For as long as there have been boats there has been a fear of the deep. Sailors tell tales of the Kraken or the Leviathan, gargantuan creatures with tentacular arms that emerge from the gloom to drag down ships. No doubt these sea monsters are based on the giant squid that are sometimes found washed ashore. In Japanese folklore the Umibozu has a large round head said to resemble the shaven heads of Buddhist monks, more like an octopus than a squid. The name Umibozu is derived from the characters for the sea and for monk. The Umibozu is like a lost soul seeking vengeance and it will capsize the boat of anyone who dares to speak with it.Kaiju Manga no. 8 - Umibozu
