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Orochi is more widely known as an eight-headed demonic [[snake]]. One of the legendary creatures most famous in Japan, the dragon fought with the god [[Susanowo]]. Stories told about Orochi all seem to agree that it was truly magnificent and terrible, and that it had multiple heads and a gigantic body that was said to stretch across eight hills and valleys. Some sources offer that the number eight may be indicative of simply an indiscriminate large number, and that Orochi might be much more massive than some may think. Some also believe that it may have possessed only seven heads and may have been smaller.
Orochi is more widely known as an eight-headed demonic [[snake]]. One of the legendary creatures most famous in Japan, the dragon fought with the god [[Susanowo]]. Stories told about Orochi all seem to agree that it was truly magnificent and terrible, and that it had multiple heads and a gigantic body that was said to stretch across eight hills and valleys. Some sources offer that the number eight may be indicative of simply an indiscriminate large number, and that Orochi might be much more massive than some may think. Some also believe that it may have possessed only seven heads and may have been smaller.


The sinister Orochi is said to have dominated the [[Izumo province]] in Japan, and to have demanded virgin sacrifices. When Susanowo came upon this area, he met an old couple: their daughter was to be sacrificed to Orochi. Some versions of this story say that they had already sacrificed seven other girls to the creature. The daughter in question here was named Kushinada, and Susanowo told the couple that he would rescue her if he was allowed to marry her. The couple agreed at once.
The sinister Orochi is said to have dominated the [[Izumo province]] in Japan, and to have demanded virgin sacrifices. When Susanowo came upon this area, he met an old couple. They told him that their daughter was to be sacrificed to Orochi. Some versions of this story say that they had already sacrificed seven other girls to the creature. The daughter in question here was named Kushinada, and Susanowo told the couple that he would rescue her if he was allowed to marry her. The couple agreed at once.


Susanowo turned Kushinada into a comb and put her in his hair. He then put out eight barrels of either pears or sake (depending on the version) which the dragon drank with relish, making it fall asleep, and Susanowo proceeded to cut off all of Orochi's heads. He found the sword, [[Kusanagi]], in one of the serpent's many tails. In some versions, Kusanagi is called Kusanagi-no-Tsunegi, 'The Grass-Cutting Sword', and this sword was given to [[Amaterasu]], Susanowo's sister, the Sun Goddess. She then gave it to her descendant on Earth, [[Ninigi no Mikoto]]; from that point on it is said that it has been kept as one of the Three Sacred Treasures of [[Yamato]].
Susanowo turned Kushinada into a comb and put her in his hair. He then put out eight barrels of either pears or sake (depending on the version) which the dragon drank with relish, making it fall asleep, and Susanowo proceeded to cut off all of Orochi's heads. He found the sword, [[Kusanagi]], in one of the serpent's many tails. In some versions, Kusanagi is called Kusanagi-no-Tsunegi, 'The Grass-Cutting Sword', and this sword was given to [[Amaterasu]], Susanowo's sister, the Sun Goddess. She then gave it to her descendant on Earth, [[Ninigi no Mikoto]]; from that point on it is said that it has been kept as one of the Three Sacred Treasures of [[Yamato]].

Revision as of 14:19, 6 May 2005

Orochi (大蛇) or Yamata no Orochi (八岐大蛇) is a monster in Japanese mythology.

Orochi is more widely known as an eight-headed demonic snake. One of the legendary creatures most famous in Japan, the dragon fought with the god Susanowo. Stories told about Orochi all seem to agree that it was truly magnificent and terrible, and that it had multiple heads and a gigantic body that was said to stretch across eight hills and valleys. Some sources offer that the number eight may be indicative of simply an indiscriminate large number, and that Orochi might be much more massive than some may think. Some also believe that it may have possessed only seven heads and may have been smaller.

The sinister Orochi is said to have dominated the Izumo province in Japan, and to have demanded virgin sacrifices. When Susanowo came upon this area, he met an old couple. They told him that their daughter was to be sacrificed to Orochi. Some versions of this story say that they had already sacrificed seven other girls to the creature. The daughter in question here was named Kushinada, and Susanowo told the couple that he would rescue her if he was allowed to marry her. The couple agreed at once.

Susanowo turned Kushinada into a comb and put her in his hair. He then put out eight barrels of either pears or sake (depending on the version) which the dragon drank with relish, making it fall asleep, and Susanowo proceeded to cut off all of Orochi's heads. He found the sword, Kusanagi, in one of the serpent's many tails. In some versions, Kusanagi is called Kusanagi-no-Tsunegi, 'The Grass-Cutting Sword', and this sword was given to Amaterasu, Susanowo's sister, the Sun Goddess. She then gave it to her descendant on Earth, Ninigi no Mikoto; from that point on it is said that it has been kept as one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Yamato.

Orochi in Pop Culture

The demon Orochi makes frequent appearances in Japanese games and anime, especially RPGs. There are variations on the original legend: 8-headed snake, rampaging swordsman, etc. (Yasakani, Hasshaku, Yagami, Yata, and some other names are SNK's spin on their adaption to the legend.)

Dragon Quest

The Orochi is a boss moster in the RPG Dragon Quest III (known as Dragon Warrior III in the US), originally for the NES, later re-released on the Gameboy Color. In the game Orochi is a five-headed fire-breathing dragon, who was terrorizing the island of Zipangu. You as the hero of the game had to defeat him in order to save the village and proceed in the game.

This same Orochi is also found as a breedable, tameable, and playable monster in the monster-raising RPG Dragon Quest Monsters 1 and 2 (Dragon Warrior Monsters in the US) for the Gameboy Color

King of the Fighters

The Orochi saga in The King of Fighters is a version of the Kusanagi legend. He is the final boss of The King of Fighters '97. His voice is provided by Rio Ogata. He has white hair, white pants, and a tattoo across his chest.

In the version presented in KOF, Orochi, a being that could cause incredible amounts of destruction and death, was originally defeated 1800 years ago by the members of the Kusanagi, Yasakani, and Yata clans. The Yasakani held Orochi in place, the Kusanagi deal the final blow, and the Yata sealed it off.

However, some 250 years later, when the Kusanagi clan was considered to be the strongest of the three clans and the Yasakani the weakest of the three, the Yasakani clan made a blood pact that allowed the Yasakani to use the power of Orochi. Such power came at a cost: the Yasakani, now Yagami, wielded purple flames and were doomed to live very short lives. This action led to a violent feud between the Kusanagi and the Yagami, and many members of both clans lost their lives.

The murder of the leader of the Yata clan in the present day released the seal that had sealed Orochi away. Hearing of this, the heiress to the Yata, Chizuru Kagura, organized the 1996 King of Fighters tournament in order to unite the two warring clans, represented by Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami. Together, they manage to seal off Orochi once again.

Blue Seed

In the animated series Blue Seed, Orochi is the head of the Aragami, a race of plant-based demon-beings. The series has brief references to the Kusanagi legend and the legend of Susana-o.

Related characters include the following:

Magic: the Gathering

The Orochi are also a tribe of snake-people in the Kamigawa block in the Magic: the Gathering trading card game. They do not seem to have any connection with the mythological Orochi other than their name.