Yōkai: Evoluons in Image, Definion, and Media - Presentation by Lauren Inaba (PDF)
The uniqueness of yōkai, which can be defined as Japanese supernatural beings or monsters, lay not only in the numerous and diverse characters themselves, but also in the holistic impact of the concept of yōkaion Japanese popular culture. A historical survey of yōkai reveals that the meanings and categories of “yōkai" have changed according to the Japanese peoples’ perception of the unknown and of the supernatural world. Moreover, the yōkai 's image and the accompanying narrative evolved accordingly to cope with the unknown. Finally, this study attempts to gauge how the media has had a direct influence to how people visualize and narrate yōkai. These factors regarding yōkai's creation and evolution affect how we recognize them in today's pop culture.
