Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide
This book is all
about that bizarre and seemingly endless pantheon of creatures called Japanese
monsters. Well, they all have their own name as well. The book profiles a
selection of the more common and also unusual occurrences of folklore monster in brilliantly
evocative and occasionally extremely cute illustrations by Ge Ge Ge No Kitaro
artist Tatsuya Morino. The 42
monsters dealt with in this lovingly crafted book are either lovingly benign or
bone-crushingly scary.
Our personal favorites include the Aka-name, the creature who comes
when you neglect your bathing area’s cleanliness. Although, he is a pussycat
compared to the subtly freakish Nurikabe, who will block you in with an
invisible wall that holds you in for ages then, just as you’re about die of
frustration, disappears as quickly as it came. Then again, if you met the Nure
Onna you’d be so freaked out that if you don’t die from her fangs not so subtle
bite you’d be in an asylum watching Doraemon reruns for the rest of your life.
There are many more, but I don’t want to spoil it for you.
You could go to Wikipedia and check out the
rather comprehensive list of Yokai there, but I’d recommend this
delightful book, that, if nothing else, will help while away the hours waiting
for your visa to come through. (Or just while away the hours enjoying your
citizenship of wherever you are!) If you happen to be in Japan at this
moment get down to your nearest bookshop catering to the non-Japanese as soon as you damn well can to
purchase Yokai Attack! Especially if you’re a Japan newbie, as you never know
when a yokai will come your way for a quick sake and a scare. In any case, it’s
best to be prepared. But, if you’re outside the big J right now, check your nearest
alternative book store and it may just be there…
Words by Sebastian Gahan.
Published by Tuttle Books.
YOKAI ATTACK: THE JAPANESE MONSTER SURVIVAL
GUIDE
HIROKO YODA
AND MATT ALT, ILLUSTRATIONS BY TATSUYA MORINO.
