A Cultural Analysis of the Different Types of Youkai: the Good, the Funny, and the Nightmarish

'Spooky Beasts Keep Haunting Japan's Art' by John L. Tran. Artwork by Mitsunobu Tosa.
Source: www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2016/07/19/arts/spooky-beasts-keep-haunting-japans-art/#.V5K3NPm7ikp

Submitted by: Leanne Faulks

Written by: Hiding from Japanese Ghosts

Youkai - also commonly spelled yokai　(妖怪/ようかい ) - are much-loved or feared aspects of Japanese culture which often re-emerge during the peak of sticky, hot summers. Similar to Western culture's vampires, werewolves, and ghouls, youkai are creatures which often carry a warning. Among the various types, everyday youkai can be sorted into three categories: moral, comical, and horror. 

Moral youkai are seemingly innocent and gaudy, and are often encountered in books, television shows, and advertisements. These youkai appeal to younger audiences either as main characters of programs or depicting a warning (kappa - be careful when swimming or small creatures will drown unwilling victims, akaname - clean the bathroom or receive a visit from the slimy monster which licks bathrooms). These youkai are akin to mermaids or the Loch Ness monster, and are adored as fun and lovable.

Akaname - a youkai which enjoys licking filthy bathrooms 
Source: www.cromagnon.jp/gallery/akaname.html

Comical youkai may be presented as harmless and humorous with over-sized limbs or rather low cognitive functions. The mischievous tanuki youkai is one such creature which can be discovered in statue form outside homes - a symbol of good luck and protection. With mountainous genitalia and a talent for cheekiness, tanuki youkai are prime examples of comedy (though, somewhat understandable compared to the aspect of the 'shirime' youkai). In Western culture terms, these youkai would be similar to leprechauns or Cousin It.

In terms of horror, a number of youkai bring about a sense of terror and maliciousness with a sole target of death. These sinister youkai -  such as hone-onna (a skeleton woman who lures men into dark alleys with false beauty before sucking the soul from her victim); konaki jiji (a forest-dwelling creature which mimics an infant's cry before crushing an intended target); or the much-feared yuurei (female spirits which have died a premature, violent death and are obsessed with seeking resolution through vengeance) - are mostly found in urban legends, ghost stories, and horror movies. Comparable to demons, poltergeists, and Bloody Mary, these horror youkai are much-feared and are believed to exist. 

Yuurei are one of the most feared youkai as they slowly render their target insane through psychological tactics. 
Source: s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/a1/e6/3c/a1e63c8792abbc30f7ab42cfbd4b23ef.jpg

In summary, youkai are portrayed differently to depict certain messages. As various youkai are seen as fun and comical, there are a number of youkai which continue to  strike fear into the heart of Japan's society today.