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Nue (鵺 Nue) is an infamous chimera-like yōkai. In the 2007 anime, he is a legendary dai-yōkai.[1]

Appearance[]

In the 2007 anime, Nue is depicted as a large shadowed equine figure, resembling that of the Qilin or the Longma. He has a voluminous and flowing mane and tail, as well as having tufts of hair around his hooves. His face has a long thin snout with a thin pair of whiskers, glowing green eyes, and lighter bushy eyebrows. He usually covers himself with a black cloud.[1]

In the 2018 anime, Nue's appearance returns to the usual depiction, being a chimerical yōkai, having the head of a monkey, the body of a tanuki, the limbs of a tiger, and the tail of a snake.

In the The Great Yōkai War: Guardians: Side Story: Heian Hyakkitan, Nue, the "False Yōkaijū", was about 40 meters in height with unknown total body length as it's quadruped. Each body parts are composed of multiple powerful beings such as Yato-no-Kami, Sarugami, Kojin, Gyōbu-Danuki, and so on.[2]

Personality[]

Nue in the 2007 anime, takes priority over the happiness of other Yōkai and humans over his injuries, both on his body and honor, saving others even in his weakened state and does not mind leaving the misunderstanding of him and prefers to stay hidden because he worries about scaring other Yōkai and humans by revealing his true appearance and voice.

He welcomed the recovery of the Hyakki Yagyō, the traditional midnight marching by yōkai of Kyoto.

History[]

2007 Anime[]

He appears in episode #57 of the fifth anime adaptation, The Legendary Yōkai Nue!!.[1]

Nue is a famous being even among Yōkai. Before the wrong history was rewritten, he was said to possess a traditional chimera-like appearance.

During a wrong history created by notorious Bake-Tōrō, he was scared as a vicious monster by both yokai and humans with false rumors spread by the villain. As the villain took innocents as hostages, Nue couldn't defeat it and was sealed, so the great yōkai called Kitarō and Medama-Oyaji for help.

As history was changed, he became a respected hero among yōkai and humans so does the purpose of the Nue Temple in Kyoto 1200 years later; from introducing terror of the beast to praising the honorable savior.

2018 Anime[]

He appears in episode #50 of the sixth anime adaptation, Nue, Messenger from Jigoku.[3]

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

Nue, the "False Yōkaijū", appeared as one of the final antagonists in the battle in Kyoto. Sanmoto Gorōzaemon commanded giant Yōkai including Gasha-Dokuro, Ōkubi, Tearai-Oni, and Miage-Nyūdō to bring down and capture the gigantic Nue, and these Yōkai slammed Nue on Mount Ōe, however Nue was capable of driving them back. It was when Gamera aka Genbu appeared to defeat it, and the turtle god easily overwhelmed the gigantic yokai. Nue lost its power and shrunk in size to about 1.8 meters in length, and was eventually defeated by protagonist humans and Yōkai. Nue may or may not have survived as Yōkai "never dies", and either the same or a different individual was later recorded just as the famous lore.[2]

Powers and Abilities[]

Immense Spiritual Power: Nue possesses an immense level of spiritual power, having sent a letter into the future and take its recipient back to his current time while sealed away in a lantern. Even after being severely weakened, Nue is still capable of performing various powerful acts as demonstrated where he extinguishes large-scale fires in quick succession with ease after being freed.

Time Travelling:

Flight:

Black Cloud:

Inhaling Wind:

Life Force Absorption:

Thrush Legion: Nue is able to command an entire legion of thrushes.

Terrifying Roar: His roar can cause those awake to become ill with gray marks across their body.[3] When the ability was used by Rei Isurugi, it was used as a ultrasound or shock wave like attack.

Legend[]

Nue Illustration

Nue's Illustration

Raijodo Replica

The Replica of Raijodo wielded by Rei Isurugi in the 2018 anime.

The Nue of legend in ancient folklore it is said to have been a nocturnal bird, due to its call sounding like a thrush, specifically the White's thrush, thus giving it its name, where it is written in kanji containing "bird" and "night". However its actual appearance was never described, leaving it a mystery. Later depictions of the Nue makes it appear as a chimera-like yokai with the head of a monkey, the body of a tanuki, the limbs of a tiger and the tail of a snake. In fewer cases, it was depicted with the head of a cat, the body of a chicken, and the tail of a fox. Most of the Nue's life is unknown as during the few times that it has interacted with humans, the results of said events have been devastating.

The lore of Nue in Japan may have originated in several legendary birds in Chinese mythology due to evident confusions in etymology between the birds in China and Nue in Japan.[4]

On occasions, Nue is confused with Raijū.

Trivia[]

  • Nue's depictions where most of his character stayed hidden in the 2007 anime correspond to the original tale of Nue and another meaning of the word "Nue" in Japanese; mysterious.
  • While Nue fought against Gamera in the 2021 novelization,[2] depictions of Gamera and Nue in the 2007 anime bear several similarities. Both Gamera and Nue intentionally didn't reveal their true names and others referred to them with more well-known aliases, they are noble and powerful, but are also humble and shy to usually avoid to appear in front of general Yōkai and humans intentionally, and they appeared in Kyoto in the Heian Period to save the city and inhabitants including Yōkai. Both of them were also depicted to be rather different from previous images of the characters; Gamera to be a female and an actual god, Nue to be a Qilin-like, heroic creature.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 GeGeGe no Kitarō (2007): Episode 57
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Hirokazu Minemori, 2021, The Great Yōkai War: Guardians: Side Story: Heian Hyakkitan, p.234, pp.262-263, pp.265-271, Media Works Bunko, Kadokawa
  3. 3.0 3.1 GeGeGe no Kitarō (2018): Episode 50
  4. Haruo Suwa, 2010, 霊魂の文化誌, pp.88-89, Bensei Publishing Inc.

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