Tanuki 狸

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About the artwork Tanuki 狸

The Tanuki (狸; "tanuki"), also called Yabyō (野猫; "wildcat"), is a fictional creature from Japanese folklore and belongs to the Yōkai group. He is considered a trickster with an ambivalent character. The Tanuki is known throughout Japan for his depictions of oversized scrotums and he is said to be able to transform himself into magical tea kettles.

The Tanuki is said to be able to transform into a magical Yōkai when he has become unusually old (older than 20 years). He then learns to walk upright, speak and summon Tanuki-bi (a form of will-o'-the-wisp). According to folklore, he likes to dress in distinguished kimonos and pretend to be noble, or he dresses in a simple robe and rice hat and pretends to be a mendicant monk. He can also change his shape at will and imitate voices, thus fooling unsuspecting people. Tanuki are said to have an ambivalent attitude towards humans. On the one hand, they are said to be reluctant to trust humans and prefer to stay away from them. On the other hand, they nevertheless enjoy the tricks they play on humans. Only in more modern stories and media do friendly Tanuki appear. [Source: Wikipedia]

About the artist Vinz Schwarzbauer

Vinz Schwarzbauer (*1987 in Graz, Austria) graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna in 2014. In 2011/12 he spent a year in Hamburg with the Art School Alliance Scholarship at the University of Fine Arts Hamburg (HFBK). He lives and works as a comic artist and illustrator in Vienna, Austria.