started watching GeGeGe no Kitaro

gegege no huevos

line stickers from yuru~i gegege no kitaro.

It is kind of funny how many gauge the deadliness of an animal by things like teeth and claw. Have someone describe their idea of dangerous beast, and most descriptions will have vicious predators with maws full of fangs and shredding talons. While indeed these animals are designed to kill, as that is how they eat, the real image of a common killer is often a "lazy" and "peaceful" herbivore. No fangs or claws in sight, but they can take a person down in seconds if they feel the slightest bit threatened. At other times, the deadly critters of the world are ones you can't see, or at least ones you don't pay attention to. A little bug with a sting that can stop a heart, a floating bag of membranes that can leave a person in agony for days, or the hiding slug whose spines can scramble your brain. Or in this case, the floating piece of "cloth" that tends to leave corpses in its wake. You would never think much of it if you ever saw it, as tends to happen to outsiders who visit this region. They don't fully know the flora and fauna of the area, so they don't know what to look for. In most cases, they observe a "piece of cloth" or a "scroll of paper" passing by in the breeze. The brain usually interprets this as trash being blown about by the wind, or someone's laundry being pulled loose from its drying lines. A mere glimpse of something long and pale, then forgotten once it is gone from sight. Those new to these lands never really think it an animal, and that is their first mistake. It is no cloth, but a creature known as an Ittan-momen. They are a gastropod, but one that is extremely flat. Their whole body has been stretched and thinned out until they seem to be the thickness of a piece of fabric. Thankfully there are no bones to worry about, but it still has organs. These vital pieces of been flattened and stretched too, arranged in such a way that they still work despite being mere noodles. Some have been replaced, their roles taken over by its wet sticky skin. Breathing, smelling and tasting can be done by its sensitive hide, which is coated with a sticky mucus. It can even absorb nutrients through its skin, but we will get more into that later. The other thing to note is that it is extremely light and can manipulate gas flow through its body to allow it to float. With this it can hover in the air, but its flight is quite slow. The reason you see them fluttering in the breeze is because they rely on these air currents to get them moving at a decent speed. They will happily ride the gust and gales, as it means less work for them. While its lightweight body makes it easy to be carried by the wind, the Ittan-momen is not helpless against its power. It can move and undulate its form to better catch the breeze and direct its flight the way it wants. Various flat tendrils at the front and back also help with steering, as well as for latching onto branches and posts as an anchor if things get too blustery. If the weather is too strong, or the flat slug is feeling tired, they will wrap themselves around tree limbs so that they can rest. At the head are some extra tendrils for tasting and smelling the air, as well as two eye stalks. These organs can extend or retract depending on its needs, and they also have a faint glow to them. This can be seen at night, as the Ittan-momen tends to be a nocturnal creature. As for the reason for the glow, we aren't really sure at the moment. Some suggest it is to scare away predators, giving the impression of big glowing eyes in the dark. Others say it is to signal to others of its kind, as a way of finding a mate. Another theory is that this light in the blackness attracts bugs and other small morsels that the Ittan-momen feeds on. Though this animal does eat, you would be hard pressed to find any real mouth. When you are flat as paper, working jaws or mandibles can be a bit tricky. Instead, the Ittan-momen relies on numerous pores that run down its underbelly, which secrete this sticky mucus. This thin film on its body is not just to keep itself moisturized, but it helps it eat. In truth, this stuff is a digestive fluid, which slowly breaks down whatever it touches. Before you start panicking, it isn't that strong. It is only a threat to things like flies, spores, pollen and other small organic stuff that is carried by the wind. The acid doesn't eat through flesh or rind, as it is only meant to digest small morsels. If you were to get a bunch of stuff slathered on you, the worst that would happen is something similar to a light sunburn. Redness, itchy and it stings when you touch it. That's it. For the unfortunate insects fluttering about, it is a death sentence. The Ittan-momen flies about, using its undulating body to collide with airborne critters and trap them in its sticky layer. Over time, they will be digested and the porous skin will absorb the nutrients. They may even go after food that isn't in flight, slapping their body down on clusters of insect eggs or bugs resting on branches and reeds. Some Ittan-momen have been seen visiting carrion, landing briefly on the corpse to get some of the juices then flying off before a scavenger takes a bite out of them.

So a sticky flying piece of cloth that only eats bugs, seems harmless enough. At first I bet you folks thought that it would be coated in a burning acid or deadly poison that would kill you on contact, eh? That it would coil around you and melt you down to the bone! I know it is a bit disappointing, but no. Ittan-momen do not have any toxins that kill you instantly. So how does such a flat, billowing piece of flesh defend itself? How does it keep other animals from slurping it up like kishimen? Well the sticky mucus has a bitter taste to it, so the creature isn't really a delicious thing to snack on. It is also surprisingly tough and flexible, making it hard to bite through. Those who attack an Ittan-momen will find it growing in length, as it tends to compress some of its body when trying to navigate harsh wings. It can be pulled and yanked without any real damage, and the creature has a powerful regenerative ability that lets it survive with missing chunks. So it survives predation by being annoying? Since it is bitter tasting and tough to chew, then no one messes with them because it is a waste time, right? Partly right, as the other reason is that these things are actually incredibly aggressive when threatened. This noodle doesn't taste good and it also won't hesitate in turning you into a corpse. The Ittan-momen spends most of its life in flight, so when it comes down to dealing with a predator, all they can do is switch to "fight." When threatened, the Ittan-momen pretty much launches itself at its attacker, usually startling the hunter. You don't expect prey like this to throw down so eagerly. They slap their bodies onto their foe and unwind their length, using powerful muscles and sticky mucus to keep hold. They move like serpents, seeking to tangle limbs and coil around whatever they can grab. Most of all, though, is the fact that they start aiming for the face. Their sensitive tendrils can detect one's breath, and they know such a thing is pretty important for most animals. When tangled with their attacker, the Ittan-momen will look to wrap its body around the mouth and face, as it wants to stop that breath. Foes will go from angered lashing to panicked thrashing when they notice the slug coiling around their heads, making it harder to breath with each constriction. Clawing and biting at it won't do much, as the flesh is rubbery and difficult to pierce. Its muscles tighten and the body spreads where it needs to properly cover up breathing holes. If the predator is unlucky, the Ittan-momen will literally suffocate them with its body, sometimes even strangle them if its gets around the neck. However, it does not always follow through with these efforts. The creature responds to threats and violence, continuing to fight back if it feels attacked. If the foe ceases its struggles, then the slug starts losing its hostility. What usually happens is that the animal starts to run blindly in a panic, and the Ittan-momen uses this moment to let go and be thrown free into the breeze. If they don't stop clawing and thrashing, then the slug may keep tightening its hold until these movements cease for good.     Hopefully by now you see the danger. An angry piece of sticky paper that responds to threats by suffocation. Add in the fact that it only lets go if the creature caught within stops panicking, and you have the recipe for a deadly encounter. Like I said, Ittan-momen eat bugs, they have no use for a whole corpse. They don't look to kill people or animals, they just have really good defenses and a heavy dose of paranoia. I won't mince words: these things can kill humans. They have killed humans. They can strangle dryads too, though some of us have breathable rinds that can help avoid this fate. These slugs fly about at night, with only a faint light to give them away. Those blundering about in the dark may accidentally collide with one, and the creature will instantly go into defense mode. Human heads are conveniently sized for an Ittan-momen to completely coil around and smother, all while the victim pulls and tears uselessly at its body. The advice is to quit your struggling and relax, so that the slug calms down and releases its grip. This advice is also pretty difficult to follow when you suddenly find your face filled with sticky strands of writhing flesh. Most deaths occur by accident, when someone goes out at night alone and runs into one. Sometimes they can occur in your own home, if you leave the windows open and the Ittan-momen sees a tasty cloud of bugs gathered around your lamps. Victims get too close, either by accident or trying to shoo it away, and the slug retaliates with lethal force. My advice is to travel with a buddy and keep a blade close at hand. Your best chance is to remain calm, but when that obviously fails, your friend will have to cut the thing off your face. Or at least carve yourself a breathing hole. Some locals wear masks when walking at night, to help keep the coiling slug away from their mouth if it tries to latch on. This is a pretty good tactic, but also a good way to scare other people when they see a masked figure lurking in the darkness. You try to avoid becoming the victim in a scary story, but then wind up being the star of another person's tale of horror. And since I have made the noodle comparison and people can't help to ask: no, you can't eat them. They taste awful and their body is like a thin sheet of rubber. And even if they were edible, I wouldn't tell you because that would only encourage people to seek out the flying strangle slug. Chlora Myron Dryad Natural Historian

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“Ittan-momen”

How about another yokai? Felt in the mood for it.

A few Ittan Momen designs I did for @minionkingkarl’s 31 Days of Yokai Challenge.

NAME: Tsukumogami

RARITY: ★☆☆☆☆

THREAT LEVEL: ★★☆☆☆ | Most are harmless or semi-harmless pranksters, but they can be problematic or deadly if ill-tempered.

HABITAT: Found anywhere there are people and objects to possess – usually this will be more populated areas but they can be found in rural areas too.

DESCRIPTION: Tsukumogami are spectral entities that can form around any object or tool that someone develops great care, deep need, loathing, or complex feelings for. Objects that have been around for a century are also likely to create them. The nascent tsukumogami possesses the object in question and resides inside of it, unable to leave or swap to another object. These objects can vary greatly, though many end up being “tools” such as beloved hammers, the chainsaw that killed your uncle, and your air fryer you rely on for most of your meals. Some others might be objects like clothes, vehicles, decor, and books. 

In contrast to most of these objects, tsukumogami are full of movement and often are quite expressive even without being able to speak. They may grow eyes or otherwise have features that function as and resemble eyes. While tsukumogami rarely outright want to kill people, some do, especially some of the known variants. For the most part, they like causing chaos and making things difficult for a chosen person, pretending to be a regular object around anyone else. They often feint attempts at murder to scare people, with some causing harm before backing off. Some do go through with it.

ABILITIES: The varied forms of tsukumogami allow for equally varied abilities. They can utilize any part of the object they possess, even without electricity, batteries, gas, or other things needed for power. This makes some incredibly dangerous if they’re ill-tempered, while others have fewer means to cause harm. All tsukumogami are capable of at least some flight, though those residing in heavier objects, such as cars, are very limited. Tsukumogami are very clever and will often plan out elaborate and long-term ways to get someone to become irritated, lose their sanity, or otherwise suffer.

WEAKNESS: Tsukumogami rely entirely on eyesight as their primary sense, being unable to hear. This means they can be caught unawares if someone isn’t in their field of vision. Similarly to tsukumogami being able to utilize the abilities of the objects they possess, they share the same weaknesses. This means some may be vulnerable to fire, others being taken apart, and so on. Though modern supernatural scholars typically consider “yokai” such as tsukumogami to be ghosts of a sort, they lack the weaknesses associated with many Western ghosts and thus are unaffected by salt or exorcisms.

OTHER VARIANTS:

Ittan momen: Long pieces of cloth such as scarves and pants are favorite forms of ittan momen, but any piece of fabric can become one of these tsukumogami, ranging from bed linens and scarves to mittens. These trouble-making floating clothes are liable to wrap themselves around people and strangle the life from them with great force. They also have a way of making themselves “sticky,” ensuring a victim has a difficult time pulling the cloth away from them as they’re being strangled. Ittan momen still retain all of the qualities of their fabric bodies, meaning they can be destroyed by fire, torn up, or destroyed through other means. A couple of individuals have claimed to befriend an ittan momen in their possession, with it being worn and coming to the owner’s defense at times (typically resulting in the death of whoever crosses them).

Monster truck: These monster trucks are not the ones you would pay to see. This term is applied to any land-based vehicle possessed by a tsukumogami, and they’re considered to be among the most dangerous variants, capable of causing mass casualties. Despite having no need to eat, monster trucks aim to devour humans. Many will pretend to be broken down at the side of the road, while others go on a rampage, chasing pedestrians through the streets and crashing into other cars. The interiors of these tsukumogami look like normal cars, but once someone is inside, they’ll realize the seat cushions are sticky with saliva and the walls thick with flesh. Slowly, the truck fills with digestive fluids, the victim being reduced to nothing in mere minutes.

Nurikabe: These tsukumogami have possessed, of all things, walls. Most are able to detach themselves from the rest of the wall or building, becoming fully mobile. They’re able to turn invisible, and are most known for standing in the middle of roads or paths to act as a barrier for anyone trying to walk or drive by. If someone taps the bottom part of the wall, the nurikabe will become frightened and visible, allowing the inconvenienced person to perceive them and simply walk past.

Garei: First described by Japanese exorcists, a garei is a painting, drawing, tapestry, or photograph that has become infused with a spark of the artist's spirit and taken on a life of its own. This is especially likely to happen if the artist was inspired by a muse, tormented by a mare’s nightmares, or some other supernatural influence. The artistic contents of a garei can spill out into the physical world at night but vanish at dawn.

Kinterwib: These tsukumogami choose to inhabit computers, smart phones, or other electronics. Some say kinterwibs are formed from the emotions of a person who has a particularly traumatic experience relating to the internet or technology. Often this is the person they choose to “haunt”. Kinterwibs will use their connection to the internet to hack anyone they please, with varying motivations. Given their full access to the internet and the person’s accounts, they can wreak full havoc on someone’s life. Kinterwibs seem to particularly enjoy chatting with people via social media and online shopping to the point of bankruptcy. They’ve been known to torment anyone who has been unkind to them online, including those who facilitated the negative emotions they originally sprang from. So maybe don’t pick fights on the internet you’re not ready to finish?

27th Mythical March creature was an Ittan-momen!

Gegege no Kitaro (1996) The Movie: Obake Nighter

"Hmm, playing a game against youkais means that if you lose, you forfeit your soul. Is that all right with you?" "I don't think they even care about losing their souls." "So, let's have the game tonight. All right?" "You're sure... You don't mind forfeiting your souls?"

The camaraderie I didn't know I needed lol

Beware the skies when walking about at night. The ittan-momen is a deadly yokai that flutters in the wind, waiting for vulnerable targets to appear below.

I made a Gegege no Kitaro doodle dump. Enjoy Gegege no Kitaro on crack (or pot rather).

1. Kitaro is high as a kite rn.

2. That scene in Family Guy where peter tries crack as a substitute for drinking, but Kitaro is doing pot and Nezumi-Otoko is Brian for some reason.

3. Kitaro doing the Family Guy death pose because he saw cringe. (This is just an excuse to draw someone doing the Family Guy death pose lol)

4. Kitaro eating a rat while Nezumi-Otoko is horrified (I called him Ratman because that's his english name).

5. Killtaro (Killer Kitaro).

6. Kitaro is surprised that I get up at 4:50 AM just to get ready for school (Japan's school hours are different from ours, it makes me think they get more sleep than American teens).

7. Ittan Momen

Floating piece of cloth? (Cont., for @unordinarydays​​ )

‘Ittan-Momen’? Jobski could have sworn they heard of something like that in hearsay. A type of youkai, or something of the sort. They do have an influence in some of Japan’s cities and villages. What the cloth-ghosts supposedly did, however, they haven’t had the time to find out. Y’know, work and own personal stuff going on.

At least this one seems friendly. Jobski knew a handshake being offered when they see one. They first thought about maybe summoning a hand for a change, but then wondered if that would be a little too startling for a first time. So their claw shall do, extending from underneath themselves like an extra arm to hold Ittan’s hand and shake it. If they have ever seen of UFO-Catchers from the arcades with their 2-prong claws. that’s exactly what Jobski’s looked like.

            “Ittan-Momen... It is nice to meet... you.” Despite the other’s sheet-thin,  appearance, Jobski seemed to be more at ease at not being ridiculed for their name.

            “...Are Ittan - n-no, sorry, a-are you... ‘youkai?’ ”

the new birth of kitaro movie has released in japan today! to celebrate, here's a spread of my interpretations of the kitaro characters that I've made recently!

4th anniversary greetings from Ittan Momen

I like such lively festivals! Whether it's yokai or onmyoji, everyone is equally excited about the 4th anniversary. Happy New Year, onmyoji.

GeGeGe no Kitarō: Yōkai Dai Gekisen (2008) - Nintendo DS

Second day of the @MinionKingKarl, (Twitter), challenge, #31DaysofYokai

Day 2: Yokai Ittan-Momen

For this yokai I tried to make its design a concept of mixture with that of the mummies, (sorry is that since I saw this type of yokai I could not help but make the comparison and similar 😅)