Jawnomicon

Yamata no Orochi

Also called YamatanoOrochi.

In Japanese mythology, this formidable eight-headed serpent dwells in rivers and lakes. Each of its heads represents a different element, making it a symbol of immense power and destruction.

At a glance

Tradition
Japanese folklore
Region
Japan (place of origin)Rivers and Lakes (unspecified) (habitat)
Trait family
The Hero-Slain
Symbols
Firelightning

Near this figure

and 8 more
  • Labbu Defeated by a god or hero restoring order · Multi-headed body
  • Lotan Defeated by a god or hero restoring order · Multi-headed body
  • Typhon Body spans multiple valleys or hills · Multi-headed body
  • Calydonian Boar Invulnerability · Armor-like hide
  • El Cuero Invulnerability · Armor-like hide
  • Karkadann Invulnerability · Armor-like hide
  • Ōmukade Invulnerability · Armor-like hide
  • Rakshasa Invulnerability · Multi-headed body

Symbols

Judged against the description by a model. Meanings are our own paraphrase.

Traits

Read from the figure's description, which a model wrote. Open "why" for the sentence a trait came from.

Form

  • Multi-headed body
    why

    This formidable beast is typically depicted as having eight heads and eight tails, each head representing a different elemental force: fire, water, earth, wind, lightning, ice, venom, and spirit.

  • Elemental heads each with distinct power
    why

    This formidable beast is typically depicted as having eight heads and eight tails, each head representing a different elemental force: fire, water, earth, wind, lightning, ice, venom, and spirit.

  • Armor-like hide
    why

    The serpent's scales are said to be impenetrable

  • Body spans multiple valleys or hills
    why

    Its massive body is said to stretch across eight valleys and eight hills, creating a landscape of its own wherever it resides.

  • Serpentine elongated body
    why

    Yamata no Orochi, a legendary creature from Japanese mythology, is a colossal serpent of immense power and terrifying presence.

  • Iron hard armored scales
    why

    The serpent's scales are said to be impenetrable, glimmering with an otherworldly sheen that reflects the various elements it embodies.

Behaviour

  • Demands periodic village sacrifice
    why

    In Japanese folklore, Yamata no Orochi is often portrayed as a malevolent entity, demanding sacrifices from nearby villages and causing widespread destruction.

  • Defeated by a god or hero restoring order
    why

    Its defeat at the hands of the Shinto god Susanoo is a pivotal moment in many mythological narratives, symbolizing the triumph of order over chaos and the power of divine intervention against seemingly insurmountable natural forces.

Offensive powers

  • Elemental attack
    why

    Each of its heads possesses unique abilities corresponding to its elemental affinity, allowing the creature to unleash devastating combinations of attacks.

Defensive powers

  • Invulnerability
    why

    The serpent's scales are said to be impenetrable, glimmering with an otherworldly sheen that reflects the various elements it embodies.

Roles

Judged from the works' own entries, not from the description. Carries: the figure holds the role. Meets: the role is in its stories, held by something it meets.