(Jrt)
Raijû
The raijû (雷獣) is a demon of Japanese mythology, "the animal thunder." Its name comes from the Japanese word rai (雷, thunder) and juu (獣, beast, animal). His body is composed of light or fire. It may take the form of a cat, a tanuki (other Japanese mythological creature), a monkey or a weasel. It can also fly ball in the form of light (this creature was created to explain the phenomenon balls of lights). His cry is like thunder.
The raijû is the companion of Raiden, the Shinto god of light. The demon is generally calm and harmless, however, during storms it becomes very aggressive and destroyed fields, trees and houses.
Another bizarre behavior of this creature and he sometimes sleeps in the navel humans. Moreover, when the weather is bad, people supersitieux routinely sleep on their stomachs.
The raijû inspired the pokemon Raichu and Raikou and "lightning" in Sakura hunter cards (Card Captor Sakura). "Raiju" is also the hero of an eponymous comic strip, designed by Stephane Durand-Melchior (scenario) and Loïc Drought (drawing), published by Gallimard in the "Bayou".
Read also Shotoku (prince)
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