A Halloween Potty!

Let's start off with everyone's favourite coprophile, Scatman John.



His influence took Japan by storm and soon everyone was getting in on the act, such as ScatUltraman:



While we're on the subject of scat, why don't learn a little bit more about having a good bowel movement?

From the ever-useful Japan Sugoi, I discovered this song, おなら体操　(Onara Taisou) which translates as Fart Calisthenics!  Its a song about kids farting and then going to the potty.

The lyrics basically go like this:


1. Let's let it out and be healthy. Let's let it out and make a nice noise.
Do Re Mi Fa poo poo poo. Ahhh!
Big or small, it's still a fart.
Well then, let's go potty.
Hey! Hey! Boooooo!                                          (That's the fart noise.)
2. Let's all let it out. Laugh and let it out.
Do Re Mi Fa poo poo poo. Ahhh!
Dad does it. Mom does it.
Everyone is the same. It's a fart. Let's do it as high as the sky.
Hey! Hey! Booooo!
3. A little something's going to come out. Very soon it's going to come out.
Do Re Mi Fa poo poo poo. Ahhh!
A healthy fart. A cute fart.
I wonder what kind is going to come out next time.
Ok, everyone let's go!
Hey! Hey! Booooo! It came out!

Check out the incredibly cute 上野 樹里 (Juri Ueno) as she records the tune. She really gets into it!

You can pick up the Dvd if you're so inclined.

I discovered recently that in Japan, even skeletons need to use the loo. Here in all its glow-in-the-dark graphic glory is my Japanese toilet with a load recently deposited by a 骸骨. 

These other pictures are the ones I didn't manage to obtain. I'm a tad disappointed for who doesn't want a skeleton on the crapper?

I've spoken in the past about the 河童 ("river-child", alternately called 川太郎, (Gatarō "river-boy") or 川子 (Kawako "river-child") or simply かっぱ (Kappa) and who'd have thought that one who looks so cute here has a nasty fixation on the posterior?

(From Wiki we learn that), Kappa are usually seen as mischievous troublemakers. Their pranks range from the relatively innocent, such as loudly passing gas or looking up women's kimonos, to the more troublesome, such as stealing crops or kidnapping children. In fact, small children are one of the gluttonous kappa's favorite meals, though they will eat adults as well. They feed on these victims by sucking out their 尻子玉 (shirikodama ), a mythical ball inside the anus.

This excellent resource tells you everything you need to know about Kappa, including a few idioms, for example: 河童の屁 (Kappa no He) = Much ado about nothing (literally “water-imp fart”).

So without further ado, let's check out some of Shigeru Mizuki's versions of Kappa and a few of his brethren.

First up is 一目入道 (Ichi-Moku Nyu-dou), a one-eyed kappa from Sado Island. If you scroll down here, you'll see another picture of one.

Other Kappa include せこ (Seko), a cute cycloptic kind of kappa, which can be heard making merry at night.

These けんもん (Kenmon) appear to hang out in trees by the riverside. So you'd better look up as well as down.

Finally, 弁慶掘の河太郎 (Benkeibori no Kawa Taru), yet another water-imp.

Let's end our little Scat-tale with the dreaded Death Kappa!

Iwana Manda Hugginkiss!

First of today's 妖怪 (yokai) is 貝ぶき坊 (Kaibu Kibou) who is a Conch-blowing Monk (with a conch as a proboscis)  from the mountains of 岡山県 (Okayama-Ken). I can't find much of anything about him on the net except that he likes to eat frogs.

This cutie is called  かわうそ (Kawauso) which is a mythical otter with magical powers who often disguises himself as a human. It is one of several creatures featured in a bestiary called 画図百鬼夜行 (Gazu Hyakki Yakō) showcasing the Ukiyoe art of 鳥山 石燕 (Toriyama Sekien ).

You oughtta check out this otter who has a robotic doppelgänger.



This guy is called いわな坊主 (Iwana Bouzu), a Char-Buddhist Monk who hails from 美濃・岐阜県 (Mino in Gifu-Prefecture).

Btw, a char is a relative of the salmon or trout, so here is a picture of an old tie of mine sporting a Rainbow Trout!

This video gets good at about the 4:55 moment, if you wanna FF to then.



This babe, 川赤子 (Kawa-Akago) is an infant monster that lurks near rivers and drowns people. Like most toddlers, this guy screams incessantly, wailing "オギャ!オギャ!" ("O-Gya!O-Gya!")

くらげの火の玉 (Kurage no Hi no Tama) is a jellyfish which floats through the air as a fireball! Cool!

 Because the above are in an aquatic vein, I thought I'd present the coolest sea serpent since Cecil, マンダ (Manda) from 海底軍艦 (Kaitei Gunkan or Undersea Warship=Atragon). I happen to own a copy of the dvd with its accompanying magazine and a few photos thereof.

Here is a Manda figure as well for your enjoyment. It'd probably be impossible to make, but wouldn't it make a nifty costume?

Perhaps one of these two characters from the movie would be easier. I don't think I could carry off the Mermaid, but that Frogman suit would be awesome!

Toppo The World, Ma!

Trick'rTreat'n is tough in a country that puts up it's Christmas decorations in early October and the only Halloween goodies to be found have long been shelved. Fortunately, I grabbed a box of Toppo the other day. It's kind of the opposite of a Pocky such that the chocolate is on the inside and the pretzel on the outside. I like how the box comes as an impromptu Halloween card in case you're too cheap to buy one.

The first of today's Shigeru Mizuki creations is 百目 (Hyaku-Me or 100-Eyed Demon, not to be confused with 100-eyed Greek God, Argus). There are several pictures floating around the net and Hyakume does strike quite the pose.

Another creation of Mizuki was 悪魔くん or Akuma-Kun who had a 100-eyed sidekick. It ran for about a year from 1989年4月15日～1990年3月24日. Watch a bit of this to get a feel for the characters.

akuma-kun ep 1_1/4
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岩見の牛鬼 (Iwami no Ushi Oni) is a Demon Cow from Iwami-City (Shimane-Ken) and tends to prey on women who hang out at the seaside. For more details on Japan's other Ushi-Oni, be sure to go to the Obakemono Project (OP).

あまのじゃく (Amano Jack) who thanks to the aforementioned OP, I learned that his name means Wicked Demon of Heaven (the best I could decypher from the Japanese was that he's a perv.) As per that link, it's been known to slay and then wear the skin of its prey as in the story of 瓜子姫 or Uriko-Hime. This is a rather toned down version of the tale. I'd like to track down this book where Uriko-Hime comes out the winner in Tasty Baby Belly Buttons!

This wacky tune by Kokeshi Dolls is slightly creepy and is called Amano Jack!

I thought I'd show off some of my extensive GeGege gaggle of goods, starting with these little wobbly tops.

Snoopy Bells.

It's quite difficult to find Peanuts paraphernalia over here that features any character other than Snoopy or Woodstock, but this set of Pepsi Bells came out several years ago and, though a little out of tune, they do run the scale.

In honour of Charlie Brown's 60th Anniversary, here's an orchestra featuring eight of the iconic characters. (Is it just me or do their eyes seem as though they're all on something?)

For those about to Rock, I salute you:

Not everything I post this month will be about Halloween, but I'd be remiss if I didn't link to the Great Pumpkin Countdown or its contest. Good luck!

Eye Of The Tiger!

Welcome to my second year as a contributor to the Countdown to Halloween. Last year was fairly haphazard where I'd just grab something remotely Halloweeny and blab about it. This year promises to be just as haphazard but hopefully with a bit of stability.

For starters, I hope to showcase some Yokai of the day. I came across a book called, 妖怪大図鑑 (Yokai Dai Zukan=Big Picture Book of Monsters) written and illustrated by my new favourite author, 水木 しげる (Mizuki Shigeru) of GeGeGe fame. There are more than 150 different Yokai, so that works out to about 5 a day for the month!

Here is the front cover and inside front cover.

The first creature featured is the 倉ぼっこ, Kuro-Bokko which I translate as Guardian God of Warehouses.

(During my free time over the last few weeks at work, I've been diligently translating these but it has become a larger task than I am fit for. Thus, I shall give my amateurish rendition of the name in English and a link in Japanese or English when possible and hopefully a GeGeGe story or figure.) Looking a bit like Cousin It with a cane, the best I can come up with is that this hairy guy guards a warehouse.  If you can read Japanese, hit the wiki link above for details.

I hope to provide a Ghost story every couple of days, such as this from 怪談百物語 (Kaidan Hyaku Monogatari or 100 Tales of Terror) entitled 四谷怪談（Yotsuya Kaidan or the Ghost Story of Yotsuya.） Here is an older version on YouTube for your perusal as well.

Finally, I hope to provide something from my personal collection of crap.

Today, though it'll be something special. It just so happens to be my little sister's birthday today, so I solicited from her a few of her Halloween memories. She recalls spending Halloween with a neighbour while my brothers & I Trick or Treated on our own, ignoring the little tag-a-long. My mother usually made all our costumes, and she has dug up a photo of herself from over 40 years ago dressed up as a tiger. Decades later, she handed down the outfit to her son who made it just as ferocious looking. Here is my sis from '74, her son William, aka Tiger-Boy from '94, also with some friends and as a homemade Clown from '93! (I wish I had a single photo of my Halloween years but I don't have ANY!)

Please click around and visit the other participants in the Countdown. There is some awfully awesome stuff out there! Click that or the Cryptkeeper up there on the left to see who else is involved...