Before I start, I'd just like to ask any and all readers to leave a comment to say what you think of this blog so far. Good or bad, just say what you think of the concept and style and my general writing ability, what works and what doesn't. Or you can just say 'I'm enjoying it' or 'I'm not really into it', that's cool too.
So my stories have left Europe and are now entering the Orient, partly because of Chinese New Year (happy year of the water dragon!), partly because of watching Pom Poko, and partly because I just felt like it. As such, this blog is about some of the strange creatures found in Japanese mythology and how they fit in my world (if at all).
Tanuki: A simple raccoon dog. The notable feature about them is that they have shapeshifting powers, whether into humans or statues or general objects. They're mischievous but lazy, and the thing most westerners find alarming is that they have prominent testicles- so much so that there are many classical images of them bludgeoning people to death with them, and famously in Pom Poko one of the tanuki turns his testicles into a ship. As seen in my last post, the raccoons are oblivious to this folk tale, but thing may change now it's technically true.
Kitsune: A magical fox with up to nine tails. Kitsune are mostly psychic creatures, with powerful magic, and transforming is a secondary ability- they're apparently not quite as good at it as tanuki, as when they're in human form they still have their tails visible, as well as long faces. They also grow more tails as they get older, up to a maximum of nine. In my stories, they are fully aware of the humans' belief regarding them which they're more than willing to use to their advantage.
Tsukomogami: Objects that have come to life after existing for over 100 years. These spirits vary wildly in appearance, but they're a major source of 'wtf??' for foreigners- most notably are the umbrella/parasol with one large eye and tongue sticking out, and the animated lamp, both of which pop up frequently in anime and japanese computer games. They're generally benevolent, but if they feel neglected then they'll be much more dangerous. As they have no humanoid form, they don't exist in my world- though that doesn't mean people don't believe in them.
Rokurokubi: Humans (almost exclusively women) who have extraordinarily long necks. Allegedly humans who have broken some precepts of Buddhism, they are punished by having long necks at night- sometimes they're not even aware of the fact, as their necks stretch when asleep and they have odd dreams. More often than not, however, they are spiteful beings that delight in frightening or even eating humans, usually drunks or people that are unlikely to be believed. Theoretically possible in my world, but I have to do more research before I can say for certain if they'll be featuring.
Kappa: Unusual creatures that have many analogues in other folklores around the world- basically a creature used to scare children away from bodies of water. Kappa are frog-like humans whose most notable feature is the recess on their head filled with water. If this water runs dry, they will die so they cannot stray far from their pools. Interestingly, adult women are also in danger of kappas raping them, and they can be calmed by bowing to them which will force them to bow back, spilling the water in their head. They are another creature that may feature in my stories, but I don't intend on them having a major role.
There's plenty more, but this all for today as I can't think of any other notable ones. Next week I may attempt to convince you of the dark side of Pokemon...
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