Hitodama

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Hitodama (人魂, 人玉, Hitodama^? "human soul" or "human ball") are believed in Japanese folklore to be the souls of the newly dead taking form of mysterious fireballs. The word hitodama is a combination of the Japanese words hito, meaning "human", and tama, meaning "soul". These flames usually appear as pale-blue, some times green, spheres with long tails and are believed to be tricksters. The hitodama originate from fluorescent gases that can sometimes be seen above human graves.

Hitodama are usually found near graveyards and in gloomy forests in summer time, where they are said to live. One can also be seen sometimes close to a sick dying person as an apparition of the soul leaving the body before going to the other side. Most hitodama fade away or fall to the ground shortly after being spotted.

Hitodama are drawn to people with strong psychic power and usually can't do much harm. The tricks they are known to play on people most is leading travelers off track and thereby making them lost. Some Japanese myths consider hitodama a trick of the kitsune, employing their "fox-fire" (kitsune-bi) to lead travelers astray.

Ghostly fires in Japan may also be called onibi (鬼火, onibi^? "demon fire"). In Chinese they are called guǐ-huǒ (Pinyin) or gwäe-fo (Cantonese). Hitodama is the Japanese counterpart to the English "Will o' the wisp".

[edit] Hitodama in popular culture

In anime, hitodama appear floating near the character when he feels depressed, scares other characters with his dark attitude or accompanying a ghost character. The latter is most likely based on traditional Japanese ukiyoe portraits depicting yurei.
In Ōkami, the Playstation 2 video game, hitodama can be seen floating over gravestones at night.
Hitodama is an ally of the main character Okinu (おキヌ/氷室キヌ) in the Ghost Sweeper Mikami anime and manga.
The Pokémon Gastly is based on the hitodama.
The Poes in The Legend of Zelda are based on hitodama.
The characters Yōmu Konpaku and Yuyuko Saigyōji in the Tōhō Project are accompianied by hitodama. Youmu is described as a half-ghost, with her ghostly half residing outside of her human body and taking the shape of a large hitodama; whereas Yuyuko, a ghost princess, is usually seen with several small hitodama.
Podoboo, lava bubbles from Mario games, are based on hitodama.
Hitodama are also commonly featured as minor enemies in many Japanese video games that have horror, supernatural and folkloric themes, i.e. Pocky & Rocky, Ganbare Goemon, etc.
A phenomenon known as Pyreflies in the video game Final Fantasy X display similar characteristics to Hitodama.
An item on the anime-roleplaying forum website Gaia Online released in October 2006 enables a member's avatar to be surrounded by flames resembling Hitodama.
In the Shaman King series, some spirits appear sometimes in a Hitodama-like form, most notably Amidamaru.
The monster Horong and Gajomart in Ragnarok Online are based on hitodama.
The elemental Lumina/Wisp from the video game series Secret of Mana resembles a hitodama. Hitodama is also a boss fought in the Underworld in Legend of Mana.
The Yu-Gi-Oh card "Hitodama Soul" is based on the Hitodama.
The Darkstalkers character Bishamon has two blue hitodama floating from his shoulders.