Kodama (spirit)
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- For other uses, see Kodama.
Kodama (木霊) are the nature spirits that live within all aspects of nature, primarily trees and rocks. An approximate equivalent in western mythology would be the dryad. One of the most famous depictions of the kodama is in Princess Mononoke. They are portrayed as humanoid but with distinct, oversized heads and simplified features. They can vanish and appear anywhere in great numbers, and their heads make hollow rattling noises similer to maracas. They inspire a mixture of fear and trust in the film's characters but ultimately are a calming, humorous addition to the film. They have become somewhat of a cult symbol to fans, with referential graffiti in the cities of Japan, and official merchandise such as pins and charms. The kodama also appear in the Magic: The Gathering card game in the Kamigawa block. Additionally, a rendition of the kodama was used in the Keane music video, "Somewhere Only We Know". This creature also has popped up in many games such as Shin Megami Tensei series and Persona series. They also look much like the Stone Mask from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, and to a certain extent the Koroks from the Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.
The term kodama is also often used to describe an echo, as if the tree spirits themselves are responding to a sound. According to mythology, the spirits are said to hide themselves in the forest and collect voices of those nearby, later to play with the voices themselves.
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