Yōjin

Yōjin (妖神 Yōjin, lit. Spooky God) is a certain form of paper spirits manifested by Qi.
==Appearance==
Yōjin is the name given to paper spirits taking a form of Asian dragons summoned by Qi. In general, they are traditional Asian dragon with four fingers on each limbs, a characteristic which can be generally found on Korean dragons rather than in China and Japan.
Colorations of body differs from blue, silver, and green with the yellow or red eyes.
==Personality==
Yōjin is loyal to Qi and is very hostile towards enemies. Yōjin is also cautious towards flame yōkai.
==History==
===1985 Anime===
Yōjin appears in the third movie based on the third anime adaptation, GeGeGe no Kitarō: Saikyō Yōkai Gundan! Nippon Jōriku!!.GeGeGe no Kitarō: Saikyō Yōkai Gundan! Nippon Jōriku!! This was the first time that paper spirits summoned by Qi was given specific name and characteristics.
Yōjin was summoned as the trump card for Qi and largely troubled Kitarō and others. However, Maruge witnessed the moment when Qi manifested the paper dragon, Maruge identified that the dragon is indeed a paper spirit. Hearing this, Kitarō summoned Flame Yōkai Five but Bake-Bi with his Yōkai Ocarina to incinerate the dragon. Qi then awoke the unconscious Gahi and countered the Japanese yokai, but Kitarō made the fire yokai to possess his chanchanko and made a spiritual torch which can absorb and enlarge by Gahi's black gust.
Kitarō and others lured Gahi and set a fire on Yōjin, and made the two enormous yokai to collide and tangle. The two then crushed into Qi's castle, resulting in the corruption of it.
===1996 Anime===
Yōjin again appeared as the trump card of Qi, but was soon defeated by two wanyūdōs used as Yagyō-san's Yōkai Car.
This incarnation of Yōjin apparently lacked hind limbs and had a cat-like voice.
===2007 Anime===
A green-colored Yōjin was seen in the second opening and several posters and products regarding the film GeGeGe no Kitarō: Nippon Bakuretsu!!.
==Powers and Abilities==
In the third series, Kitarō gave up to defeat it after seeing its strength until its weakness was reported by Maruge. That Youjin appeared along with thunderclouds with yellowish and reddish lightnings. Additionally, a bolt of energy was seen when Youjin nearly collided with Ubaga-Bi. It is unclear whether or not these phenomenon are parts of Youjin's abilities.
Flight:
*Wind: In 1985 anime, Yōjin can create a strong wind by flying due to its large size. 
Physical durability: Yōjin in the third anine had a solid body as it easily broke multiple trees with headbutts and tackles.
Hair needle reflecting: Yōjin in the third anime could swallow Kitarō's hair needles and reflect the attacks from its mouth.
Barbels:
Fangs:
Claws:
Unique Physiology: Since Yōjin is a manifested form of a paper spirit, it is durable against normal attacks but is extremely vulnerable to fire. It is unclear whether or not water, which is effective on other paper spirits, is also effective on Yōjin.
==Legend==
In the tale Mizuki introduced within his book, the actual Yōjin is a serpentine spirit or a serpentine god who wears a red crown on his head and has countless minions including snakes and lizards and bugs. At one point, Yōjin took over a local shrine which originally belonged to a local god. Yōjin continued to scare people, with illusions such as thousands of soldiers rushing or appearing in one's dream, whoever pass through in front of the shrine but don't put offerings. One man was also scared by Yōjin, but later officers of the heaven helped the man and the original god of the shrine, "killing" a serpent of about several hundred meters in length and countless minions with either heavenly flame or lightning, and took Yōjin to the courthouse of the heaven. Later, Yōjin again appeared in the man's dream and cursed the man because his family and minions were slain, but the officers of the heaven reappeared and persuaded Yōjin, and Yōjin reformed and apologized to the original god and the man, and took his minions and went to hell presumably to pay penalty for his sin.
==Trivia==
*Yōjin in the original illustration by Mizuki shares similarities with the ancient and original form of Chinese letter of "dragon" which depicts a serpent wearing a crown.
*One of paper spirits summoned by Qi in the second anime was a dragon-like monster with a head of a human and fins of fish. This is sometimes mistaken as Yōjin by Japanese fans.
==References==
==Navigation==
Category:Characters
Category:Yōkai
Category:Spirit-like Yōkai
Category:Dragon-like Yōkai
Category:Chinese Yōkai
Category:Antagonists
Category:Anime original characters
Category:Flying Yōkai
Category:Chinese Mythology
Category:Wind Yōkai
Category:Paper Yōkai
Category:Kaijū
Category:Antagonist (1996)
Category:Antagonist (1985)
Category:Snake Yōkai
Category:Paint Yōkai