#yes we are all in love with you sexy evil kitsune :(

[reigen-small-naturals]

offroad every single day after 4th episode of COL dropped:

[samshogwarts]

🎃👻🎃 HALLOWEEN 2020 SUPRISE 2.0 🎃👻🎃

(pls ignore the tiktok logo on the left)

First of all - that's actually not the Video I was planning to cut. But since I have to stay the weekend at the hospital and not allowed to use my computer here, I have to chance my plans and have to use tiktok to cut at least a little video. Believe me, it broke my heart to use tiktok instead of my usual cutting program. And so the pictures are without the planned Effects, I am sorry :(. I planned to make a Hphm Halloween MC costume video. Every MC is another magical creatures, ghost or what ever. Hope you are OK that I use your MCs without asking 😅. And I will not finished the original Video because I want to finish the first chapter of my fan comic finally <~<.

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MCs I used without asking 😅:

Elaiza Schuyler as the yellow rain kid from ES @annabelle-tanaka-official

It was your idea for the costume. I hope you are OK how I use it >~<

Arjun Singh as mumie @hogwarts9

I was searching for a macigal creature for Arjun and listened to old 90' series opening and "Mumies alive" appear. Does anyone knows the show? I loved them when I was a kid, so I decided to make Arjun a mumie. XD

Kyril Vasile @kyril-hphm / @kyril-simping as Red hood

Why does lolita clothes suits Kyril so good? It was so much fun to draw him in this dress. And the wolf's head too xD

Conor O'Donnell as Frankensteins monster @unfortunate-arrow I want to choose something special for Conor, but I didn't found anything what suits him well. But than I thought about classic "monster" and don't know why but I choose Frankenstein.

Sara O'Donnell - as a Doll @unfortunate-arrow

To be honest, Sara is like a doll in my mind, so it was easy for me. Dolls are scary but have most a sad background story. So I think it suits Sara. ^^;

Carewyn Cromwell as Banshee @carewyncromwell

I love the storys of Banshee. Especially the version of her amber cry if a member of her family will die soon. And what is also very important for a banshee? Her voice! So I thought the Banshee would suits Carey well.

Luna Silver as Vampire @lunasilvermorny

LUNA!!! We were talking about her "costume", so as you said I made her a vampire. And it suits her very well! And it was so much fun to draw her hair!

Helene Adler as Sucubbus @heleneplays

I want to draw Helen for so long and finally I did it! >~< And I instantly thought a Sucubbus would suits her! I even try to make her sexy (but I have no talent for this 😅)

Finn McGarry as Davy Jones @theguythatdraws

I am still in the hphm potc AU phase and I like the idea of Finn as Davy Jones. So I try my best to draw him! And let's be honest, Potc AU Samantha would make so much jokes because of his hand and face.

Angelo Lancaster as Angel of the Death @angellazull

Pls tell no one that I totally forgot his wings! >~< and I use your picture as inspiration but chance a few things, like his hair color so his picture will be not just white Grey and black. But it so much fun to draw Angelo! 😍

Tu Ling as Kitsune @wangxianforever000

Haaaarrrr~ finally I was able to draw Tu! I want to draw her for so long. Hehehehehehehehe. And Kitsune are one of my favorite magical creations and if I know right, she is actually a fox demon or am I wrong? 🤔

Night Rheia as Dementor @nightrhea-hphm

Also someone who told me which costume her mc would wear. First I made her skin with normal skin color, but.... I don't know it looks a bit boring because the special effects in the video are missed. But I hope you still like it.

Wendy Gordon as Selkie @drinkyoursoupbitch

Wendy!! 😍 It was clear for me to draw Wendy as a Nordic creature. And I like selkies very much. I know they are actually not evil, but I thought Selkies would suit Wendy and I try to gave her a unusual pose for me (and Whiskers xD)

Ethren Whitecross as Pyramid hat @hogwartsmysterystory

First of all - I know we never interact with each other and you don't know who I am, but Ethren is one of my favorite MC and your blog is for me one of the big three (the three blogs, why I start my blog) Q-Q but enough fangirling.

Did anyone played Silent Hill 2? I remember when I was a teenager and played the game the first time I screamed so much when pyramid hat appears and he was my nemesis for years xD and this my Frist try to draw a little more muscles *cough cough* hope you don't mind I used your MC.

Keira Jones as evil mermaid @hphm-brooke

Keiras hair as so much fun to draw! While I was drawing her I was asking myself if a mermaid need glasses? And if they do, how do mermaids that's? Anyway, I try to draw not a typical mermaid since there are fairy tales about mermaid where they are more evil and dangerous. And I like that more. A typical Ariel mermaid would be to normal.

Vixen Mcmahen as crazy clown @rosievixen

Aaaa good old horrors clowns! It was from the very beginning clearly for me to draw Vixen as a horror clown. When I start drawing she reminds me first to much as Harley Quinn, but I am happy with the result in the end. And her face expression Oo I am surprised by myself. Hope you like it too.

Danique Winter as the women in white @morningstarinwinter

The women in white is one of my favorite ghost. They are many different storys about her, but in the end she is alsway a woman who was betrayed. Personally, I like the version where she helps ppl if they get lost. And yeah... I thought it would suit Danique and it was very funny to draw her. I lobe to draw long hair! Hope you like it! *-*

And last but not least - Samantha O'Connell as Grimm Reaper. Yes, it suits her and her story. And I added a little Easter egg. The mask she is holding is her mask as a Ghost agent. The time were she was the most dangerous and able to bring pain and death to her enemies.

Still sad I can't upload the original planned videos with all original planned mc's. But my body says no. So well. I will make the best of it 🤷‍♀️.

Hope you guys like it. Will post the pictures in two extra posts.

[dragonkeeper19600]

What is the Medicine Seller?

The subjectivity of Mononoke is a large part of what makes the series unique. But, one of the biggest mysteries that the show leaves unanswered is what exactly the Medicine Seller is supposed to be. From his weird powers, traits, and appearance to the fact that he clearly doesn’t age, it’s an understatement to say that this isn’t a normal guy. All kinds of theories have been floating around about the Medicine Seller’s true identity, that he’s a onmyōji, a god, or some kind of benevolent mononoke. 

However, for my money, looking at all the evidence combined from the show and Japanese mythology, I’ve concluded that the Medicine Seller is most likely a kitsune. 

Now, I feel like most anime viewers have at least a cursory idea what a kitsune is, but just to recap: “Kitsune” (狐) is the Japanese word for fox. Traditional Japanese folk beliefs attributed all sorts of mysterious powers to foxes, including shapeshifting, creating illusions, and warding off evil spirits. Taking cues from ancient Chinese lore about fox spirits, kitsune have captured the imagination of Japanese artists and storytellers for centuries and continue to do so in the present day.

I’m far from the first person to come up with the “Medicine Seller is a fox” theory. It’s the only theory cited on the admittedly bare-bones Mononoke Wiki, and numerous commentators and Tropers have speculated that our favorite flamboyant exorcist might be a fox in disguise. So, allow me to take some time to display all the compiled evidence as to why I think this is the most plausible theory.

Let’s start with the obvious: The guy looks like a fox.

The red markings on his face are very reminiscent of the red paint you see on the traditional kitsune masks people wear around festival time. These markings are highlighted in the anime’s opening, so you can really see the similarity.

His long ears and fangs could also be considered vulpine.

The literature is rife with examples of foxy traits showing through a kitsune’s human disguise, especially when they’re startled or caught off-guard, such as ears, a tail, or canine teeth. We’ve never seen a tail on the Medicine Seller, but who knows what he’s hiding under that robe? I’ve also seen some sources claim that the tail will be revealed if you see the kitsune’s reflection or shadow. We haven’t seen either, so who knows?

Secondly, there’s a hierarchy to keep in mind when thinking about Japanese foxes. Some kitsune are holy messengers while others are malignant spirits that bring ruin to humans. Some are merely pranksters, using their powers to pull hilarious tricks on unwitting humans, sometimes to teach them a lesson but often just for shits and giggles.

Holy, high-ranking foxes are said to be messengers of the Shinto god Inari, the rice god and the patron deity of merchants and sword smiths. 

Pictured: A merchant with a sword.

Fox statues like the one pictured above can be seen standing guard in front of Inari’s shrines, where they are said to ward off evil. The A-to-Z Online Buddhist dictionary has this to say:

“[T]he fox is associated with the concept of Kimon 鬼門, literally “demon gate,” a Japanese term stemming from Chinese geomancy (Ch: feng shui). In Chinese thought, the northeast quarter is considered particularly inauspicious. It is the place where "demons gather and enter." This belief was imported by the Japanese and is referred to as Kimon. Kimon generally means ominous direction, or taboo direction. In Japan, the fox is considered a powerful ally in warding off evil Kimon influences. Fox statues are often placed in northeast locations to stand guard over demonic influence, and two foxes typically guard the entrance to Inari Shrines, one to the left and one to the right of the gate.”

He may not be a statue, but “warding off demonic influences” is basically half of the Medicine Seller’s job description. He often uses seals, salt, prayer, and other methods accessible to humans, but the Bakeneko arc of Ayakashi clearly shows he can keep a mononoke at bay just by flexing really hard. 

Yokai.com goes into some detail about the various ranks of kitsune, from the lowliest trickster to the most divine guardian. One rank of kitsune of particular interest to me is called the Kiko (気狐), a servant of Inari that has evolved to the point where it no longer has a physical form. Many Kiko adopt human disguises, but they have not yet ascended to a heavenly plane and so remain on Earth serving Inari’s will. 

We have never seen the Medicine Seller eat, drink, or sleep. There is, however, one physical need that he does indulge in.

If you get my meaning.

Pictured above is the Medicine Seller’s extensive shunga (春画) collection. Shunga is Edo period porn, and it wasn’t exactly uncommon for merchants to be carrying volumes of shunga on their person. However, 20+ volumes seems a bit excessive to me.

It’s a trait that doesn’t come up all that much in Mononoke, but the first episode of Ayakashi’s Bakeneko arc reveals that the Medicine Seller is a bit of a horny bastard. He trades info on various virility and fertility medications with Kayo, a conversation that involves a lot of whispering into her ear. He was about to share his porn with Kayo before they were interrupted. I’m convinced that if Sato had entered the kitchen ten minutes later, she would have found the two of them fucking on the floor.

As anyone who's watched Naruto can tell you, kitsune are often associated with sex. Inari, among other things, is also a fertility god, and there are many stories of kitsune adopting human form and seducing unwitting mortals, running the full gambit from the horrific to the romantic. A good chunk of these stories involve the kitsune marrying their human beau and even bearing his children in some cases. 

Most stories of this nature center on female kitsune, but it’s not like male kitsune don’t exist. The popularity of sexy fox women can probably be chalked up to male-dominated Edo society, but more and more male kitsune have been sighted in modern anime.

I believe we can add Mononoke to this number. Practically every woman in the series creams their pants at the mere sight of the Medicine Seller, and it doesn’t seem that their attraction is one-sided. The Medicine Seller has all kinds of sexual tension with Kayo in both series. And, if you look closely, you can spy some romantic tension with Ochou as well. There’s little doubt that the Medicine Seller is attracted to human women and is even capable of falling in love with them. However, due to his role slaying mononoke, it is unlikely that he can ever settle down and marry one the way many other kitsune do.

Personality-wise, the Medicine Seller is also reminiscent of a fox. Like I mentioned above, kitsune are often tricksters by nature. Although the Medicine Seller never acts in a needlessly malicious way, he does like to dick around with people. A lot of the aforementioned tension with Kayo takes the form of teasing banter. 

Keep in mind: It wasn’t him who changed the compass. Which means he’s being vague for no other reason except to mess with Kayo.

He also spend a good portion of his arc in Ayakashi trolling the Sakai household, especially Odajima. And do we even need to mention his gambit in the Nue arc? 

So, his appearance, relationships, and personality are all decidedly fox-like. What about his powers? Well, in the Nopperabou arc, we get a pretty clear hint that the Medicine Seller’s physical form is just an illusion.

The Masked Man’s attempt to take away the Medicine Seller’s face failed because that wasn’t his real face. He outright compared his face to a facade. Since it was just an illusion, it was easy for him to change it back. It should also be noted that the Nopperabou, the faceless ghost, often appears not as an independent spirit but a hilarious prank that other yokai like to pull on humans. Tanuki, Manji (badger spirits), and, yes, even Kitsune have used the image of a faceless human being to scare humans. This is getting into fan wank territory itself, but it is entirely possible that the Medicine Seller is all too familiar with the art of face removal, having pulled that trick himself in his younger days.

That the Medicine Seller’s body isn’t real could also explain the nature of his Other Self. During his first transformation sequence in Ayakashi (which is repeated in the Nue arc), we see the markings on his face and robes disappear.

Before gold markings reappear on his Other Self.

It might be possible to think of this “transformation” as more of a body surf. The flowing markings could indicate the presence of the fox spirit as it moves from one body to the other. This is a good time to point out that gold eyes are said to be another common trait of kitsune, and white fur is indicative of an Inari fox. The Other Self’s long white hair may be a hint as to his divine nature. 

Now, with all his powers and religious motifs, is it possible that the Medicine Seller is not a fox but in fact Inari himself? I did briefly contemplate that possibility, but I ultimately decided it probably wasn’t true. The Medicine Seller’s powers have limits that I feel a high-ranking god like Inari wouldn’t have. It looked like he did serious damage to himself trying to hold back the bakeneko in Ayakashi.

Ouchies.

Rather than being a human avatar of Inari, I find it more likely that the Medicine Seller is a kiko carrying out Inari’s will. In his first appearance in Ayakashi, some men spot the Medicine Seller standing outside the Sakai household, apparently talking to himself.

At the beginning of Mononoke’s first episode, he does the same thing outside the inn. His mouth is moving, but we don’t hear what he’s saying.

In both cases, the men who see him try to call out to him to get his attention, and in both cases he ignores them. He never says who he was talking to, and nobody ever asks. It is strange, however, that he always shows up just where a mononoke is going to be, even when he doesn’t seem to know anything about the mononoke before he arrives. Could it be he is actually receiving instructions from Inari? Inari might be telling him where to go, and the Medicine Seller figures out the rest from there. He can’t know about the mononoke’s form, truth, or reason yet, otherwise he’d be able to slay it right away. How else would he know where to go unless he was being told?

Of course, there are other possibility as to who he could be talking to. It could be his Other Self, if you hold the theory that the Medicine Seller and the Other Self are separate entities (which I don’t, so much). I also contemplated whether it was the sword he was talking to, but the sword is in the trunk. For my money, communing with a god seems the most fitting. 

According to Shinto beliefs, foxes can live for up to 1000 years, which would explain why the Medicine Seller is still around after centuries have passed. But, what happens after the millennium is over? At that point, a kitsune sprouts its final, ninth tail and ascends to the heavenly plain, leaving this earth behind. I personally believe that the Medicine Seller has been tasked to wander the earth for 1000 years, slaying mononoke until his time is up. At that point, he’ll become a being as powerful as a god, but until then he must learn to truly understand humanity. Only once he has become thus enlightened will he be able to ascend. 

This, I believe, is why the Sword of Exorcism can only be drawn once he’s learned the mononoke’s form, truth, and reason. He can only slay the mononoke if he comes to truly understand it and sympathize with it. It’s all part of a thousand-year long learning process in addition to aiding humanity.

And once he’s done, some day centuries from now, perhaps another young fox will take up the sword and walk through man’s despair, putting the souls of the anguished to rest. 

It’s a lonely destiny, but it has its perks.

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