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The Book of Yōkai (Expanded Second Edition): Mysterious Creatures of Japanese
Significantly expanded and updated—a lively excursion into Japanese folklore and its increasing influence within global popular culture.
Monsters, spirits, fantastic beings, and supernatural creatures haunt the folklore and popular culture of Japan. Broadly labeled yōkai, they appear in many forms, from tengu mountain goblins and kappa water sprites, to shape-shifting kitsune foxes and long-tongued ceiling-lickers. Popular today in anime, manga, film, and video games, many yōkai originated in local legends, folktales, and regional ghost stories. The Book of Yōkai invites listeners to examine how people create, transmit, and collect folklore, and how they make sense of the mysteries in the world around them.
Revised and expanded, this second edition features fifty new illustrations, including an all-new yōkai gallery of stunning color images tracing the visual history of yōkai across centuries. In clear and accessible language, Michael Dylan Foster unpacks the cultural and historical contexts of yōkai, interpreting their varied meanings and introducing people who have pursued them through the ages.
PLEASE When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
Monsters, spirits, fantastic beings, and supernatural creatures haunt the folklore and popular culture of Japan. Broadly labeled yōkai, they appear in many forms, from tengu mountain goblins and kappa water sprites, to shape-shifting kitsune foxes and long-tongued ceiling-lickers. Popular today in anime, manga, film, and video games, many yōkai originated in local legends, folktales, and regional ghost stories. The Book of Yōkai invites listeners to examine how people create, transmit, and collect folklore, and how they make sense of the mysteries in the world around them.
Revised and expanded, this second edition features fifty new illustrations, including an all-new yōkai gallery of stunning color images tracing the visual history of yōkai across centuries. In clear and accessible language, Michael Dylan Foster unpacks the cultural and historical contexts of yōkai, interpreting their varied meanings and introducing people who have pursued them through the ages.
PLEASE When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
- GenresNonfiction
Audible Audio
Published January 28, 2025
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
June 30, 2025
I did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did, and I learned a lot along the way. It is somewhat academic, but presented in a casual, personable way that's easy to absorb. Although I have some knowledge about yokai because of Japanese heritage, this really expanded so much of my knowledge and understanding. My understanding of media such as Miyazaki's creations as well as Mushishi and other anime, manga, and modern literature including A Thousand Steps Into Night has deepened, and it's extremely gratifying.
A lot of effort has been made to address modern communication and dissemination methods, and this is one of the best examples of an effective updated edition I've seen in a long time.
A lot of effort has been made to address modern communication and dissemination methods, and this is one of the best examples of an effective updated edition I've seen in a long time.
Displaying 1 of 1 review