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Tsurube-Otoshi (つるべ落とし Tsurube-Otoshi, lit. Dropper) is a giant head yōkai .

Appearance[]

Tsurube-Otoshi is a giant bald head, with a dark beard and proportionally sized facial features. His eyes have brown irises and small pupils, buck teeth, thick eyebrows and lips.

In some manga appearances, he has been depicted with tiny legs protruding from his beard, mainly in moments of mobilization.

History[]

Manga[]

Tsurube-Otoshi appeared frequently in the Shonen Sunday series as a resident of the Yōkai Apartments.

1971 Anime[]

Tsurube-Otoshi appeared in episode #25 of the second anime adaptation, The Phantom Train.

1985 Anime[]

Tsurube-Otoshi appears during the ending credits sequence of the third anime adaptation. His first appearance proper was in episode #35, Millennial Kingdom of Yōkai Akashita.

2007 Anime[]

Tsurube-Otoshi often appears in the fifth anime, as he is a resident of Yōkai Yokochō and runs a convenience store. One of his main appearances was in episode #40, Big Fever! Kitarō Goodies.

Sixth Anime[]

Tsurube-Otoshi appears in the opening of the sixth anime as Nurikabe's partner during the three-legged race scene. He also appears in the second opening, GET A NOTE, in the darkness behind Mana and Sōma.

Tsurube-Otoshi is among those gathered around the GeGeGe House, trying to drive Agnès out of the forest. He listens to Medama-Oyaji's warning that if they drive her out then the tragedy Malay yōkai will repeat somewhere else. Soon followed by Kitarō as he explains how grave the consequences are if Japan becomes a part of Backbeard's empire. Causing the crowd to look at one another, until Kitarō draws their attention as he stands on his resolve to fight.[1]

Powers and Abilities[]

Legend[]

It lurks in the tops of trees and drops down on unsuspecting humans, and has various descriptions - sometimes it is some sort of oni or tengu, sometimes it is a disembodied head, and sometimes it is a fireball. Its name is an expression for "falling quickly" which literally means "a well-bucket dropping", and sometimes the tsurube-otoshi instead drops a well-bucket to scoop up its prey.

Mizuki's Tsurube-Otoshi's face greatly resembles traditional image of Bodhidharma or Daruma in Japan.

Trivia[]

  • Mizuki's design of Tsurube-Otoshi was used for Studio Ghibli's Pom Poko.

References[]

Navigation[]

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See also
47 Yōkai Warriors
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Hakaba Kitarō Characters
v  e
1971 Series Yōkai and other Mystical Beings
Kitarō and Allies
Threats
Others
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1985 Series Yōkai and other Mystical Beings
Kitarō and Allies
Threats
Jigoku
Others
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2007 Series Yōkai and other Mystical Beings
Kitarō and Allies
Threats
Others
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2018 Series Yōkai and other Mystical Beings
Kitarō and Allies
Threats
Others
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