#yabokugami

YATO - GOD OF WAR

FROM NORAGAMI

「It seems you caught a shooting star traveling between the constellations of Kanoto and Tori.」

      「...Ah! I just thought of a good name for you!」

                               「Your name is Yaboku.」

     「With you I will decide the fate of the human world.」

                                             ◊      夜卜    ◊

   Amidst the darkness of the night, from the wish to control the fate of humans, he was born. He is Yaboku, Diviner of the Night, and give one purpose he is to 「Cull the herd.」

                                        ◊    ノラガミ     ◊

Source: deviantart

Yato no kami

The Yato no kami (夜刀の神, “gods of the night-sword“) are snake deities in Japanese folklore appearing in the Hitachi no Kuni Fudoki (ancient reports on provincial culture, geography, and oral tradition). These deities are told to bring affliction to human beings by bringing familial extermination on anyone who saw them. (Source: wikipedia)

In the end Yato no kami are gods of calamity just like Yato used to be. I don't believe that this is a coincidence. I think he was inspired be them. As I heard of the Yato no kami I couldn't resist to draw Yato as some kind of “Snake deity“. First I thought of many tiny snakes but then I chose a mighty python surrounding his body and following his lead. The idea of using typography and smoke elements was born as I got inspired by the artwork of Alphonse Mucha (over and over again) called “JOB“ which is an advertisement for cigarettes. But I replaced the cigarette by a Japanese pipe. I'm really happy with the composition of this sketch and I would like to start with working out as soon as I get some time.