Yokai Attack!: The Japanese Monster Survival Guide

by Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt

Book Overview

Yokai are Japan's traditional creepy-crawlies. Almost always encountered in the dark of night, they were once feared throughout the land. But they're more than just myth, more provocative than pop culture--references to yokai abound in Japanese idioms, and nearly every Japanese person has at least a passing knowledge of the most famous of these captivating creatures from times of old. Now, after collecting data and descriptions from a variety of sources,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 4770030703
• ISBN13: 9784770030702
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Kodansha
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 7.4" x 5.2"

Customer Reviews

Best Yokai Survival Guide

A nice easy read for both kids and adults. I feel more confident now if I was to run into a Yokai.

How to Survive an Attack by Japanese Monsters

This is a great book - funny and informative! I actually bumped into one of the authors at a festival in AKita when they were doing research on the Namahage - check youtube for "japanese namahage devils scare lazy kids". Who knew that Japan was brimming with horrible monsters long before Godzilla and his giant radioactive ilk bedeviled the land? The book lists a number of monsters known as yokai and tells the reader of their danger level, their habits and attack strategies, their frequency, their weaknesses, and how to avoid or defeat them. One of my favorite is the tengu - the long-nose or crow-faced goblins with wings. One of the funniest bits of information is where the reader learns that flatulence is an effective defense against certain yokai. Another tactic the book teaches is that hard work is the surefire method of avoiding the strict work ethic minded Namahage devils. This is an excellent book for those interested in Japanese folklore and/or monsters in general.

love for anime

I bought this as a request for my daughter who is so into anime and she just loved it and I even out a few kisses for ordering it for her. She says "You're the mom!!, meaning I'm great in her eyes and that's what counts to me.

Everything you ever wanted to know about Japanese monsters!

This is a really fun book, even better than I would have expected. The book is about the size of a manga and is full color inside. The illustrations are excellent and is just so much fun to read, after reading a couple pages about one monster, you want to check out the next, as they just get more and more bizarre and entertaining! I've been watching animes and reading mangas for many years now and I've noticed some of the same strange monsters showing up over and over again. I was intrigued and wanted to know more about them, since I'm interested in folklore in general and Japan seems to have a very rich monster mythology. If you've watched animes like Inuyasha, Devil Man or Blood Reign, then you've already seen a few of the yokai featured in this book already. But as familiar as I *thought* I was with Japanese monsters, probably 80% of these I've never heard of before and it was a delight to learn more! Each yokai is given specifications such as: height, weight, attack and defense. Also includes a wonderfully drawn illustration and if available, traditional Japanese illustrations (such as a 19th century woodblock print). As well as the Japanese name, English translation, and (very helpful) pronunciation of the Japanese name. So if you've ever wanted to learn more about Japanese monsters, here's the perfect guide! Everything you ever wanted to know, from the standard bakemono to the bizarre Tofu Boy.

This Is One Informative, Scary, Thrillseeking, Butt-Kicking Cool As All Get Out Japanese Monster Sur

Let me start right off by saying that this is one of the coolest most fun books that I have had the distinct pleasure of reading in quite some time. I laughed out loud when I first opened this book up and continued to do so quite frequently during the entire time I was reading this book. The author's are nothing short of geniuses and it certainly shows throughout each and every page of this handy survival guide. Another outstanding aspect of this book is the illustrations, which are quite remarkable and truly add to the overall effect of this book. When I first picked up this book I wasn't quite sure what to expect, and let me assure you that I most certainly didn't expect what I found between the covers of this book. I don't remember when I have been quite so surprised with a book that I had just picked up on a whim. This book categorizes the types of monsters you are likely to encounter into five (5) broad categories, which are as follows: Chapter One: Ferocious Fiends Chapter Two: Gruesome Gourmets (Think Hannibal Lector as an Iron Chef!) Chapter Three: Annoying Neighbors (Don't we all have these!) Chapter Four: The Sexy and Slimy (Do they really go together?) Chapter Five: The Wimps (Wimpy monsters?) Each monster is given its own page with its very own vital statistics on it followed by their method of attack and how you can survive such an attack by that particular monster. On a personal note, I was really drawn to the supposed monster "Neko-mata," which is basically the angry spirit of a normal housecat who has been mistreated and/or killed by a human. This spirit cat then takes vengeance upon those humans by resurrecting the dead and using them to take vengeance upon those who abused them. They have also been known to consume humans. Way to go kitty! Horrific vengeance upon all those who are mean to cats! The best way to avoid this monster is simple, "Always be kind to all animals, and especially cats, and you will never be harmed by a Neko-mata." I highly recommend this book to anyone and I do mean anyone to sit down and read regardless of whether or not you are into Japanese monsters or not. This is simply a fun and delightful book to read and the author's and illustrator deserve an abundance of praise for their work on this book. Shawn Kovacich Author of the Achieving Kicking Excellence series.

Utilitarian yet detailed handbook - perfect for yokai fieldwork!

When's the last time you asked yourself, "Gee, how do I keep my home safe from the Bathtub Licker?" Not recently, you say? And yet to a Japanese child, the mention of the name "Akaname" evokes the image of a large, red demonlike creature with a long tongue and glaring eyes, that hides in the bathroom at night. Aren't you glad you were warned? Then thank your lucky stars you're buying Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide. Each of the more than 50 detailed descriptions provide everything you'll need when faced with one of these legendary Japanese monsters. The first page of each entry is the "Stats Sheet" page, containing vital information such as monster height, weight, mode of locomotion, and any special abilities, as well as a full page color image (by talented illustrator Tatsuya Morino) of the yokai in question. The pages following contain information on the type of threat each yokai represents (whether it be just a scare, or a definitely-to-be-avoided disembowelment), as well as any defensive measures that can be taken, origin stories, typical location where found, regional variants of the monster, in addition to stories, facts, and legends surrounding that creature and its habits. Truly, the amount of information contained for each yokai is substantial, and will undoubtedly prove crucial to the would-be yokai hunter (or as often as not, the "yokai hunted"). The authors have made on-the-go referencing easier as well (very important when you're not sure if you're facing a Kuchisaki Onna or a Futakuchi Onna!) by separating yokai into groupings by type, from the ferocious to the feeble. What's more, each grouping has its own tab for flip-through ease, very convenient when you're running away from a creature at close to a full-out sprint! In my own time in Japan, I myself came across a number of the creatures described in this book, and can attest to the efficacy of at least a few of the defense techniques described therein. I can only say I wish I had had this handbook with me at the time, and that I will certainly be bringing it with me on any future excursions.