Penangalan (ペナンガラン Penangaran) is a vampire yōkai.
Appearance[]
In the manga and first anime, Penangalan appears as a serpent-like being, with a prominent snout with sharp fangs and a pair of eyes with visible pupils. Its body is rotund with numerous hair strands all over, along with its tail.[1]
In Shinpen GeGeGe no Kitarō, Penangalan resembles a mass of floating hair connected to a pair of large lips with sharp teeth.
In its first appearance in the 1985 anime, Penangalan resembled its Shinpen GeGeGe no Kitarō design, with brown hair, and purple lips. In it's reappearance in episode 91, Penangalan resembled its design from Blood Battle Ogasawara, with a purple body and eyes with white sclera.
Within the fourth anime, Penangalan retains their appearance, now having green skin, its snout is still prominent, having smaller fangs now and its eyes have red sclerae with small black pupils. Its neck appears to be longer and its body is slightly larger, still retaining the numerous hair strands across it and its tail.[2]
Personality[]
In the manga, and the first and third anime, like his fellow vampires, the Penangalan working for Professor Dracula undermines the tenacity of the Japanese yōkai. In the first anime, he only communicates by chirping. He is also quick to surrender if interrogated.
In the 4th anime, Penangalan acts a lot more territorial and defensive, but is still quick to serve other villains like Nurarihyon if negotiated with. He has a tendency to laugh, seemingly inspired by his partner Asanbosam in previous adaptations, who now speaks fluently in this adaptation.
History[]
Manga/1968 Anime[]
Penangalan appears in episode #52 of the first anime adaptation, The Vampire Yōkai Gang.[1] In this adaptation, when stealing the blood in Mt. Osore, him and the others are now commanded by Professor Dracula to rise from the ground. When attacking Konaki-Jijii, he trips after colliding with Asanbosam's sap, and later chases him and the other Japanese Yōkai, but gets left behind after Konaki strangles him while turning to stone. His blood is later used by Konaki-Jijii to transfuse in Kitarō, but he somehow survives this and is about to fly away. The now revived Kitarō attacks and interrogates him, and presumably tells him where the other vampires are (these events occurred with Langsuyar and Medama-Oyaji in the original story, however in this case Penangalan didn't give the info onscreen, and his whereabouts were left unknown.)
1985 Anime[]
The lion when alive
When it possessed a Shishi-Gashira (獅子頭, lit. Lion Head) and caused a havoc in Edo period, it was believed to be a lion-yōkai called Kagami-Jishi (鏡獅子, lit. Mirror Lion) which was originally a live lion brought from oversea, but was slain due to its violent temper, and the spirit of the lion possessed the lion head. Another Penangalan appears in episode #96 of the third anime adaptation, Blood Battle!! The Yōkai Vampire Corps.[3] This Penangalan, alongside the other vampires, first appeared from underground, and flew by Ittan-Momen, later on biting his tail before being knocked unconscious by a toothpick to the eye thrown by Medama-Oyaji and sand from Sunakake-Babaa. Penangalan, alongside his fellow vampires, run away defeated, fleeing back underground.
1996 Anime[]
Penangalan appears in episode #104 of the fourth anime adaptation, The Dreaded Vampire Yōkai Island!.[2] Him and the other Southern Vampires live on Vampire Island, and serve Kyūketsuju. They're first seen blocking the path of the tree to Nurarihyon and Shu-no-Bon, and later agree the help the duo drive away the Kitarō Family. They later appear in a cave to attack the heroes, Penangalan swallowing Medama-Oyaji once again, but gets knocked out by Konaki-Jijii's staff. He then regain consciousness after Medama exits his mouth, and then gets sacrificed to give the Vampire Sea Cucumber that ate Kitarō more blood to drink.
2018 Anime[]
Penanggalan is mentioned by Agnès along with Asanbosam as unlikely candidates of causing the recent vampiric incidents.[4]
GeGeGe no Kitarō: Ibun Yōkai Kitan[]
Both Penanggalan and Kagami-Jishi appeared in the video game as enemies.
Powers and Abilities[]
Levitation: Penanggalan are able to float above the ground with ease and are also capable able of flying.
Possession: A Penanggalan demonstrated its ability to possess humans or objects while it was within the Shishi-Gashira. While within the mask, it is also able to possess humans who wear it.
Shishi-Gashira Transmutation: Shishi-Gashira Penanggalan is able to generate light from the mask's eyes, anyone who is touched by this light is into a shishi-gashira.
Fire Breath: Shishi-Gashira Penanggalan is capable of breathing fire while possessing the Shishi-Gashira.
Psychokinesis
Hypnosis: Shishi-Gashira Penanggalan is able to hypnotize its targets by emitting light from the Shishi-Gashira's eyes, making its victims attack themselves.
Burrowing
Legend[]
Penanggalan as depicted by Shigeru Mizuki's illustration of Penanggal
The Penanggalan is a type of vampire written and spoken of in Malayan folklore. "Penanggalan" literally means "detach" or "remove". According to folklore, the Penanggalan is a detached female head capable of flying about on its own, while it flies, the stomach and entrails dangle below it, having a glow around them. They crave fresh blood, flying around at night to look for victims, preying on people while they sleep, and have a liking to the blood of newborns. They return to their bodies at dawn, shrinking their organs by soaking in vinegar, enabling them to fit into their body and pose as humans.
The design for the Penanggalan that resembles a snake or "floating stomach", may be based on an illustration of a spirit called the Polong.[5]
Trivia[]
- The design of Hitodama Eater in Kitarō Kunitori Monogatari was based on Penanggalan from the story Penanggalan.
- In the 1968 anime, the Penangalan makes the sound of Mothra from the Godzilla series.
- One of the akuma in the Dream Demon Realm Jigoku in the Akuma-kun anime resembles Penangalan.
References[]
[]
| | |
|---|---|
| Yōkai Army | Akamata • Yashi-Otoshi • Chinpo |
| Vampire Gang | Langsuyar • Asanbosam • Penanggalan • Shina-Yasha |
| Others | Jeeta • Pii • Tubuan • Yōka |