Yokai（妖怪・ようかい） is a general term for supernatural creatures such as ghosts, monsters and fairies in Japanese folktales. Some really like a human being, others have a long necks, or several eyes. (They look like monsters or devils.) Many Yokai are indigenous to local areas in Japan and some are regarded as a god to protect natures. Therefore, Yokai range from helpful or generous ones to human beings to aggressive or violent ones.
Shigeru Mizuki is the most famous cartoonist who drew Yokai ( supernatural creatures). His favorite work is “Gegege-no Kitaro” Kitaro is half human and half Yokai. He has a justice and always protects us from bad Yokai.
Here, I would like to introduce characters from Gegegege-no-kitaro. Some are scaring and others are funny. You might find a Yokai that you like.
This is Kitaro, a main character in Gegegeno-kitaro
Now, the followings are his profile.
Let’s read Japanese!
1. 鬼太郎は日本人と妖怪のハーフです。
（きたろうは、にほんじんとようかいのハーフです。）
He is mixed with Japanese and yokai.
If your father is American while your mother is Japanese,
you can say,
「わたしは、父がアメリカ人で母が日本人のハーフです。」
watashi-wa chichiga American de
hahaha nihonjinno half desu.
2. 彼の片目は盲目で、髪の毛でおおわれています。
(Kareno-katame wa moumokude, kaminokede
oowareteimasu.)
He is blind in one eye, which is coverd with his hair.
盲目（もうもく）moumoku=blind eye
In fact, one of his eyes became a Yokai,
called medama-no oyaji.
medama=eye
oyaji=father
so, the eye is Kitaro’s father, called “one eye doctor”
3. 彼のトレードマークはちゃんちゃんこと下駄です。
Kareno trademark wa chanchanko to Geta desu.
His trademarks are chanchanko and geta.
ちゃんちゃんこ
chanchanko is a padded sleeveless kimono jacket.
In tradition, people who become 60 years old,
they wear a read jacket and wish for their longevity.
げた
Geta is a pair of wooden footwear,
which people wear in Kimono.
４.鬼太郎は仲間を呼ぶためにオカリナを吹きます。
Kitaro wa nakamawo yobutameni ocarina wo hukimasu.
Kitaro plays the ocarina to call his friends.
This ocarina transforms into a stick to fight with enemies.
As I show you, Kitaro is a kind and very strong boy.
But, you know what the strongest point that he has?
: Justice and Love
