during the Sengoku era—that period in European history featured a common motif of the Grim Reaper gathering souls...
- In BleachBleach (manga)is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Noriaki "Tite" Kubo. Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a —a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki...
, the Shinigami are known as "Soul Reapers".
- Komachi Onozuka from the Touhou ProjectTouhou ProjectThe , also known as Toho Project or Project Shrine Maiden, is a Japanese dōjin game series focused on bullet hell shooters made by the one-man developer Team Shanghai Alice, whose sole member, known as ZUN, is responsible for all the graphics, music, and programming for the most part...
game series is a Shinigami.
- Shinigami are among the main characters of Death NoteDeath Noteis a manga created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and manga artist Takeshi Obata. The main character is Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook, the "Death Note", dropped on Earth by a god of death, or a shinigami, named Ryuk...
; most notably Ryuk, who dropped the eponymous artifact in the human world, where it would eventually be found by Light YagamiLight Yagami, also known as is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the manga and anime series Death Note. He is an extremely intelligent, athletic, popular, but bored young man who finds the Death Note dropped by the Shinigami Ryuk by sheer chance...
.
- Most of the action in the manga Soul EaterSoul Eater (manga)is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Atsushi Ōkubo. Set at the "Death Weapon Meister Academy," the series revolves around three teams consisting of a weapon meister and human weapon...
centers around the students of the Death Weapon Meister Academy (Shinigami Buki Shokunin Senmon Gakkou; lit. "Polytechnical School for Death God Weaponsmiths") striving to turn their partner into a scythe for Shinigami-sama, the school's headmaster. Shinigami-sama also has a son, Death the Kid (who was said to be a Shinigami himself as well), who enrolls into the Academy early in the series.
- Momo, the lead heroine of the miniseries Shinigami no BalladShinigami no Ballad, subtitled momo: the god girl of death, is a Japanese light novel series written by K-Ske Hasegawa, with illustrations by Nanakusa. The series includes twelve novels released between June 10, 2003 and April 10, 2009, published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko imprint...
, is a modern, light rendition of a Shinigami.
- Ai Enma from the animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
/mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series Hell Girl is technically a Shinigami due to the role she plays in the series.
- In Rumiko TakahashiRumiko Takahashiis a Japanese manga artist.Takahashi is one of the wealthiest individuals, and the most affluent manga artists in Japan. The manga she creates are popular worldwide, where they have been translated into a variety of languages...
's manga series Rin-neRin-neis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It began serialization in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday manga magazine on April 22, 2009...
, Shinigami are death gods who lead the souls of the dead to the wheel of reincarnation which then brings that person back into the world as a different being.
- The Japanese versions of the CastlevaniaCastlevaniaCastlevania, known as in Japan, is a video game series created and developed by Konami. The series debuted in Japan on September 26, 1986, with the release of for the Family Computer Disk System , followed by an alternate version for the MSX 2 platform on October 30...
titles refer to Death as Shinigami.
- In KuroshitsujiKuroshitsujiis a manga written and illustrated by Yana Toboso. Since its debut on September 16, 2006, it has been serialized in Square Enix's shōnen manga magazine Monthly GFantasy....
, several supporting characters are Shinigami.
- In the anime Darker than BlackDarker than Blackis an anime television series, created, directed and written by Tensai Okamura and animated by Bones. It premiered across Japan from April 5, 2007 on MBS, TBS, and its affiliated broadcast stations, with its satellite television premiere in Japan on Animax in May 2007. The music for the series is...
, they refer to Hei as the "Kuro no Shinigami"-Black Reaper in English.
- In Arina Tanemura's "Full Moon wo Sagashite," two Shinigami, Takuto and Mereko, came to take Mitsuki's life. They scout lost souls and come to take the lives of and guide those who are destined to die. In this anime,it is said that Shinigami are humans who have died committing suicide. But Mitsuki calls them "Angels" because of their pure white wings and kindness to help those who are living their last days. There are said to be many other Shinigami who are there as well. In this anime, they all can take forms as animals to talk to humans because normal humans can't see them. For example, Takuto can take form of a cat. Now Mitsuki can see Shinigami because she believed in them and it is said that people who are going to die can see Shinigami too, even though Mitsuki could see them even after she fought her death.
TanukiTanukiis the common Japanese name for the Japanese raccoon dog . They have been part of Japanese folklore since ancient times...
- All the main characters in Pom PokoPom Pokois a 1994 Japanese animated film, the eighth written and directed by Isao Takahata and animated by Studio Ghibli.Consistent with Japanese folklore, the tanuki are portrayed as a highly sociable, mischievous species, able to use "illusion science" to transform into almost anything, but too...
are shapeshifting Tanuki who are trying to save their habitat from urban development. Japanese legends about Tanuki and kitsuneKitsuneis the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore; in English, kitsune refers to them in this context. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume...
shapeshifting are featured heavily throughout the movie. The Tanuki were mistranslated in the film as raccoons.
- In the story BotchanBotchanBotchan is a novel written by Natsume Sōseki in 1906. It is considered to be one of the most popular novels in Japan, read by most Japanese during their childhood. The central theme of the story is morality.-Narrative:...
by Natsume SosekiNatsume Soseki, born ', is widely considered to be the foremost Japanese novelist of the Meiji period . He is best known for his novels Kokoro, Botchan, I Am a Cat and his unfinished work Light and Darkness. He was also a scholar of British literature and composer of haiku, Chinese-style poetry, and fairy tales...
, the protagonist refers to his employer, a school principal, as "Tanuki", although this has been mistranslated as "Badger" in the English version (However, to all intents and purposes, "Badger" may be the best translation, since the verb "badger" means to pester or annoy someone).
- In the BleachBleach (manga)is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Noriaki "Tite" Kubo. Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a —a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki...
series, shortly before being taken to Soul SocietyBleach (manga)is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Noriaki "Tite" Kubo. Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a —a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki...
for her execution, Rukia KuchikiRukia KuchikiRukia is 4foot 8 . is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo. In the series, Rukia is a Soul Reaper in charge of slaying evil spirits known as Hollows...
leaves Ichigo KurosakiIchigo Kurosakiis a fictional character in the anime and manga franchise Bleach by Tite Kubo. He is the story's main character. The series begins with Ichigo receiving Soul Reaper powers as a result of a run-in with Rukia Kuchiki, the Soul Reaper assigned to patrol his city, Karakura Town...
a note written in the ta-nuki code (in which the message is written syllable by syllable, each of them interspersed with the character ta; ta-nuki literally means "take ta off"), and draws a Tanuki next to the note as a clue.
- Hachi, from the anime series InuYashaInuYasha, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
, takes the form of a Tanuki even though he is introduced as a badger in the English dub.
- Urusei YatsuraUrusei Yatsurais a comedic manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi that premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in 1978 and ran until its conclusion in 1987. Its 374 individual chapters were collected and published in 34 tankōbon volumes. The series tells the story of Ataru Moroboshi, and the alien...
, which was written by the same author as InuYasha (Rumiko TakahashiRumiko Takahashiis a Japanese manga artist.Takahashi is one of the wealthiest individuals, and the most affluent manga artists in Japan. The manga she creates are popular worldwide, where they have been translated into a variety of languages...
) also features a Tanuki in comical situations.
- In NarutoNarutois an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
, the one-tailed demon Shukaku that is sealed inside the body of GaaraGaarais a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime series created by Masashi Kishimoto. Kishimoto designed Gaara as a foil to the series' titular character, Naruto Uzumaki, as the two were born through similar circumstances, but develop vastly different personalities as they deal with their...
is based on the Tanuki.
- The Tanuki is well-represented in video games as one of MarioMariois a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
's power-ups in Super Mario Bros. 3Super Mario Bros. 3, also referred to as Super Mario 3 and SMB3, is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System , and is the third game in the Super Mario series. The game was released in Japan in 1988, in the United States in 1990, and in Europe in 1991...
, in which the Super Leaf and P-Wing gave Mario/Luigi the ears and tail of a raccoon, enabling him to fly and spin-attack the enemies, as well as a Tanuki suit that, aside from the capabilities normally granted by the Super Leaf, also enabled Mario or Luigi to briefly turn into a statue to let enemies pass by. Tanuki also appear as a pair of characters in Super Mario SunshineSuper Mario Sunshineis a platforming video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Japan in July 2002, in North America in August 2002, and in Europe and Australia in October 2002...
, the action stage identifier from The Legend of the Mystical Ninja and Rocky from Pocky & RockyPocky & RockyPocky & Rocky, known in Japan as , is a scrolling shooter video game with action elements licensed by Taito to Natsume, who developed and published the game for release in Japan in 1992 and the rest of the world in 1993...
.
- Tom NookTom NookTom Nook, known in Japan as , is a fictional character in the Animal Crossing series who operates the village store. He first appears in the Nintendo 64 game Dōbutsu no Mori, released in Europe and North America on the Nintendo GameCube as Animal Crossing...
, the shopkeeper in Animal CrossingAnimal CrossingThe Animal Crossing games have garnered positive response. The first three games are among the best-selling for their respective consoles. Animal Crossing has sold 2.321 million copies; Wild World 10.79 million; and City Folk 3.38 million...
, is a Tanuki (although translated as a raccoon) and the furniture and other objects that he buys and sells transform into leaves when stored in a player's inventory. His name in Japanese, Tanukichi, is a much more obvious play on the word Tanuki. Tom Nook's nephews, Timmy and Tommy, are also Tanuki.
- The Tanuki, the mythical figure as well as the modern animal, play a large part in Tom RobbinsTom RobbinsThomas Eugene "Tom" Robbins Thomas Eugene "Tom" Robbins Thomas Eugene "Tom" Robbins (born July 22, 1936 is an American author. His best-selling novels are serio-comic, often wildly poetic stories with a strong social and philosophical undercurrent, an irreverent bent, and scenes extrapolated from...
' novel Villa IncognitoVilla IncognitoBantam Doubleday Dell and Random House published Villa Incognito in April and June 2003, respectively. One of the most quoted lines from the book is the very first, setting the tone for this Tom Robbins adventure: "It has been reported that Tanuki fell from the sky using his scrotum as a...
.
- "The Masked Tanuki" is an episode of the American animated television show Kappa MikeyKappa MikeyKappa Mikey is an American animated sitcom created by Larry Schwarz, who chose 4Kids Entertainment as the worldwide licensing, marketing and official promotional agent of the series...
and is also the name of the superheroSuperheroA superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
identity of Guano.
- Tanuki also appear in the 2005 Seijun SuzukiSeijun Suzuki, born Seitaro Suzuki on May 24, 1923, is a Japanese filmmaker, actor, and screenwriter. His films are renowned by film enthusiasts worldwide for their jarring visual style, irreverent humour, nihilistic cool and entertainment-over-logic sensibility...
film Princess RaccoonPrincess Raccoonis a 2005 Japanese film directed by Seijun Suzuki. The "raccoon" of the English title is actually a translation for the tanuki. It is a love story set in the musical genre and stars Zhang Ziyi as a tanuki princess and Joe Odagiri as the banished prince she falls in love with...
(aka ).
- In the Ever17Ever17Ever 17: The Out of Infinity is a Japanese science fiction visual novel produced by KID, originally released on August 29, 2002 for the PlayStation 2 and Dreamcast. A Windows version, Ever 17: The Out of Infinity Premium Edition, was released on May 16, 2003. In December 2005, Hirameki...
visual novel by KID, Komachi Tsugumi wears a mascot Tanuki suit and beats the protagonist pretty hard when he tries to seek the help from her, when he gets lost in amusement park. Later, Yuubiseiharukana explains that isn't a "tanuki", but a "lemur".
- In the manga/anime Shaman KingShaman Kingis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiroyuki Takei. Shaman King follows the adventures of Yoh Asakura as he attempts to hone his shaman skills to become the Shaman King in the Shaman tournament....
, one of Tamao Tamamura's guardian ghosts is a Tanuki (Ponchi).
- In the video game ŌkamiOkamiis an action-adventure video game developed by Clover Studio and published by Capcom. It was released for Sony's PlayStation 2 video game console in 2006 in Japan and North America, and 2007 in Europe and Australia...
, Tanuki statues can be seen in front of various shops.
- In the video game Shinobido, Tanuki statues can be seen in front of various shops.
- In the manga/anime One PieceOne Pieceis a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump since August 4, 1997; the individual chapters are being published in tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, with the first released on December 24, 1997, and the 64th volume released as...
, the reindeer Tony Tony Chopper is often called a Tanuki.
- Oy of the Mid-World, a character of the Stephen King's The Dark TowerThe Dark Tower (series)The Dark Tower is a series of books written by American author Stephen King, which incorporates themes from multiple genres, including fantasy, science fantasy, horror and western. It describes a "Gunslinger" and his quest toward a tower, the nature of which is both physical and metaphorical. King...
saga, seems to be based on the Tanuki.
- In the anime Ouran High School Host ClubOuran High School Host Clubis a manga series by Bisco Hatori, serialized in Hakusensha's LaLa magazine since August 5, 2003. The series follows Haruhi Fujioka, a scholarship student at Ouran High School, and the other members of the popular host club. The romantic comedy focuses on the relationships within and without the...
, Hikaru says that Haruhi looks like a Tanuki, making Tamaki upset because he called her a "raccoon dog."
- In the Renkin 3-kyū Magical? Pokān episode "The Hot Spell is the Spontaneous Onsen," the four princesses encounter Tanuki in the form of women that ended up luring the girls into a hot spring that they were looking for and end up stealing their clothes near the end of the episode. When they noticed the tanukis in their clothes close to the end, Uma claims that this is what they meant by "tricked by a Tanuki."
- Tanuki are featured in AdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest Worlds, often shortened to AQWorlds or simply AQW, is a browser-based MMORPG or massively multiplayer online role playing game developed by Artix Entertainment in 2008. Unlike most massively multiplayer role playing games, AdventureQuest Worlds was developed entirely in Adobe Flash...
. They reside in Yokai Island's Bamboo Forest and have been bewitched by the 4th Lord of Chaos named Kitsune. They are shown as their usual descriptions, but are larger than normal, wearing a nightcap, and can breathe fire.
- In the Japanese TransformersTransformersA transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another by magnetic coupling.Transformer may also refer to:* ASUS Eee Pad Transformer, an Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet computer manufacturer by Asus...
cartoon series Beast Wars NeoBeast Wars NeoBeast Wars Neo is a 1998 Japanese Transformers television animated series and toy line, and a sequel to Beast Wars II.-Plot:The series focuses on a battle between Maximal and Predacon factions for possession of an energy source called Angolmois. The lone "one-man army" Big Convoy is assigned the...
, there is a character named Heinlad who has the ability to time-travel. He transforms into a Tanuki with a clock imbedded in its stomach.
- In Street Fighter IIIStreet Fighter IIIis a fighting game in Capcom's Street Fighter series, originally released as coin-operated arcade game in . Street Fighter III was produced for the CD-ROM-based CP System III hardware, which allowed for more elaborate 2D graphics than the CPS II-based Street Fighter Alpha games , while revamping...
, the character Ibuki owns a Tanuki named Don.
- Reiko Asagiri from the anime Gate KeepersGate Keepersis primarily a role-playing game for the PlayStation. The game was then adapted into a manga series written by and drawn by Keiji Gotoh and an anime series produced by Gonzo, and first aired on April 3, 2000.....
has a statue of a Tanuki in her collection of souvenirs from places she and her fellow AEGIS agents operated.
TenguTenguare a class of supernatural creatures found in Japanese folklore, art, theater, and literature. They are one of the best known yōkai and are sometimes worshipped as Shinto kami...
- In Season Three of Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
(as well as Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The MovieMighty Morphin Power Rangers: The MovieMighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is a 1995 American superhero action fantasy based on the television series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers on Fox Kids. It featured the characters and actors from the series itself, and used the zords from Ninja Sentai Kakuranger...
), the Tengas are based on Tengus. A Tengu also appears in Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
who was adapted into Professor Longnose in the 10-episode mini series Mighty Morphin Alien RangersMighty Morphin Alien RangersMighty Morphin Alien Rangers is a Power Rangers miniseries set at the end of the third season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers...
.
- In the MMORPG game AdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest Worlds, often shortened to AQWorlds or simply AQW, is a browser-based MMORPG or massively multiplayer online role playing game developed by Artix Entertainment in 2008. Unlike most massively multiplayer role playing games, AdventureQuest Worlds was developed entirely in Adobe Flash...
, there is a monster called Dai Tengu.
- In the videogame Dead or Alive 2Dead or Alive 2Dead or Alive 2 is a fighting game in the Dead or Alive series. It debuted in arcades in October 1999 and was released on February 29, 2000 for the Dreamcast....
, the final boss is a Tengu called Bankotsubo.
- Aya Shameimaru and Hatate Himekaidou from the Touhou ProjectTouhou ProjectThe , also known as Toho Project or Project Shrine Maiden, is a Japanese dōjin game series focused on bullet hell shooters made by the one-man developer Team Shanghai Alice, whose sole member, known as ZUN, is responsible for all the graphics, music, and programming for the most part...
series are crow Tengu. Momizi Inubashiri, who is Aya's subordinate, is a white wolf Tengu.
- In Mega Man 8Mega Man 8Mega Man 8, known as in Japan, is a video game released by Capcom. It is the eighth installment in original Mega Man series, and was originally released in Japan on the PlayStation on December 17, 1996. The following year, Mega Man 8 saw a release on the Sega Saturn and was localized for both...
, Mega Man & BassMega Man & BassMega Man & Bass, known in Japan as , is a video game developed by Capcom. It is a spin-off title in the original Mega Man series and was originally released exclusively in Japan on April 24, 1998 for the Super Famicom...
, and Mega Man Battle Network 6Mega Man Battle Network 6MegaMan Battle Network 6, known as in Japan, is a video game developed by Capcom for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console. As with the previous three games, the Japanese edition was released in two separate versions: and . The North American releases are titled Cybeast Falzar and Cybeast...
one of the robot masters encountered is Tengu Man, a robot based on Tengus.
- Mr. Karate of the Art of FightingArt of Fightingis a trilogy of competitive fighting game titles that were released for the Neo Geo platform in the early 1990s. It was the second fighting game franchise created by SNK, following the Fatal Fury series and is set in the same fictional universe...
series and the King of FightersKing of Fighters, officially abbreviated KOF, is a series of fighting games by SNK Playmore . The series was originally developed for SNK's Neo Geo MVS arcade hardware, which served as the main platform for the series until 2004, when SNK retired the MVS in favor of the Atomiswave arcade board...
series wears a Tengu mask.
- In Muramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon Blade, known in Japan as is an action role playing game developed by Vanillaware and published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan, Rising Star Games in Europe, and Ignition Entertainment in North America for the Wii...
, a video game for the WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, Tengu are one of the various enemies the main character's battle.
- In Season One, episode 9 of Samurai ChamplooSamurai Champloois a Japanese anime series created and directed by Shinichirō Watanabe. It was broadcast in Japan from May 20, 2004 through March 19, 2005 on Fuji TV. Samurai Champloo has earned Watanabe a renowned title in the anime and Japanese television communities...
, the warriors in the mountain are referred to as Tengu.
- In the anime Occult AcademyOccult Academyis a Japanese anime television series produced by A-1 Pictures and Aniplex and directed by Tomohiko Itō. The 13-episode anime premiered in Japan on the TV Tokyo television network on July 6, 2010. Occult Academy is the third project of Anime no Chikara. It was shown by Crunchyroll an hour after the...
there are rumors of a Tengu in the first episodes but it is proven later that this was actually just a Mothman.
- In the manga Black BirdBlack Bird (manga)is a Japanese supernatural shōjo manga written and illustrated by Kanoko Sakurakoji. It has been serialized by Shogakukan in their Betsucomi magazine since 2007. It depicts the life of a high school girl who can see supernatural beings...
, Kyo Usui is the leader of the Tengu Clan.
- In the video game Okami, Tengu is featured as a boss.
TsuchigumoTsuchigumoThe , also called , were a people of ancient Japan, believed to have lived in the Japanese Alps until at least the Asuka period. The name means "ground spider", likely due to perceived physical traits that were later exaggerated or embellished....
- Tsuchigumo appeared in Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
as a spider monster. It was later adapted into Arachnofiend in Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
.
- Tsuchigumo appears in the anime OVA KarasKaras (anime)is a six-part original video animation. Tatsunoko Production produced it to commemorate its 40th anniversary of anime production. Each Karas episode was first televised in Japan as a pay-per-view program from March 25, 2005, to August 3, 2007, before being released onto DVDs...
voiced by Mary Elizabeth McGlynnMary Elizabeth McGlynnMary Elizabeth McGlynn is an American voice actress, ADR director, writer, and singer best known for her extensive English-language dubbing of various anime, and her singing in multiple games from the Silent Hill series, as well as the movie adaptation and Dance Dance Revolution EXTREME. She has...
. She appears as a robotic spider Mikura who assumes the form of a woman and is loyal to Eko.
- Yamame Kurodani from Touhou ProjectTouhou ProjectThe , also known as Toho Project or Project Shrine Maiden, is a Japanese dōjin game series focused on bullet hell shooters made by the one-man developer Team Shanghai Alice, whose sole member, known as ZUN, is responsible for all the graphics, music, and programming for the most part...
is a Tsuchigumo, but somewhat resembles an Argiope Spider.
- The first Makamou to be defeated in Kamen Rider HibikiKamen Rider Hibikiis a Japanese tokusatsu superhero television series. It is the fifteenth installment in the popular Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu programs. It is a joint collaboration between Ishimori Productions and Toei. Kamen Rider Hibiki first aired on January 30, 2005 and aired its final episode on January...
is called Tsuchigumo.
- A Tsuchigumo is the first Ayakashi to appear in the Omamori HimariOmamori Himari, often abbreviated as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Milan Matra. The manga began serialization in the May 2006 issue of Fujimi Shobo's manga magazine Monthly Dragon Age, and the first tankōbon was released by Kadokawa Shoten on February 7, 2007...
anime. It posseessed minor character Taizo Masaki and attacked Yuto and Rinko on the school's rooftop until it was driven out and killed by Himari.
TsukumogamiTsukumogamiUnderstood by many Western scholars as a type of Japanese yōkai, the Tsukumogami was a concept popular in Japanese folklore as far back as the tenth century, used in the spread of Shingon Buddhism...
- In the animated movie Hellboy: Sword of Storms, Professor Sakai (possessed by the demons Lightning and Thunder) sends a bunch of malevolent "artifact spirits" after HellboyHellboyHellboy is a comic book superhero created by writer-artist Mike Mignola. The character first appeared in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 , and has since appeared in various eponymous miniseries, one-shots and intercompany crossovers...
's allies Kate Corrigan and Russel Thorne.
- The Tsukumogami appear in AdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest Worlds, often shortened to AQWorlds or simply AQW, is a browser-based MMORPG or massively multiplayer online role playing game developed by Artix Entertainment in 2008. Unlike most massively multiplayer role playing games, AdventureQuest Worlds was developed entirely in Adobe Flash...
. They are found in Yokai Island's junkyard and come in different shapes.
- In the manga/anime Omamori HimariOmamori Himari, often abbreviated as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Milan Matra. The manga began serialization in the May 2006 issue of Fujimi Shobo's manga magazine Monthly Dragon Age, and the first tankōbon was released by Kadokawa Shoten on February 7, 2007...
, Lizlet L. Chelsie is a Tsukumogami whose true body is a teacup. She appears as a busty young girl dressed in a maid's outfit and her human body can withstand stabs from bladed weapons and is capable of superhuman strength. Her main weakness, however, is her true body, as she is symbiotic to it.
- In the animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
Hell Girl, one of Ai's assistants, Ren Ichimoku, is a Tsukumogami whose true form is a katanaKatanaA Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
. He usually appears as a handsome young man dressed in modern clothing, and is also the one who becomes the blue straw doll whenever revenge is requested.
UmibōzuUmibozuis a spirit in Japanese folklore. The Umibōzu is said to live in the ocean and capsize the ship of anyone who dares speak to it. This spirit's name, which combines the character for "sea" with the character of "Buddhist monk," is possibly related to the fact that the Umibōzu is said to have a...
- Shigeru MizukiShigeru Mizukiis a Japanese manga author, most known for his Japanese horror manga GeGeGe no Kitaro . A specialist in stories of yōkai, he is considered a master of the genre...
's popular manga series Gegege no Kitaro features an Umibōzu in its cast.
- A character in the manga City HunterCity Hunteris a hardboiled manga series written and illustrated by Tsukasa Hojo, published by Shueisha in the Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1985 to 1991. The manga was adapted into an animated television series by Sunrise Studios in 1987...
is nicknamed "Umibōzu". He is a large muscle-bound hitman and his bald head is what earned him the nickname of Umibōzu.
- In a filler arc of the anime NarutoNarutois an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
, Amachi (a man who is an accomplice of OrochimaruOrochimaru (Naruto)is a fictional character from the Naruto universe created by Masashi Kishimoto and developed into a media franchise, which consists of a series of manga, anime, soundtracks, OVAs, movies, video games, and other collectibles...
) summoned a creature known as Umibōzu, which is a monster made up of water with a grey outline as a body. It was sometimes used to help sink ships traveling from the Sea Country to the Water Country.
- Umi Bōzu is Monster in My PocketMonster in My PocketMonster in my Pocket is a media franchise developed by Morrison Entertainment Group, headed by Joe Morrison and John Weems ....
#118.
- Umibōzu is the name of an elite special forces unit in the JMSDF from the anime Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone ComplexGhost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complexis an anime television series produced by Production I.G and based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, with original character design by Hajime Shimomura and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno...
.
- Umibōzu is also the name of Kagura's father (who is bald and has been referred to as a monster) in the manga GintamaGintama, also known as Gintama, is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Hideaki Sorachi and serialized, beginning on December 8, 2003, in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump...
.
- The manga/anime/movie Lovely ComplexLovely Complex, also known as Lovely Complex, is a romantic comedy shōjo manga by Aya Nakahara. It was published by Shueisha in Bessatsu Margaret from 2001 to 2006 and collected in 17 tankōbon volumes. The series is about the romance between a tall girl and a short boy who are treated as a comedy duo by their...
features a fictitious band named Umibōzu with an eponymous, bald lead singer.
- A traditional Umibōzu folktale is told in the second story arc of the anime Mononoke, a sequel to Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales, which combined folktales, Kabuki plays, and animated versions of 19th century woodblock art prints to retell classic ghost stories.
- Umibōzu is a user-driven meta search engine.
- In Muramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon Blade, known in Japan as is an action role playing game developed by Vanillaware and published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan, Rising Star Games in Europe, and Ignition Entertainment in North America for the Wii...
, the Umibōzu is a gigantic octopus.
- The Umibōzu appears in Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
as a monster of the day and was adapted as the Hydro Hog in Mighty Morphin Alien RangersMighty Morphin Alien RangersMighty Morphin Alien Rangers is a Power Rangers miniseries set at the end of the third season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers...
.
Ushi-oniUshi-OniThe , or gyūki, is a creature which appears in the folklore of Japan. There are various kinds of ushi-oni, all of them some sort of monster with a horned, bovine head....
- In the Yu-Gi-Oh!Yu-Gi-Oh!is a Japanese manga created by Kazuki Takahashi. It has produced a franchise that includes multiple anime shows, a trading card game and numerous video games...
trading card game, there are three cards featuring ushi-oni: "Ushi Oni" is a bull fiend with four octopus tentacles on its back, "Abare Ushioni" is a bull monster, and "Great Ushi Oni" has the head, torso, and arms of a minotaurMinotaurIn Greek mythology, the Minotaur , as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, "part man and part bull"...
on a spider-like body.
- In the anime KarasKaras (anime)is a six-part original video animation. Tatsunoko Production produced it to commemorate its 40th anniversary of anime production. Each Karas episode was first televised in Japan as a pay-per-view program from March 25, 2005, to August 3, 2007, before being released onto DVDs...
, a bloodthirsty Ushi-Oni (voiced by Michael McConnohieMichael McConnohieMichael D. McConnohie is a voice actor and is the President of the Nevada-based Voxworks voice-acting corporation. He is known for his recognizable deep booming voice and is generally known for playing more charismatic characters...
) becomes a mechanized 'Mikura' concealing itself in the form of a police chief.
- In the game Jade EmpireJade EmpireJade Empire is an action role-playing game developed by Canadian developer BioWare and first published in 2005 by Microsoft Game Studios as a worldwide release for the Xbox. The later, two-disc Limited Edition contained extra content...
, there is a two headed ushi-oni.
- In the manga NarutoNarutois an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
, the eight-tailed beast is revealed to be an ushi-oni, built like a minotaur with eight octopus tentacles.
- In the anime and manga series One PieceOne Pieceis a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump since August 4, 1997; the individual chapters are being published in tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, with the first released on December 24, 1997, and the 64th volume released as...
, Roronoa Zoro, one of the main characters, performs a technique called after this creature. The attack is named "Gyuuki Yuzume" (Demon Ox Brave Claws).
- The Japanese heavy metal band Onmyouza have a song titled on their Kojin Rasetsu album.
- An Ushi-oni makes an appearance in Japanese director Miike TakashiTakashi Miikeis a highly prolific and controversial Japanese filmmaker. He has directed over seventy theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991. In the years 2001 and 2002 alone, Miike is credited with directing fifteen productions...
's film GozuGozuis a Japanese cult film directed by Takashi Miike.-Plot:Structurally, Gozu is a succession of bizarre scenes sandwiched between a storyline involving Minami’s search for his Yakuza brother Ozaki in a small town, that is reminiscent of the episodic quests in Greek Mythology.-Cast:*Hideki Sone as...
.
- In the game Warriors Orochi 2Warriors Orochi 2is a video game developed by Koei and Omega Force for the Sony PlayStation 2. It is the sequel to Warriors Orochi, a crossover video game of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. The game was released on September 23 in North America and September 19 in Europe...
, Gyuki appears as an NPCNon-player characterA non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
except in versus mode.
- In Kamen Rider DecadeKamen Rider Decadeis the title of the first of the 2009 editions of the long-running Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu dramas. Decade, as its title suggests, is the tenth of the Heisei Rider Series, having begun with Kamen Rider Kuuga in 2000...
, the Nine Worlds' version of Kamen Rider Hibiki encountered by Tsukasa and co. loses control of his powers and transforms into a Makamou called Gyuki, which is essentially an Ushi-oni.
- In the MMORPGMMORPGMassively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine, there is a demon named Gyuki that has the appearance of a demon/spider.
- The Ushi-oni is also a monster in Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
. It was used as a background monster in later Power Rangers series as it wasn't used in Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
.
WanyūdōWanyudoWanyūdō is a figure in Japanese mythology, a relatively well-known yōkai in the folklore of Japan.-Description:...
- A Wanyūdō was famously portrayed by Japanese artist Mizuki Shigeru in his yōkai-themed series GeGeGe no Kitaro.
- Wanyūdō appeared in The Great Yokai War, a 2005 Takashi MiikeTakashi Miikeis a highly prolific and controversial Japanese filmmaker. He has directed over seventy theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991. In the years 2001 and 2002 alone, Miike is credited with directing fifteen productions...
film taking inspiration from Mizuki Shigeru's art.
- A statue featuring various yokai, including Wanyūdō, was built in Sakaiminato in 2006. Sakaiminato is Mizuki Shigeru's hometown.
- A Wanyūdō who goes by the same name is one of Ai's aides in the animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
Hell Girl. He usually appears as an elderly man, but assumes his mythological form when escorting Ai to deliver revenge. Wanyūdō is also the one who becomes the black straw doll whenever revenge is requested.
- A figure based on Wanyūdō is the first demonic boss in the video game KenseidenKenseidenis a video game for the Sega Master System created by SEGA. Kenseiden was released in 1988.-Summary:Kenseiden stars Hayato, a samurai that has to fight against warlocks and evil spirits that plague 16th century Japan. The warlocks stole the five secret scrolls and the sword of the Dragon Lord...
.
- An enemy bearing a strong resemblance to Wanyūdō is seen in the first Mystical Ninja series game.
- The second boss of the area Aitos in the SNESSuper Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
game ActRaiserActRaiseris a 1990 Super Nintendo Entertainment System action and city-building simulation game developed by Quintet and published by Enix that combines traditional side-scrolling platforming with urban planning god game sections. A sequel, ActRaiser 2, was released for the Super Nintendo in 1993...
is named "Flame Wheel" and is similar to a Wanyūdō.
- In the anime KarasKaras (anime)is a six-part original video animation. Tatsunoko Production produced it to commemorate its 40th anniversary of anime production. Each Karas episode was first televised in Japan as a pay-per-view program from March 25, 2005, to August 3, 2007, before being released onto DVDs...
, a Wanyūdō (voiced by Paul St. PeterPaul St. PeterPaul Schmidl Peter , better known as Paul St. Peter, is an American voice actor. He also uses the names George C. Cole, George Z. Cole and Francis C. Cole...
) is converted into a mechanized demon known as a "Mikura". As a nod to his original form of a burning wheel, this Wanyūdō usually takes the form of a blood-red sports car.
- In the PS2 game ŌkamiOkamiis an action-adventure video game developed by Clover Studio and published by Capcom. It was released for Sony's PlayStation 2 video game console in 2006 in Japan and North America, and 2007 in Europe and Australia...
, a monster called Fire Eye resembles the Wanyudo but instead of a face, it is an eye.
- In the PS2 game DororoDororois a Japanese manga series from the critically acclaimed manga creator Osamu Tezuka in the late 1960s. The anime television series based on the manga consists of 26 half-hour episodes. It was made into a live-action film in 2007....
there are small somewhat common versions and two big boss version of this Yokai.
- In the WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
game Muramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon BladeMuramasa: The Demon Blade, known in Japan as is an action role playing game developed by Vanillaware and published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan, Rising Star Games in Europe, and Ignition Entertainment in North America for the Wii...
, Wanyūdō is featured as a boss character.
- Wanyudo is also the name of a song by Onmyouza.
- Wanyudo is featured in AdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest WorldsAdventureQuest Worlds, often shortened to AQWorlds or simply AQW, is a browser-based MMORPG or massively multiplayer online role playing game developed by Artix Entertainment in 2008. Unlike most massively multiplayer role playing games, AdventureQuest Worlds was developed entirely in Adobe Flash...
. He is shown with the same description, but with fire on its head and referred to as the Soul Taker.
- In the Anime Shōnen Onmyouji a Wanyudo makes an appearance in a few episode attached to an ox-cart.
Yuki-onnaYuki-onnais a spirit or yōkai in Japanese folklore. She is a popular figure in Japanese literature, manga, and animation. Yuki-onna is sometimes confused with Yama-uba , but they are not the same.-Appearance:...
- Letty Whiterock from the Touhou ProjectTouhou ProjectThe , also known as Toho Project or Project Shrine Maiden, is a Japanese dōjin game series focused on bullet hell shooters made by the one-man developer Team Shanghai Alice, whose sole member, known as ZUN, is responsible for all the graphics, music, and programming for the most part...
game Perfect Cherry Blossom is a Yuki-onna.
- The character Yukina the sister of Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho.
- The character Mizore Shirayuki from the mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
/animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series Rosario + VampireRosario + Vampire, often shortened to , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akihisa Ikeda. The story revolves around Tsukune Aono, a boy who accidentally gets enrolled in a school inhabited by monsters and demons. He quickly befriends Moka Akashiya, a vampire who soon develops an obsession with...
is a Yuki-onna dressed in modern clothing and is often seen with a lollipop in her mouth.
- The character Yukino Houjou from the game/mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
/animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series Gate KeepersGate Keepersis primarily a role-playing game for the PlayStation. The game was then adapted into a manga series written by and drawn by Keiji Gotoh and an anime series produced by Gonzo, and first aired on April 3, 2000.....
highly resembles a Yuki-onna due to both her appearance and her powers. Arguably, she can be technically considered as one due to this.
Zashiki-warashiZashiki-warashi, sometimes also called , is a Japanese yōkai, stemming from Iwate Prefecture, similar to a domovoi.The name breaks down to zashiki, a tatami floored room, and warashi, an archaic regional term for a child. The appearance of this spirit is that of a 5 or 6 year child with bobbed hair and a red face...
- In Jigoku Sensei Nube, there is a Zashiki-warashi that Nube always offers rice biscuits to. In return, the zashiki-warashi gives Nube good luck.
- In the manga/anime series Omamori HimariOmamori Himari, often abbreviated as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Milan Matra. The manga began serialization in the May 2006 issue of Fujimi Shobo's manga magazine Monthly Dragon Age, and the first tankōbon was released by Kadokawa Shoten on February 7, 2007...
, Kaya is a Zashiki-warashi that guards the house of Yuto's late grandparents in Noihara. She is extremely jealous of Yuto to a point that she wishes he would be dead.
- In Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei Kafuka says that Kiri is a Zashiki-Warashi, later this is proven when she leaves the school and it crumbles.
- In Ninja Sentai KakurangerNinja Sentai Kakurangerwas TOEI Company Limited's eighteenth production of the Super Sentai television series. The name given to this series by Toei for international distribution is Ninja Rangers....
has a Zashiki-warashi who befriends kids and then Ninja Black but was forced to fight for the Youkai Army but betrays them and is later killed. This monster was adapted as the monster form of Farkus "Bulk" BulkmeierBulk and SkullBulk and Skull are fictional characters in the Power Rangers universe. They appeared as permanent cast members from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers until Power Rangers in Space...
known as Bratboy in Mighty Morphin Alien RangersMighty Morphin Alien RangersMighty Morphin Alien Rangers is a Power Rangers miniseries set at the end of the third season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers...
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- In the anime KekkaishiKekkaishiis a supernatural manga series written and illustrated by Yellow Tanabe. It was serialized in Japan by Shogakukan in the manga magazine Shōnen Sunday from 2003 to 2011 , and licensed for an English-language release in North America by Viz Media. It was adapted as a fifty-two episode anime series by...
, Yoshimori, Tokine and other Kekkaishi summon Shikigami to heal and clean-up all the mess they made during a fight with an Ayakashi. Shikigai can take form of their master or anyway its master wants. And they have a square mark on them.
- In the anime and manga xxxHolic, a Zashiki Warashi has a crush on Watanuki Kimihiro