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The Supernatural of Japan                              tempt to outsmart Aka Manto by asking for a differ-
                                                                ent color will result in you being dragged to the neth-  C
            Yokai are a class of supernatural monsters in Jap-  erworld.  The only correct answer is to say no paper.    h
         anese folklore.   They range eclectically from the ma-                                                        a p
         levolent to the mischievous, or occasionally bring     Akaname "Filth Licker"- is a demon or yokai from       t e
         good fortune to those who encounter them.  Often       Japanese folklore that is often described as being red   r
         they possess animal features, other times they can     in color.  The akaname is the "personification of the
         appear mostly human, some look like inanimate ob-      fear of using a dark bathroom late at night."  It is said
         jects and others have no discernible shape.  Yokai     to come out at night to literally lick up the grime and
         usually have a spiritual supernatural power, with      dirt that accumulates in unclean bathrooms.
         shapeshifting being one of the most common.  Yokai     Akashita "Red Tongue"- is a yokai that appears as a
         that have the ability to shapeshift are called obake.   beast with clawed hands and a hairy face, with most
         There are a wide variety of yokai in Japanese folk-    of its body hidden in a black cloud over a floodgate.
         lore. In general, yokai is a broad term, and can be    In its open mouth is a large tongue. This creature rep-
         used to encompass virtually all monsters and super-    resents a day of bad luck in Onmyodo.
         natural beings.  The following is a list of Yokai found   Akkorokamui- is a gigantic octopus-like monster
         in Ninja vs. Samurai, that characters may encounter    from Ainu that has permeated into Shintoism folklore
         in a gaming scenario.
                                                                as a minor kami.  This creature supposedly lurks in
         Yokai by Alphabet                                      Funka Bay in Hokkaido.  It is said that its enormous
                                                                body can reach sizes of up to 120 meters in length.
                                 -A-                            The coloration of the Akkorokamui is said to be a

         Abumi-guchi "stirrup mouth"- is a strange, furry       striking red, often described as glowing and some-
         yokai, or Japanese monster.  It is formed from a stir-  times likened to the color of the reflection of the set-
         rup, usually one that once belonged to a fallen sol-   ting sun upon the water.  Due to its coloration and
         dier.  It is said that the abumi-guchi will wait where it   immense size, it is visible from great distances.  Ak-
         lies for the fallen soldier to return.                 korokamui is characteristically described with the
                                                                ability to self-amputate, and regenerate limbs. This
         Abura-akago "oil baby"- is a creature illustrated as   characteristic manifests in the belief in Shinto that
         an infant spirit lapping oil out of a lamp.  The natives   Akkorokamui has healing powers. Consequently, it is
         of Otsu in Omi ("Afumi") Province say that long ago
         in the village of Shiga there was an oil merchant from   believed among followers that giving offerings to
         Otsu who stole oil from the Jizo statue of the Otsu    Akkorokamui will heal ailments of the body, in par-
                                                                ticular, disfigurements and broken limbs.
         crossroads, and is punished posthumously by being
         transformed into a wandering ghost-fire.                Akurojin-no-hi "Fire of the God of the Bad Road"- is
                                                                a ghostly flame from the folklore of Mie prefecture.
         Abura-sumashi "Oil Presser"- is a creature from the    It often appears on rainy nights. People who encoun-
         folklore of Amakusa in Kumamoto prefecture. This       ter it and do not run away become gravely ill.
         spirit, which surprises people on the Kusazumigoe
         mountain pass, is thought to be the ghost of a human   Amabie- is a legendary Japanese mermaid who, it is
         who stole oil.                                         said, appeared in the Kumamoto Prefecture sea and
                                                                prophesied either an abundant harvest or an epidem-
         Aka Manto “Red Cape"- is about a malicious spirit      ic.  Legend says that at midday a shining object ap-
         who haunts public toilets.  If you are sitting on the   peared just beneath the surface of the sea until the
         toilet (usually the last stall), a mysterious voice will   administrator of the town went to the coast to see at-
         ask you if you want red paper or blue paper.   If you   tempt to outsmart Aka Manto by asking for a differ-
         answer red paper, you will be sliced apart until your   ent color will result in you being dragged to the neth-
         clothes are stained red. If you choose blue paper, you   erworld.  The only correct answer is to say no paper.
         will be strangled until your face turns blue.  Any at-


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