TV-Series
Description
Asasabonsam, a vampire rooted in South Asian and western African folklore from regions like the Ashanti Empire, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo, inhabits deep forests. Legends describe this humanoid species wielding iron teeth and hook-shaped legs to capture humans, suspend them from trees, and suck blood from their thumbs. Tales document male, female, and child Asasabonsam.
Physically, he possesses a blocky head, lanky limbs, a flat forehead, prominent patterned brow ridge, small eyes, large nose, and a gaping mouth housing blocky teeth and a long patterned tongue. Patterned details mark his shoulder pads, knuckles, belly, shins, and fibula. Design varies across adaptations: the 1968 anime simplified his patterns, while the 1985 version gave him a higher forehead, visible ears, a black upper torso, light blue lower torso, light brown forehead, and patterns accented with red, yellow, green, and white.
Personality-wise, Asasabonsam frequently laughs and underestimates Japanese yōkai resilience, a trait shared with other vampires in the series.
He appears in multiple anime adaptations: serving under Professor Dracula in the manga story *Blood Battle Ogasawara*, where he attacks Kitarō with sap before Nurikabe absorbs him. He features in episode 52 of the 1968 anime (*Vampire Yōkai Gang*), episode 96 of the 1985 series (*Blood Battle!! Yōkai Vampire Corps*) firing sap at the Kitarō family before absorption by Nurikabe, and episode 104 of the 1996 anime (*Terror! The Island of the Vampires*). In the 2007 anime (episodes 71 and 76, *Southern Yōkai Landing on Japan!!* and *Strongest Tag Battle!! Southern Chinese Yōkai!!*), he joins the Southern Yōkai Five alongside Akamata, Yashi-Otoshi, Chinpo, and Langsuyar, displaying enhanced durability and developing immunity to electrical attacks and hypnosis. The 2018 anime references him indirectly when Agnès dismisses him and Penanggalan as unlikely culprits.
His abilities include bloodsucking and projecting large quantities of sticky sap from his mouth, stickier than birdlime (tori mochi), which ensnares targets and requires hot spring or waterfall water for removal. The 2007 adaptation highlights his physical toughness and adaptive immunities.
Shigeru Mizuki’s design may draw inspiration from Māori indigenous art. His vocalizations in the 1968 anime resemble Anguirus from the Godzilla series.
Physically, he possesses a blocky head, lanky limbs, a flat forehead, prominent patterned brow ridge, small eyes, large nose, and a gaping mouth housing blocky teeth and a long patterned tongue. Patterned details mark his shoulder pads, knuckles, belly, shins, and fibula. Design varies across adaptations: the 1968 anime simplified his patterns, while the 1985 version gave him a higher forehead, visible ears, a black upper torso, light blue lower torso, light brown forehead, and patterns accented with red, yellow, green, and white.
Personality-wise, Asasabonsam frequently laughs and underestimates Japanese yōkai resilience, a trait shared with other vampires in the series.
He appears in multiple anime adaptations: serving under Professor Dracula in the manga story *Blood Battle Ogasawara*, where he attacks Kitarō with sap before Nurikabe absorbs him. He features in episode 52 of the 1968 anime (*Vampire Yōkai Gang*), episode 96 of the 1985 series (*Blood Battle!! Yōkai Vampire Corps*) firing sap at the Kitarō family before absorption by Nurikabe, and episode 104 of the 1996 anime (*Terror! The Island of the Vampires*). In the 2007 anime (episodes 71 and 76, *Southern Yōkai Landing on Japan!!* and *Strongest Tag Battle!! Southern Chinese Yōkai!!*), he joins the Southern Yōkai Five alongside Akamata, Yashi-Otoshi, Chinpo, and Langsuyar, displaying enhanced durability and developing immunity to electrical attacks and hypnosis. The 2018 anime references him indirectly when Agnès dismisses him and Penanggalan as unlikely culprits.
His abilities include bloodsucking and projecting large quantities of sticky sap from his mouth, stickier than birdlime (tori mochi), which ensnares targets and requires hot spring or waterfall water for removal. The 2007 adaptation highlights his physical toughness and adaptive immunities.
Shigeru Mizuki’s design may draw inspiration from Māori indigenous art. His vocalizations in the 1968 anime resemble Anguirus from the Godzilla series.