Youkai: Difference between revisions

Supernatural creatures drawn from Western sources often turn out to seem more like youkai in Japanese works.<ref> Fun fact -- the Japanese word for vampire contains the character for oni.</ref> For instance, vampires. In the West you've got Nosferatu -- aNosferatu—a grotesque, undead monster who burns in sunlight and murders to preserve his hideous unlife.<ref>Notably, this may be used to refer both to the classic film character and to one of the clans in ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]'', which features other kinds of vampires, with the same powers and weaknesses, but characteristics that set them apart into clans</ref>. In Japan you've got [[Cute Monster Girl|exceptionally cute]] [[Fan Service]] protagonist [[Rosario + Vampire|Moka Akashiya]], who is not undead, harbors no ill-will towards the sun, and drinks tiny amounts of blood that leave her "victim" light-headed at worst, but who has a [[Super-Powered Evil Side]] who can (and will if you look at her the wrong way) kick your ass thoroughly.

''Obake'' is another Japanese word that can indicate some type of monster. Derived from the word for “to change,” it generally covers the subset of youkai that includes shapeshifting animals and [[Animate Inanimate Object|Animate Inanimate Objects]]s. Confusingly, however, the word ''obake'' can also be used to refer to ghosts, also known as ''yuurei''. See [[Stringy-Haired Ghost Girl]] for more information.

'''Nekomata''': A seemingly ordinary cat that develops magical nature through long life. It looks like an ordinary house cat, except for the tail, which splits into two at half-length. While much smarter than it used to be, a nekomata remains just as whimsical, which may be dangerous with its new found powers of illusion and [[Necromancy]]. It's said a cat will become a nekomata after turning 100 years old, where upon its tail splits, it starts using human speech, some how gains [[Voluntary Shapeshifting|transformation]] powers, a greater intelligence, and other [[Screw the Rules, I Have Supernatural Powers|odd abilities]]. The name is often used and confused for [[Catgirl|catgirlscatgirl]]s. May be a [[Mega Neko]].

* Lum from ''[[Urusei Yatsura]]'' is a variation -- shevariation—she's an alien, but of a race obviously related to folktale Oni.

* One of the [[Transformation Ray|Transformation Rays]]s in ''[[Keroro Gunsou]]'' essentially turns people into Oni, by cheaply slapping on Oni features, arming them with clubs and turning their clothes into hide loincloths. Female victims tend to wind up looking like Lum.

* Both Haruka and Sugino in ''[[Tactics]]'' are tengu - Haruka is known as the Oni-eating Tengu before he is named and bound by the protagonist. Sugino fights with the traditional feather fan that magically raises huge gusts of wind, while Haruka carries a monk's shakujou with a spiked base. It's also stated that while Haruka was born tengu, Sugino became a tengu through arrogance and hubris--ahubris—a genuine folklore reference.

* The kamaitachi show up in ''[[Hell Teacher Nube]]'' in all their glory: the eldest sibling carried a cudgel to knock people over or inflict severe bruises; the middle sibling's forelegs were shaped like [[Absurdly Sharp Blade|absurdly sharp blades]] which could literally cut up anything and anyone; the youngest carried a jar filled with a mending balm. Makoto inadvertently took the latter as a pet, and, as the elder ones tried to find it, they brought catastrophe to the town --nearlytown—nearly killing Nube by slicing him in half until Makoto finally released the younger kamaitachi and it healed the teacher with its balm.

* ''[[Omamori Himari]]'' features several other Youkai in addition to the aforementioned, including an water serpent in a leading role, a Shutendoji and many others in minor parts. Most of the major ones are [[Cute Monster Girl|Cute Monster Girls]]s.