Jorogumo
Description
Spider that lived 400 years transforms into a seductive woman to trap men in her web. Plays a biwa lute to lure victims into her lair
The Legend
Jorōgumo (絡新婦) is a yokai from Japanese folklore, a being that has the ability to transform into a beautiful woman. This name is derived from the term 女郎蜘蛛, meaning 'woman-spider', and is also written in kanji as 絡新婦, which means 'entangled newlywed woman'. In Toriyama Sekien's 'Kazu Hayaki Yagyō', she is depicted as a spider woman who controls small fire-breathing spiders. Jorōgumo also refers to certain species of spiders such as Nephila and Argiope, and entomologists who speak Japanese use the katakana form ジョロウグモ specifically for the spider species Trichonephila clavata.
In Popular Culture
Jorōgumo appears in various forms in modern popular culture. In Keri Arthur's novel 'Darkness Unmasked', Jorōgumo is the main antagonist in Melbourne, killing female musicians and taking their forms to perform in clubs, seducing men. In 2012, an OVA titled 'Wasurenagumo' features a young Jorōgumo as the protagonist, embarking on an adventure to find her mother after being accidentally freed in modern times. In 'Demon Slayer', a spider demon (mother) appears with a design inspired by Jorōgumo, and in 'One Piece', a character named Black Maria is depicted as having the abilities of Jorōgumo. Additionally, Jorōgumo appears in various works, reinterpreting the image of this traditional Japanese yokai in a modern context.
This article is based on the Wikipedia article "Jorōgumo" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia
Abilities
- 변신
- 유혹