What is Yōkai?
[[Image:Kyosai, Yokai image.jpg|thumb|right|A [[ukiyo-e]] painting of yōkai by Kawanabe Kyosai.]] '''Yōkai''', also known as '''ghost-and-monsters''' or '''god-and-demons''' or simply '''ghost-monsters''' or '''god-demons''', are [[Undead|undead creatures]] in old Japanese stories, such as [[Oni (folklore)|oni]], [[Kappa (folklore)|kappa]] or [[tengu]]. They have mysterious [[supernatural]] powers. There are thousands of yōkai. In the [[Edo period]], yōkai were characters in story books. Recently, many new yōkai have been made. There is even a yōkai dictionary. The yōkai are [[ghost]]/[[monster]] or [[deity]]/[[demon]] hybrids in Japanese tradition. In the past people believed they caused [[disease]], [[accident]]s and [[natural disaster]]s. People were often scared of them. ==Famous yōkai== The most famous yōkai are [[Tengu]], [[Oni]] (Japanese ogre), and [[Kyubi no Kitsune]] (a fox with nine tails). When some people and animals are filled with hate, they became yōkai. For example, [[Sutoku]]. [[Sutoku]] (Japanese ancient [[emperor]]) died filled with [[hate]]. Then, he became a [[Tengu]] and caused a disaster. Also, a cat which lived too long time became [[Nekomata]].<ref name=yokaiwiki>{{cite web |url=http://www.youkaiwiki.com/entry/2013/06/26/233556 |title=日本三大（悪）妖怪とか有名妖怪まとめ |accessdate=20 October 2014 |archive-date=7 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007024528/http://www.youkaiwiki.com/entry/2013/06/26/233556 |url-status=dead }} </ref> ==Yōkai as subculture== Recently, yōkai are familiar with people as [[subculture]] in Japan. ==Yōkai in popular culture== In recent decades, the yōkai have been frequently depicted in Japanese [[fiction]] and media, particularly in [[Horror film|horror]] or [[fantasy]]-themed works, such as in [[manga]], [[anime]] and films, as well as in [[videogame]]s, a notable example of this is the manga ''[[GeGeGe no Kitarō]]'', written by [[mangaka]] [[Shigeru Mizuki]], of which is entirely based on the ''yōkai'' myth. Other examples includes the manga serie