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Dansaburō-Danuki or Danzaburō-Danuki (団三郎狸) is a tanuki and a member of Gyōbu-Danuki's 808 Tanuki army. He first appears in the Shonen Magazine story The Great Tanuki War. In the third anime, his name is Danjūrō-Danuki (団十郎狸), while in the fourth anime he is listed in the credits only as Headband Tanuki (鉢巻狸, Hachimaki-Danuki). In the fifth anime, he was called Dansaburō-Mujina or Danzaburō-Mujina (団三郎ムジナ).

Appearance[]

Personality[]

Out of all the 808 Tanuki, Dansaburō was the most violent and irritable, essentially the stereotype of Japanese manliness. Without hesitation, he would always club Kitarō over the head if he wasn't satisfied with his attitude. Like all the other 808, he was fiercely loyal to Gyōbu-Danuki.

History[]

Shonen Magazine/First Anime[]

Dansaburō first appears when 808 apprehend Kitarō, Nezumi-Otoko and the prime minister. He takes it upon himself to punish anyone who's attitude or responses he isn't satisfied with by clubbing them over the head. When the group is taken to meet the Gyōbu-Danuki, it is Dansaburō who moves the rock sealing the entrance to the 808 Tanuki lair. During Kitarō's first battle with the Yō-Kaijū, Dansaburō defeats him and Ittan-Momen, seemingly killed the latter. He then decides to start wearing Ittan-Momen like a loincloth, but Ittan-Momen actually survived and strangles Dansaburō to death.

In the anime version, he leads the initial tanuki assault on Kitarō, before apprehending him and Nezumi-Otoko with the rest of the 808 later on. Though still as rough as in the manga, he shows a degree of submissiveness to the Silk Hat Tanuki. When Kitarō comments on the size of the tanuki's underground lair, Dansaburō tells him that "Japan is just as big underground as it is above ground", a line original said by a nameless tanuki in the manga. He suffers the same fate in the anime as he does in the manga.

Third Anime[]

He first appears alongside Gyōbu-Danuki and Silk Hat Tanuki while construction work goes on outside of their lair. Once the construction work accidentally unseals the 808, Danjūrō and the other 808 go to the surface and watch as the Gyōbu-Danuki uses his magic to destroy the construction equipment. When the Kitarō Family unseal the tanuki lair to undo Kitarō's curse, Danjūrō knocks out Sunakake-Babaa with a club while the rest of the Family is taken down by the other 808. He later uses the captured Ittan-Momen as a loincloth and then drops Kitarō and Medama-Oyaji into the underground lake with the Ōnamazu. While Ittan-Momen still strangles Danjūrō, he survives the attack and later attempts to join the final battle only to be forced back into the cave by Mammoth-Otoko, who places a boulder in front of the entrance for Sunakake-Babaa to reseal.

Fourth Anime[]

His story goes basically the same as in the original manga story. He again survives Ittan-Momen's strangulation but later turns to stone with the other 808 when Medama-Oyaji reseals their lair.

Fifth Anime[]

Dansaburo Warrior

He is one of the chosen 47 Yōkai Warriors and represents Niigata Prefecture. Due to the fifth anime adaptation's sudden cancellation at 100 episodes, he is among the 23 Yōkai Warriors that were not revealed aside from the movie, GeGeGe no Kitarō: Nippon Bakuretsu!!.

2018 Anime[]

The Great Yōkai War: Guardians: Side Story: Heian Hyakkitan[]

A legion of tanuki led by Dansaburō-Danuki appeared in the final battle along with numberous kitsune to fight against a great threat and to avenge for Gyōbu-Danuki.[1]

Powers and Abilities[]

Legend[]

Danzaburō-Danuki/Mujina of Sadogashima is one of most famous and powerful tanuki in Japan, however he is not related to 808 Tanuki from Shikoku at all. Rather, he was the leader of the tanuki on Sado Island. He prohibited any kitsune from wandering onto the island.

Hearing this, a kitsune who was very good at disguising himself challenged a wandering Danzaburō to a shapeshifting contest. Danzaburō agreed and told the fox that he was better at disguising, especially when it came to taking the form of a procession of feudal lords. The fox demanded to see this disguise at once, as Danzaburō quickly disappeared, and soon a procession of feudal lords passed in front of the kitsune. The kitsune was impressed with the illusion and mockingly stated "Danzaburō, you have turned out well." as he jumped the lord's basket. But it was not Danzaburō at all, it was a real procession, and they seized the kitsune and executed him.

References[]

  1. Hirokazu Minemori, 2021, The Great Yōkai War: Guardians: Side Story: Heian Hyakkitan, p.262, Media Works Bunko, Kadokawa

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1968 Series Yōkai and other Mystical Beings
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1985 Series Yōkai and other Mystical Beings
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1996 Series Yōkai and other Mystical Beings
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2007 Series Yōkai and other Mystical Beings
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2018 Series Yōkai and other Mystical Beings
Kitarō and Allies
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