Big Four of the Mountain
In Touhou Project, the Big Four of the Mountain (山の四天王 yama no shitenno) is a now-defunct group consisting of Suika Ibuki, Yuugi Hoshiguma, Kasen Ibaraki and one other unknown character (presumably a fellow oni).
Origin
Shitenno (四天王 lit. "Four Heavenly Kings" or "Four Deva Kings") refers literally to a set of Buddhist deities, and metaphorically to any group of four extremely loyal or useful subordinates. In modern times, especially in video games and anime/manga, the term is used to describe any group of four with a high status.
In Japanese oni mythology, a group of Four Heavenly Kings served the oni bandit Shuten-dōji. The group was composed of the oni Torakuma-dōji, Hoshikuma-dōji, Kuma-dōji, and Kane-dōji. Furthermore Ibaraki-dōji in some stories was Shuten-dōji's lieutenant or even wife.
Touhou's Big Four does not match up exactly with the source material, as their Shuten-dōji equivalent (Suika Ibuki) is a member of the group herself rather than being its leader.
Characters in this Group
- Suika Ibuki, based on Shuten-dōji[1]
- Yuugi Hoshiguma, based on Hoshikuma-dōji[1]
- Kasen Ibaraki, based on Ibaraki-dōji[2]
- (?)
Gallery
Tiny Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, Suika Ibuki
The So-Called Unexplainable Phenomenon, Yuugi Hoshiguma
Wile and Heinous Oni, Kasen Ibaraki
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Subterranean Animism - Yuugi Hoshiguma's profile
- ↑ Wild and Horned Hermit - Chapter 49 Part 2
See Also
- Wikipedia article for Shuten-dōji
- Wikipedia article for Ibaraki-dōji
- http://park.org/Japan/Hitachi/nippon/oni/e/t_shutendoji.html