Mythical Creatures: Kappa (Japan) By Aaron Johnson, Joel Anderson, 2024
- Mythical Creatures: Kappa (Japan)
Every culture has its creepy beasties and mythical creatures, and for Japan, one of the best known is the elusive kappa. Said to live in ponds, rivers, and lakes, the Japanese word “Kappa” translates to “River Child.” Accounts vary as to the beast’s powers and special abilities and whether or not it has good or evil intentions, but most agree the creature is a small, child-sized humanoid with green, scaly skin, a turtle-like shell, webbed hands and feet, and a monkey-like face with a beak-shaped mouth. The kappa’s most distinguishing feature is its bowl-shaped indentation on top of its head, one that contains a small pool of water. Inspired by these old legends and myths (some of which date back to the dawn of civilization), Anderson Design Group poster artists hand-rendered a vintage-styled poster of the mysterious kappa legend, an original illustration and retro design crafted in a fashion that’s reminiscent of the golden age of poster art, vintage art, Art Deco, and classic travel illustrations. This iconic monster design is available as a poster print (framed or unframed), canvas, metal sign, mini-canvas, or as a notecard or postcard, including with multiple size options available for prints, canvases, mini-canvases, and metal signs. And to learn more about this creature and so many others, check out this authoritative resource of spooky creatures and legends, Cryptids Fandom.