For this week's entry into the ongoing AlphaBeasts! project, I've chosen to marry several loves: Yokai, spiders, magic, and things both foul and fair. And that's why...J is for Jorōgumo.
Everything about the Jorōgumo seems tailored to my style of work. And my decision to pursue this beast as my subject for this week began with:
According to legend, when a spider turns 400 years old, it gains magical powers.An ancient, magical spider? A sorcerous arachnid able to mimic the appearance of a beautiful and beguiling woman? A creature with alternate names like "whore spider" and "binding lady?" Yes, please.
As a rabid fan of yokai tales and films, I'm hoping to sneak a few more of these wonderful Japanese myths into this project. Until next time, enjoy another interpretation of the Jorōgumo by Gojin Ishihara:
And for the Hell of it:
2 Gibbering Cries:
Woah! She really looks nasty!. I'm not so familiar with Japanese folklore, but I know they have a whole host of interesting supernatural creatures that will no doubt inspire your work during this project.
>LGH - Thanks so much! I was certainly going for the nasty with this one. Interpretations of Japanese spirits and goblins run the full spectrum between the comically cute and the absolutely horrific.
And how the mythology of the Yokai fits into everyday life for the Japanese - throughout history - is wonderfully fascinating.
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