Tengu
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Tengu (天狗, lit. Heavenly Dog) are a kind of Japanese folklore creature. They appear in all three entries in Daiei's Yokai Monsters series as well as their 2005 and 2021 spiritual successors, The Great Yokai War, The Great Yokai War: Guardians and in episode 146 of the 1974 Toho yokai series, Go! Kotaro Ushiwaka, titled "The Tengu's Magic Cloak."
Name
A number of different kinds of Tengu exist within Japanese folklore; the two most common types are the crow-like avian Tengu, called Karasutengu (烏天狗 or 鴉天狗, lit. Crow Tengu) or Kotengu (小天狗, lit. Small Tengu), and the red, long-nosed Tengu, inversely called Daitengu/Ōtengu (大天狗, lit. Large Tengu), or simply Tengu. Other Tengu which appear in the film The Great Yokai War include Koppatengu (木っ端天狗, lit. Woodchip Tengu or Splinter Tengu), Aotengu (青天狗, lit. Blue Tengu), Tsuchitengu (土天狗, lit. Earth Tengu or Ground Tengu), and Isotengu (磯天狗, lit. Beach Tengu or Seashore Tengu).
Design
The Tengu which appears in Go! Kotaro Ushiwaka resembles typical modern depictions of Tengu, with red skin and a long nose, a tokin on his forehead, and geta sandals. He has medium-length dark gray hair and wears a black undercoat with a golden vest-like garment and light blue gloves and tights.
History
Yokai Monsters: 100 Monsters
A Tengu was one of many yokai who took part in the climax, jumping around and dodging failed sword swings.
Yokai Monsters: Spook Warfare
While the Tengu wasn't part of the main group of yokai that first attempted to fight Daimon, when Daimon's weakness was found and he cloned himself multiple times, the Tengu, along with many of Japan's other natural yokai and spirits, rushed to fight the invading Babalonian monster. When the real Daimon was found among the clones, the Tengu was asked to assist Aburasumashi and the Karakasakozo fly up and stab Daimon in the eye after he turned giant.
Yokai Monsters: Along with Ghosts
The Tengu was one of the many yokai to parade outside of the castle at the film's climax after taking part in tormenting the main antagonist.
Go! Kotaro Ushiwaka
"The Tengu's Magic Cloak"
As Nyudo walked along a grassy plain, he was shocked to see a pair of geta sandals walking toward a patch of trees as if by magic. Suddenly, a floating blue glove appeared before him, prompting him to believe it a yokai and charging at it with his club. However, as he swung at the hand, it disappeared. Turning around, Nyudo was hit on the back of the head by a stick, causing him to shout out for Kotaro before falling to the ground. After Nyudo explained the situation to Kotaro, who walked away after not seeing anything, the sandals reappeared before again disappearing, as did the glove shortly after. Determined, Nyudo swung at the trees again before being shoved and hearing a voice talking with him. Frantically, he began to run around swinging at the air before eventually falling to the ground and crawling away in fright. An amused Tengu then appeared grasping a straw cloak, which had granted it the ability to become invisible. Hanging the cloak on a nearby fence, he sat down to relax. Taking notice, Coonjo appeared a short ways away, plotting to steal the cloak for herself. Walking toward the fence holding a long stick, she used it to pull the cloak toward herself as the Tengu continued to sit in the grass. Coonjo later used the Tengu's magic cloak in a brief confrontation with Kotaro, but was ultimately defeated.
The Great Yokai War
A Tengu was one of the first yokai to assist in the great war, training the main protagonist. Many Tengu later took part in the mistaken party on top of the antagonist's flying base, along with the other yokai and spirits of Japan.
The Great Yokai War: Guardians
To be added.
Abilities
- While the Tengu which appears in Go! Kotaro Ushiwaka was not shown to possess any physical abilities, he carried a magic cloak (隠れみの kakuremino) made of straw which could turn any part of him invisible.
Video games
- Konami Wai Wai World (1988) - Nintendo Famicom
Konami Wai Wai World
Tengu appear in the second stage of Konami Wai Wai World, called Edo Stage, as naturally-occurring enemies alongside several other creatures based after yokai.
Tengu in the Konami Wai Wai World instruction manual
Tengu's sprite in Konami Wai Wai World
Filmography
- Godzilla (1954) [mask]
- Yokai Monsters: One Hundred Monsters (1968)
- Yokai Monsters: Spook Warfare (1968)
- Yokai Monsters: Along with Ghosts (1969)
- Go! Kotaro Ushiwaka (TV 1974-1975) [1 episode]
- The Great Yokai War (2005)
Gallery
- Main article: Tengu/Gallery.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Comments
Showing 11 comments. When commenting, please remain respectful of other users, stay on topic, and avoid role-playing and excessive punctuation. Comments which violate these guidelines may be removed by administrators.
<comments voting="Plus" />
|
|
|
|
|
