Otogi Matsuri



""The most important thing to you... what is it?

... your future, is it?

Then let me take your future...""

Life was peaceful and quiet in the small port village of Miyakono, located in Japan's Kyoto prefecture. Quiet, that is, until the townsfolk were shocked by a rash of bizarre murders. Rumors abounded about the nature of the killer, but one thing was clear: the bodies were mangled by what appeared to be a set of very large teeth.

When a trio of students investigate the temple where the most recent victims were slain, a young man named Yousuke stumbles into and breaks a small shrine, from which emerges a phoenix-like creature made of light that flies towards him and disappears. When he realizes that none of his friends saw the light, Yousuke tries to put it out of his mind... until he is later attacked by the demonic beast that is responsible for the recent deaths. It is then that the phoenix spirit re-appears, offering Yousuke the power to defeat the inhuman beast that is stalking him.

A power, however, that will come at a great cost...

Otogi Matsuri is a horror manga written and illustrated by "Joker" Junya Inoue. Originally serialized by Wani Books in 2002, the series was later picked up for release in English (under the title Otogi Matsuri: Dark Offering) by Central Park Media, and in French by Doki-Doki.

Otogi Matsuri provides examples of:
"Doll #1: "Go-shu-jin sama, here."
 * All Myths Are True
 * The Archer: Yousuke
 * Attack Its Weak Point: The weak points are wooden charms.
 * Call to Adventure
 * Cast From Lifespan: The "jingi" weapons require something in exchange for their power, and Yousuke gave up his future.
 * CPR: Clean, Pretty, Reliable
 * Creepy Doll: The giant, eight legged cat/spider demon Kenzoku is accompanied by numerous creepy-looking dolls who refer to it as "Go-shu-jin sama" (meaning "Master of the House"), and who mainly serve to find humans to become the demon's next meal.

Doll #2: "Over here."

Doll #3: "The new offering is here.""

"Teacher: "We have a new student joining us. She came to town on some family matter. Please introduce yourself."
 * Cute Bruiser: Irori
 * Deadly Upgrade: The power granted by the Phoenix-like god named Suzaku is a mystical bow that appears as an extension of Yousuke's arm, that fires arrows of light with the power to kill evil spirits in a single shot. In exchange, Suzaku declares that it will take Yousuke's "future"... meaning that the young man only has a year left to live.
 * Eldritch Location: Miyakono and the surrounding area
 * Evil Sorceror: Shigeomi Rokuji, who created the kenzoku monsters.
 * Eye Scream: Kagerou is a gigantic eye
 * This is the modus operandi of the kappa: taking people's eyes and eating them. And they do not take them in a clean manner.
 * Five-Man Band:
 * The Hero: Yousuke
 * The Chick: Yomogi & Ringo
 * The Lancer: Ezo, literally because he uses a spear
 * The Smart Guy: Irori
 * The Big Guy: Kenji
 * The Four Gods: The givers of the special weapons.
 * Ghostly Goals
 * Hot Teacher: Ezo Ryuichi
 * Japanese Delinquents: Kenji and his gang
 * Kitsune: Yomogi's fox-like spiritual companions, who can be seen and heard only by her (and later, Yousuke.) They mainly serve to assist her with menial tasks such as cleaning, and to warn her of impending danger.
 * Miko: Yomogi Inaba, the grand-daughter of the murdered priest and inheritor of Miyakono's temple, possesses the ability to see spirits and is accompanied by a handful of fox-spirit companions.
 * Mythology Gag: The first youkai, Kenzo-sama, is Nekogumi, complete with luring in its prey and then biting off the top half of their bodies.
 * Yousuke Suruga has a few physical traits in common with Yusuke Sagami, and has the power of a phoenix much like how Yusuke went to Phoenix High School. Later on he even starts wearing similar clothes.
 * The phoenix bow summons its own arrows, similar to Hiiragi Kosame's Hamaya Arrow.
 * Ezo Ryuichi looks a lot like Bolt.
 * Irori Mikawa is based on a very similarly-dressed girl with the same first name, except in this manga her power is based on Turtle Power rather than the green bird. During Christmas season she dresses almost exactly the same.
 * Mu the raccoon can transform into something resembling Rikiou, a.k.a. the One who Comes and Takes.
 * New Transfer Student: Shortly after Yousuke and his friends meet Yomogi Inaba, the strange new priestess of the town's temple, they discover that she will be the newest member of their class.
 * New Transfer Student: Shortly after Yousuke and his friends meet Yomogi Inaba, the strange new priestess of the town's temple, they discover that she will be the newest member of their class.

Yomogi: "I'm Yomogi Inaba. Pleased to meet you!"

Yousuke: "Such a predictable development...""


 * Police Are Useless: Surprisingly for the genre, Averted.
 * Retractable Weapon: Ezo Ryuichi's spear
 * Shout-Out: Detective Todoroki laments being in a situation like The X-Files
 * Speech Impediment: Irori has one
 * Panty Shot: No Magic Skirt here.
 * The Protagonist: Yousuke Suruga, a young high school student who possesses the Bow of Suzaku, a powerful weapon that can be used to defeat demons.
 * Who You Gonna Call?: As the Youkai problem gets worse and worse, the heroes are effectively this sort of service for the city.
 * Youkai: The basis of the manga
 * Youkai: The basis of the manga