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[[Hitotsume-kozo.jpg|thumb|]] | [[Image:Hitotsume-kozo.jpg|thumb|Hitotsume-kozo]] | ||
'''Hitotsume-kozo''' (一つ目小僧, "one-eyed boys") are cyclops creatures found in Japanese folklore. | '''Hitotsume-kozo''' (一つ目小僧, "one-eyed boys") are cyclops creatures found in Japanese folklore. | ||
==Appearance= | ==Appearance== | ||
Hitotsume-kozo are roughly the size of ten-year-old children, but otherwise resemble bald Buddhist priests. Their most distinctive feature, however, is a single, giant eye peering from the center of the face, along with a long tongue, much like a Tsukomogami monster. | Hitotsume-kozo are roughly the size of ten-year-old children, but otherwise resemble bald Buddhist priests. Their most distinctive feature, however, is a single, giant eye peering from the center of the face, along with a long tongue, much like a Tsukomogami monster. | ||
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*Gekka no Kenshi/Last Blade (various systems) - Akari, a young onmyouji, uses various attacks that involve youkai. One of them is a special move that summons "a hundred youkai" to parade across the screen in a happy procession, and one of the youkai is hitotsume-kozou. | *Gekka no Kenshi/Last Blade (various systems) - Akari, a young onmyouji, uses various attacks that involve youkai. One of them is a special move that summons "a hundred youkai" to parade across the screen in a happy procession, and one of the youkai is hitotsume-kozou. | ||
*Mizuki Shigeru no Youkai Douchuuki (Super Famicom) - In this board-game style adventure, one of the player characters available for control is Hitotsume-Kozou. | *Mizuki Shigeru no Youkai Douchuuki (Super Famicom) - In this board-game style adventure, one of the player characters available for control is Hitotsume-Kozou. | ||
Latest revision as of 21:56, 6 May 2008
Hitotsume-kozo (一つ目小僧, "one-eyed boys") are cyclops creatures found in Japanese folklore.
Appearance
Hitotsume-kozo are roughly the size of ten-year-old children, but otherwise resemble bald Buddhist priests. Their most distinctive feature, however, is a single, giant eye peering from the center of the face, along with a long tongue, much like a Tsukomogami monster.
Behavior
Hitotsume-kozo are relatively benign creatures, content to run about frightening human beings or telling loud people to be quiet (they enjoy silence). However, many people consider an encounter with a one-eyed goblin to be a bad omen. For this reason, the superstitious often leave bamboo baskets in front of their houses, as these are reputed to repel the creatures. A reason for this may be that, in seeing the basket's many holes, the hitotsume-kozo will see the basket as having many eyes, and run away jealous and ashamed at only having one.
In reality, apart from a few tricks, they are almost never known to intentionally cause harm to anyone and may even bring good fortune.
Art/Fiction
- Gekka no Kenshi/Last Blade (various systems) - Akari, a young onmyouji, uses various attacks that involve youkai. One of them is a special move that summons "a hundred youkai" to parade across the screen in a happy procession, and one of the youkai is hitotsume-kozou.
- Mizuki Shigeru no Youkai Douchuuki (Super Famicom) - In this board-game style adventure, one of the player characters available for control is Hitotsume-Kozou.