Zed_43 Posted June 19, 2020 (edited) Oni are creatures of popular folklore in Japanese arts, literature and theater. Usually of an humanoid in shape, they have a gigantic size, two protruding horns growing on their foreheads, ruffled hairs and a hideous appearance bringing them closer to the ogre or the troll. Depending on sources, their appearance is variable. Thus, you will be able to cross representations of red Oni while others will be blue. The number of fingers, toes and even eyes also varies. They are most often represented dressed in a simple loincloth and carrying an iron club (kanabo). This representation gave birth to the expression "oni-ni-kanabo", that is to say "oni with an iron club", that is to say "to be invincible" or "unbeatable". The word Oni translates into english as "devil" or "demon". Indeed, in Japanese Buddhism, the Oni are creatures of the underworld who mistreat and torture sinners. In ancient legends, they were creatures who chased away evil spirits and punished criminals. They were then powerful mountain spirits to which offerings were made to protect the surrounding villages, especially the earthquakes. Their reputation then deteriorated little by little until they were perceived as violent, cruel through stories and plays in which they devoured men alive. Some samurai then said that they had killed some of these creatures to gain glory and receive rewards. In Japanese traditions and beliefs, the Oni have an important place.Some villages hold annual ceremonies to scare away the oni, especially in early spring. Similarly, during the setsubun festival, people throw soybean or bean seeds outside their house and exclaim, "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi! ("Oni is going out! Fortune is coming in!").More recently, the oni occasionally lose a little of their original wickedness to play a more protective role. Thus, men in oni costumes often lead parades in Japan to chase unhappiness and Japanese buildings sometimes include tiles with an oni face called onigawara on their roof to ward off bad luck in a similar way to gargoyles in Western tradition. [/ i] In Asia, representations of hideous and evil creatures is not uncommon and the goal is often the same: to drive out the evil spirit. I had the chance to travel 2 times in Asia (but never in Japan unfortunately) and meet some of these representations which have always fascinated me by their side, both so aesthetic and so repulsive. The desired effect is there since when you cross a statue or other sculpture of one of these beasts, you feel observed by a beast ready to pounce on you at the slightest misstep ... So, I really wanted to represent an Oni demon.I took great pleasure in making the head of this character while trying to give it a shape as close as possible to reality. The head is deliberately slightly oversized compared to the body to give a slightly more hideous appearance to the character. The rest of the body was then shaped from top to bottom, trying to best respect the actual proportions of the human body. Among other things, I used paddle tips, a relatively new piece to make the ears, the arms of minifigs for the supra-orbital bulges or even car hoods to represent the creature's plump pectorals. The realization was relatively fast since I devoted 3 days to it (in addition to my work)... Phew ... Tell me your thoughts, no not hesitate to comment, make suggestions.... I'm looking forward to read you! Here is my Oni-ni-kanabô: Oni ni kanabo 1 by Zed, sur Flickr Oni ni kanabo by Zed, sur Flickr Oni ni kanabo 2 by Zed, sur Flickr Oni ni kanabo 3 by Zed, sur Flickr Oni ni kanabo 6 by Zed, sur Flickr Oni ni kanabo 5 by Zed, sur FlickrOni ni kanabo 4 by Zed, sur Flickr Edited June 19, 2020 by Zed_43 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
