OEL manga series by Nina Matsumoto (aka
SpaceCoyote
), currently consisting of two volumes. The story revolves around Hamachi, a young boy fascinated by Yokai (Japanese spirits) even while others are repulsed by and/or terrified of them. After a vengeful Kappa, Madkap, takes his grandmother's spirit, Hamachi journeys into the Yokai realm in order to seek his own vengeance. Along the way, he meets a lot of strange, strange Yokai.
Yokaiden provides examples of:
- All of the Other Reindeer: Inukai Mizuki is ostracized because of his love for Yokai. Hamachi is too, but to a lesser extent.
- Anachronism Stew: And how!
- Berserk Button: Don't make fun of Lumi. And especially don't make fun of her in pun form.
- Dangerously Genre Savvy: Hamachi tries to retrieve a sword from a Tengu by offering him a piece of bamboo he claims can see far into the distance, reenacting the classic tale of the boy who tricked a Tengu for his invisibility cloak through similar means. The Tengu plays along with it for a moment, before calling Hamachi out on it.
Tengu: That's the oldest trick in the fairy-tale book!
- Deadpan Snarker: Lumi.
- The Ditz: Kuzu, the paper umbrella Yokai.
- Embarrassing Nickname: Madkap doesn't like being called Madkap. Possibly because it insinuates that his only character trait is being mad all the time.
- Lumi as well. It's safe to say that anyone Hamachi gives a nickname to isn't going to like said nickname.
- Eye Scream: Although you don't get to see the aftermath ...
- Hellgate The portal to the Yokai realm. Not to be confused with the portal to Hell.
King Enma: I am the great King Enma: ruler of the underworld. Come closer, and I will show you true fear −
Hamachi: I said portal to the realm, not the portal to Hell!
- Honest Axe: When Hamachi is trying to bargain with a Tengu in the Yokai realm, he offers him magic beans and a glass slipper before asking, "Did you drop the silver axe or the golden axe?"
- Hypocritical Humor: When Hamachi shows his chopped-off Kappa foot to the Namahage, a Yokai who cuts the skin off of children's feet.
Namahage: Ick! How can you wear that around your neck?!
Hamachi: Don't you slice off the skin of kids' feet?
- Life or Limb Decision: Hamachi chops off Madkap's leg after he gets it caught in a trap. Madkap isn't happy about it.
Madkap: I don't want to hop around on one foot for the rest of my life!
- Also, Inukai Mizuki cuts off his arm after a boulder falls on it.
- My Card: Mister BetoBeto gives one to Kyumon.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: Binzuru's Tengu disguise. Complete with a little sign that says, "Hi I'm a Tengu."
- Parental Abandonment: Hamachi's parents died of tuberculosis. In Volume 2, it's revealed that they actually died from "an encounter with a falling tree." After visiting Hamachi in ghost-form, a priestess sends their spirits to rest, and her family tells Hamachi that his parents had tuberculosis.
- The Pollyanna: Hamachi.
- Ronin: Kyumon Zaigo.
- Rule of Three: The main plot of volume 2 has Hamachi retrieving three hard-to-get items for Christina, the Ninetails.
- Shout Out: In Volume 1, as Hamachi prepares to go into the Yokai realm, he gathers supplies in the same manner as a certain Sin City resident ...
Hamachi: Shakuhachi. Yokai guidebook. Food. Journal. Water. And my mitts.
- Think of The Children: Namahage uses this trope when explaining his methods to Hamachi.
"You know how they say 'Think of the children?' Well, I do. I do."
- Urban Legends: The Slit-Mouthed Woman seems to be one of these.
- Water Wake-up: In the first volume, Hamachi gets one from his grandmother.
- Youkai: But of course!
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