Dragon Review - Yamata No Orochi
This time we take a look at Yamata no Orochi, an eastern dragon of Japanese myth and legend. Japanese dragons, or Ryu, will get a general review later on. Right now we're going to zero in on a specific specimen, who first gets written about in a text called the Kojiki, or "Records of Ancient Matters."
Now most Ryu have a strong relationship with water. Not Orochi. He preferred to DRINK, and it pretty much ended him. We're a bit fuzzy on his beginnings, but when he does show up in the story he's an enormous serpent with eight heads and eight tails, like an overachieving Hydra. Foliage covered his back (moss, mostly), and his belly was all jacked up and inflamed. Probably from crawling around like a snake but somehow screwing it up.
Anyway. Orochi has scored a pretty good gig and every year threatens a pair of minor earthbound Shinto gods until they give him a daughter to devour as a sacrifice. He's pulled this off for seven years in a row and the eighth is juuuust nigh. Arriving for his annual meal, he comes across a weird setup; eight gates in a circle with eight giant vats of super-strong liquor and no deific daughter in sight. Since there was no possible way this was a trap Yamata No Orochi decided to dive right in, drinking deep, and immediately passing out.
But unfortunately, it was all a trap. Recently exiled from heaven for temper-based shenanigans, Shinto storm god Susanoo had come across the two earthbound gods and their last daughter. Cutting a deal with them, he lays the trap, which Orochi didn't fall into so much as leap into wholeheartedly, closing all sixteen eyes and singing loudly at the top of his voice. Susanoo (presumably) shrugged, drew his sword, and cut the dragon to pieces. Weirdly, he broke his sword on something in the last tail, finding a better sword, a mirror, and a jewel. All three of which ultimately became the Imperial Regalia of Japan.
Now, Orochi gets points for design, even if he's a little too close to ol' Hydra. He eats princesses (lesser deities are close enough). And he's got hidden treasure. That's a pretty solid set of bonafides for a dragon. I'll give him a B+, especially since he's gone on to show up and influence a ton of other stories and art over the years. As an example, check out his theme soundtrack from the amazing video game Okami, where he shows up as the villain.
Thanks for reading.
