骨持ち小僧

Honemochi Kozou

If you ever find yourself walking down a small country side road in the depth of night, you might hear the rattling of the Bone Bearing Boy.

He'll appear as if stepping from a portal of ink and ask you to perform a dance for him. But beware, he expects not just any dance from you.

It is the 骨ガタの舞 (Honegata No Mai), the Bone Rattling Dance he demands and you better know the steps.

Rattle, rattle. Rattle, rattle.

If not, you'll be in his "hands" and he'll drag you off to the lands of Yomi, the underworld.

There he'll lay off your fleshy garments and make you dance.

Rattle, rattle.

Eery light glistening on your pale white, bony limbs.

Rattle, rattle. Gata, gata.

For all eternity.

You'll dance the Bone Rattling Dance.

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This is an illustration i started during last weekend's comic market in Haarlem where i sold my work. I got really invested in it and a whole legend started forming inside my head to go along with it. Mind you, this Youkai is not an actual existing one. I just made him up haha.

The boy's design was inspired by a photo on Pinterest since i've been collecting images of Feudal Japanese clothing on there. I've been obsessed! haha