It’s also the most expected appearance in a myth-infused Japan. Neither a sword-fight nor a brawl, the Divine Dragon is the game’s most unusual boss fight. Fiery, horny (not that kind), with more than a little hair. Sekiro’s Demon of Hatred certainly retains many of these elements, and while it resembles several other creatures from previous From Software games such as Manus and the Demon Cleric, it also bears a striking resemblance to oni depicted in Edo-era woodblock art. Captains of the underworld, oni are rumoured to be born from wicked humans whose souls are beyond redemption. These large ferocious demons are infamous in Japanese folklore, are never good news, and are often blamed for bringing all kinds of calamity. Demon of HatredĪlong with the Chained Ogre boss, the end-game Demon of Hatred is based on the oni. The creatures are also held by Buddhists to be harbingers of war, which is more than a little relevant to Sekiro once you discover Tengu’s true identity. Tengu are said to be excellent martial artists, with Sekiro’s imposing warrior possessing two out of five of the game’s so-called “Esoteric Texts”, which teach our shinobi a range of combat abilities. Its long beak becoming the extended (I’m obliged to mention phallic) nose we see today. Over time the creature’s depiction became less avian and more human. Powerful, god-like demons, tengu are thought to be based upon birds of prey. Tengu of Ashina is a key character whose name comes from the red, long-nosed mask he wears. It’s a rich artistic tradition, and its influence on Sekiro is clear. Ever since, Japanese art and literature has built upon this legacy of monsters, demons, gods and animal spirits, especially in Japanese woodblock printing. Many can be traced back to ancient tales, but it was the natural history encyclopedias and bestiaries of the Edo period that helped popularise them (most famous is Sekien Toriyama’s The Illustrated Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, which catalogs over two hundred of them). Lordran is almost purely imaginative, but Sekiro’s Ashina is set securely in Japan during the Sengoku period, and closely draws from surrounding legends and myths.Īlmost all its creatures are a play on yōkai, for example, a diverse group of strange, supernatural creatures. Whereas Dark Souls had everything to do with “lore”, Sekiro more delicately pulls from folklore. It’s a fine balance between the real and the romantic. For every deftly fought duel against a venerable warrior there’s a slug-fest with a headless ape that hurls toxic poo. Fantastic creatures are as important to Sekiro as its samurai and shinobi.
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