History Main / TheFlatwoodsMonster

Whatever it was, the Flatwoods Monster remains a core part of Flatwoods' tourism industry, but does not enjoy much popularity in American fiction. On the other hand, it is a well-known UMA [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff in Japan]]. It goes by the name "Flatwoods Monster" over there too, but also is referred to as the "3M no Uchuujin"; "3 Meter Tall Alien". It entered Japanese pop culture through shounen magazines in the 1960s and 1970s, which sometimes claimed the seven witnesses [[FreeRangeChildren were all children]].

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Whatever it was, the Flatwoods Monster remains a core part of Flatwoods's tourism industry, but does not enjoy much popularity in American fiction. On the other hand, it is a well-known UMA in Japan. It goes by the name "Flatwoods Monster" over there too, but also is referred to as the "3M no Uchuujin"; "3 Meter Tall Alien". It entered Japanese pop culture through shounen magazines in the 1960s and 1970s, which sometimes claimed the seven witnesses [[FreeRangeChildren were all children]].

* Archive file #25, titled The Gojaku Giant, in ''[[VideoGame/{{Siren}} Siren: Blood Curse]]'' tells of the arrival of a 9-foot tall alien on August 25th, 1856, near Mount Gojaku. It tried to communicate with the locals, but its foul smell knocked out anyone near it. The accompanying drawing is of the Flatwoods Monster re-envisioned by 19th Century Japanese art standards.

The Flatwoods Monster[[note]]Also known as the Sutton Monster, the Green Monster, the [[AlliterativeName Phantom of Flatwoods]], and the Braxton County Monster.[[/note]] is a [[OurCryptidsAreMoreMysterious cryptid]] and alien archetype that sprung from an event that occurred on September 12, 1952 in Flatwoods in Braxton County, West Virginia, United States. During the evening hours, a group of seven, among which were one adult and one 17-year old member of the National Guard, went to investigate a bright object that had been seen [[CameFromTheSky falling from the sky]]. What they found, in the singular moment before they [[TentativeLight dropped the flashlight]] and ran in fright, was the Flatwoods Monster. The witnesses have described it as a 10-foot tall man-like figure with glowing eyes set in a round, red face framed by an ace of spades-resembling hood. The rest of its body was dark green, either by itself or from reflecting the surrounding leaves, and its overall shape [[DressesGownsAndSkirts dress-like]]. It had claw-like hands attached directly to its torso and an unsteady [[GhostlyGlide gliding form of motion]]. There was also report of a nauseating mist that caused symptoms akin to those from exposure to [[DeadlyGas mustard gas]].

Conventional commentary on the Flatwoods Monster holds that the object seen was a meteor and the figure seen was a [[OminousOwl barn owl]] hunched downwards atop a branch. The illness has been attributed to the period of severe panic the witnesses experienced,[[note]]Keep in mind that the event occured during the early stages of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar, when threats of invasion and terrifying new weapons already had everyone on edge.[[/note]] while the smell could've been anything, including grass. There are no explanations for the Frametown Monster on account of there being no proof anything was seen in the first place.

These days, the Flatwoods Monster is a core part of Flatwoods's tourism industry, but does not enjoy much popularity in American fiction. On the other hand, it is a well-known UMA in Japan. It goes by the name "Flatwoods Monster" over there too, but also is referred to as the "3M no Uchuujin"; "3 Meter Tall Alien". It entered Japanese pop culture through shounen magazines in the 1960s and 1970s, which sometimes claimed the seven witnesses [[FreeRangeChildren were all children]].

* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'', Flatwoods-like ghostly entities referred to as "Them" invade Romani Ranch during the first night. Only Romani is aware that they're coming and is preparing to stop them. On her own, she will fail and be abducted [[AliensStealCattle alongside the cows]], only to be returned with her mind wiped clean. If Link helps her keep the invaders at bay until sunrise, they won't return thereafter. Rare for Flatwoods Monster-inspired creatures, "Them" float around horizontally instead of vertically.

* ''VideoGame/KeioFlyingSquadron'': The Flatwoods Monster is the boss of Chapter 5, Scene 1: Outer Space in the second game. At first, rather than a skirt its lower half consists of a bomb-shaped rocket launcher. When dealt enough damage, it bursts open and [[ShesGotLegs sexy legs]] sprout from it. The Flatwoods Monster then tries to hit Rami with huge mace-hands.

* Mitsuko Hiramori from ''Anime/YuGiOhGORUSH'' is an alien that is based on the Flatwoods Monster with a strong affinity to [[RuleOfThree the number three]]. It turns out to be a [[spoiler]] humanoid woman wearing a bodysuit [[/spoiler]].

* Mitsuko Hiramori from ''Anime/YuGiOhGORUSH'' is an alien that is based on the Flatwoods Monster with a strong affinity to [[RuleOfThree the number three]].

%% Image from "Medicom Toy": stockphoto for Flatwoods Monster figurine released in 2016.
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* Fred Yamazaki is the human disguise of a Flatwoods Monster in ''Chupaca-Love''. The name "Fred (Fureddo)" is a [[JapaneseRanguage play]] on "flat (furatto)" and "Yamazaki" means "hillside", referencing the hilly landscape of Flatwoods. He is infatuated with Kaya, who does not return the interest. Fred is a powerful UMA, having the advantages of [[TheBigGuy height]], DeadlyGas, and EyeBeams.

* In Chapter 044, "Uruwashi no Belladonna", of ''Macaroni Houren-sou'', Kaori, Souji, and Kindou are chased by a Flatwoods Monster. Its glowing eyes are the first thing visible to the trio and it makes a distinct "kuin" sound.

* A Flatwoods Monster is encountered in Chapter 66 of ''Roaming the Apocalypse with my Shiba Inu''. It's a drone which original purpose was to provide safety for TheGreys' spacecrafts. Nowadays, the grey farmer has reprogrammed it as a [[ScaryScarecrows scarecrow]], dogwalker, toilet cleaner, and cook. An inquiry whether it knows how to wash its hands [[ToiletHumour goes unanswered]].

* Mottarimagedari is one of the phantom-class members of the Dajaku Union of Choujin Neiger. Its design takes liberties with that of the Flatwoods Monster. Rather than a spade, behind its head is a hoop, and the head itself looks like a searchlight with a red-and-black screen. Its name is Akita dialect for "being stuck due to indecisiveness" and true to that, it emits a gas and rotates its face to induce indecision in others.

[[folder: Mobile Phone Games]]
* Among the Friendlies to care for in ''VideoGame/MoshiMonsters: Egg Hunt'', Friendly #9 bares a strong resemblance to the Flatwoods Monster. It has a space theme, a spade-shaped head, and its primary color scheme features a red face.
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* The Flatwoods Monster was added to the ''Uchuu Daisakusen Chocovaders'' line-up with the second wave as figure #13.
* The Spacy Land natives, the Spacy Brothers and Himespetchi, from ''Franchise/{{Tamagotchi}}'' are modeled after the Flatwoods Monster, having spade-shaped heads and WhiteGloves that emphasize their hands.

* The Flatwoods Monster is the second alien to be rescued in ''UFO: A Day in the Life''.
* Flatwoods is an enemy in ''Valkyrie Crusade'', limited to specific events. Her skill is 10 Foot-tall Monster, which has a chance to lower her opponents' defense. Because of the nature of the game, Flatwoods looks like a red-haired woman in a dress, of which the spade-shaped collar has the usual yellow glowing eyes as decoration.