Database: Yokai
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Yôkai have been present for centuries in the collective consciousness of the Japanese. They are revenants, ghosts, and demons, as well as mischievous goblins or other supernatural phenomena that inhabit liminal spaces, places of passage that exist between the visible and invisible worlds. In the past, yôkai inspired anxiety or fear. Currently, it is a generic term to designate strange, or supernatural beings. Notably, yôkai are found in Noh theater plays as demonic women called hannya.
In ancient Japan, yôkai were depicted in "The Illustrated Scroll of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons," several versions of which have been preserved through copies. The scroll from Daitokuji Temple, dating from the 15th century, is particularly famous. Another painted scroll from the same period features the famous astrologer and divination specialist Abe no Seimei (921-1005), renowned for his predictions, he was often depicted in the presence of yôkai. However, it was especially during the Edo period (1603-1867) that yôkai became the subject of structured reflection and true encyclopedias of yôkai, in several volumes, were created. With works like My Neighbor Totoro (1988) and Spirited Away (2001) by Hayao Miyazaki, yôkai made their grand entrance into animated movies. Since the late 20th century, yôkai have occupied a prominent place in the imagination of teenagers, including those in Western countries, with frequent use of their figures in manga, anime, and video games.