Yo-kai

**Yo-kai** (**妖怪**, **Yōkai**) are supernatural beings that appear throughout the *Yo-kai Watch* series. They are usually responsible for most of the natural occurrences that happen in everyday life, the vast majority of time appearing invisible to humans, but with a Yo-kai Watch searchlight, they can be found and be dealt with.

They come in many different forms, with most of them being based on Japanese folklore or mythology that have several design liberties applied to them usually based on wordplay. Yo-kai also come in different types, such as Classic Yo-kai, which are entirely designed off original Japanese *youkai*, and 'Merican Yo-kai, which have American-inspired designs.

Just like humans, Yo-kai are known to have lives of their own. They're usually created from the death of a living being or the loss of an object, and gets their own Yo-kai Medal or Keystone when they become one. Certain Yo-kai usually lasts for centuries such as Komasan, and little is known how a Yo-kai dies of old age. They also have Spirits that are left behind if they abruptly die, but can come back to life once it is returned.

## Overview

### Yo-kai Special Power

**Yo-kai Special Power** (**ヨーカイ・スペシャル・パワー**, **Yokai supeshyaru pawa**), or commonly abbreviated as **YSP** (**YSP**, **Wai esu pii**) for short is a type of genetic found inside humans who have the ability to see, control and summon Yo-kai, Onryo and other spiritual beings. Humans who have such power can also transform into a Yo-kai Hero via the YSP Watch, or use other select Yo-kai to transform into a Maijin Hero, most notably those of Classic Yo-kai.

If a Yo-kai loses their life, their spirit flies out of the body, and goes into a human whom are instantly born with an appearance reminiscent of their original Yo-kai self. It usually goes into an unborn human relative to whom has developed a bond with the Yo-kai during their life, such as Miho where her mother Amy had a strong friendship with Rudy before the latter's death. In other instances, it can be born from an alternate-universe counterpart, such as Kinya Daiouji who is the reincarnation of the late Ancient Enma's daughter Emma Daiouji having the power of Lord Enma.

## Yo-kai Types

Yo-kai are divided into different types that are applied to their appearance and personality. Depending on the type, the design of their Yo-kai Medal can vary.

### Boss Yo-kai

* **Boss Yo-kai** (ボス妖怪, *Bosu Yōkai*): Yo-kai are powerful enemy Yo-kai which the player cannot befriend or recruit, and are typically stronger than most Yo-kai the player has met up to that point.

### Legendary Yo-kai

* **Legendary Yo-kai** (レジェンド妖怪, *Rejendo Yōkai, **Legend Yo-kai***): A group of powerful Yo-kai that can only be befriended after filling out the Legend Pages in the Yo-kai Medallium, which is done by collecting certain sets of Yo-kai Medals to break the seal surrounding a specific Legendary Yo-kai, with each seal requiring a different set of Yo-kai. Like every Yo-kai, a Legendary Yo-kai falls under one of the tribes. Unlike every other kind of Yo-kai that from their respective tribes, Legendary Yo-kai's summoning chant are very unique, bombastic and grandiose.

#### 'Merican Legendary Yo-kai

* **'Merican Legendary Yo-kai** (メリケンレジェンド妖怪, *Meriken Rejendo Yōkai, **Merican Legend Yo-kai***): A group of Legendary Yo-kai from BBQ, like 'Merican Yo-kai, introduced in *Yo-kai Watch 3*.

#### Legendary VIP Yo-kai

* **Pioneer Legendary Yo-kai** (偉人レジェンド妖怪, *Ijin Rejendo Yōkai, **Great Legend Yo-kai***): A special group of Legendary Yo-kai in *Yo-kai Watch 3,* who were originally famous people before their death. Notably, all of them sport a five-pointed sheriff-like star with the kana イ, meaning "I", which stands for "Ijin" (偉人, kanji for "Great Man").

#### Commander Legendary Yo-kai

* **Commander Legendary Yo-kai** (武将レジェンド妖怪, *Bushō Rejendo Yōkai*):

#### Mystery Legendary Yo-kai

* **Mystery Legendary Yo-kai** (ミステリーレジェンド妖怪, *Misuterī Rejendo Yōkai, **Mystery Legend Yo-kai***) are a special class of Legendary Yo-kai debuting in *Yo-kai Watch 3*. Many of the Yo-kai in this group are based on ancient civilizations, with a large number of Mystery Legendary Yo-kai having Egyptian themes.

#### Crystal Legendary Yo-kai

* **Crystal Legendary Yo-kai** (**Cレジェンド妖怪**, **Kurisutaru Rejendo Yōkai**) are Legendary Yo-kai introduced in both *Yo-kai Watch Busters 2* and *Yo-kai Watch: Wibble Wobble*. These Legendaries are basically the Gemnyan equivalent of the first 8 Legendary Yo-kai.

### Yo-Criminals

* **Yo-Criminals** (指名手配妖怪, *Shimeitehai Yōkai*): also known as *Wanted Yo-kai*, are a group of Yo-kai which cannot be befriended, and instead must be fought and captured for a crime they committed, which mostly all revolve around vandalism and disrupting the peace. They are notable for all being color variations of normal Yo-kai.

### Present Yo-kai

* **Present Yo-kai** (イマドキ妖怪, *Imadoki Yōkai*): is an un-official name giving to Yo-kai who hail from the present day of Japan in time within the *Yo-kai Watch* series, given this name retroactively following the release of *Yo-kai Watch 2* and the *Classic Yo-kai*.

### Rare Yo-kai

* **Rare Yo-kai** (レア妖怪, *Rea Yōkai*): are a select group of Yo-kai that are typically difficult to encounter and befriend, and some can (additionally or exclusively) be freed from the *Crank-a-kai*, while others need an item pulled from the Crank-a-kai to make them appear in the overworld. A good number of Rare Yo-kai, especially those of which that originated in *Yo-kai Watch*, are color-swapped versions of other, more commonly found Yo-kai.

### White Yo-kai

* **White Yo-kai**: are a type of Yo-kai found in Yo-kai Watch. They are regular or hard-to-find Yo-kai under the influence of McKraken. They appear in both the Yo-kai World and Springdale but cannot be befriended due to being controlled by McKraken's anti-human propaganda.

### Classic Yo-kai

* **Classic Yo-kai** (古典妖怪, *Koten Yōkai*): Yo-kai introduced in *Yo-kai Watch 2* which are wholly based on the youkai of classic Japanese folklore. They can only be found in the past.

### Local Yo-kai

* **Local Yo-kai** (ご当地妖怪, *Gotochi Yōkai*): are a group of *Rare Yo-kai* which debuted in *Yo-kai Watch 2*.
	+ **Gotochinyan** (ご当地ニャン, *Gotōji nyan*): are a group of *Local Yo-kai* exclusive in *Yo-kai Watch World*.

### Commander Yo-kai

* **Commander Yo-kai** (武将妖怪, *Bushō Yōkai*): are Yo-kai themed after the major players of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms epic. They appear in *Yo-kai Sangokushi*.

### 'Merican Yo-kai

* **'Merican Yo-kai** (メリケン妖怪, *Meriken Yōkai*): Yo-kai introduced in *Yo-kai Watch 3*. As the name implies, they are from America. They are considered a subgroup of Present-Day Yo-kai.

### Deva Yo-kai

* **Deva Yo-kai** (神妖怪, *Kami Yōkai*): are a select group of powerful Yo-kai that are introduced in *Yo-kai Watch 3*, following the 2.0 Update and the release of Sukiyaki.

### Kuroi Yo-kai

* **Kuroi Yo-kai** (黒い妖怪, *Kuroi Yōkai*):

### Goku Yo-kai

* **Goku Yo-kai** (極妖怪, *Goku Yōkai*): are a set of 5 Yo-kai introduced in *Yo-kai Watch: Wibble Wobble*. They are *SSS Rank Yo-kai* of various tribes under the control of Rinne. They all seem to be criminals and fugtives of the law of sorts.

### Treasure Yo-kai

* **Treasure Yo-kai** (秘宝妖怪, *Hihō Yōkai*): are a select group of powerful Yo-kai that are introduced in *Yo-kai Watch 3*, following the 4.0 Update. Much like the *Mystery Legendary Yo-kai*, the Treasure Yo-kai are powerful Yo-kai that are based on civilizations in antiquity.

### Genma Yo-kai

* **Genma** (幻魔, *Genma*) **Yo-kai**: are Yo-kai summoned by the *Yo-kai Watch Ogre*.

### Kenbumajin Yo-kai

* **Kenbumajin** (剣武魔神, *Kenbumajin*) **Yo-kai**: are Yo-kai introduced in *Yo-kai Watch Shadowside*. They're of the same status as the *Genjuu*.

### Genjuu Yo-kai

* **Genjuu** (幻獣, *Genjuu*) **Yo-kai**: are Yo-kai introduced in *Yo-kai Watch Shadowside*. They're of the same status as the *Kenbumajin*.

### Onryo

* **Onryo** (**怨霊**, **Onryou**) are a type of Yo-kai introduced in the Yo-kai Watch Jam series, notably the 6th movie and the TV series.

### Yo-kai Hero

* **Yo-kai Heroes** (妖怪HERO（ヒーロー, *Yōkai Hīrō*) are humans possessed by Onryo introduced in the *Yo-kai Watch Jam series*, notably the 6th movie and the TV series.

## See Also

* Youkai Army Corps - Kakuranger's Main Villains.
* Kibaoni Army Corps - Ninninger's Main Villains, a clan of Yokai who are led by the warlord Gengetsu Kibaoni.