The Chimimōryō (魑魅魍魎 Chimimōryō) is a group of Mōryō led by one that appear in the story of the same name.[1]
Description[]
The Chimimōryō is a large group of evil spirits of varying shapes and sizes. Some possess multiple body parts, such as eyes, while others have few or lack these features entirely. Many tend to wear no clothes, others are bald or hairy, short, tall, squat, or fat.
Notable individuals that appear to be or resemble other Yōkai include: a three-eyed Kappa (somewhat resembling an Ichimoku-Nyūdō), Yama-Oni, Te-no-Me, Oitekebori, Hahakigami, Yama-Jijii, Noderabō, Amikiri, a two-eyed Kasa-Bake, Hitotsume-Kozō, and Gaki.[1]
In the 1971 anime, notable individuals that resemble other Yōkai include: Gaki, Hyakume, Oni, a droopy-eyed kappa with light-purple skin, a dark orange Kijimuna, a squat Yama-Oni with faded green skin, a red-skinned, green-haired Kanayama-Sama, a light-green Iso-Onna, and a yellow Shirobōzu.[2]
Behavior[]
In the manga, the Chimimōryō are a feared group of evil spirits that enjoy tormenting humans and possessing dead bodies. They are single-mindedly violent, focusing on attacking the young monk Ekai, ignoring the sunlight. They are nocturnal spirits with an aversion to strong light; thus, they perish in sunlight, turning into mummified corpses.[1]
In the 1971 anime, the Chimimōryō are far more aggressive, immediately attacking those whom they view as enemies. While they are capable of speech, most of them seem to prefer to squeal or roar.[2]
In the 2007 anime, the Chimimōryō are less hostile but are as threatening as previous versions.
History[]
Manga[]
The Chimimōryō are feared as possessing spirits in Kashiwazaki. One was said to have possessed the corpse of a maiden from the Kusaba family. They appear outside the Kusaba's tea room, distracting and irritating Ekai, a young monk who ventured into the city and was tasked with pacifying the maiden's spirit. On the night after the maiden's body was transferred to Myogo-Ji Temple, the Chimimiryō are summoned inside the hall by the one possessing the maiden. Since they cannot see Ekai in his Shingon Buddhist Mahōjin, they call upon their leader, the one-eyed Dosei, who sees through the spell and spots the young monk. Just as they are about to attack him, a rooster crows, heralding the start of the morning, thus leading to the Chimimōryō's death. The Chimimōryō's mummified corpses are later displayed in the temple's hall for future generations to see.[1]
1971 Anime[]
On one night, Kitarō and a monk came to pray for Kiriko's corpse, the Mōryō summoned a horde of spirits to attack. However, they are all scared off by Tsurube-Bi imitating a rooster's call and the rising sun. The next night, they appear in the hall of Myo-Ji temple, surrounding a magic circle in the center. Some of them try to open the wooden coffin where Kiriko's corpse was placed, while two of them try to see what's inside the magic circle. Being unable to see Kitarō and the monk within the magic circle, they call upon Dosei. However, he gets hurt, making them all surround him instead. Kitarō uses this opportunity to fight them, distracting them until morning. Once the gates open, all of Chimimōryō die as the sunlight shines on them.[2]
2007 Anime[]
In Shikabane Village, the body of the village mayor's daughter is possessed by a Mōryō. While the priest wants to lay the woman to rest, a man named Taizō wants to study this phenomenon. Eventually, the Mōryō summons forth more of its kin, having Dosei identify what is past the magic circle. However, Kitarō reveals that it is already morning and that they were tricked into thinking it was still night. The Bake-Garasu lets the sunlight enter the room, leaving all the Chimimōryō as husks.[3]
Powers and Abilities[]
Corpse Possession (死人つき Shibito-Tsuki): The Moryo are capable of possessing corpses, with one notable individual who was able to use the corpse of a maiden, changing her appearance and enhancing it with supernatural powers. However, they are weak to sunlight, forcing them to eject from the corpse, leaving the body to return as a lifeless husk.[1][2]
Trivia[]
- Among the multitude of Yōkai shown as part of the Chimimōryō include a Martian Rat Bat Spider from the 1959 film, The Angry Red Planet, a Venusian from the 1956 film, It Conquered the World, and a fat, long-haired, droopy-eyed Kappa-like Yōkai from Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s print of the Japanese fable, Shita-kiri Suzume (舌切り雀 Tongue-Cut Sparrow).
- The cover of the story also features: Nurarihyon, Yama-Warawa, Kamikiri, Amefuri-Kozō, Shumoku-Musume, Nuribotoke, Tsuchi-Gumo, and a Futakuchi-Onna holding a mirror with the face of a spotted, one-eyed yōkai sticking its tongue out while smiling. Another Yōkai from Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s print is featured as well: a bald humanoid with small, widely spaced eyes, a wide mouth, an indented forehead, clawed hands, and ragged clothes.
- In the 1971 anime, a handful of them are recolored in several scenes after their initial appearance.
- in the 1971 anime, voice effects of Gezora and Hedorah were used for the Chimimōryō. This was most likely because the two films the kaijū starred in released relatively recently from the air date of the anime.