Gyoubu Danuki

Encyclopedia Entry:
A beastman type monster having the characteristics of a tanuki. They’re one of the most famous yokai mentioned in tales, along with inari. They can use various spells to deceive people, including spells of transformation, and illusionary spells. Their “spell of anthropomorphosis” is especially tricky. They can change not only their shape, but also their scent and the aura given off by their magical energy into those of humans. It’s so effective that heroes or monsters with only scant knowledge of the magical arts wouldn’t be able to catch on to their true nature. Their race is highly intelligent, and has a unique flare for business. Many of them live as merchants or money lenders. They’re extremely adept at handling “money” which we can say equals power in human society. At a glance, they seem cheerful and amicable, but their true nature is wily. Using the spell of anthropomorphosis and their financial prowess, they live amongst humans while secretly maneuvering to seize human men as well as control over society itself. Many gyoubu danuki are among the pillars of human society.

When they seize a human man, they use the power of money, smooth talking, and schemes. They usurp control of human territories and merchant families. They buy out entire impoverished families at once, seizing not just the man himself, but all related properties, social ranks, etc. They also use atrocious, coercive methods involving the use of smooth talking and illusionary spells to deceive men, and force them into debt. It’s not uncommon to find men who pay off the debt by offering them their body. By seizing capital and social standing in this way, they force men into obedience and claim them for themselves. So great is their appetite for sex that they’re even referred to as “lust incarnate,” and after having sex with them just a single time, the men are already defanged. Their mastery of the art of cajolery ensures future obedience, and soon they own not only the man’s wealth, but his heart as well. The men end up entrusting everything to them on their own.

Though their deeds may seem quite atrocious, it’s not all in the name of self-profit, or for the sake of bringing about the ruin of humanity. They are monsters, and their husbands are human, so the reason they seek to seize control over human society is to remake it so that it will be easier for them to spend lascivious days together. Their objective is to make it so that they and other human-monster couples can live in happiness. For example, if they take over a territory, it develops into a monster-friendly territory. If they take over a merchant family, business grows due to their performance.

They bring wealth to all poor families they buy out, and as wives they end up giving back even more wealth and love to the men who offered their bodies to pay off their debts. Since they bring wealth and prosperity to men and families they set their eyes on, many people treat them as “symbols of economic fortune.”

Additionally, although they mainly inhabit Zipangu, being merchants, many of them travel outside of Zipangu. They can probably be found throughout the world setting up shop, or working as peddlers. In such cases, if they’re doing business in monster form, they’ll never lie, and always be truthful, so one can have peace of mind. However, on the contrary, if they’re in human form, they sell products like “Prisoner Fruit,” “succubus’ nostrum,” etc. stuff that causes monsterization, while trying to pass it off as “good for health and beauty.” etc. Since their businesses are often sketchy, they’re regarded as dangerous.