#otoroshi

´´Tis a private property. Ain't lettin' u get in, buddy´

~ Toshi

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Otoroshi (おとろし, "scary"), covered with long hair and with some of it hanging down in front of the face.

It is always important when out in the wilds to be wary of your surroundings. This may sound like a stupidly obvious statement, but you would be surprised at how many people have numerous blind spots whenever they trudge around outside. If you are like me and are out looking for cool creatures to see and study, keeping an open eye is crucial for spotting your target. This is combined with the fact that you should always be observant because being out here also means watching out for predators or possible threats. Certainly not every forest and field is filled with bloodthirsty beasts hungering for your flesh, but blind wandering around can stick you in bad scenarios if you are unlucky. Most creatures prefer to live their lives in peace, and would most likely just walk the other way if they spotted you. But if you so happened to ignorantly walk between them and their cubs, now we have trouble. Or if you stumble across a slumbering manticore and rudely awaken it with your presence. Not a good place to be. So be mindful of where you are walking and what is around you, and this includes looking UP! That is one of the major blind spots most people have, not bothering to look upwards as they walk. Sure, you want to keep your eyes on your roots so you don't trip, but one should give the occasional glance to the sky to make sure all is clear. We busy ourselves with the worries of coming across wolves or bears, all ground level threats, that we don't think that danger could be lurking overhead. This is one of the reasons why the species in this entry is rarely spotted, despite its large size. You tell someone that a giant black and blue haired cat is out there in the woods, and they would think it would be impossible to miss it. But folks do remain blind to it, which causes a real problem for them...

The feline I speak of is the otoroshi, a rather grotesque looking creature compared to its sleeker brethren. There is little lithe grace to be found in this species, with frog-like maws, hunched backs, bloated stomachs and a whole lot of black hair. Many would be surprised to learn that this is a cat, but folks that live around cypress swamps should not be too startled by this news. Indeed, the otoroshi is actually a close relative to the wompogo, which you should easily see from their features. Both possess this huge toothy maw and extendable stomach, signs that these felines like swallowing their prey whole. They both have large hooked claws that aid in both climbing and taking down prey. And when it comes to the hunt, these two love nothing more than hiding up in the trees and dropping down on those who wander below. The difference here is that the otoroshi does not live in cypress swamps, but in deciduous or coniferous forests. Any place that has big trees with hefty branches for them to lay on and wait for clueless prey, but honestly any high place will do. Some have been spotted on tall rocky outcroppings, while many will tell you that a roof or gate also serves the otoroshi's needs (but we will get more into that later). Like their swampy cousins, otoroshi are ambush predators, preferring to take down their prey in one fell swoop. Like I mentioned, they climb up trees and tall structures then lay in wait amongst the branches. Otoroshi have short blue fur, which you would imagine would make it hard for them to hide, but such color is easily hidden by their ridiculous ebony mane. From the tops of their heads, running down their back and all they way to their stubby tails grows a waterfall of long black hair. It starts off as a short crest when they are kittens, but then it begins to grow and never stops. In a few years, this dark mane practically shrouds their entire body, hiding their blue under fur and allowing them to blend into the shadows. Up high and nestled in branches, one would have a hard time spotting them, that is if the victim even bothers to look up. Otoroshi remain perfectly still when they hunt, using their large eyes and flared nostrils to keep track of possible prey. When food finally walks beneath them, they drop down with all their weight and claws, easily knocking prey to the ground. The attacks are quick and decisive, with the fate of the victim being decided within the first few seconds. If they were able to dodge most of the assault and remain on their feet, then they can run away with ease. Due to the shape of the bodies and the nature of their limbs, otoroshi are not designed for the chase. They are slow and sluggish, never able to run after a fleeing meal. So instead they rely on knocking victims off their feet, or flattening them beneath their large bodies. When their food is downed, they can lash out with hooked claws and grab hold. Once this happens, prey is doomed. What comes next is its huge jaws, lined with bony spikes and curved teeth. Prey is shoved into this great maw, which can unhinge to accommodate even larger meals, and then slowly swallowed into its expanding stomach. There its smothering gut and potent stomach acid will deal with the hefty morsel, who will pass from asphyxiation in this foul melting pot. When its prey is consumed, the otoroshi will sluggishly make its way to a tree and crawl back up into the branches. There it will lounge and digest, living a lazy life until its great meal is reduced to nothing and its gut rumbles with hunger once again. Though otoroshi live for those big belly-filling meals, it seems they will settle for small snacks if need be. Their diet involves large animals like deer, boar, bear and even human, but studies have found that they do eat a whole lot of birds. Not even big ones, mind you, little things like sparrows and doves. For a cat this size, it seems almost comical for them to be eating such tiny morsels! These birds are not taken down like their usual prey, instead the birds seem to land on them! While lounging or hunting, otoroshi remain a silent unmoving lump of hair. They look like a tangle of vegetation or just another shadow amongst the forest. In such a still state, birds are seen coming down to perch on them or the nearby branches, seemingly oblivious to the cat's presence. Some birds have even been seen pulling and tugging at the long dark hairs, perhaps thinking it could be good nesting material. When they land near an otoroshi, it will wait until their guard is dropped, then a clawed paw will lash out. Birds are crushed in its grip and then tossed into its maw. Why the otoroshi even bothers eating them is a question that has not been satisfactorily answered yet. Some think it is to stave off hunger while waiting for larger prey, but well-fed otoroshi have been seen picking off birds. Others think it is them trying to keep these birds from blowing the cover on their hiding spots, as a singing or foraging bird may cause possible prey to look up towards the noise. One less serious thought is that the otoroshi is a cat and what do cats do? Part of me thinks that perhaps these felines don't enjoy having their hair yanked by inquisitive sparrows, or getting a coating of droppings on their long locks.

Yôkai monster portraits by Bouten (twitter / pixiv account), here are:

Kitsune bi (fox fires)

Karasu Tengu / Kotengu (crow Tengu / small Tengu)

Ittanmomen (cotton roll)

Kyoukotsu (bones in a well)

Kiyohime (Lady Kiyo, a snake woman)

Dodomeki (many eyes woman)

Kirin (Asian “unicorn”)

Nue (a kind a chimera)

Otoroshi (a kind of monster often perched on Torii gates)

Sumi-e Experiments

From my research into Sumi-e painting, I tried it with a variety of Yokai, some obscure and some well known. I really wanted to get the minimal-lines style down, using negative space and line forms to indicate a shape. I like how all of them vary, my research into Sumi-e showing that there isn’t a specific style you have to use, and its more about capturing the essence and feeling of the subject. The non-erasable brush strokes can really help catch a good form, or muck the whole thing up, but I like how you can’t refine it constantly and every line is permanent.

Inktober Day 14: Otoroshi