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Itsu-Maden (以津真天 Itsumaden) is a flying Yōkai that appeared in the 2007 anime.
Appearance[]
In the manga, Itsu-Maden's design was more close to the traditional bird-like figures, but had notable differences in general.
In the 2007 anime, Itsu-Maden drastically changed its appearance and Medama-Oyaji noted that Itsu-Maden's appearance can vary depends on time and situation.
Personality[]
In Saishinban GeGeGe no Kitarō, it was depicted as a very insistent yōkai.
History[]
Saishinban GeGeGe no Kitarō[]
A boy called Hayashida was looked down from all of his classmates for his low marks on school records. He then asked Itsu-Maden to revenge classmates, and the yōkai devoured all. However, it asked Hayashida's soul and body in return.
When Itsu-Maden battled Kitarō, it was exploded with Kitarō's Yōkai Bomb. However, Itsu-Maden created a small clone of itself with its soul and used it to attack Kitarō. The clone invaded Kitarō's body, but Kitarō's clone attacked it with hair needles, and his snake caught the intruder, making the foe to surrender. Kitarō ordered Itsu-Maden to clean up his body including organs.
2007 Anime[]
Itsu-Maden introductory artwork
She appeared in episode #12 of the fifth anime adaptation, Ringtone From The Spirit World.
Powers and Abilities[]
Survival Capability: Itsu-Maden in the manga has a strong life force, and he easily survives even when his body was completely shattered.
Soul Manipulation: In the manga, Itsu-Maden was able to shape its own soul and move freely. It can create a smaller division of itself and use it to attack the enemy internally.
Legend[]
Illustration of Itsumaden by Shigeru Mizuki.
The Itsumaden or Itsumade is a bird-like yōkai with a human-like face and a snake tail that cries out "How long?". This yōkai appears to those who have suffered due to famine, drought, or upheaval and feel resentment toward those who forsaken their pleas for help. Itsu-Maden is attracted to their grievances, flying over those unfortunate souls.
Itsu-Maden was first recorded in the Taiheiki as a nameless bird yōkai, before it would be named by Toriyama Sekien in the "Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki". The story tells that In 1334, a mysterious bird appeared above Shishinden Hall at night chanting. "How long?" The nobles hired master hunter Oki Jirōzaemon Hiromasa to shoot the bird. Hiromasa shot a kabura-ya arrow and successfully killed the bird.
Similarly, in 1335 an epidemic occurred and resulted in many deaths, but none of the corpses were buried and were instead piled up in heaps. Perhaps out of the resentment of the dead, a monstrous bird appeared, chirping "How long?, How long?" as if to ask how long the corpses shall be denied their proper funerals. Because it was believed that human spirits reincarnated into birds in ancient Japan, the Itsu-Maden is said to be the reincarnation of those who died of the plague, hence why they bemoan to the suffering of the dead.
The etymology of Itsumaden (Itsumade) is a pun on the Japanese word Itsumade, meaning "Till when?" or "How long?".