Funa-Yūrei

Funa-Yūrei (舟幽霊 Funa-Yūrei, lit. Boat Spirit) are yōkai from the sea. They are used as minions by Umizatō.
==Appearance==
In the 2007 anime, the Funa-Yūrei have long gray hair that covers their faces and reaches their waists, thin frames with bony hands and pale purple skin. They still wear the traditional kyōkatabira, a white burial kimono and the white triangle headband is visibly larger.
Within the 2018 anime, the Funa-Yūrei have longer black hair that reaches below their waists, though they are possibly wigs as shown with Shōji as a Funa-Yūrei who removes it before his soul returns. Their skin is light blue and they appear to be less thin than in previous series. Their outfits still consists of the burial kimono, but now appears to be slightly tattered and the triangle headband is now smaller.
==Behavior==
==History==
===Manga ===
In the manga, it is stated that anyone that drowns in the sea is taken by Umizatō.
===1968 Anime===
===1985 Anime===
Funa-Yūrei appear in episode #50 of the third anime adaptation, Yōkai Umizatō's Anger.GeGeGe no Kitarō (1985): Episode 50
===1996 Anime===
===2007 Anime===
Funa-Yūrei appear in episode four of the fifth anime adaptation, Be a Man! Ittan-Momen.GeGeGe no Kitarō (2007): Episode 4
===2018 Anime===
====Pre-Series====
During the Edo Period, Funa-Yūrei were used by Umizatō to sink the Kitamaebune cargo ships when they crossed into the Sakaiminato Bay, asking for ladles and using them to sink the ships for their treasures.
====Series====
Years later when Umizatō is freed from his sealed stone container, he forces a group of fishermen into the water, including Shōji and Kinopi, stealing and locking their souls, turning them into Funa-Yūrei to serve him. The next day they surround a ship with fog and continuously asking for a ladle until one sailor gives in and throws a ladle into the water. They stop, seemingly pacified until their arms appear and start pouring water into the ship, several start climbing into the boat and pushing the fishermen out of the boat, one by one until only Mana is left. One grabs her and dumps her out into the sea, telling her to run. Later they surround Kitarō's boat, asking again for a ladle, which he throws one. The arms appears trying to sink the boat, but are in vain as their ladles lack a bottom to hold any water. When their master appears and orders them to stop the townsfolk from freeing the souls. The majority of the Funa-Yūrei start pulling on the rope, commencing a game of tug of war while several Funa-Yūrei try to climb into the boat Mana is on, but only one manages to get in. The ones participating in the tug of war are able to overpower the townsfolk, nearly pulling them into the water, but the rest of the Kitarō Family arrives and aides the townsfolk. This causes the Funa-Yūrei to be pulled out of the water, finally opening the metal door, releasing the souls and allowing them to return to their bodies. The Funa-Yūrei on the boat with Mana is revealed to be her Shōji, who has broken free from Umizatō's control and assists in his defeat, freeing Kitarō who finishes him off, as his soul returns to him.GeGeGe no Kitarō (2018): Episode 16
==Powers and Abilities==
Funa-Yūrei Conversion: The Funa-Yūrei are able to turn people into more Funa-Yūrei by pushing them off their boats.
==Legend==
Funa-Yūrei are the spirits of those who died at sea and appear at night to sink boats passing by. Multiple Funa-Yūrei would appear and prevent the boat from moving, demanding to be offered a ladle, which if given, would be used to fill the boat with water and sink it. But they will be unable to sink the boat if given a ladle with its bottom missing.
On windy and rainy nights, the Funa-Yūrei would make bonfires to mislead boatmen into following them, as bonfires were used to alert travelers where land was. Anyone who follows the Funa-Yūrei's trap would be captured and drowned.
==References==
==Navigation==
Category:Article stubs
Category:Characters
Category:Yōkai
Category:Japanese Mythology
Category:Water Yōkai
Category:Human-like Yōkai
Category:Antagonists
Category:Former antagonists
Category:Former humans
Category:Former Antagonist (1996)