While Shin Onigashima largely follows the folk tale Momotaro̅, it weaves in characters and story points from many other folktales. Some are critical to the story of this game, while others are only there for a quick gag.
Find out more about the characters in this game and the inspritations behind them. If you are able to help with any missing origin stories, please contact NinDB.
Heroes
Donbe どんべ
A fiesty young boy born from a rice bowl found floating down the river. Donbe speaks in broken sentences, cannot read and can be quite rude. However, he's strong and dependable in a crisis.
As he was born from a rice bowl, his name is a pun on Donburi, a rice bowl dish.
Donbe later discovers he is the reincarnation of a man named Urashima, who long ago visited the Dragon Palace as a guest of Otohime. He returned home with a gift of a jewelled box he was instructed never to open. However, when he discovered he had been gone for 300 years, he opened the box in grief and freed the Avatar of Darkness.
Hikari ひかり
A polite young girl born from a shining bamboo stalk. Hikari is smart and able to read, but she doesn't like manual labour. She observes social niceties and finds it easier to talk to people than her brother.
As she was born from a shining stalk of bamboo, she is named Hikari (light).
Hikari later discovers that she is the reincarnation of Otohime, princess of the Dragon Palace. She had been guardian of the Jewelled Box containing the Avatar of Darkness, but passed it to Donbe for safekeeping while she went through the reincarnation process. When Donbe freed the dragon, she had to speed up her reincarnation.
Animals
Ringo りんご
A talking dog who waited for Donbe at a bridge near the capital city. Ringo is well-behaved and loyal, with a powerful sense of smell.
Ringo is an ancestor of the dog who protected the jewelled box containing the Avatar of Darkness during one of Otohime's previous reincarnations.
Matsunosuke まつのすけ
A mischievous monkey who joins the group in a strange forest. He is nimble and smart, but tries to play it cool. He often argues with his travel companions. Matsunosuke cannot swim.
Matsunosuke is an ancestor of the monkey who protected the jewelled box containing the Avatar of Darkness during one of Otohime's previous reincarnations.
Ohana おはな
A loyal pheasant tasked by Otohime to guard the Shiraishi Spring that leads to Onigashima. Ohana can grow to a massive size and joins the group for the final battle.
Important Characters
Ittai いったい
The narrator of Shin Onigashima. He's an old man with a very large chin and a single hair on his head.
Ittai inserts himself into the story as different characters, insisting he does not know who "Ittai" is. He appears in Chapter 2 as himself, Chapter 4 as a fisherman and Chapter 5 as a fortune teller.
Hinoe ひのえ
A deity who appears to various characters as a twinkling star. Hinoe is steering events to ensure the Avatar of Darkness does not reach its full strength.
Old Man & Old Woman おじいさん (Oji̅san) & おばあさん (Oba̅san)
An elderly, childless couple with a humble home. One night, they are visited by a twinkling star that says that tomorrow they will be blessed with children. The next day, the old man finds a baby girl inside a glowing bamboo stalk and the old woman finds a baby boy in a rice bowl floating down the river.
Eight years later, their souls are captured by the Oni. The children set off to find their souls and rescue them.
Kintaro̅ きんたろう
An unbelievably strong boy from Ashigara Mountain. He wears sunglasses and speaks in broken English. Kintaro̅ shows up in unusual places and provides you with helpful guidance.
Tengu てんぐ
A peculiar winged man with a long nose and red skin that speaks in an unusual way. Hikari nicknames him Ten-chan. In exchange for Hikari's telescope, he offers you two pouches: one is the ashen remains of an invisibility cloak, and the other is ashes he stole from the flower-blooming old man.
Tengu returns during the final battle and saves Donbe's life.
Monsters created by the Avatar of Darkness. They are humans whose souls have been devoured. They appear with expressionless masks, long hair and dressed in the clothes of noblemen. They capture souls in a do̅taku bell and carry an iron staff with an ornate finial. Oni despise strong smells.
Avatar of Darkness あんこくのけしん(Ankoku no Keshin)
A dark dragon from another realm that seeks to conquer this world by stealing human souls to build a body. It can only retain its form thanks to the Dragon's Orb.
The Avatar of Darkness was sealed away by Otohime. The Dragon's Orb was placed in a jewelled box. Every time Otohime had to undergo a reincarnation ceremony, she would leave the box in the hands of a different animal: a dog, a monkey and a pheasant. Most recently, the box was left in the hands of a man, who opened it and unleashed the Avatar of Darkness once more.
Supporting Cast
Otsu̅ おつう
A crane that lives in the old man and old woman's house. She spends her time in the weaving room, producing beautiful rolls of fabric, and must not be disturbed until she is finished. After Donbe and Hikari are born, she helps to raise them.
Jizo̅ Statue おじぞうさま (Ojizo̅-sama)
Statues that line the path between the old couple's house and the river. The old couple pray to the statues every day so that they will be blessed with children. Show them kindness and good things will happen.
When Donbe and Hikari set off on their adventure, the Jizo̅ statues deliver gifts of kibi dango dumplings and a gold coin.
Yuki-onna ゆきおんな
A ghostly, pale woman surrounded by snow. She blocks the straight road to Ittai's Store. Her breath smells bad and she has a mean face. She claims to have been dumped by an Oni because of her breath, and that's why she's in such a bad mood.
Mouse ねずみ (Nazumi)
A famous female college-student mouse who emerges from a hole in the road after Hikari drops a rice ball in. She's offers to help you defeat the Yuki-onna.
Kappa かっぱ
A sad water spirit that resembles a turtle. Donbe finds him weeping in the bamboo grove. It was tasked with stopping the river when the cave started to glow, but he lost his dish and doesn't have any strength left.
Tanuki & Usagi たぬき & うさぎ
The Tanuki runs Ferry Mameda and Usagi runs Ferry Inaba, competing services to cross the river. Donbe must choose whether to cross to the capital city in the Tanuki's mud boat or the rabbit's wooden boat.
Benkei べんけい
A tall, strong and impassable warrior who guards the gate into the capital city. He won't let anyone in, but doesn't seem worried about stray dogs.
Ghost ゆうれい (Yu̅kai)
In the mansion within the capital city, a terrifying female ghost appears over a well and counts to nine. Ringo thinks she's cute.
Maru & Otsuyu-san まる & おつゆさん
Maru is a fox cub who is trying to get some out-of-reach grapes. Donbe and Hikari help him, then track him back to his den where his mother Otsuyu-san is. She hands over a pair of earplugs that allow the heroes to speak to animals, and provides details of the location of Jano̅ and the Shiraishi Spring.
Snake へび (Hebi)
An unhelpful snake that blocks the path through the strange forest until you feed it.
Tree き (Ki)
A peculiar talking tree that speaks in riddles. It gives you a hamburger, imported from Europe.
Jano̅ & Chuntaro̅ じゃのう & ちゅんたろう
Jano̅ is the giant sparrow guardian of the forest. He ferments a strong-smelling sake wine from grapes to keep the Oni away. He knows much about the Shiraishi Spring, but refuses to share it with Donbe and Hikari until they find his "cute" child Chuntaro̅.
Chuntaro̅ the little sparrow is a brat. He refused a ride with an old hag and got lost. However, he would gleefully accept a ride in a cute girl's sleeve.
The Lump-Taken Old Man こぶとりじいさん (Kobutori Jiisan)
A strange old man with a lump on his cheek who appears from behind the cherry tree to warn Donbe and Hikari about the coming storm.
Saburo̅ さぶろう
A huge ghost catfish that absolutely loves mushrooms. It refuses to tell you about Shiraishi spring until you feed it enough mushrooms. Refuse, and it will set off an earthquake in anger.
NinDB created 28th June 2001 by Mark "Fryguy64" Kelly
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