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Demonology: Demon Names: Umi Bozu

Demons List: Umi Bozu

Giant demon of the sea from Japan. He threatens ships.

Umi Bozu (Wikipedia)

UmibÅzu (Japanese: æµ·å主 sea bonze) is a spirit in Japanese folklore. The UmibÅzu is said to live in the ocean and capsize the ship of anyone who dares speak to it. This spirit's name, which combines the character for "sea" with the character of "Buddhist monk," is possibly related to the fact that the UmibÅzu is said to have a large, round head, resembling the shaven heads of Buddhist monks. Alternatively they are enormous Yokai (spectres) that appear to shipwreck victims and fishermen. They are believed to be drowned priests, and exhibit the shaven head and typically appears to be praying. It is usually reported as having a grey, cloud-like torso and serpentine limbs.

According to one story, if angered, they ask that the crews provide a barrel that it proceeds to fill with sea water to drown them. To avoid this disastrous fate, it is necessary to give him a bottomless barrel.

This folktale is likely related to another Japanese tradition, which says that the souls of people who have no one to look after their graves take refuge at sea.

UmibÅzu in literature and media

The umibÅzu is a very well known youkai as it is also recognized in modern Japanese culture. Examples:

• Shigeru Mizuki's popular manga series Gegege no Kitaro features an umibÅzu in its cast.
• A character in the manga/anime City Hunter is nicknamed UmibÅzu. He is a large muscle-bound hitman and his bald head is what earned him the nickname of UmibÅzu.
• In a filler arc of the anime Naruto, a man who is an accomplice of Orochimaru named Amachi summoned a creature known as Umibozu which is a monster made up of water, with a grey outline as a body, sometimes used to help sink ships traveling from the Sea Country to the Water Country.
• Umi BÅzu is Monster in My Pocket #118.
• Umibozu is the name of an elite special forces unit in the JMSDF from the anime Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.
• Umibozu is also the name of Kagura's father (who is bald and has been referred to as a monster) in the manga Gintama.
• The manga/anime/movie Lovely Complex features a fictitious band named UmibÅzu with an eponymous, bald, lead singer.
• A traditional Umi BÅzu folktale is told in the second story arc of the Mononoke (anime), a sequel to the Ayakashi (2006 anime) which combined folktales, Kabuki plays and animated verisons of 19th century woodblock art prints to retell classic ghost stories.

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Notes

Hell Horror takes no responsibility for any views expressed about these spirits/gods and casts no judgement about any one's specific religion/beliefs. This page is meant strictly as reference material.