Kappa in popular culture

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The following is a list of appearances made by kappa (Japanese water monsters) in various works of popular fiction. For information on kappa in traditional Japanese culture, please see the main article.

Kappa are popular figures in Japanese animation, children's toys, and literature. Modern depictions often make them less frightening, showing them instead as cute, cartoonish figures.

1 Kappa in animation and comics
2 Kappa in computer and video games
3 Kappa in film and literature
4 Kappa in other media
5 References

[edit] Kappa in animation and comics

One of comic artist Shigeru Mizuki's most popular characters is Sanpei, the Kappa (カッパの三平), who starred a long running comic series, as well as several animated features.
A series of animated shorts on Japanese TV, 河童の飼い方 (How to Raise a Kappa) detail the humorous trials of a young man trying to raise a kappa as a pet.
In Magical Fairy Persia there are three kappas sent from Lovely Dream whom accompanny Persia: GeraGera, MesoMeso and PuriPuri.
Recently in the manga Naruto, the three-tailed tailed beast has been revealed to be a kappa.
In the Tokyo Mew Mew anime, the Mew Mews fight a Chimera Anima in episode 8 that looks like a Kappa, which later returns in episode 49 when Tart and Kish release all of the Chimera Anima that have appeared before that episode into Tokyo.
The children's cartoon Arthur aired an episode in which one character faces a kappa during a fantasy scene.
An early story in Usagi Yojimbo has the title character fighting such a monster.
Hellboy faces a Kappa at one point during the animated film Hellboy: Sword of Storms.
In School Rumble, Karasuma Ooji dresses as a kappa during rainy days, embodying a Japanese pun on the word for raincoat.
In the Yakitate!! Japan anime, the F1 racer Mikhail Schukapper (a reference to Michael Schumacher) is mistakenly called a kappa. He is depicted with a large bald spot atop his head onto which he sprays champagne - a reference to the kappa's water cavity.
In episode four of the anime Tenchi Universe, Washu briefly transforms Ryoko and Ayeka into kappas - Ryoko for shaking the crystal Washu was trapped in, and Ayeka for calling her "silly".
In an omake of the popular manga One Piece called "Monster Time", the character Sanji appears portrayed as a kappa.
In the Agent Aika series, one of the protagonists attempts ventriloquism using a kappa doll.
In the manga series Negima, Ayaka knocks out a kappa.

[edit] Kappa in computer and video games

A status ailment in the computer role-playing game Final Fantasy VI transformed the affected player character into a kappa; however, the word "kappa" was replaced with the word "imp" for the English language localization of the game. Furthermore, a specific breed of imp named Kappa teaches the player the basics of how to utilize Gau's Rage and Leap abilities.
In the game "Goemon's Great Adventure", there are small kappas that jump up and attack the player. There is also a bigger version that can only fit its head in the screen in a later level.
The Koopas in the Super Mario Bros. games also appear to be based on the creatures, and Super Mario World goes so far as to name a mountain with its peak filled with water "Kappa Mountain".
Several Pokémon, such as Psyduck, Golduck, Lotad, Lombre and Ludicolo, are undoubtedly based on the imp.
A monster named "Kapha" appears in the PC MMORPG Ragnarok Online. It can only be found on the island of Amatsu near bodies of water.
In Digimon Savers, Gawappamon, Kamemon's Champion form is undoubtedly based on the Kappa.
In "Animal Crossing", the boatman who takes the player to the tropical island is a kappa named, in the English localization, as Kapp'n. Although for the localization he claims to be a turtle, he has two songs expressing his love for cucumbers.
In Guild Wars: Factions, Kappa appear frequently as hostile NPCs.
In Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town you can throw Cucumbers that you grow into a lake in the forest, a Kappa will talk to you about this, and if you do it for 10 days straight, you get a blue power berry.
InuYasha, Pocky & Rocky, We Love Katamari, Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon and Gintama also feature kappa characters.
In the Kirby video game series, there is an enemy named Kapar which has a bowl head and duck beak. It throws its spiked crown to attack and will grant Kirby the cutter ability if swallowed.
In Shadow Hearts, the kappa (as well as an evolved form, the "Water Tiger") is a common enemy in the sewers of Fengtian.

[edit] Kappa in film and literature

A notable literary appearance is the short story "Kappa" by Akutagawa Ryunosuke.
A kappa is one of the ensemble of yokai in the Yokai Monsters series of films.
The INKlings in Haruki Murakami's Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World are at one point referred to as kappa. This is, however, limited to the English translation, and no mention of kappa is made in the Japanese original.
In the movie Spirited Away many Japanese deities are represented, and the Kappas are not the exception. They are seen as obese duck-like creatures with a leaf on the top of their heads, specifically when Haku helps Chihiro to get across the bridge, and later, a small group of kappas are seen taking a bath.
In the film Kibakichi (2004) kappa attack the eponymous character.
In the Harry Potter series, kappa are mentioned a few times in the context of Care of Magical Creatures and Defense Against the Dark Arts classes; at one point a character associates them with Mongolia, which is not in the folklore.^[1] In addition, Kappas have also been mentioned in the 'textbook' Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, described as "Dangerous, Skilled Wizard May Handle."
The James Bond novel The Man with the Red Tattoo by Raymond Benson features a Japanese assassin nicknamed "The Kappa" because of his short height.
In the first issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Shredder references Leonardo as a kappa. Furthermore, in the third Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, as well as several episodes of the 2003 cartoon, the four protagonists are mistaken for kappa by Japanese locals.
In the Fighting Fantasy volume 20, Sword of the Samurai, the reader/player may have to fight a horde of kappas during his quest.
Kappa appear in the novel "The Myth Hunters" by Christopher Golden.
In Record of Lodoss War: Welcome to Lodoss Island parody strip, a recurring gag is that Etoh is frequently mistaken for a kappa.
In Hiromi Goto's The Kappa Child.

[edit] Kappa in other media

In the card game Magic: the Gathering, there are several cards from the Japanese-mythology-based Kamigawa expansion featuring kappa, including Shell of the Last Kappa
Yu-Gi-Oh features the Psychic Kappa card