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(OT--kinda) Sasuke/Information on Japanese Demon-Quellers...
Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2003 17:32 -0700
by Logan Myrddin
I was wondering where I could find information on Japanese Demon-Quellers. Was this something Mr. Sakai made up, or were they part of folklore/myth, OR were they REAL? Some general information and or a place or book or whatever where I could find more information would be REALLY, REALLY helpful and MUCH appreciated! Thanks! (And an AWESOME job with Sasuke, Sakai-sensei!)
Logan
Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2003 13:34 -0700
by Stan Sakai
Much of Sasuke came from the samurai/sorcery movies I watched as a kid, including Sarutobi Sasuke and Satomi Hakkenden. My own Sasuke is named after "Flying Monkey" Sasuke, a person (some say thief) whose exploits became so legendary that an entire mythos was created around him. The story goes that as a boy, Sasuke trained in the magical Art of Invisibility under a mountain hermit. He later went to serve a lord that was being attacked an army, helped by an evil sorcerer. After saving the clan, he married its princess.
A good reference for Shoki the Demon Queller (Chung K'uei in Chinese) is Japanese Ghosts and Demons edited by Stephen Addis, published 1985 by George Braziller, Inc, New York, in association with the Spencer Museum of Art, Univ of Kansas. It has a nice 10 page essay of Shoki.
Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2003 21:15 -0700
by Leonardo-san
That is a great book Stan reccommened! I've had that in my collection at home for some time.
Another good book in general I've found, though not so much on Shoki, is Japanese Mythology by Julie Piggott.
Also try hitting the library, there are a few other books out there with legends and tales, even possibly Noh or Kabuki plays that use mythological elements, too.