Monster Hunter Monsters Based on Yōkai
Monster Hunter Rise introduced various monsters that are based on yōkai, but even before that, yōkai served as inspiration for a few monster designs. Here’s an overview of these monsters, some of which are speculative, along with some info about their yōkai counterparts from the yōkai wiki.
Kasa-obake are usually depicted as Chinese-style oiled-paper umbrellas, featuring a single large eye and a long tongue that jump around on one leg. There are also variations of this design. Sometimes they also have two arms or two eyes, or more rarely, two feet.
Their favorite method of surprising humans is to sneak up on them and give them a large, oily lick with their enormous tongues.
Almudron – Ōnamazu and Dorotabō
Ōnamazu are gigantic catfish that live in the mud and slime of waterways throughout Japan. They also inhabit large caverns deep underground. Ōnamazu behaves similarly to ordinary catfish. They burrow into the mud and thrash around violently when disturbed or agitated. However, due to their immense weight, their violent movements can shake the earth when they are agitated, triggering devastating earthquakes in the areas surrounding their habitats.
Dorotabō are the transformed ghosts of old men who worked hard in their rice fields, only to see their fields lie fallow after their deaths due to neglectful owners. They appear as one-eyed, three-fingered humanoid figures rising out of the mud at night. It is a spirit of vengeance and rage, angry at the ignorance and greed that now shame its life’s work. Dorotabō haunt their fields after nightfall, disturbing the new inhabitants of their land and robbing them of sleep. They haunt the fields until the wasteful owners change their ways or give up and flee, selling the field to someone who will take proper care of it.
Kotengu resemble large birds of prey with human-like features. They often wear the robes of the ascetic and mystical hermits called Yamabushi, and sometimes carry weapons or other items they have stolen from human dwellings or temples.
Kotengu behave like savage monsters. They live solitary lives, but on rare occasions, they band together or form alliances with other yōkai to achieve their goals. Kotengu collect and trade trinkets and valuable magical items. When angered, they throw tantrums and go on destructive rampages, taking out their fury on anything near them. Kotengu have little respect for humans. They feast on human flesh and commit rape, torture, and murder for fun. Some of their favorite games are abducting people to drop them from great heights deep into the woods, or tying children to treetops so all can hear their screams, but none can reach them. They take particular delight in acts of sacrilege. They torment monks and nuns, rob temples, and try to seduce clergy.
The tanuki is a unique species of East Asian canine that resembles a badger or a raccoon. They are shy, nocturnal animals. Tanuki possesses powerful magical abilities. In their ability to shapeshift, they resemble the kitsune. Tanuki have a cheerful nature and enjoy playing pranks on humans. Aside from their powerful ability to change their shape, perhaps the most famous attribute that tanuki possess is their massive, malleable, magical testicles, which they can adapt to any need. Their testicles can be used as weapons, drums, fans to keep cool, fishing nets, or even umbrellas.
In the ancient religions of the Japanese isles, tanuki were regarded as gods and rulers over all things in nature. With the introduction of Buddhism, they gradually lost their status. Like other magical animals, they took on the roles of messengers of the gods and guardians of local areas. While tanuki are not generally feared or considered malicious, they are not entirely harmless either. Like humans, each one is a unique individual. While many tanuki are jovial benefactors who love the company of humans, some local tales tell of terrifying tanuki who kidnap people to eat them, or spirit them away to become servants of the gods.
Namahage are a fearsome demon-like yōkai that live in the mountains along the northern coast of the Sea of Japan. They resemble oni, with bright red or blue skin, wild hair and eyes, large mouths full of sharp teeth, and often have horns sprouting from their forehead. They wear straw leggings and raincoats, and carry large blades.
Once a year, during Koshōgatsu, the first full moon of the New Year, the Namahage descend from the mountains to scare villagers. They go from door to door, brandishing their knives and shouting things like, “Are there any naughty children here?” They particularly enjoy scaring small children and new brides. Despite their ferocious appearance and behavior, they are actually well-meaning yōkai. They are sent down from the mountain as messengers of the gods to warn and chastise those who have been lazy or wicked.
Izuchi and Great Izuchi – Kamaitachi
The name “Kamaitachi” is a combination of the words “kama” (sickle) and “itachi” (weasel). The Kamaitachi ride on whirlwinds. They travel and attack in groups of three. Their movements are so fast that they are invisible to the naked eye. Kamaitachi slice people with their sickle-like front claws. The first one strikes at its victim’s legs, knocking him to the ground. The second inflicts thousands of horrific cuts on the victim with its front and hind legs. The third then instantly heals most of the wounds with magic, so that none of them are fatal. The attack and the healing happen so quickly that the victim cannot perceive them; from his perspective, he merely trips and gets up with a bit of pain and a few scratches here and there.
Khezu – Rokurokubi and Ohaguro Bettari
During the day, Rokurokubi look like ordinary women. At night, however, their bodies sleep while their necks stretch to incredible lengths and roam around freely. Sometimes their heads attack small animals; sometimes they use their long tongues to lap up lamp oil; and sometimes they just cause mischief by scaring nearby people. Unlike most yōkai, who are born as monsters, Rokurokubi are former humans, transformed by a curse resulting from an evil or misdeed.
From behind, an Ohaguro Bettari resembles a beautiful woman wearing a kimono, often looking like a newlywed in her bridal gown. She appears at twilight outside of a temple, or inside a man’s house, disguised as his wife. At first, she conceals her head or turns away from any viewers. Any man who comes closer to get a better look is surprised when she turns to reveal her face: an ugly, white, featureless dome covered in thick makeup, containing nothing but a huge, gaping mouth full of blackened teeth. This initial shock is followed by a terrible cackle that causes the man to run away screaming in horror.
The kirin is one of the rarest and most powerful creatures known in East Asia. It is considered sacred and is often regarded as a deity in its own right. The kirin resembles a deer whose body is covered in dragon-like scales. It has a tail like an ox and a flowing mane. Its body and mane are enveloped in radiant, sacred fire, and its face radiates perfect serenity. They are also often portrayed as partially unicorn-like in appearance, but with a backwards curving horn.
The kirin is a gentle animal that never eats the flesh of other living beings and takes great care never to step on any living thing, not even insects. When it walks, it does so without trampling a single blade of grass. Its beauty is only surpassed by its rarity; the unicorn-like kirin only appears during periods of world peace. They are seen only in countries ruled by wise and kind people, and during the reign of noble and enlightened rulers. Although Kirins never harm good and pure souls, they attack quickly and fiercely when threatened, breathing holy fire from their mouths.
Magnamalo – Samurai Armor and Onibi
Onibi is one of the more dangerous types of fireball yōkai. They are a beautiful yet deadly phenomenon. Their name means “demon fire”. They appear in groups of twenty to thirty orbs. Onibi look like small balls of flame, usually blue or blue-white. Red and yellow onibi are less common. The orbs can range in size from three to thirty centimeters, and usually float around at eye level. They appear in places surrounded by nature, most often in spring and summer, especially on rainy days. In some areas, they manifest the faces and even voices of the victims whose life force they have drained.
Kitsune differ from wild foxes only in their incredible magical powers. There are two major variations of kitsune. Holy foxes are servants of the Shinto deity Inari, and Inari’s shrines are adorned with statues and depictions of these foxes. Legends tell of celestial foxes providing wisdom or service to good and pious humans. These holy foxes act as messengers of the gods and mediums between the celestial and human worlds. They often protect humans or places, provide good luck, and ward off evil spirits. More common are the wild foxes, which delight in mischief, pranks, or evil. There are stories in which wild foxes trick or even possess humans, causing them to behave strangely. Despite this wicked nature, even wild foxes keep their promises, remember friendships, and repay any favors done for them.
In most stories about kitsune, wild foxes punish evil priests, greedy merchants, and boastful drunkards. They torment their victims by creating phantom sounds and sights, stealing from them, or otherwise humiliating them publicly. Mysterious illusory fires and strange lights in the sky are said to be caused by their magic, and are known as kitsunebi, or “fox fire.”
Rakna-Kadaki – Jorōgumo and Tsuchigumo
Some spiders are known to possess supernatural powers, such as the Jorōgumo (golden orb-weaver). Their body size averages between two to three centimeters, but they can grow much larger; some are massive enough to catch and eat small birds. They possess vividly beautiful colors and spin large, sturdy webs.
Jorōgumo live solitary lives, both as spiders and as yōkai. When a golden orb-weaver reaches the age of 400, it develops magical powers and begins to feed on humans instead of insects. Jorōgumo make their nests in caves, forests, or abandoned houses in towns. They possess a cunning intelligence and a cold heart, are skilled deceivers and powerful shape-shifters, usually appearing as young, sexy, and stunningly beautiful women. Jorōgumo’s favorite prey are young, handsome men who are searching for love or other favors. When a Jorōgumo spots a man she desires, she lures him into her home with promises of affection. He is never seen again. Jorōgumo spins silk threads strong enough to ensnare a grown man, ensuring he cannot escape. They also possess a potent venom that can slowly weaken a man day by day, allowing the spider to savor her victim’s long and painful death. Jorōgumo can control other, lesser spiders and even deploy fire-breathing spiders to burn down the homes of any suspicious troublemakers.
Tsuchigumo (purse web spider) are found all over the Japanese islands and in many parts of the world. Long-lived tsuchigumo can transform into yōkai. They grow to a monstrous size, able to catch much larger prey, particularly humans. Tsuchigumo live in the forests and mountains, making their homes in silk tubes from which they ambush passing prey. Like other spider yōkai, they rely on illusion and trickery to deceive people. While the jorōgumo use their sexuality to seduce young men, the tsuchigumo have a wider range of deceptive tactics.
Mermaids are known as “Ningyo” in Japanese, but they differ greatly from the mermaids of Western tradition. Unlike the mermaids of the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, Ningyo are more fish than human. Their appearance ranges from ugly, deformed, fish-like faces to entire human torsos with long, bony fingers and sharp claws. Ningyo range in size from a human child to a large seal.
It is believed that the flesh of a Ningyo grants eternal life and youth to whoever eats it. However, this meal carries a danger that most people are unwilling to risk; Ningyo can cast a powerful curse on those who try to wound or capture them. Some legends tell of entire towns that were swallowed by earthquakes or tidal waves after a foolish fisherman brought home a Ningyo in one of his catches.
Kappa are aquatic, reptilian humanoids who inhabit the rivers and streams. Clumsy on land, they are at home in the water and thrive during the warm months. Kappa are generally the size and shape of a human child, yet despite their small stature, they are physically stronger than a grown man. Their scaly skin ranges from a deep, earthy green to bright reds and even blue. Kappa bodies are built for swimming; they have webbed, thumbless hands and feet, a turtle-like beak and shell, and an elastic, waterproof skin that reeks of fish and is said to be removable. But their most distinguishing characteristic is a dish-like depression located on top of their skulls. This dish is the source of a kappa’s power and must be kept filled with water at all times. Should the water be spilled and the dish dry up, the kappa will be unable to move. It might even die.
While younger kappa are frequently found in family groups, adult kappa live solitary lives. However, it is common for kappa to befriend other yōkai and sometimes even people. Possessed of a keen intelligence, kappa are one of the few yōkai able to learn human languages. They are highly knowledgeable about medicine and the art of setting bones. For fun, they love causing mischief, practicing martial arts like sumo wrestling, and playing games of skill like shogi. Kappa are proud and stubborn, but also fiercely honorable; they never break a promise. Kappa will eat almost anything, but they are particularly fond of two foods: cucumbers and raw innards.
In Shintoism, kappa are revered as a kind of water deity. It is not uncommon to see offerings of cucumbers made at riverbanks by devout humans. In return, kappa help people by irrigating fields, befriending lonely children, or competing with adults in sports and games. However, kappa can also be dangerous. Sometimes their mischief turns violent. Kappa have been known to kidnap or rape swimming women, and kill people. A kappa’s preferred method of attack is to drown its victims or bite them to death underwater. Kappa also devour humans alive. Usually, they go for the rear end to get at the shirikodama, a mythical ball of flesh located just inside the anus.
Oni are large and terrifying, standing taller than the tallest man, and sometimes taller than trees. They come in many forms, but are most commonly depicted with red or blue skin, wild hair, two or more horns, and fang-like tusks. They wear loincloths made of the pelts of great beasts. All oni possess extreme strength and endurance, and many of them are skilled sorcerers. They are ferocious demons, bringers of disaster, spreaders of disease, and punishers of the damned in hell.
Oni are born when truly evil humans die and end up in one of the many Buddhist hells. Transformed into oni, they become the ogre-like and brutal servants of Great Lord Enma, ruler of hell. Wielding great iron clubs, they crush and destroy humans solely for enjoyment. An oni’s task is to carry out horrific punishments, such as flaying, crushing bones, and other torments too horrible to describe. All these tortures are for wicked sinners, but only those not quite evil enough to be reborn as oni themselves.
Occasionally, when a human is so thoroughly evil that his soul is beyond any redemption, he transforms into an oni while still alive. He then remains on earth to terrorize the living. These transformed oni are the ones most legends tell about, and the ones who pose the most danger to humankind.
A Raijū is the embodiment of lightning in an animal form. They have long, sharp claws and fierce faces. It is generally believed that they resemble wolves, dogs, tanuki, or even weasels or cats. However, there are also far more fantastical forms. Sometimes Raijū are said to look like small dogs, but with four hind legs and two tails. Sometimes they are said to look like insects or crustaceans. Others look like miniature dragons. Even more exotic Raijū are said to be chimerical monsters composed of many different animals.
Raijū live in the sky, a world that was completely off limits to humans before the 20th century. For this reason, virtually nothing is known about their true nature and behavior. They ride bolts of lightning to earth when thunder claps, and wreak havoc wherever they land. For seemingly no reason, they attack buildings, starting fires and causing mass destruction. Long ago, Raijū were seen as divine beasts. Nothing was known about them except that they were fast, merciless, and deadly. Whenever lightning struck, people believed that a Raijū had been sent by the gods to punish them for some reason or another.
