Anatomy of Japanese folk monsters

October 25, 2009 5:12 PM

Yōkai Daizukai is an illustrated guide to yōkai authored by manga artist Shigeru Mizuki.

Via NOTCOT.org, via Sprayblog.

Previously, the anatomy of kaiju.

posted by brundlefly (15 comments total)

The Obakemono Project: A Gaijin's Guide to the Fantastic Folk Monsters of Japan
posted by brundlefly at 5:21 PM on October 25, 2009 [5 favorites]

Cool stuff, thanks. This one is gorgeous.
posted by doctor_negative at 5:50 PM on October 25, 2009

Being an island far, far away from the centre of the world (Euromerica) means the Japanese are always full of magical, incredible things. Vampires and werewolves and goblins get so goddamn boring, but leave it to the Japanese to hit you in the face with freaky girls with long snake necks, or things with teeth in all the wrong places. Truly unique and wonderful.

Some people get worked up over the Japanophilia, but it is good to remember that out of all the "first world" countries, Japan is the only one that is fundamentally non-Western, and this means that while it pumps out entertainment and art on a level that rivals the United States, it is all very unusual (to us).

Thanks for the link. I like imaginary bestiaries like this. I bought one for Tolkien's imaginary world and I enjoy it more than the Lord of the Rings-proper, haa~
posted by Her Most Serene Highness at 6:46 PM on October 25, 2009 [2 favorites]

Coincidentally, the Youkai Kentei was just this past weekend. It's sponsored by the Sakaiminato City (Shigeru Mizuki's birthplace) Chamber of Commerce.
posted by armage at 7:41 PM on October 25, 2009

Got to give a shout out to Takashi Miike's entertaining The Great Yokai War.
posted by lumensimus at 7:44 PM on October 25, 2009 [6 favorites]

...and the yokai-filled Megami Tensei series of video games.
posted by lumensimus at 8:01 PM on October 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

This makes me think of Jókai bableves. Mmmm.
posted by Michael Roberts at 8:49 PM on October 25, 2009

Holy crap, The Great Yokai War looks amazing.
posted by brundlefly at 9:10 PM on October 25, 2009

Thanks for the link, Brundlefly. I've been playing Persona 3 lately (an offshoot of the series in lumensimus's link, I highly recommend it and the other games), and it definitely does leave a craving to look into the folklore that inspired the games' monsters.

That said, I find it hopelessly nerdy to admit I learned something from a JRPG, even if it is just Japanese folklore. Not sure if that's my personal stigma or what.
posted by mccarty.tim at 9:31 PM on October 25, 2009

There's my Chippy!
posted by mccarty.tim at 9:35 PM on October 25, 2009

Any discussion of yokai should include Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt's Yokai Attack!, which is a great guide to yokai. See also Hunting for the Kappa Monster in Tokyo, part 1.
posted by gen at 10:20 PM on October 25, 2009

Personally, I prefer these youkai. (Safe for work...? Depends on your workplace.)
posted by shii at 10:29 PM on October 25, 2009

miike's great yokai war is amazing. i highly recommend it. i was lucky enough to see it in a theater. i actually have the dvd from netflix sitting on my coffee table right now! (i've been trying to convince my friend, who has a superb video projector, to have a party -- so a bunch of friends can get together and watch it. no luck, yet. but it would be so perfect for the season!)
posted by lapolla at 12:06 AM on October 26, 2009

Holy crap, The Great Yokai War looks amazing. You're not kidding. Has a homage to Raiders of the lost Ark.
posted by uni verse at 7:04 AM on October 26, 2009

statting these up for my Pathfinder game, thanks Japan!
posted by maus at 10:34 PM on October 27, 2009