| Nurarihyon | |
|---|---|
 2007 anime art | |
| Name | |
| Japanese | ぬらりひょん |
| English | Slippery Gourd |
| Alias | Yamada |
| Title | Yōkai Supreme Commander |
| Profile | |
| Species | Yōkai |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | Millions of Years |
| Abilities | Command over a large number of yōkai |
| Affiliation | Nurarihyon Faction |
| Other Information | |
| Greatest Nemesis | Kitarō |
| Greatest Headache | Shu-no-Bon |
| Favorite Pastime | Breaking and entering |
| Least favorite pastime | Being sent millions of years into the past |
| Most threatening incarnation | 2007 anime |
| Least threatening incarnation | 1996 anime |
| First Appearance | |
| Manga | Yōkai Nurarihyon (1967) |
| Anime | Series 1 Episode 12 (1968) |
| Portrayals | |
| see Cast | |
| [v · t · e] | |
Anime[]
1st series[]
In the first series, Nurarihyon only appears as a guest character in Ep. 12, Yōkai Nurarihyon. Nurarihyon's reputation as a "Yōkai Supreme Commander" wouldn't be established until years later. Due to this, he's treated much like any other guest character.
In the 1968 anime, he's disguised himself as a human, giving himself the name "Yamada". He lives an affluent lifestyle, and is quite wealthy; However, he's often causing trouble for humans, and is responsible for bombing different locations across Japan.
He did not appear in the 2nd anime, but Shinigami's role of frequently conspiring with other yōkai to oppose Kitarō is similar to Nurarihyon's future role in the franchise.
3rd series[]
Starting with the third series, Nurarihyon begins appearing regularly as Kitarō's arch enemy. The third series solidifies the "Yōkai Supreme Commander" title that was given to him in the Monday Drama Land TV Movie. His only regular subordinate is Shu-no-Bon, and he often tricks or deceives other yōkai into working for him. These yōkai often refer to him with honorifics, calling him "Nurarihyon-Sama" or "Sensei". Despite this, he is not necessarily at the top of the yōkai world. He has many comical scenes, particularly with Shu-no-Bon.
Compared to other adaptations, Nurarihyon works with humans far more often in his schemes, such as bombing buildings to give his construction company work (Ep. 4), providing services for fugitives (Ep. 16), taking over a hotel (Ep. 45), tricking environmentalists into releasing Daidarabotchi (Ep. 60) and sending the yakuza to cause trouble at an inn Kitarō is working at (Ep. 104). In Ep. 51, he holds the World Yōkai Rally, where the winner gains control over the other competitors' home countries. His intention was to invite only weaker yōkai so that Shu-no-Bon could win, but first champion Backbeard enters along with others like him. In the end, Kitarō wins, and Nurarihyon makes his escape. Although Kitarō wins representing Japan, he opts not rule the other countries.
In Ep. 4, like in the manga, he is sent to prehistoric times, and as a result, he has lived several million years and now swears vengeance on Kitarō.
In Ep. 91, he offers to work with the Hi Clan to take down their mutual enemy Kitarō, but they turn him down and transform him into a doll. His subordinates form a temporary truce with the Kitarō Family in order to team up and defeat the Hi Clan and their ally Nyō-Yasha. Afterwards, Kitarō offers to become allies with Nurarihyon, but Nurarihyon refuses and their hostile relationship resumes.
In the fourth movie, he dubs himself the "Yōkai Emperor", and forms a large yōkai army to take over Tokyo. He wears a mask throughout the film, and his voice is altered. When Kitarō strikes a finishing blow during the finale, Nurarihyon's mask breaks, revealing to the audience who the "Yōkai Emperor" truly was. He was responsible for the death of both Caroline and her father Guwagoze.
In Jigoku Arc, he steals the legendary sword Kusanagi from Jigoku in order to fight Kitarō. In the end, however, Kitarō manages to break the sword and Nurarihyon is defeated when Shu-no-Bon betrays him and tackles him into the Blood Pond.
4th series[]
Nurarihyon first appears in Ep. 45, as Kitarō's lawyer during The Great Yōkai Trial. He initially acts as though he genuinely cares to clear Kitarō's name, but it is eventually revealed that he was behind the frame job the whole time. He tries to escape the Tengu Police but is caught and sentenced to be sent to prehistoric times by way of the Ancient Millstone (as in his first manga appearance). He returns in Ep. 54 and is from then on pretty similar to his character in the 3rd anime. In addition to the usual plots against Kitarō, he is also skilled at iai (the art of drawing your sword and cutting in one move) and has many direct showdowns with Kitarō. He is more comical than in most adaptations. He always loses and often suffers payback from yōkai he worked with but betrayed or abandoned in battle. Unlike other adaptations, he does not appear to have significant power on his own.
In Ep. 64 he holds the Yōkai Rally, with the wish granting Yōkai Stone as the prize. He sent out special invitations to the racers and special TV to all yōkai who wished to watch. However, the invitations were covered in a special hallucinogenic powder in order to throw off the racers, while the TV emitted a radio wave that put the viewers under his control. However, because Nezumi-Otoko stole Kitarō's invitation before it could effect him, he was able to keep his senses and win the race and destroy TV wave transmitter, forcing Nurarihyon and Shu-no-Bon to make their escape. Kitarō used the Yōkai Stone to wish all the injured racers back to normal.
Eps. 96 to 99 sees Nurarihyon obtain great power and conquer Japan as the "Yōkai King", but he is eventually defeated as normal and loses all respect from the Japanese yōkai. His final appearance is in Ep. 113, where Nezumi-Otoko tricks him into hiring weak assassins to take out Kitarō.
According to Ikkokudō, Nurarihyon was once an octopus but changed over the years (Ep. 101).
5th series[]
For the first time, Nurarihyon is portrayed as sinister and powerful enough to truly fit the titles of "Japanese Yōkai Supreme Commander" and "Kitarō's Arch Nemesis". Although he is portrayed as a legitimate threat and thoroughly evil, he still has the occasional comical moment, and some of his subordinates have at least some humanity in them. Before his first appearance in the series, he's shown in the opening animation with Shu-no-Bon and Jakotsu-Babaa.
He first appears in shadows in Ep. 4, though his full appearance is first shown in Ep. 8, and from the get go it's implied he's behind some sort of sinister plot. He believes humans are too arrogant, and he commits random acts of terrorism against them, much like in the 3rd anime. In his first confrontation with Kitarō, he receives a wound on his forehead from Kitarō's Hair Sword, so he vows to never heal the wound until he defeats him. His first hideout was a luxurious looking room in an building of some kind, but by the time he reappears in Ep. 17 he has traded down to a warehouse at a harbor.
In Ep. 30, after another failed attempt at destroying Kitarō, he is arrested by the Tengu Police along with Shu-no-Bon and Jakotsu-Babaa.
In Episode 39, Nurarihyon is set to be imprisoned along with Shu-no-Bon and Jakotsu-Babaa. Before their 6,000 year sentence is about to begin, Kamaitachi shows up, and begins to fight with the Tengu Police escorting them. While in prison, Nurarihyon had obtained Iron Claws thanks to the special minerals he'd been eating. While everyone is distracted, Nurarihyon is able to cut himself free. He convinces Kamaitachi to join his side, as the yōkai had developed a strong hatred for Kitarō due to the boy severely wounding his pride. Nurarihyon escapes, along with Shu-no-Bon, Jakotsu-Babaa, and the rest of his minions.
In Ep. 47, Nurarihyon appears during the the Great Yōkai Trial to attack Momon-Jii and save Kitarō. His reason for helping his nemesis was that he would not let anyone rob him of the opportunity to crush Kitarō.
In Ep. 61, he deceives Tantanbō in order to steal the control device of Yōkai Castle, leaving Tantanbō behind after his defeat at the hands of Kitarō. His hatred of Kitarō is deep, and he tells his minions that he will not be satisfied until he has killed Kitarō and all of his friends.
In Ep. 72, he finally awakens the spirit of Yōkai Castle, but it sinks to the bottom of the ocean during battle with Kitarō in Ep. 85. Neither he or his minions made another appearance before the series' cancellation.
In GeGeGe no Kitarō: Nippon Bakuretsu!! he appears at the Evil Yōkai Summit with Shu-no-Bon and Jakotsu-Babaa. While Backbeard and the others are unconcerned with whether or not Japan is destroyed by Yato-no-Kami, Nurarihyon cheers in support for Kitarō.
6th series[]
Nurarihyon is set to be the central antagonist of the anime's final arc. He makes his debut in episode 76, where it is revealed that Nurarihyon was the one behind the release of the Four Treasonous Generals through his servant Shu-no-Bon. Nurarihyon has a yōkai supremacist agenda centered on "restoring the glory of yōkai" and begins carrying out his plans to gather allies for his cause. He has successfully mingled in human-society posing as a millionaire businessman with deep economic and political connections, using them as an asset to carry out his goals.
He secretly takes advantage of the post economic bubble times to start a project of a golf course. The project is initially rejected by a politician who refuses to accept his bribes. Nurarihyon has his car secretly rigged with bombs and injures him, allowing another politician to accept the bribe. The golf course is set on Tsuchi-Korobi's forest, who in turn enraged at the destruction of its turf rampages against the humans. The construction workers fearing for their economic stability plead help with Kitarō to solve the problem. Tsuchi-Korobi refuses to back down from his rampage and he and Kitarō fight each other to an stalemate and Kitarō swears to talk with the humans to have them retire. The humans refuse to do so until they get a call that the project has been cancelled but will get their payment. Tsuchi-Korobi decides to join Nurarihyon's cause due to his help and Kitarō learns of the party behind the Four General's release.
Live action[]
Monday Dramaland[]
The Monday Dramaland TV Movie predates the third anime by just two months, making it the first to portray Nurarihyon as the "Yōkai Supreme Commander". In this film, he's often portrayed as a human woman known as "Onna-Nurarihyon" (女ぬらりひょん, Female Nurarihyon).
Demon Flute[]
Thousand Year Cursed Song[]
Video Games[]
GeGeGe no Kitarō: Yōkai Dai Makyō[]
In this game, Nurarihyon appears as a hidden enemy. He only appears in select locations, and if Kitarō touches him, the player will instantly lose a life. If the player is successful in defeating him, they're rewarded with 5,000 points.
GeGeGe no Kitarō 2: Yōkai Gundan no Chōsen[]
In this game, Nurarihyon is the boss of the Kinki Region of Japan. Here, he disguises himself as a human. Using a mirror given to the player by Kagami-Jijii, Kitarō is able to reveal Nurarihyon's true form. If the player is successful in defeating him, they're able to progress further into the game.
GeGeGe no Kitarō: Ibun Yōkai Kitan[]
Nurarihyon appears in Route 9 as a boss, having been brainwashed by Vampire Elite's music to work for the Western Yōkai army. If certain conditions are met, he can become a playable character.