An is a kind of ''
yōkai'',
demon
A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, ani ...
,
orc
An Orc (or Ork) is a fictional humanoid monster like a goblin. Orcs were brought into modern usage by the fantasy writings of J. R. R. Tolkien, especially ''The Lord of the Rings''. In Tolkien's works, Orcs are a brutish, aggressive, ugly, a ...
,
ogre, or
troll
A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human bei ...
in
Japanese folklore. Oni are mostly known for their fierce and evil nature manifested in their propensity for murder and cannibalism. Notwithstanding their evil reputation, oni possess intriguingly complex aspects that cannot be brushed away simply as evil. They are typically portrayed as hulking figures with one or more horns growing out of their heads.
["Oni." ''Handbook of Japanese Mythology'', by Michael Ashkenazi, ABC-CLIO, 2003, pp. 230–233.] Stereotypically, they are conceived of as red, blue, black, yellow, or white-colored, wearing
loincloths of
tiger
The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus '' Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on u ...
pelt, and carrying iron
kanabō
The (literally "metal stick" or "metal club") is a spiked or studded two-handed war club used in feudal Japan by samurai. Other related weapons of this type are the ''nyoibo'', ''konsaibo'', , and ''ararebo''.Mol, Serge (2003). ''Classical wea ...
clubs.
They are creatures which instill fear and feelings of danger due to their grotesque outward appearance, their wild and sometimes strange behavior and their powers.
They are popular characters in
Japanese art
Japanese art covers a wide range of art styles and media, including ancient pottery, sculpture, ink painting and calligraphy on silk and paper, ''ukiyo-e'' paintings and woodblock prints, ceramics, origami, and more recently manga and anime. It ...
,
literature
Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...
, and
theater
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actor, actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The p ...
and appear as
stock villains in the well-known fairytales of ''
Momotarō'' (''Peach Boy''), ''
Issun-bōshi
is the subject of a fairy tale from Japan. This story can be found in the old Japanese illustrated book '' Otogizōshi''. Similar central figures and themes are known elsewhere in the world, as in the tradition of Tom Thumb in English folklore.
...
'', and ''
Kobutori Jīsan.'' Although Oni have been described as frightening creatures, they have become tamer in modern culture as people tell less frightening stories about them like ''Oni Mask'' and ''Red Oni Who Cried''.
''
Shuten-dōji
Shuten-dōji (, also sometimes called , or ) is a mythical ''oni'' or demon leader of Japan, who according to legend was killed by the hero Minamoto Raikō. Although decapitated, the demon's detached head still took a bite at the hero, who avoid ...
'' has been regarded as the most famous and strongest ''oni'' in Japan. The legend of ''Shuten-dōji'' has been described since the 14th century in various arts, traditional performing arts and literature such as ''
emakimono
or is an illustrated horizontal narration system of painted handscrolls that dates back to Nara-period (710–794 CE) Japan. Initially copying their much older Chinese counterparts in style, during the succeeding Heian (794–1185) and Kamak ...
'', ''
jōruri'', ''
noh
is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Developed by Kan'ami and his son Zeami, it is the oldest major theatre art that is still regularly performed today. Although the terms Noh and ' ...
'' and ''
kabuki
is a classical form of Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily-stylised performances, the often-glamorous costumes worn by performers, and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.
Kabuki is thought to ...
''. The ''
tachi
A is a type of traditionally made Japanese sword (''nihonto'') worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan. ''Tachi'' and ''katana'' generally differ in length, degree of curvature, and how they were worn when sheathed, the latter depending on t ...
'' (Japanese long sword) "''
Dōjigiri''" with which
Minamoto no Yorimitsu decapitated ''Shuten-dōji in the legend is now designated as a
National Treasure
The idea of national treasure, like national epics and national anthems, is part of the language of romantic nationalism, which arose in the late 18th century and 19th centuries. Nationalism is an ideology that supports the nation as the fundame ...
and one of the ''
Tenka-Goken'' (Five Greatest Swords Under Heaven).
Description
Depictions of yokai oni vary widely but usually portray them as hideous, gigantic ogre-like creatures with a single horn or multiple horns emerging from their heads, with sharp
claws, wild hair, and fang-like tusks.
They are often depicted wearing
tiger
The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus '' Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on u ...
-skin
loincloths and carrying iron clubs called . This image leads to the expression , that is, to be invincible or undefeatable.
Their skin may have various colors, but red, blue, and green are particularly common.
They may sometimes also be depicted as black-skinned, or yellow-skinned.
They may occasionally be depicted with a third eye on their forehead,
or extra fingers and toes.
They are predominantly male but can be female. Females becoming oni has been attributed to them being overcome with grief or jealousy.
["Japanese Demon Lore: Oni, from Ancient Times to the Present: Reider, Noriko T: Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming." ''Internet Archive'', Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 1 Jan. 1970, archive.org/details/JapaneseDemonLore/page/n3/mode/2up.]
Oni can come in many different sizes ranging in both weight and height.
Origins
An old etymology for "''oni''" is that the word derives from ''on'', the
''on'yomi'' reading of a character () meaning "to hide or conceal", due to ''oni'' having the tendency of "hiding behind things, not wishing to appear". This explanation is found in the 10th century dictionary ''
Wamyōshō'', which reveals that the ''oni'' at the time had a different meaning, defined as "a soul/spirit of the dead".
The character for ''oni'', 鬼 () in Chinese also means a dead or ancestral spirit, and not necessarily an evil specter. Accordingly, Chinese (
Taoist
Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the ''Tao'' ...
) origins for the concept of ''oni'' have been proposed. Particularly powerful oni may be described as ''kishin'' or ''kijin'' (literally "oni god"; the "ki" is an alternate character reading of "oni"), a term used in
Japanese Buddhism to refer to
Wrathful Deities
In Buddhism, wrathful deities or fierce deities are the fierce, wrathful or forceful (Tibetan: ''trowo'', Sanskrit: ''krodha'') forms (or "aspects", "manifestations") of enlightened Buddhas, Bodhisattvas or Devas (divine beings); normally the sam ...
.
The ''oni'' was
syncretized
Syncretism () is the practice of combining different beliefs and various schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merging or assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, thu ...
with
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
-
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
creatures such as the man-devouring ''
yaksha
The yakshas ( sa, यक्ष ; pi, yakkha, i=yes) are a broad class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious, connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness. They appear in ...
'' and the ''
rakshasa
Rakshasas ( sa, राक्षस, IAST: : Pali: ''rakkhaso'') lit. 'preservers' are a race of usually malevolent demigods prominently featured in Hindu mythology. According to the Brahmanda Purana, the rakshasas were created by Brahma whe ...
'', and became the ''oni'' who tormented sinners as wardens of Hell (
Jigoku), administering sentences passed down by Hell's magistrate, King
Yama
Yama (Devanagari: यम) or Yamarāja (यमराज), is a deity of death, dharma, the south direction, and the underworld who predominantly features in Hindu and Buddhist religion, belonging to an early stratum of Rigvedic Hindu deities ...
(Enma Daiō).
The
hungry ghosts called have also been sometimes considered a type of ''oni'' (the Kanji for "ki" 鬼 is also read "oni").
Accordingly, a wicked soul beyond rehabilitation transforms into an ''oni'' after death. Only the very worst people turn into ''oni'' while alive, and these are the ''oni'' causing troubles among humans as presented in folk tales.
Some scholars have even argued that the ''oni'' was entirely a concept of Buddhist mythology.
Oni bring calamities to the land, bringing about war, plague/illness, earthquakes, and eclipses.
[Roberts, Jeremy. ''Japanese Mythology A to Z''. Chelsea House Publishers, 2010.] They have the destructive power of lightning and thunder, which terrifies people through their auditory and visual effects.
Oni have a massive appetite for human flesh and can eat a person in a single gulp. They are said to suck in a human's vital energy and devour her or his flesh. Oni are capable of transforming into both male and female forms at will, and can change from their grotesque form to a handsome man so that they can gain the trust of their victim.
Demon gate
According to Chinese Taoism and esoteric
Onmyōdō
is a system of natural science, astronomy, almanac, divination and Magic (supernatural), magic that developed independently in Japan based on the Chinese philosophies of yin and yang and Wuxing (Chinese philosophy), wuxing (five elements). The p ...
, the ways of
yin and yang
Yin and yang ( and ) is a Chinese philosophy, Chinese philosophical concept that describes opposite but interconnected forces. In Chinese cosmology, the universe creates itself out of a primary chaos of material energy, organized into the c ...
, the
northeast
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each se ...
erly direction is termed the ''kimon'' (
鬼門, "demon gate") and considered an unlucky direction through which evil spirits passed. Based on the assignment of the
twelve zodiac animals to the cardinal directions, the ''kimon'' was also known as the ''ushitora'' (丑寅), or "
Ox Tiger
The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus '' Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on u ...
" direction. One hypothesis is that the ''oni''s bovine horns and tiger-skin loincloth developed as a visual depiction of this term.
Temple
A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
s are often built facing that direction, for example,
Enryaku-ji was deliberately built on
Mount Hiei which was in the ''kimon'' (northeasterly) direction from
Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
in order to guard the capital, and similarly
Kan'ei-ji
(also spelled Kan'eiji or Kaneiji) is a Tendai Buddhist temple in Tokyo, Japan, founded in 1625 during the Kan'ei era by Tenkai, in an attempt to emulate the powerful religious center Enryaku-ji, in Kyoto. The main object of worship is .Nihon Re ...
was built towards that direction from
Edo Castle
is a flatland castle that was built in 1457 by Ōta Dōkan in Edo, Toshima District, Musashi Province. In modern times it is part of the Tokyo Imperial Palace in Chiyoda, Tokyo and is therefore also known as .
Tokugawa Ieyasu established the ...
.
However, skeptics doubt this could have been the initial design of Enryaku-ji temple, since the temple was founded in 788, six years before Kyoto even existed as a capital, and if the ruling class were so
feng shui-minded, the subsequent northeasterly move of the capital from
Nagaoka-kyō
was the capital of Japan from 784 to 794. Its location was reported as Otokuni District, Yamashiro Province, and Nagaokakyō, Kyoto, which took its name from the capital. Parts of the capital were in what is now the city of Nagaokakyō, while ...
to Kyoto would have certainly been taboo.
Japanese buildings may sometimes have L-shaped indentations at the northeast to ward against oni. For example, the walls surrounding the
Kyoto Imperial Palace have notched corners in that direction.
Traditional culture
The traditional bean-throwing custom to drive out ''oni'' is practiced during
Setsubun
is the day before the beginning of spring in the old calendar in Japan. The name literally means 'seasonal division', referring to the day just before the first day of spring in the traditional calendar, known as ; though previously referri ...
festival in February. It involves people casting roasted
soybean
The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses.
Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu an ...
s indoors or out of their homes and shouting , preferably by a strong wrestler. This custom has grown from the medieval ritual of or ''oni-yarai'', a year-end rite to drive away ''oni'' (ghosts).
[
Regionally around ]Tottori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Tottori Prefecture is the least populous prefecture of Japan at 570,569 (2016) and has a geographic area of . Tottori Prefecture borders Shimane Prefecture to the west, Hirosh ...
during this season, a charm made of holly leaves and dried sardine heads are used as a guard against oni.[
There is also a well-known game in Japan called , which is the same as the game of tag that children in the Western world play. The player who is "it" is instead called the "oni".
Oni are featured in Japanese children's stories such as '' Momotarō'' (''Peach Boy''), '']Issun-bōshi
is the subject of a fairy tale from Japan. This story can be found in the old Japanese illustrated book '' Otogizōshi''. Similar central figures and themes are known elsewhere in the world, as in the tradition of Tom Thumb in English folklore.
...
'', and '' Kobutori Jīsan''.
Modern times
In more recent times, ''oni'' have lost some of their original wickedness and sometimes take on a more protective function. Men in oni costumes often lead Japanese parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, float (parade), floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually ce ...
s to dispel any bad luck, for example.
Japanese buildings sometimes include oni-faced roof tiles called , which are thought to ward away bad luck, much like gargoyle
In architecture, and specifically Gothic architecture, a gargoyle () is a carved or formed grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing it from running down masonry walls ...
s in Western tradition.
Many Japanese idioms and proverbs also make reference to oni. For example, the expression (Translation: "A child that does not resemble its parents is the child of an oni.") may be used by a parent to chastise a misbehaving child.[
They can be used in stories to frighten children into obeying because of their grotesque appearance, savage demeanor, as well as how they can eat people in a single gulp.]
Stories
# Momotaro, the Peach Boy,[Chiba, Kotaro. ''Tales of Japan: Traditional Stories of Monsters and Magic''. Chronicle Books, 2019.] is a well-known story about an elderly couple having the misfortune of never being able to conceive a child, but they find a giant peach that miraculously gives them a boy as their child. As the boy grows, he is made aware of an island of demons where the people are captured and, after their money is taken, kept as slaves and a source of food. Momotaro sets out to travel to the island with some cakes specially made for him, and while on his journey, he meets a dog, a monkey, and a pheasant who partner up with him to defeat the demons on the island, and once the demons have been taken out they recover the treasures and return them to the rightful owners. Momotaro and his companions, after accomplishing their goal, all return to their respective homes.
# Oni Mask[Fujita, Hiroko, et al. ''Folktales from the Japanese Countryside''. Libraries Unlimited, 2008.] is a story where a young girl goes off to work at a ladies' house to make money for her ailing mother. She talks to a mask of her mother's face once she is done with her work to comfort herself. One day, the curious coworkers see the mask and decide to prank her by putting on an oni mask to replace the mother's mask. Seeing the Oni mask, she takes it as a sign that her mother is worse and not getting better, so she leaves after alerting her boss. After trying to run to her mother's side, she is sidetracked by some men gambling by a campfire. The men catch her and ignore her pleas to let her go to her mother and instead make her watch the fire so it does not go out during the game. While she is stoking the fire, she decides to put on the Oni mask to protect her from the flames. At that moment, the men see only a brightly lit Oni through the red glowing flames and, terrified, run away without gathering their money. The girl, after having made sure the fire would not go out, gathers the money, and waits for the men to return for it, but as time grows, she remembers she was going to see her mother and runs to her mother. While she is at home, she sees her mother is healthier than before, and because of the money the gamblers left behind, she has enough to take care of her without going back to work at the ladies' house.
# Red Oni Who Cried is a story of two oni, one red the other blue. The red one wants to befriend humankind, but they are afraid of it, making the red oni cry. Knowing what the red oni wants, the blue oni devises a plan to make himself the villain by attacking the houses of the humans and allowing the red oni to save the humans from the blue oni, making the red oni a hero to the humans' eyes. After the humans see the red oni protect them from the blue oni, they determine that the red one is a good oni whom they would like to be friends with, which is what the red one wanted. Seeing this exchange, the blue oni decides to leave so as not to cause any misunderstanding with the humans. When the red oni decides to go home to his friend the blue oni, he notices that the blue oni is gone and realizes what the blue oni has done for him and cries from being touched by the blue oni's thoughtfulness and wonderful friendship.
Gallery
File:Oni in pilgrim's clothing.jpg, Oni in pilgrim's clothing. Tokugawa period. Hanging scroll
A hanging scroll is one of the many traditional ways to display and exhibit East Asian painting and calligraphy. The hanging scroll was displayed in a room for appreciation; it is to be distinguished from the handscroll, which was narrower and ...
, ink and color on paper.
File:Kyosai Oni in priest's robes.jpg, Depiction of an oni chanting a Buddhist prayer. The oni (ogre or demon) is dressed in the robes of a wandering Buddhist priest. He carries a gong, a striker, and a hogacho (Buddhist subscription list). By Kawanabe Kyōsai, 1864.
In popular culture
The oni remains a very popular motif in Japanese popular culture. Their varied modern depiction sometimes relies on just one or two distinctive features which mark a character as an oni, they will always have horns and will sometimes have a distinctive skin colour, but such a depiction might otherwise appear human and entirely lack the fearsome or grotesque features of traditional oni. The context of oni in popular culture is similarly varied, with instances such as appearances in animated cartoons, video games and use as commercial mascots.
*The videogame series ‘’Onimusha
is a series of video games developed and published by Capcom. It makes use of the historic figures that shaped Japan's history, retelling their stories with supernatural elements. Most of the games are of the action-adventure genre, a combinatio ...
’’ is largely based on Japanese demon/oni/yokai folklore and themes.
*The game series ''Touhou Project
The , also known simply as , is a bullet hell shoot 'em up video game series created by one-man independent Japanese ''doujin'' soft developer Team Shanghai Alice. Since 1995, the team's member, Jun'ya "ZUN" Ōta, has independently developed ...
'' has several characters based on oni such as Suika Ibuki, who is also animated singing the popular song "We Are Japanese Goblin", an example of modern popular culture depicting Oni as far less menacing than in the past.
* A character based on Oni appears in the Japanese Satire Anime "Tentai Senshi Sunred/Astro Fighter Sunred", who works as an oni for hire to dispel bad luck and also part of the "evil" organization Florsheim.
*All kinds of oni appear in ''Inuyasha
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It was serialized in Shogakukan's ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' from November 1996 to June 2008, with its chapters collected in fifty-six '' ...
''.
* '' Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger'' (and its American counterpart, '' Power Rangers Wild Force''), Ogre Tribe Org is the main antagonist to fight the Gaorangers
is Toei's twenty-fifth production of the ''Super Sentai'' metaseries airing in 2001 and celebrated the franchise's 25th anniversary. Footage from this show was used in the 2002 American series ''Power Rangers Wild Force'' and was later dubbed ...
and Power Animals.
*The Pokémon
(an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures (company), Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise.
In terms of ...
Electabuzz and Glalie appear to be based on oni.
*The Unicode Emoji character U+1F479 (👹) represents an ''oni'', under the name "Japanese Ogre".
*In the TV show '' LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'', Oni appear as a primordial force of destruction, Oni Mask are fetaured in eighth season, '' Son of Garmadon'' and Ninth season, ''Hunted'' until the Oni masks of Deception and Hatred were broken, leaving the Oni mask of Vengeance intact, and are the main villains of the show's tenth season, ''March of the Oni'' with Wu, Lord Garmadon and his son, Lloyd Garmadon
Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon is a fictional character in the computer-animated television series ''Ninjago (TV series), Ninjago'' (previously known as ''Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu'') which is produced by The Lego Group. He was created by the ori ...
who is Half-Human Half-Dragon and Half-Oni.
*The popular manga and anime ''Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotouge. It follows teenage Tanjiro Kamado, who strives to become a demon slayer after his family was slaughtered and his younger sister, Nezuko Kamado, Nezuko, turned into a ...
'' or Demon Slayer features Oni as the antagonists. The oni in this anime are depicted similar to Vampires
A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deaths ...
, they have fangs, pale skin, catlike-eyes, pointed nails, and can pass for human, they eat human flesh and blood, allergic to Wisteria instead of Garlic
Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...
, vulnerable to sunlight which kills and turns them into ashes, they regenerate from mere mortal wounds, getting bitten or scratched by one turns a person into one, etc. These demons also shape-shift, sometimes pick up traits from other animal species altogether, and can killed by cutting their heads off with a sword called Nichirin made from a special metal called Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Crimson Ore that absorbs sunlight. In the English release, they are referred to as demons instead of oni.
*The MOBA '' Heroes of the Storm'' has oni-themed skins for its characters Genji and The Butcher.
*In '' Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare'', Oni is a type of Handgun.
*Oni was used as a skin for the Type 25 Gun that can be obtained in Season 3 Battle Pass Premium Tier 1 of '' Call of Duty: Mobile.''
*The asymmetrical 4 vs 1 multiplayer game ''Dead by Daylight
''Dead by Daylight'' is an asymmetric multiplayer survival horror online game developed by Canadian studio Behaviour Interactive. It is a one-versus-four game in which one player takes on the role of a savage Killer and the other four play as Su ...
'' features an oni, Kazan Yamaoka, as one of its killers. The oni is represented as a blood-thirsty demon that gets stronger the more blood it consumes.
*In ''Google Doodle Champion Island Games'', The Oni are described as big boastful champions of Rugby who reside on Oni Islands.
* The world of MooShu in ''Wizard101
''Wizard101'' is a 2008 massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed and published by KingsIsle Entertainment. Players take on the role of student wizards who must save the Spiral, the fictional universe in which the game is ...
'' contains several oni that the player must face. These include the Plague, War, Death, and Jade Oni. These oni are depicted as being elephantine in appearance.
* In ''The Venture Bros.
''The Venture Bros.'' is an American adult animation, adult animated action comedy TV series created by Chris McCulloch (also known as "Jackson Publick") for Cartoon Network's late night programming block Adult Swim. Following a pilot episode on ...
'' episode ''I Know Why The Caged Bird Kills'', Dr. Orpheus attempts to free Dr. Venture of an oni who is haunting him after returning from a business trip to Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
.
* In '' Urusei Yatsura'' the main heroine Lum is an oni from space who wears a tiger bikini.
*In the Japanese role-playing horror game ''Ao Oni
is a survival horror adventure video game developed under the name of "noprops". It was first released on November 2008 as a Japan-only freeware and adapted into an official English-language version in later versions. It was later acqui ...
'', the titular oni is depicted as a blue/purplish creature with a large head and human-like features. In the subsequent 2014 movie adaptation, the oni is given a radical makeover to appear more monstrous and scary, while in its 2016 anime adaptation, the oni remains faithful to its original appearance.
*In the action role-playing game '' Nioh'' and its sequel, '' Nioh 2'', the protagonists fight against a variety of Yōkai, including various types of Oni.
*In the fantasy role-playing game '' Genshin Impact'', the character Arataki Itto is of crimson oni heritage; signified by his red horns and markings on his body. The plot of "Rise Up, Golden Soul", the first act of his Story Quest, is centered around the conflict between the crimson and blue oni tribes. The allegorical Inazuman fairytale of Aka and Ao that illustrates the divergence of the two tribes directly references the red and blue oni tale.
*In the Japanese action-adventure game ''Ghost of Tsushima
''Ghost of Tsushima'' is a 2020 action-adventure game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The player controls Jin Sakai, samurai on a quest to protect Tsushima Island during the first Mongol ...
'', a multiplayer ''Legends Mode'' was added in which the player fights hordes of oni in survival and story missions. It features several different types of oni including large brutes, tengu crow demons, and ultra-powerful elder oni.
*In the RPG series '' Yo-kai Watch'' there are various yo-kai that are oni. From the fourth game onward they become a full on yo-kai sub-species.
*In the tabletop game '' Shadowrun'', oni are a metavariant of orks with horns, more attractive features, and bright red or blue skin. They live primarily in Japan. They face incredible amount of prejudice due to their resemblance to the folklore creature.
*In the 2022 movie '' Bullet Train'', the main villain is partially shown wearing an oni mask during some flashback scenes.
See also
* Shuten-dōji
Shuten-dōji (, also sometimes called , or ) is a mythical ''oni'' or demon leader of Japan, who according to legend was killed by the hero Minamoto Raikō. Although decapitated, the demon's detached head still took a bite at the hero, who avoid ...
* Dokkaebi
Dokkaebi ( ko, 도깨비) are legendary creatures from Korean mythology and folklore. Dokkaebi, also known as "Korean goblins", are nature deities or spirits possessing extraordinary powers and abilities that are used to interact with humans, ...
* Daeva
* Ifrit
Ifrit, also spelled as efreet, afrit, and afreet (Arabic alphabet, Arabic: ': , plural ': ), is a powerful type of demon in Islamic mythology. The afarit are often associated with the underworld and identified with the spirits of the dead, and ...
* Devil
A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conceptions of t ...
* Namahage
* Onibaba
* Ogre
* Oni Gozen
Oni Gozen (鬼御前) (fl. 16th century) was a Japanese noble lady and ''onna-musha'' from the Sengoku period. She was the wife of Hoashi Akinao (帆足鑑直) the retainer of Ōtomo clan. She was a military commander who actively participated in t ...
* Orc
An Orc (or Ork) is a fictional humanoid monster like a goblin. Orcs were brought into modern usage by the fantasy writings of J. R. R. Tolkien, especially ''The Lord of the Rings''. In Tolkien's works, Orcs are a brutish, aggressive, ugly, a ...
* Sazae-oni
are creatures from Japanese mythology, resembling large mollusks. They are a type of obake, forming when turban snails, especially ''Turbo sazae'', reach 30 years of age.
Mythology
The most popular legend of the Sazae-oni is that of a group ...
* '' Urusei Yatsura''
* ''Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotouge. It follows teenage Tanjiro Kamado, who strives to become a demon slayer after his family was slaughtered and his younger sister, Nezuko Kamado, Nezuko, turned into a ...
''
* Ushi-oni
The , or gyūki, is a yōkai from the folklore of western Japan. The folklore describes more than one kind of ''ushi-oni'', but the depiction of a bovine-headed monster occurs in most. ''Ushi-oni'' generally appear on beaches and attack people ...
* Wendigo
* Yōkai
* Yūrei
are figures in Japanese folklore analogous to the Western model of ghosts. The name consists of two kanji, (''yū''), meaning "faint" or "dim" and (''rei''), meaning "soul" or "spirit". Alternative names include , meaning ruined or depart ...
* Ravana
Ravana (; , , ) is a rakshasa king of the island of Lanka, and the chief antagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'' and its adaptations.
In the ''Ramayana'', Ravana is described to be the eldest son of sage Vishrava and rakshasi Kaikesi. He a ...
* Kappa
Kappa (uppercase Κ, lowercase κ or cursive ; el, κάππα, ''káppa'') is the 10th letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiceless velar plosive sound in Ancient and Modern Greek. In the system of Greek numerals, has a value o ...
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External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oni (Folklore)
Ogres
Monsters
Yōkai
Asian demons
Japanese words and phrases
Devils
Trolls