Kakutanjū

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Kakutanjū
Name
Japanese	角端獣 (かくたんじゅう)
Rōmaji	Kakutanjū
Meaning	Horned Auspicious Beast
Profile
Species	Yōkai (Qilin)
Gender	Unknown
Home	China
Abilities	Durability
Affiliation	Qi (1985)
First Appearance
Anime	Saikyō Yōkai Gundan! Nippon Jōriku!! (1986)

Kakutanjū (角端獣 (かくたんじゅう) Kakutanjū, lit. Horned Auspicious Beast) is a Chinese yōkai that serves Qi.

Appearance

Kakutanju is a somewhat equine being, with dark, red-brown skin, two pointy ears, a wild orange mane that stretches to their back and tail, white eyes with small black pupils, and a gold horn with five rings. Curvy orange marks appear over their face, and the front of their neck. Their mouth has a green tongue and and rows of sharp white teeth on both jaws. The feet ends with three toes each and the front legs have five strips.

History

1985 Anime

Kakutanjū appeared in the third movie based on the third anime adaptation, GeGeGe no Kitarō: Saikyō Yōkai Gundan! Nippon Jōriku!!.

Powers and Abilities

Enhanced Durability: Kakutanjū has shown to be rather durable as they were unfazed from Kamaitachi's cutting whirlwind, showing no visible wounds.

Enhanced Strength: They have displayed considerable physical strength, as they are capable of overwhelming a number of Japanese Yōkai by themself.

Legend

Illustration of Kakutanjū by Shigeru Mizuki.

In Mizuki's book, the Kakutanju is introduced as a holy beast and a subspecies of the Qilin. Kakutanjū's name is composed of "Horn" (角 Tsuno) and "Holy Beast" (瑞獣 Zuijū). It could travel 18,000 li in one day and speak the languages ​​of the Four Barbarians (a derogatory term used to describe foreign ethnic groups in Ancient China). It lives in the north, in a place so cold that even in summer the ground freezes and cracks, making it possible to cross frozen rivers, and like the Qilin and other Auspicious Creatures, appears before wise and virtuous rulers.

Genghis Khan was reported to have seen one speak to his guards in Tiemen Pass while on his march to East India during the 17th year of the Jiading era (1224) during the Southern Song Dynasty in China. The beast appeared at the Iron Gate, surprising the guards by saying, "Great King, stop fighting and return to your country." The guards were suspicious of the beast, and reported it to Genghis Khan. Genghis Khan summoned his wise and brave minister, Yelü Chucai, and asked him what it meant. He said the beast was said that the beast understood the languages ​​of the four directions, loved life, and hated killing, and that this was the will of Heaven to stop the war. Genghis Khan accepted Chucai's words and retreated from the battle.