While Zelda games have their share of creepy moments, none may stand out more than unexpectedly encountering a pale, emaciated hand reaching straight out of the toilet, seemingly lying in wait for its next unsuspecting victim. Some dark thoughts must have been behind the idea to include variations of this freaky fiend in the series. Indeed, a disturbing story lies below the surface. As Halloween is nigh upon us and there’s no better time for a spooky tale, let’s dive into the inspiration for the infamous toilet-dwellers.
There have been three appearances of a mysterious hand in the toilet in the Zelda franchise to date. The first was in Majora’s Mask, where Link comes across a hand referred to only as “???” in the Stockpot Inn between the hours of midnight and 6am. Link then encounters “Hand” in Oracle of Ages in an outhouse in Lynna Village. Finally, in Skyward Sword, Link meets Phoeni in the bathroom of the Knight Academy. All three of these lurking appendages ask Link for paper, giving our hero different items in return.
Even one appearance is enough to send shivers down players’ spines, so it was inevitable that three would lead to questions. In a 2012 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Miyamoto explained via interpreter: “It’s actually something from a Japanese ghost story. Not a specific ghost story. There are some ghost stories in Japan where — when you are sitting in the bathroom in the traditional style of the Japanese toilet — a hand is actually starting to grab you from beneath. It’s a very scary story.”
Yikes! I got the jitters just reading that quote. But then I wondered: What stories was Miyamoto referring to, and how scary were they really? After swirling deep down the strange, strange hole of Japanese bathroom ghost and demon stories, I believe I’ve found the inspiration for the hands in the games. It’s safe to say that it is much more sinister than the harmless hands Link encounters.
Warning: The remainder of this article contains graphic descriptions and images that some readers may find disturbing. Also, if ghost stories aren’t your thing, or if you already think bathrooms are scary, I would advise you to stop reading here.
There are several hauntings to be found in Japanese bathrooms, but one in particular seems to fit the description Miyamoto gave. In Japanese folklore, the Kappa is a devious water-dwelling imp responsible for all sorts of misdeeds for those who traveled too near to a river, lake, or other body of water. Typically depicted as a grotesque anthropomorphic reptile (often with a turtle shell) with a bowl-shaped indent on the top its head, the Kappa always carry water to maintain the source of their strength if they stray from their homes.
Kappa have been blamed for drownings, kidnapping children, and eating unlucky passersby. However, one tactic of the Kappa is especially disconcerting. Before plumbing, toilets were situated next to rivers or streams to carry the waste away. Occupiers of the outhouse were totally exposed to the Kappa’s wickedness. Kappa exploited this opportunity by reaching up the toilet, much to the shock and dismay of those seeking privacy in the privy. Why would the Kappa commit such a foul act? To steal the soul-ball inside their butt.
Yes, you read that right.
The Kappa are after the “shirikodama,” a ball located in the anus and believed to contain one’s soul. Common theories as to why they want the shirikodama are to eat it as a delicacy, present it to a powerful water deity, or simply remove it so they can pull out and eat the liver. Either way, the result of removing this ball is death. As if that wasn’t enough, Kappa are also known to violate and impregnate women using the bathroom, leading to monstrous babies that were often discarded into nearby water. Plenty of reason to hold it in for the rest of your life.
Miyamoto didn’t give us much to go on, but there are a few reasons why I think the Kappa was what he was referring to. First, the description he gives of a hand reaching from beneath the toilet matches the modus operandi of the Kappa. Second, he refers to a “traditional style of the Japanese toilet,” which I believe refers to outhouses that were located by bodies of water. Third, Miyamoto clarifies that he was not referring to a specific ghost story, but several stories of terror from the toilet. Because Kappa are a category of mythological creatures, there is no one perpetrator responsible, and there were various accounts of Kappa attacks that could fit the bill. To be sure, the Kappa is more a monster than a ghost, but I can’t be sure what terminology Miyamoto was using because he was speaking through an interpreter. (Kappa are considered “Yokai,” a broad term that encompasses ghosts and might easily be translated into English as “ghost.”)
As mentioned above, the Kappa aren’t the only terrors of the toilet in Japan. Some other stories that could have served as inspiration include the tale of Hanako-san, the spirit of a young schoolgirl with a bobbed haircut who haunts girls’ school bathrooms. Hanako-san must be summoned by knocking on the third stall (usually on the third floor of the school) and asking if Hanako-san is there. If she is, the summoner will hear her say, “Yes, I am.” Hanako-san, or by some accounts only her hand, will then appear and drag the intruder into the toilet and, presumably, to hell. This story only dates back to the 1950s, so Miyamoto’s comments about the “traditional style of the Japanese toilet,” and that he was not referring to a specific story makes me think that Hanako-San was not the direct inspiration for the hands in the Zelda series. Terrifying, nonetheless.
There’s also the Manekute no Yurei, or “Inviting Hand.” At night, perhaps when you wake up to use the facilities, a hand appears out of the darkness and beckons you closer. These hands are believed to be a conjuring of someone who died and are seeking recognition and prayer for their soul. While definitely spooky, these spirits are generally harmless. The appearance of the hand is similar to those in the Zelda games (especially Phoeni), but they are not typically known to haunt the toilet.
Finally, there’s Aka Manto, or “Red Cape.” Aka Manto wears a mask and red cape (surprise!) and appears to people, especially women, in public and school bathrooms. He asks a simple-yet-bizarre question: “Do you want red paper or blue paper?” Answering red results in the person’s death by flaying or laceration. Answering blue will cause Aka Manto to drown the victim or drain all the blood from their body, depending on the version of the story. If the person plays smart and answers a color other than red or blue, they are rewarded by being dragged to hell. The only ways to survive are to ignore the ghost or say that you don’t want paper (are you willing to make that sacrifice?). Aka Manto’s appearance is not like the hands of the Zelda series, but the fact that he asks about paper may be connected to the queries of Link’s toilet-bound acquaintances.
So there we have it: the frightening Japanese stories most likely to have been the inspiration for the unexpected hands of the toilets in the Zelda series. While the misconduct of the Kappa seems to be the most directly influential, elements of the tales of Hanako-San, the Inviting Hand, and Aka Manto may have also played a role. And now you have some spooky stories to tell on All Hallows’ Eve. Have a good Halloween, and be safe when you need to use restroom!
