Ghostwire: Tokyo: the characters from Japanese mythology who inspired the game

It's only a few days before the official release of Ghostwire: Tokyo, the video game that tells a paranormal adventure inspired by Japanese yokais. Kenji Kimura (game director) and Yoshifumi Hattori (lead character design artist) told the characteristics of their favorite monsters on the official PlayStation portal.

In the imaginary of the video game, all these mythological creatures invade the streets of Tokyo after the mysterious disappearance of the world's human inhabitants. The players will have to investigate together with their ally detective KK how to hunt down those responsible for the incident.

According to Kimura, part of the charm of its history comes from the ability to tour the modern Japanese capital with mythical creatures that have adapted to the technological life of the 21st century (with their spiritual particularities, of course). While some are a threat to living things, other yokai can be crucial allies for certain missions.

KUCHISAKE-ONNA

Within Japanese folklore, the kuchisake-onna is a malevolent spirit that takes the form of a woman who covers her face with a mask and carries a sharp object hidden in her hands.

Legend has it that these yokai chase people who are wandering the streets of Japan alone and begin their attack by asking them if they consider her to be “a beautiful girl”. If the victims answer yes, the creature discovers his face and will reveal that the corners of his mouth are open from ear to ear. With a macabre smile, he asks them the same thing again and if the person screams frightened, the kuchisake-onna kills them.

In the case of answering yes, the yokai proceeds to disfigure the face of its victim. Legend describes that the way to avoid the consequences is by throwing hard candy, money or entering a cosmetics store.

“What ultimately led to their inclusion was the fact that they don't look like monsters at first sight, just like normal women in coats. As such, they complement one of our goals for the game: to portray the disturbing and extraordinary within completely ordinary settings,” Kimura described about the kuchisake-onna.

TANUKI

The friendly Tanuki take the form of the Japanese raccoon species and are friendly spirits who love sake (Japanese alcoholic beverages).

These yokai possess powerful magical abilities and can transform into any human form. In the narrative of Ghostwire: Tokyo, you will find a group of boys lost in the streets that you have to deal with. This opportunity is taken by the Tanuki to annoy the players and they will even take advantage of it to take unsuspected form and distract them from their main mission.

“We gave them a distinctive way of speaking by having them use the regional dialect that prevails in the part of Japan famous for tanuki legends,” Kimura said.

NEKOMATA

Nekomata spirits are famous for illustrating books from the Japanese Edo period (1600-1868). These two-tailed feline-shaped yokai can be both evil and characters very loyal to their owners.

Within the video game, they are in charge of the city's kiosks and give supplies to players as long as they can pay them with a currency called Meika that is obtained by completing missions. Of course, they can also require special items and assign more tasks to the already busy protagonists.

“The original idea was to create store sites where the player could walk when they needed a break exploring the city and fighting the Visitors. We thought it would be great if the stores could have something in them that would reassure the player and that's how we ended up having nekomatas tending to the stores,” said the game director.

KAPPA

This type of yokai feeds on various Japanese paranormal imaginaries and also responds to a series of spiritual rules about the existence of the human soul. Despite their supernatural mechanics, kappa are friendly but dangerous creatures.

With humanoid characteristics, these creatures are tortoise-shaped and cover their body with a kind of shell. On top of their head they have a kind of bald spot that reveals that they are full of water.

In mythology, if people come across a kappa (and manage to keep it from drowning it in some river), they can bow to which the creature feels obliged to respond. In doing so, it will be completely paralyzed and without the possibility of pursuing anyone.

“The kappa in our game are a variety that people imagine in their minds, including their usual head plate and shell. When it comes to the finer details and other things, we add elements that are most typically seen in creature designs that are made outside of Japan,” said Hattori.

SHINE DANCER (o Teru Teru Bozu)

While Ghostwire: Tokyo takes them as a threat that ambushes players from the air, the teru teru bozu are traditional dolls that are hung as an amulet to promote good weather.

“For Ghostwire: Tokyo, it was important for us to portray the disturbing and extraordinary within totally ordinary settings. The teru-teru bōzu amulets are an example of this. In Japan, these are targets that are hung under the eaves of buildings to protect them from the rain and invite good fortune. However, seen in a different way, they look like dolls hanging around her neck,” said Kimura.

Ghostwire: Tokyo will be released on March 25 on PlayStation 5 and PC. PlayStation Plus players can receive a 10% discount on pre-purchase of the digital version of the game on PlayStation Store.

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