AltJapan

Flat Horror

I found this set of vintage (early-mid Seventies?) punch-out paper dolls in a Shimokitazawa toy shop last week. The amazingly grotesque cover-art features what appears to be Oiwa-san on the front and a kappa, kara-kasa, and hitotsume-kozo kicking it with a skeleton on the reverse. Called "yako obake," or "glow ghouls," the really scary thing is that they still retain their luminescence after all these years, making me wonder exactly what the hell the manufacturer used (Radioactive isotopes? Photonic energy? Crushed-up human souls?)

Unfortunately, only three cards plus the display monster remained in the set. The one on the left is a ningyo, or Japanese mermaid; the Son-of-Godzilla-esque fellow on the right is a generic monster. The others in the pack were your average skeletons. The cover says there are 30 variations total, and now I've "gotta get 'em all."

Killer Tofu & Testicles of Terror

Time to go to monster school, people.

Hiroko and I get the Last Word in this month's issue of Metropolis magazine! The illustration is by the talented Chip Boles, whose online portfolio is worth a visit too. (His tokusatsu-esque Himeji Joe vs Tako-Yaki cracks me up every time.)

Yokai Attack San Francisco!

On All Hallow's Eve (afternoon, actually), I will be giving a presentation about yokai at the New People Center in San Francisco's Japantown. The fun begins at 1:00pm on October 31st and admission is totally free! A gallery of legendary Eighteenth century woodblock prints by Katsushika Hokusai and artwork by the manga master Shigeru Mizuki will be on display, and of course, copies of Yokai Attack will be available as well. Check out the New People site for more details -- and see you there!

Catch and Release

Good news, people! I am very proud to report that I met the stringent requirements (*) for obtaining a coveted Kappa Catcher's License, issued by the Tono City Tourist Association. Troubled by strange noises in the middle of the night? Feelings of dread at pool or lakeside? Then pick up the phone and call a professional. I'm ready to believe you.

*  Paying 200 yen at a souvenir stand.

Yokai & Yurei & You

Thanks to whoever went to the trouble of posting the Yokai/Yurei episode of Tokyo Eye on YouTube! The end of summer is spook season in Japan, and what better way to celebrate than by following first-timer Hami and I as we tour some of Tokyo's scariest spots unraveling the differences between yurei (ghosts) and yokai (er, yokai). 

In a nutshell, yokai generally represent a "something," while yurei represent a "someone." But tune in to see some examples for yourself. We hit the Oiwa Inari Shrine (where we underwent a Shinto purification ritual to protect us from harmful spirits), Zenshoan Temple, Masakado's Tomb, Kappa Temple, out to Chiba to examine the Hyakki Yagyo scrolls, and finally unwind with a spin through Korakuen's haunted house. 

For some reason the video's been split into parts -- here are two and three.

Beware the Yokai

An article I wrote about yokai is in the latest issue (#10, June/July) of the Discovery Channel Magazine, an English-language magazine that is (to my knowledge) only available in Asia. Check it out if you have a chance!

Yokai/Damage

I can't believe I forgot to mention this awesome interview that Schultz of Hello Damage conducted with us about Yokai Attack! Check it out when you get a chance.

Real Panic Movie

BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT.... The thrilling conclusion to Project Kappa is live on BoingBoing TV right this very dang second. What will happen to the Yokai Squad in the rickshaw-infested back-alleys of Asakusa? Does hiring Kappa instead of normal contractors violate any municipal building codes? Will wishing upon the Kappa's Paw bring Sean Bonner back? And more importantly, didn't anyone ever tell you not to chew with your mouth open, young man?

For those who have been under a rock for the last twenty four hours, or maybe just have a life, part one is here.

Yokai Post

I never expected to ever see the word "yokai" on the front page of the same paper that broke the Watergate scandal, let alone a photo of Hiroko and I. But there they are, in full color no less. Click here for an un-cropped image of the page, and click here for a link to the actual article.

Kappafield

Now LIVE on BoingBoing TV!

"Sean made it to Tokyo, and shot evidence of the Kappa on Japan's urban streets (signs, blow-up Kappa dolls, stickers). But then, suddenly, the raw footage he was FTPing to us nightly just STOPPED. Bam. Just like that. And with it, all evidence we had of Sean's whereabouts and well-being..."

Hiroko, Sean Bonner, and I brave the wilds of Tokyo's fabled kitchenware district, Kappabashi-Dori, in search of a hidden temple -- said to be home to the mummified hand of a supernatural creature. Beset by inflatable monsters and a nagging case of shaky-cam, three of us enter... but only two escape. What happens to Internet's Sean Bonner? You'll have to tune in to episode two tomorrow to find out.