Orochi: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
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The Yamata no '''Orochi''' is a eight-headed and eight-tailed serpentine monster in [[Japanese Mythology]], similar in appearance to the [[Classical Mythology|Lernaean Hydra]] but with one less (or alternately, one ''more'') head. According to Shinto legend, the Orochi was defeated by the storm god Susano-o, who answered a request for aid by two earthly deities who were forced by the Orochi to hand over one of their daughters every year to be devoured by the beast, and were now down to their eighth and last one, Princess Kushinada. Just to distinguish the tale from Western dragon slaying myths, Susano-o first [[Attractive Bent Gender|lured]] the Orochi out by [[Wholesome Crossdresser|disguising himself as Kushinada]], and then killed it by setting out a bowl of strong sake for each head, letting it drink itself into a stupor, ''then'' lopping them off. Inside Orochi's body Susano-o found the sword [[Named Weapons|''Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi'']] ([[wikipedia:Kusanagi|"Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven"]]) that was later re-named "Kusanagi" ("Grass Cutter"), and is one of Japan's Three Sacred Treasures.
According to a wide assortment of [[Anime]] and video game series, the Orochi is alive and well and at large in present-day Japan. Sometimes it's literally Orochi, or anything from a [[Monster of the Week]] to a [[Big Bad]] with snake-themed powers. The trope holds pretty strong and is different than simply being associated with snakes; if your story has a [[Crystal Dragon Jesus]], Orochi will be its [[Satan|Devil]].
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** Inverted in that drinking sake made it stronger, not weaker.
** There's also a Susanoomon. He also has a BFS, though - ''named Orochi.'' <ref>Well, maybe it's the doohickey that projects it is named Orochi. Not much difference there, though. How big? It's more of a BFG whose beam has a fixed length. Imagine a lightsaber the length of a football field and the width of a tree trunk.</ref> Sadly, he and Orochimon never met, and Susanoomon being an end-of-season super-duper mode and Orochimon being a mid-season [[Monster of the Week]] the previous year, they're not really in the same league.
* In ''[[Shaman King]]'', Bokuto no Ryu's {{spoiler|spirit ally Tokagero's Oversoul form is an eight-headed dragon on top of a Formula One car.}} In addition, one of Ryu's strongest attacks is his "Ame-No-Murakumo that slew Yamato-No-Orochi", which surrounds his wooden sword in cloud-like swirls of energy before slashing. A bit of a mix-up of the legend's particulars,<ref>as mentioned above, the ame-no-murakumo was found ''after'' the orochi was killed</ref>
* In ''[[Ayakashi Ayashi]]'' a main character just happens to be Orochi himself, and the fight with Susanoo is re-enacted in the end (well, more or less), with interesting results.
* In ''[[Hell Teacher Nube]]'', the most powerful [[Obake|Yokai]] of all (surpassing even Baki) is the great and terrifying Yamata No Orochi, whom a [[Mad Scientist]] summons from the netherworld using [[Magitek|ancient technology and mystic rituals]]. It would have devastated all of Japan if not for Nube and his students' intervention.
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== [[Film]] ==
* In ''[[Godzilla|Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack]]'', King Ghidorah is alluded to be an immature
* Toho's 1994 movie ''Orochi: The Eight-Headed Dragon'' had a very chubby Orochi. It also bore an notable resemblance to Ghidorah, another Toho creation. The monster's model kit was sold by D-tech, though it is now sold out http://d-tech-pro.com/en/detail/D-0009.html
* In ''Onmyouji II'', the two [[Chosen One|chosen children]], who are actually reincarnations of Susanoo and Amaterasu, are each marked with a four-headed serpent tattoo that combine to make the Mark of Orochi.
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