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[[caption-width-right:350:[[WesternAnimation/IAmWeasel I AM WEASEL]] MOTHUFUCKA![[note]]Clockwise: Kamatari from ''Franchise/{{Naruto}}'', Weavile from ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'', Kamaitachi from ''VideoGame/Nioh2'' and Kyukimon from ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}''[[/note]]]]

-> ''"You are walking outside and suddenly discover that your leg has been cut as if with a sharp blade. This is said to be the work of a kamaitachi-- literally a "sickle weasel.""''
-->-- ''The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore''

Kamaitachi - known to English speakers as the "Scythe Weasel" or "Sickle Weasel" - is a type of {{Youkai}} that can be found in various [[UsefulNotes/TheFortySevenPrefectures regions in Japan]], most commonly in the mountains of Koushin'etsu.

Kamaitachi are reported to operate in trios that follow a [[FighterMageThief Thief, Fighter, Mage]] setup: the first one knocks down a traveler with a gust of wind, the second cuts the traveler with its sickle-like claws, and the third applies an ointment that stops the bleeding, leaving the victim with bloodless but inexplicably large and painful wounds. The reasons for this depend on the region, as while some believe that the scars they create on their victims are a part of a competition between them, others believe that they subsist on blood and feed from the cuts they make.

They're essentially the personification of the pain felt during a bitterly cold wind, and are [[PeeveGoblins Japanese culture's answer to a scientific phenomenon]] where shallow cuts appear on the legs of travelers in mountainous regions, believed to be caused by small debris carried by stray air currents. The British Medical Journal Spontaneous Wound Report even calls it "kamaitachi disease" after the beast of legend.

In pop culture, their appearance can often differ, often ranging from the size of your average weasel to bigger than a horse, their behavior often predatory. Their iconic blades are either a part of their bodies or they could even carry around [[SinisterScythe real-steel farming tools that evoke the image]]. Being {{Youkai}}, they are seen as magical beings with a strong affinity towards [[BlowYouAway wind]] and [[AnIcePerson ice magic]].

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!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Jack in ''[[Anime/BakutenShootBeyblade Beyblade V-Force]]'' has a kamaitachi as bit-beast. It's only one weasel and not a trio of them, though. Jack used it to do some serious harm not only to Dranzer, but also to Kai, without anyone seeing the actual attack.
* ''Manga/{{Doraemon}}'': An episode of the 2005 anime sees Doraemon using a gadget to summon a kamaitachi, after Nobita gets laughed at by Gian and Suneo for believing kamaitachis exists. Said kamaitachi is named kuku and is surprisingly adorable.
* ''Literature/{{Durarara}}'': Izaya jokes that he's a kamaitachi after shaving a thug's head with his knife in a split second.
* ''Webcomic/TheGodOfHighSchool'' features the kamaitachi Charyeok, a spirit-beast from whom the character Nagia Midori can borrow power. Unlike nearly every other example of the trope, this version has not displayed any offensive power and has only been used for movement and rescue.
* ''Manga/HellTeacherNube'': The kamaitachi show up in all their glory: the eldest sibling carries a cudgel to knock people over or inflict severe bruises; the middle sibling's forelegs are shaped like {{Absurdly Sharp Blade}}s which can literally cut up anything and anyone; the youngest carries a jar filled with a mending balm. Makoto inadvertently takes the latter as a pet, and as the elder ones tried to find it they bring catastrophe to the town -- nearly killing Nube by slicing him in half until Makoto finally releases the younger kamaitachi and it heals the teacher with its balm.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': Temari has a special technique that involves summoning a kamaitachi. She is the [[BlowYouAway wind user]], while the kamaitachi does the cutting. The only time it was used, the opponent was too dead to notice if the bleeding had stopped.
* ''Manga/NuraRiseOfTheYokaiClan'': Itaku is a kamaitachi that can appear as a ninja or as a weasel-faced demon.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** The [[Anime/OnePieceFilmStrongWorld tenth movie]] features, among the other creatures under Shiki's rule, the Tsujigiri Itachi (killer weasel), which actually wield small scythes with blades made from a Kenju (sword-tree) leaf.
** The pirate Cavendish is known, among other titles, as the "Kamaitachi of Rommel", thanks to [[spoiler:his SplitPersonality that can move and cut down people so fast that it looks like the wind itself is doing it]].
* One shows up in the first chapter of ''Manga/SandLand'' as part of Prince Beelzebub's raiding party. When one of the humans tries to use holy water on the Prince, he intercepts it, pointing out that such items don't work on Japanese demons.
* ''Music/{{Tsukipro}} The Animation 2'' features the Theatre/TsukinoHyakkiYakou {{Yokai}} AU, in which QUELL's twins Ichiru and Issei, as well as SOARA's Ren, are ALittleBitBeastly Kamaitachi.
* ''Manga/UshioAndTora'': Two sets of kamaitachi siblings appear. The first help the heroes out (and one even falls for Tora, though he doesn't return it), the second are PsychosForHire. Most notably, they can conjure their sickle blades from their bodies even when in human form, the latter three even have gimmicks related to their blades (The first can form giant flesh-rending scissors, the second can conjure spinning blades from his arms and legs, the third can expel his scythes to form projectiles.)
* ''Anime/YukiYunaIsAHero'': Fu's FairyCompanion Kamatachi grants her throwing knives.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Card Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/YuGiOh'': The Yosenju archetype. Yosenju Kamaitachi is the gust of wind (it returns an opponent's card to the hand), Yosenju Kamanitachi cuts the opponent (it can attack directly), and Yosenju Kamamitachi applies the ointment (it adds a Yosenju to your hand).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* A sickle-wielding, shadow-bodied Kamaitachi appears in ''Series/Akumaizer3'' as an [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Akuma Clan]] [[MonsterOfTheWeek captain]].
* ''Franchise/SuperSentai'':
** Kamaitachi appear as MonstersOfTheWeek in ''Series/NinjaSentaiKakuranger'' and ''Series/ShurikenSentaiNinninger'' (with the latter being adapted in ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaSteel'' as brothers Ripperat and Trapsaw).
** The RazorWind powers of Ootsumuji in ''Series/SamuraiSentaiShinkenger'', who was adapted into Scorpionic in ''Series/PowerRangersSamurai'', make him the basis for the Kamaitachi.
* ''Series/UltramanOrb'' makes reference to a kaiju named Kamaitadon, described in a book as a weasel creature with RazorWind powers and carrying a giant sickle, which SSP thinks has been leaving slash marks on buildings. However, said slash marks turn out to be the work of [[BigBad Juggler]], so whether the monster actually exists is a mystery.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/{{Malifaux}}'': Kamaitachi can be summoned by the Ten Thunders faction.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'': Kamaitachi are malicious fey creatures resembling flying weasels with curved blades instead of legs, who delight in causing pain and suffering. They have the ability to delay the actual damage caused by their slashing claws -- effectively, someone they cut won't actually start bleeding and hurting until the kamaitachi decides they should -- and use this to force people to shame and demean themselves in exchange for their lives.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theatre]]
* Theatre/TsukinoHyakkiYakou features the idols of ''Music/{{Tsukipro}}'' as various {{Yokai}} -- ''Natsu Yume Matsuri'' and ''Seibou no Kanata'' feature Ichiru and Issei as kamaitachi. ''Iirenren'' has Arata as a kamaitachi, and ''Tengoku'' has Ren. All appear as human but ALittleBitBeastly.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* The visual novel ''[[VisualNovel/BansheesLastCry Banshee's Last Cry]]'' is known in Japan as ''Kamaitachi no Yoru'' ("Night of the Kamaitachi") where players investigate a series of murders in a snowy cabin retreat which may or may not have been committed by the titular weasel. Along with other [[DubNameChange localization tweaks]], this was changed to a [[OurBansheesAreLouder banshee]] for the English version to accommodate Western players not familiar with the legend.
* ''[[VideoGame/BreathOfFire Breath of Fire 6]]'' featured a race of anthropomorphic weasel-folk called the Kamaitachi Clan, with some joining the player as AI-controlled partners. They are particularly known for their agility, and included Jubei, an archer, and Masamune, a swordsman.
* There are two kamaitachi-based Digimon in ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'', the first being Kyuukimon and the second being Reppamon. Kyuukimon, "kyuuki" meaning "supply of air", is a straightforward adaptation, though it comes alone instead of in a set of three. It uses both wind and its arm blades to attack. Reppamon, "reppa" coming from "reppaku" meaning "cutting through fabric", is a liberal adaptation. Rather than arm blades, its tail is a blade. Like Kyuukimon, it operates alone and combines wind powers with mundane slashing.
* ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey'': Multiple games in the series have Kamaitachi as enemies known as Wind Cutter, Windsnip, or Illgaze. ''VideoGame/EtrianOdysseyNexus'' includes a quest to investigate strange icy winds that have been knocking other explorers down with strange slashes at their ankles, naturally it turns out to be a stronger Icy Wind Cutter.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'''s ''Stormblood'' expansion features a large Kamaitachi boss in the Hells' Lid dungeon who attacks with a variety of slashing and wind-based abilities.
** The Ninja job also has an ability called Phantom Kamaitachi where a phantom image of the user attacks a group of enemies with slicing wind.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'': One of the Geomancer skills is a wind attack called Kamaitachi which can trigger the Paralyze (i.e. Don't Act) status ailment.
* ''VideoGame/GhostsNGoblins'': Among the first enemies Sir Arthur faces in ''Ghouls 'n Ghosts'' are kamaitachi, depicted as small floating creatures with scythes that turn into tornados.
* Kamaitachi are one of the capturable yokai inhabiting Tokyo in ''VideoGame/GhostwireTokyo''.
* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'': While the critter itself doesn't appear in the game, there is an item (called Weasel's Claw in the translation) that lets the user attack with Jupiter (wind) Psynergy by hurling RazorWind at enemies.
* In the original ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'', Baiken has a special move called Kamaitachi (renamed Kabari ("fishing fly") in subsequent games), where she grabs an opponent with a metal claw attached to a chain kept up her sleeve.
* ''[[VideoGame/InazumaEleven Inazuma Eleven GO 2: Chrono Stone]]'' introduces the Avatar Youki Kamaitachi/Thin Air Slasher Sickle Weasel. As its dub name implies, it manifests into a weasel with giant claws. When used together with the technique Whirlwind Blade, the Avatar turns into a really fast wind energy that allows the user to dribble past the opponent.
* A trio of kamaitachi, known as the Gale Ninja Squad, are among the Unidentified Mysterious Animals in the 2015 game that launched the ''Anime/KemonoFriends'' franchise. The group consists of Kamaitachi Ten (Shift), armed with a kaginawa, Kamaitachi Setsu (Cut), armed with a kusarigama, and Kamaitachi Chi (Cure), armed with a kusuri-dansu. They are punishers of evil.
* In ''VideoGame/LaMulana'', Kamaitachi first shows up as a MiniBoss in the Graveyard of the Giants, and reappears in Hell Temple.
* Kamaitachi is an NPC from ''VideoGame/MapleStory'' who wears an appropriately-themed weasel onesie complimented by a giant scythe.
* Hurricaune the Wolveroid from ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'' is a kamaitachi-styled Pseudoroid boss with propeller blades on her hands, feet, and neck imbued with the power of wind and electricity.
* ''VideoGame/MuramasaTheDemonBlade'' features a series of swords, going from 3 Kamaitachi to 5 Kamaitachi. The user spins holding the sword out in a rainbow like arc, and the number indicates the total of clones plus the user that use the move.
* The first boss of ''VideoGame/{{Musya}}'', depicted as a bipedal, humanoid weasel who can breath fire and attack you with it's front claws.
* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'': The GameMod ''[[https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/mc-mods/kindred-legacy Kindred Legacy]]'' adds in an assortment of ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}''-themed mobs with special traits, one of which combines the Pokemon ''Mienshao'' with the Swordie Seru monsters from ''VideoGame/LegendOfLegaia'' to create a mob known as the ''[[http://fav.me/d7kgbc2 Swordie Mienshao]]'', a highly aggressive entity with sharp blades replacing its arm fur that'll try to slash and dice through almost ''any living entity'' it bumps into (minus passive mobs and the explosive Creepers as to prevent [[{{Griefer}} griefing]], according to the mod creator).
* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterRise'': The Izuchi are weasel-[[DinosaursAreDragons raptors]] with sickle-bladed tails, and are inspired by the Kamaitachi. Their KingMook is Great Izuchi.
* The fourth ''VideoGame/MonsterRancher'' game introduces the Ripper species, a bipedal weasel with sickles on their arms and a claw-like tail, known for their high accuracy and speed. They're able to create razor sharp winds to attack their opponent.
* ''VideoGame/NamcoXCapcom'': The game features the Blue, Orange, and Red Kamaitachies, which subsequently reappear in the ''VideoGame/EndlessFrontier'' and ''VideoGame/ProjectXZone'' games. They're the basic grunts of Ouma, who attack with the usual wind and claw attacks, either spewing a tornado and/or sickle boomerang, or slashing enemies up close and personal.
* ''VideoGame/TheNinjaWarriorsAgain'': The third player character is named Kamaitaichi, and is heavily based off them, being a dual-sickle wielding SkeleBot9000 who serves as the "Speed" of the BalanceSpeedStrengthTrio.
* A trailer from ''VideoGame/Nioh2'' shows the player fighting a gigantic Kamaitachi (appearing as a giant, mark-covered weasel with huge scythe blades emerging from her body) in a forest at night. The beast can perform a RollingAttack which can actually cut down trees caught in range, as well as impale the player.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}'', the Kamaitachi (translated as Poltergeist) come in the form of three sickle-wielding weasels that can fight separately or join their weapons together to form a wheel of blades. Instead of just [[BlowYouAway wind]] they can also use the elements of [[PlayingWithFire fire]], [[ShockAndAwe lightning]] and [[AnIcePerson ice]].
* ''VideoGame/Onmyoji2016'': Appears as a monster and attainable ''shikigami'' as a weasel version of the TotemPoleTrench.
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
** The [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver Generation II]] [[Characters/PokemonGenerationIIFamilies Sneasel]] and [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl its Gen IV evolution Weavile]] are weasel-like, bipedal [[AnIcePerson Ice-types]] with razor-sharp claws, and inspired by the legend of the kamaitachi. Interestingly, [[WhatCouldHaveBeen Sneasel was actually based more on a kamaitachi]] (at least in terms of appearance) as revealed in a leaked prototype of the games seen in Space World '97. [[https://tcrf.net/images/b/be/PokeGoldDemo-front_246.png Here are the ingame]] [[https://tcrf.net/images/e/eb/PokeGoldDemo-back_246.png images of it]] for those who are curious.
** [[VideoGame/PokemonRubyandSapphire Generation III]] has [[Characters/PokemonGenerationIIITreeckoToSharpedo Linoone]], a speedy, badger-like Pokemon that has kamaitachi qualities.
** [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Generation V]]'s [[Characters/PokemonGenerationVMinccinoToVolcarona Mienfoo and Mienshao]] are also based on them; according to the Pokedex, Mienfoo make up their packs in numbers and use their (normally unseen) claws to slice through enemies, and while Meinshao don't attack with claws, they instead utilize their arm fur as whips.
** [[VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus Generation VIII]]'s Hisuian Sneasel and its evolution Sneasler are poisonous [[UndergroundMonkey regional variants]] of their Generation II cousins while retaining the originals' preference for living in cold, mountainous areas. Sneasler's claws are longer and more akin to a traditional kamaitachi with the functional benefit of being able to climb walls.
* Various enemies from the RPG ''VideoGame/SailorMoonAnotherStory'' use an attack called Kamaitachi which strikes multiple targets with a series of slicing attacks.
* Despite only being a weasel in the broadest sense, Ashigumo the river otter from ''VideoGame/SakunaOfRiceAndRuin'' is an anthropomorphic mustelid who uses a scythe and darts around at hyper speed.
* ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'': In the "Devil Kids" line, Kamaitachi appears as a potential demon ally. Additionally, one of the Wind type fusion attacks in ''VideoGame/Persona2'' is named "Kamaitachi", in honor of this youkai.
* The boss of the Storm Fortress of Kh'lar in ''VideoGame/{{Skyblazer}}'' is an anthropomorphic weasel which [[DoppelgangerAttack generates two clones]] and attacks with whirlwinds.
* The Slicer enemies from ''VideoGame/SuikodenII'' are Kamaitachi (and named as such in the Japanese version). ''VideoGame/SuikodenIII'' also features the Sickle-Weasel Rune, simply called the Sickle Rune in ''VideoGame/SuikodenV'', which are known as the Kamaitachi Rune in Japan.
* ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'': The Mink Noise are based on Kamaitachi. All of them have long claws and a tendency to [[SpinAttack make themselves into whirlwinds]]. There's even a pair fought together as an OptionalBoss.
* ''VideoGame/YokaiWatch'': ''VideoGame/YokaiWatch3'' introduces Kamaitachi (or Whirlweasel for the English version), a humanoid weasel-like yokai who hails from the Charming tribe and carries a scythe as a weapon.
[[/folder]]
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