Kikaiga Island

Kikaiga Island
Name
Japanese	鬼界ヶ島
Rōmaji	Kikaiga-Shima
Meaning	Island of Demon World
Location statistics
Located in	Southern Japan
First Appearance
Manga	The Great Yōkai War (1966)
Anime	Series 1 Episode 10 (1968)

Kikaiga Island (鬼界ヶ島 Kikaiga-Shima) is an island located in south of Japanese archipelago.

Description

Kikaiga Island is a barren rocky island with characteristic rock formations, and including two horn-like peaks in the 2007 anime. Its vegetation is rather poor, and Konaki-Jijii noted that it has always been spooky. In the third anime, the island has a single peak with spiky rocky formations surrounding it, and a beautiful beach with tropical vegetation.

Inhabitants

In the 2007 anime, there are normal humans living on Kikaiga Island along with Amami Tribe for unknown reasons. In all adaptations, these humans were also under the threat of invasions by evil Yōkai, and seemingly, they don't associate with modern technologies.

• Amami Tribe
• Islanders

• Kichi, Kichi's Father (1968)

Notable Events

Prior to the 2007 anime, the main reason for Western Yōkai to attack and occupy the island was to gain its natural gold mine underground and make islanders slaves to work for them.

2007 Anime

It has been the home of Amami Tribe. At some point in the past, Enma-Daiō entrusted the Jigoku Key (地獄の鍵, Jigoku no Kagi) to Amami Tribe to protect it in secrecy; this was achieved by sealing the key within chiefs' bodies. However a group of Western Yōkai led by Backbeard were after the power of Jigoku, detecting the location of the key, resulting in decades of continuous invasions of the island and wars against Kitarō Family protecting Amami Tribe and the island without knowing the real intentions of the foes to attack the island.

Trivia

• Etymology of both Kikaiga Island and Amami Tribe are likely based on respective islands from Ryukyu Islands, Kikaiga Island and Amami Ōshima.
• The general appearance of the island is akin to the traditional image of Oniga-Shima (鬼ヶ島, island of oni) in Japanese folklore to feature characteristics including oni's head-like landscape notably the two horn-like peaks, being rocky and barren, and has an intimidating impression.