Background and general info for Gegege universe.

The whole GeGeGe universe is based on adventures of a ghost (or rather "yokai") boy
in the modern Japanese surroundings. Kitaro is a half-yokai boy born at the cemetery
and being the last survival of his kin (well, we don't take into account his dad
who is just an eyeball now). His whole life deals with battling with evil forces 
along with his friends to save those stupid and decrepit mortals (and the whole 
world along with them). 
The word "yokai" means a sorta "spirit" in Japanese but usually it's a concept of 
practically all "lower-level" creatures from the ghosty-world including neutral, 
good and evil types so it's not just a ghost, demon or spirit - no. 
Retelling the whole script would be just useless - it's one of the oldest and
most long-running manga/anime series so you can imagine that the ammount of 
info contained in it is just huge. Brief review of the creatures met during
the game follows these paragraph.   

================================================================================

Kitaro's Team:

Kitaro - protagonist of the game, one-eyed survival of Yurei Zoku tribe armed 
with remote Geta (traditional shoes), flying fingers, shooting hair and other
strange weapon.

Neko Musume - one of Kitaro's closest friends. Werecat-girl masked as a harmless
Japanese schoolgirl.

Sunakake Baba - yokai looking as an old hag from slavic folklore and throwing
sleeping sand at its enemies.

Konaki Jijii - another yokai looking as a pile of rocks. This old man likes to
cry and turning himself into stone.

Ittan Momen - yokai resembling a flying rag or carpet based on the ghostly 
phenomenon from the folklore of Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan, which flies 
through the air at night and attacks humans.

Nezumi Otoko - rodent-like yokai-human half-breed. He's not that kinda of a 
helpful ally who just giving your pieces of advice in the course of the
game.

Nurikabe - large, sleepy-eyed wall-shaped yokai, who uses his massive size 
to protect Kitaro or trample enemies. Based on the folkloric creature who
impedes or misdirects walking travelers at night.

Yumeko - another "princess in need". Human girl and Kitaro's friend from
the real world which needs to be saved this time.

==============================================================================

Enemies, bosses, NPCs and Items.

Aka-Ei - legendary giant fish known as a creature of fables in Eastern Japan.
It's shaped as an island and hence can't be noticed by people.

Aka-Oni - red oni (devilish creature). 

Bakejizo - guardian deity of children.

Bishamon or Vais'ravana- is the name of the chief of the Four Heavenly Kings 
and an important figure in Buddhist mythology.

Byakko - or "White Tiger" - During the Han Dynasty, people believed the tiger 
to be the king of all beasts. Legend had it that when a tiger reached 500 years old, 
its tail would turn white. In this way, the white tiger became a kind of mythological
creature. It was said that the white tiger would only appear when the emperor ruled 
with absolute virtue, or if there was peace throughout the world. Because the color 
white of the Chinese five elements also represents the west, the white tiger thus 
became a mythological guardian of the west.

Chanchanko - special Japanese vest.

Chi - strong Chinese yokai (probably spirit of a sorcerer) strangely associated with
Kitsune. (this also means an concept of "demons" or "dragons").

Daidarabotchi (Botchi) - a giant responsible for creating many geographical features in Japan.
Kitaro fights several of his body parts (brain, nose, etc) all over Japan.

Danzaburo - tanuki servant of Gyobu. One of possible Kitaro's rivals.

Datsueba - is an old woman who sits at the edge of the Sanzu River in the Buddhist underworld.
At the river, she has two primary duties.
According to Japanese Buddhist folklore (mostly from Japan's Pure Land sects), when a child dies
its soul has to cross the Sanzu River. Traditionally, when a person dies, it is believed that
they can cross the river at three different spots depending on how they lived their lives.
Since children have not accumulated enough experiences, however, they are unable to cross.
At the river's edge, the souls of deceased children are met by Datsueba. There, she strips 
the children of their clothes and advise them to build a pile of pebbles on which they can 
climb to reach paradise. But before the pile reaches any significant height, the hag and 
underworld demons maliciously knock it down. The Buddhist Bodhisattva-Jizo saves
these souls from having to pile stones eternally on the bank of the river by hiding them in
his robe. When a soul is that of an adult, Datsueba forces the sinners to take off their clothes,
and the old-man Keneo- hangs these clothes on a riverside branch that bends to reflect the
gravity of the sins. If the sinner arrives with no clothes, Datsueba strips them of their skin.
Various levels of punishment are performed even at this early stage. For those who steal,
for example, Datsueba breaks their fingers, and together with her old-man consort, she ties
the head of the sinner to the sinner's feet.

Enma - God of the Underworld and master of the Dead. Kitaro meets him during his travels.

Futakuchi-Onna - characterized by her two mouths - a normal one located on her face and
second one on the back of the head beneath the hair. There, the woman's skull splits apart
forming lips, teeth and a tongue, creating an entirely functional second mouth.

Futakuchi-Rouba - older variant of Futakuchi-Onna.

Gama - toad-yokai of demonic nature.

Gashadokuro - giant skeletons, often fifteen times taller than an average person. If a gashadokuro 
sees a human, it will grab it and bite its head off if it does not flee quickly. Gashadokuro are 
created from gathering bones from people who have died of starvation. The only way a gashadokuro 
can be detected before it appears is by hearing a ringing in one's ears.

Genbu - black tortoise god said to rule over the northern heavens in Chinese mythology.

Geta - are a form of traditional Japanese footwear that resembles both clogs and flip-flops. 

Gyobu Tanuki - In Japanese folklore the Tanuki has great physical strength and supernatural powers.
Like the kitsune (fox), it is a master of shapeshifting and disguise and is a mischievous creature
taking all sorts of disguises to deceive or annoy travellers. It will perform various tricks to get
such things as sake', food, or women to the point of turning itself into inanimate objects, such
as the tea-kettle in the famous story of the Bunbukuchagama. Here Gyobu is the king of Tanuki
cave tribe battling against Kitsune and helping Kitaro on his way forward.

Gyuki - is a creature which appears in the folklore of Japan. There are various kinds of gyuki,
all of them some sort of monster with a horned, bovine head.

Haritsuke-Tenko - or just Tenko. Main villain of the game, leader of Kitsune tribe.

Hone-onna - like her name suggests, her true form is that of a skeletal woman.
Under the guise of a beautiful woman, she lures unwitting men into having sex with
her while she sucks the life force of her targets dry.

Ido-Sennin - an immortal wizard, one of Kitaro's arch-rivals.

Isonade - is an enormous, shark-like sea monster said to live off the coast of Matsuura
and other places in Western Japan. When it appears, fierce winds blow.

Iso-Onna - is the most evil yokai living in the sea. She looks very strange: as a woman from the
front and as a cliff from the back. Looked as a human to from her waist and to the head. 
Lower part of her body was very vague (as a ghost). She likes to sink ships just at harbors.  

Jinchu - spirit of revenge and earthly justice.

Jiraiya - ninja who uses shapeshifting magic to morph into a gigantic toad. The heir of a
powerful clan in Kyu-shu- of the same name, Jiraiya fell in love with Tsunade, a beautiful
young princess who masters snail magic. His arch-enemy was his one-time follower, Orochimaru,
who mastered snake magic.

Jizo statue - or Ojizo-sama as he is respectfully known, is one of the most loved of all 
Japanese divinities. His statues are a common sight, especially by roadsides and in graveyards.
Traditionally, he is seen as the guardian of children, particularly children who died before
their parents. Since the 1980s, the tendency developed in which he was worshipped as the guardian
of the souls of mizuko, the souls of stillborn, miscarried or aborted fetuses. In Japanese
mythology, it is said that the souls of children who die before their parents are unable to
cross the mythical Sanzu River on their way to the afterlife because they have not had the
chance to accumulate enough good deeds and because they have made the parents suffer.
It is believed that Jizo saves these souls from having to pile stones eternally on the bank
of the river as penance, by hiding them from demons in his robe, and letting them hear mantras.
Here it's the statue met all over the game which either provides you with neat items or just
goes for a fight, if not praised enough.

Kamaitachi - wind yokai looking a trio of weasels with sharp claws, riding
on a gust of wind and cutting peoples' skin on the legs.

Kamikiri - hair-cutting spirit slightly resembling a crow.

Kappa - are legendary creatures, a type of water sprite found in Japanese folklore. 
Supposedly inhabit the ponds and rivers of Japan and have various features to aid them in 
this environment, such as webbed hands and feet.

Karakasa - or Kasa Obake, are a type of Tsukumogami, a form of Japanese Spirit that originate 
from objects reaching their 100th year of existence, thus becoming animate. Karakasa in 
particular are Spirits of Parasols (umbrellas) that reach the century milestone. 
They are typically portrayed with one eye, a long tongue protruding from an open mouth, and 
a single foot, generally wearing a geta.

Karasu-tengu - devil crows, bird-like yokai. Buddhism long held that the tengu were 
disruptive demons and harbingers of war. Their image gradually softened, however, 
into one of protective, if still dangerous, spirits of the mountains and forests. 
Tengu are associated with the ascetic practice known as Shugendo-, and they are usually 
depicted in the distinctive garb of its followers, the yamabushi.

Kasha - cat-like and gargoyle-like yokai in Japanese mythology. Appear amidst stormy weather 
to bear the bodies of sinners to Hell. They are said to be cats that have turned into youkai 
(e.g. through long life). Sometimes temples near places where kasha are said to live will hold 
two funerals for the dead: in the first, the coffin is filled with rocks so that the kasha won't 
disrupt the funeral to carry off the deceased. In Buddhism, a kasha (more often kasha-bo) 
is a fiery chariot which carries dead sinners to hell.  

Keiten - sacred book, sutra. 

Kyokotsu - spirit of people who drowned inside wells. Now they hunt down those who are stupid
enough to get close.

Kubire-Oni - strangling demon in Japanese mythology. 

Kuko - "nine-tail" fox, one of the foxy foes in the game.

Kumonbi - spider-like yokai. 

Kurokumonushi - one of the bosses in the game. Big cloud-like yokai that can't be killed by
physical strength and sucking life energy out of mere mortals.

Kyubi Kitsune - One of Tenko's avatars. The main villain of the game - many-tailed fox-yokai
willing to conquer the whole world. 

Miage-Nyudo - a spirit which grows as fast as you can look up at it.

Miira-Otoko - usual mummy.

Mitsume-Yakki (Desperate Gaze) - specific "Kitaro" series yokai not found 
in folklore.

Moryo - corpse-eating shadow demons that live near cemeteries. In the past, 
they would appear during funerals to eat the livers of the deceased. 

Mujina - Like the tanuki and the fox, the mujina of Japanese folklore is an avid
shapeshifter and deceiver of humans. One of the forms the mujina is purported to take,
as popularized in a story by Lafcadio Hearn, is that of a "faceless ghost".
This particular sort of monster is often referred to by English speakers as a mujina,
but the Japanese know it as noppera-bo.

Nimen-Yasha - another demonic warrior. Kitaro series specific.

Nisearari - one more invented monster.

Nue - legendary creature found in Japanese folklore. It is described as 
having the head of a monkey, the body of a raccoon dog, the legs of a 
tiger, and a snake as a tail. The Chimera in other words. 

Nurarihyon - a strange character who sneaks into houses on busy evenings.
One of Kitaro's arch-rivals of all times.

Nure-Onna - an amphibious creature with the head of a woman and the body of a snake. 
While the description of her appearance varies slightly from story to story, she has 
been described as being 300 m in length and has snake-like eyes, long claws, fangs 
and long, beautiful hair. She is typically spotted on a shore, washing her hair.

Okami-Otoko - wolf-man or just werewolf.

Onamazu - is a giant catfish who causes earthquakes.

Onigashira - demon-head monster.

Rayun-Henge - yokai-shapeshifter. One of Tenko's forms shaped as
a thundercloud.

Rasetsu - is a demon or unrighteous spirit in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. 

Rokurokubi - yokai looking like normal human beings by day, but at night they
gain the ability to stretch their necks to great lengths. They can also change 
their faces to those of terrifying oni to better. 
scare mortals. 

Ryoshitsu - another specific monster.

Ryujin or Ryojin also known as O-watatsumi - tutelary deity of the sea in Japanese 
mythology. This Japanese dragon symbolized the power of the ocean, had a large mouth, 
and was able to transform into a human shape. Ryujin lived in Ryugu-jo, his palace 
under the sea built out of red and white coral, from where he controlled the tides 
with magical tide jewels. Sea turtles, fish and jellyfish are often depicted as Ryu-jin's 
servants. Ryu-jin was the father of the beautiful goddess Otohime who married the 
hunter prince Hoori. The first Emperor of Japan, Emperor Jimmu, is said to have been 
a grandson of Otohime and Hoori's. Thus, Ryu-jin is one of the ancestors of the Japanese 
imperial dynasty.

San'yo - not sure about this one but San'yo Region is an area in the
south of Honshu-, the main island of Japan.[1] It consist of the southern
part of the Chu-goku region, facing the Seto Inland Sea. The name San'yo
means "southern, sunny (yo-) side of the mountains" and contrasts with
the San'in or "northern, shady (in) side of the mountains". Probably 
another GeGeGe personal monster...

Senki - usually means "war chronicle" or "holy energy" and another specific
GeGeGe yokai in my opinion.

Shinigami - is the personification of death that evolved in Japan, having 
been imported to Japan from Europe during the Meiji period. It's the King
of the Underworld in the game.

Shokuin - is the spirit of China's Purple Mountain. It appears as a red, 
man-faced dragon, a thousand tall.

Soryu - blue dragon spirit.

Suiko - chinese water-goblin similar to Japan's Kappa, but larger and a 
little more malicious. They may lure humans into the water and drain their 
lifeforce.  	
	

Suzaku - or Suzaku-tenno - one of Japanese emperors.

Tenome - the ghost of a blind man, with his eyes on his hands.

Tennyo and tenshi - spirits found in Japanese Buddhism that are similar to 
Western angels or fairies. They were imported from Chinese Buddhism,
which was influenced itself by the concepts of heavenly beings found 
in Indian Buddhism and Chinese Taoism. Tennyo is the one who sends 
Kitaro for another quest of his life.

Tsuchigumo - also called Yatsukahagi, were a people of ancient Japan,
believed to have lived in the Japanese Alps until at least the Asuka
period. The name means "ground spider", likely due to perceived 
physical traits that were later exaggerated or embellished.
A spider-limbed monster of the same name appears in some Japanese folktales,
which possibly were mythical retellings of battles against these peoples. 
This is the monster or rather "boss" from GeGeGe.

Tsuchinoko - legendary snake-like cryptid from Japan. The name tsuchinoko 
is prevalent in Western Japan, including Kansai and Shikoku; the creature 
is known as bachi hebi in Northeastern Japan.

Tsurubebi - is a fireball dropping out of a tree. It may be related to the 
tsurube-otoshi (another yokai). It actually one of Kitaro's tools.

Tsutsugamushi - bug-like yokai said to bring terrible plague with it.

Ubagabi - Will-o-wisp like yokai with the face of an old woman. 

Ubume - spirits of women who have either died in childbirth, or died 
without making sure that their children have been provided for. Ubume 
address a common concern in Japan; that of a mother's duty toward her 
children, and the stories of ubume are many. Appearing in the form common 
to most Japanese ghosts, they are clad in robes of white, and have long, 
unbound, and disheveled hair.

Umibozu - this yokai's name, which combines the character for "sea" with 
the character of "Buddhist monk," is possibly related to the fact that the 
Umibo-zu is said to have a large, round head, resembling the shaven heads of 
Buddhist monks. Alternatively they are enormous Yokai that appear 
to shipwreck victims and fishermen. They are believed to be drowned priests, 
and exhibit the shaven head and typically appears to be praying. It is usually 
reported as having a grey, cloud-like torso and serpentine limbs.

Yako - another word for a "fox".

Yama-otoko - the giant mountain man.

Yasha - is the name of a broad class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent,
who are caretakers of the natural treasures hidden in the earth and tree roots.

Yoki Stone - floating stone containing demonic energy. You need to destroy those
in order to lift the veil off the area. 

Yuki-onna - appears as a tall, beautiful woman with long hair on snowy nights. 
Her skin is inhumanly pale or even transparent, causing her to blend into the
snowy landscape (as she is most famously described in Lafcadio Hearn's Kwaidan:
Stories and Studies of Strange Things). She sometimes wears a white kimono,
but other legends describe her as nude, with only her face, hair, and pubic region
standing out against the snow. Despite her inhuman beauty, her eyes can strike terror
into mortals. She floats across the snow, leaving no footprints (in fact, some tales
say she has no feet, a notable feature for many Japanese ghosts), and she can
transform into a cloud of mist or snow if she is threatened.

Yuki-otoko - snowman in Japanese folklore slightly resembling of a Yeti.

Zunbera - faceless ghost, Japanese legendary creature. They are sometimes mistakenly 
referred to as a mujina, an old Japanese word for a badger or raccoon dog. 
Although the mujina can assume the form of the other, usually humans. 
Such creatures were thought to sometimes transform themselves frighten humans. 

