| Revision as of 22:31, 16 March 2014 edit216.99.56.23 (talk) →In popular culture← Previous edit | Revision as of 22:32, 16 March 2014 edit undo216.99.56.23 (talk) →In popular cultureNext edit → | ||
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| *'']'' aka ''Carved 2'' aka ''A Slit-Mouthed Woman 2'' aka ''Kuchisake-onna 2'' (2008) | *'']'' aka ''Carved 2'' aka ''A Slit-Mouthed Woman 2'' aka ''Kuchisake-onna 2'' (2008) | ||
| *'' aka ''Kuchisake-onna 0: Biginingu'' (2008) | *'' aka ''Kuchisake-onna 0: Biginingu'' (2008) | ||
| *'' (2012) |
*'' (2012) | ||
| ===Manga and anime=== | ===Manga and anime=== | ||
Revision as of 22:32, 16 March 2014
Kuchisake-onna (口裂け女, "Slit-Mouthed Woman") is a figure appearing in Japanese urban legends. She is a woman who was mutilated by her husband, and returns as a malicious spirit. When rumors of alleged sightings began spreading in 1979 around the Nagasaki Prefecture, it spread throughout Japan and caused panic in many towns. There are even reports of schools allowing children to go home only in groups escorted by teachers for safety, and of police increasing their patrols.
The modern urban legend
According to the legend, children walking alone at night may encounter a woman wearing a surgical mask, which is not an unusual sight in Japan as people wear them to protect others from their colds or sickness.
The woman will stop the child and ask, "Am I pretty?" If the child answers no, the child is killed with a pair of scissors which the woman carries. If the child answers yes, the woman pulls away the mask, revealing that her mouth is slit from ear to ear, and asks "How about now?" If the child answers no, he/she will be cut in half. If the child answers yes, then she will slit his/her mouth like hers. It is impossible to run away from her, as she will simply reappear in front of the victim.
When the legend reappeared in the 1970s rumors of ways to escape also emerged. Some sources say she can also be confused by the victim answering her question with ambiguous answers, such as "You are average" or "So-so". Unsure of what to do, she will give a person enough time to escape while she is lost in thought. Another escape route is to tell her one has a previous engagement; she will pardon her manners and excuse herself. In some variations of the tale, she can be distracted by fruit or candies thrown at her which she will then pick up, thus giving the victim a chance to run. She will also be at an advantage to run toward you if she has the chance. Another way is for the child to ask her if the child is pretty; she will get confused and leave.
In popular culture
Live action
- Kuchisake-onna (Video, 1996)
- Kannô byôtô: nureta akai kuchibiru aka The Slit-Mouthed Woman (2005)
- Carved aka A Slit-Mouthed Woman aka Kuchisake-onna (2007)
- Kaiki toshi-densetsu - Kuchisake-onna (2008)
- Kuchisake-Onna 2 The Scissors Massacre aka Carved 2 aka A Slit-Mouthed Woman 2 aka Kuchisake-onna 2 (2008)
- The Slit-Mouthed Woman 0: The Beginning aka Kuchisake-onna 0: Biginingu (2008)
- Kuchisake-onna Returns (2012)
Manga and anime
- Kuchi-sake Onna
- Kuchisake Onna Densetsu
- The Kuchisake Onna was mentioned in an episode of "Detective Conan"
Other appearances
The Kuchisake-onna also makes an appearance in:
- Hell Teacher Nube
- Hanako to Guuwa no Tera
- Franken Fran (includes a short parody of the Kuchisake-onna legend in an extra of Volume 2)
- Toshi Densetsu (Includes the Kuchisake-onna)
- Ghost Stories (The Kuchisake-onna was planned to make an appearance in episode 5 of the series, but it was banned after several complaints that her disfigurement looked too much like a cleft pallette.)
Kuchisake-onna is mentioned in Darlah – 172 timer på månen (aka 172 Hours on the Moon), a 2008 sci-fi/horror novel by Johan Harstad.
See also
- Bloody Mary, a similar apparition in western urban legends.
- Glasgow smile
- La Llorona
- Onryō, a malicious ghost in Japanese folklore
- Teke Teke, another malicious Japanese spirit.
- Japanese urban legends
- Vengeful ghost
References
- Severed Mouth Woman on YouTube
- "Have you heard the one about…?: A look at some of Japan's more enduring urban legends". Japan Times. June 7, 2005.
- Yoda, H & Alt, M. (2008) "Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide" Kodansha Internation
- http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=37e_1178742040
- Harstad, Johan (2012). 172 Hours on the Moon. Trans. Tara F. Chace. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 978-0-316-18288-1. LCCN 2011025414.
External links
- Kuchisake Onna Urban Legend
- Kuchisake onna at IMDb
- Kuchisake-onna Template:Jp icon
- Histoire de Kuchisake Onna Template:Fr icon