Yokai Attack!: The Japanese Monster Survival Guide

This is a fun little guide to various kinds of Japanese ‘monster' (yokai) from myth and urban legend. Many of the creatures described here will likely be unfamiliar to western audiences - I was only previously aware of four of them, out of 45 entries.

After a short general introduction, the book is divided into five chapters, grouping the yokai into the broad categories of ‘dangerous', ‘annoying', ‘hungry', ‘seductive' and ‘harmless'. For example, Tengu and Kappa both fit in the first category, while Kitsune belong in the fourth. Each yokai gets three or four pages, although some entries are for groups of closely related entities, rather than individual types. In a light, jokey style, we discover the creature's description, method of attack (if any), and popular methods of defence against them. Each is accompanied by multiple illustrations, mostly in modern Japanese style, but, in some cases, reproductions of traditional drawings.

This edition is styled like a notebook, with semi-random sections highlighted in yellow or with hand-written notes alongside them to elucidate additional points. At times, this is a little distracting, but I suppose it's all part of the intended look.

The main bonus though, is the introduction to such a weird array of varied beings. Some have parallels with western monsters, but most do not, and some are really quite strange to our eyes. It's a great little book to dip into, if not especially deep, but a particular treat for fans of monsters and mythic legends.