Yamoi Tsurui

Yamoi Tsurui (やもいつるい) is an Ishigakian folk character created in 1777 for a series of books. The character has since become a personification of Ishigaki and its relation with merpeople, with Yamoi Tsurui's setting being equiparable to Orience's Ryugu.
==Premise==
The first Yamoi Tsurui book was written by a group of four Ishigakian writers: two Furugas and two Oriencians. The Furugas came up with the name Yamoi Tsurui as both the name (Yamoi) and the surname (Tsurui) were common names for Furuga merpeople at the time of writing.
The story of the classical series of Yamoi Tsurui books (published between 1777 and 1804) depicts a merman that's young in appearance named Yamoi Tsurui. He lives in a coastal town with his younger brother, Yaroi Tsurui.
The character was created following one of the writers having reportedly seen two merboys. At the time, it wasn't customary for them to have names. When the write woke up, he decided to name the main character Yamoi Tsurui. He also had an idea for Yaroi Tsurui, but there was a conflict. It was settled and the concept of two main characters was created with Yamoi being the main one and Yaroi being the brother.
==Characters==
*Yamoi Tsurui: The main character. Yamoi is self-determined and is considered to be a wanderer of the seas. Despite his nomadic attitude he lives in a small sea hut.
*Yaroi Tsurui: Yamoi's younger brother. He isn't as much as a wanderer like Yamoi, but always seems to have an attachment to him.
*Fumie: Yamoi's love.
==Adaptations==
===Film===
The first film adaptation of Yamoi Tsurui was made by Hideaki Takakura, founder of the Takakura Film Company in 1918, while testing his animation skills. The film was believed lost until 2008 when it was discovered and became a "national treasure".
===Television===
IBS broadcast a Yamoi Tsurui ishidorama in 1990. This led to the creation of a series of dramas, often less than ten episodes in length, starring merman actors playing Yamoi's role. Key examples include Nuri, first shown in 2004, at the time considered to be the most expensive production ever made for an Ishigakian network.
Lenapore did make an adaptation, Lenaporean Yamoi Tsurui. Slightly more comical in nature, the series depicts Yamoi as Lenaporean in the current age.
===Animation===
A successful ishinime television series, Tsurui's Child, ran on television in Ishigaki. The series is more childish in nature due to its intended target audience.
===Other===
Yamoi Tsurui is mentioned in many Furuga songs.
Cities in Ishigaki have "Yamoi Tsurui shrines". Most of these were erected in 1850 at earliest and have been considered important gathering sites for Ishigakian authors.
Characters inspired by Yamoi Tsurui are used as the mascots of the Okutawa Broadcasting Corporation (ONN affiliate) in Ningyojima prefecture (Oriencian yet close to Ishigaki). The mascots are known as Rogyo and Ninku. Each name is derived from the words "roku" (as in "channel 6") and "ningyo".
Yamoi Tsurui is used as a mascot for the Ishigaki Tourism Board.
==Cultural references==
In 1990, the Ishigakian government promoted Yamoi Tsurui as its national personification.
Yamoi Tsurui is seen as a symbol of integrity with Ishigaki, as well as building links to the world.