The Heian Period was an era spanning four hundred years, from Emperor Kanmu's relocation of the capital to Kyoto in 794 until Minamoto no Yoritomo established the Kamakura Shogunate. It was over a thousand years ago.
Kyoto had been named Heian-kyo in hopes of securing peace and good fortune, and the Heian Period took its name from it.
But as the saying went, things seldom went as hoped.
Instead, the Heian Period saw an endless succession of natural disasters and human calamities, a scene of impending doom. Everyone from court nobles to street peddlers lived in constant fear. Amid the political demands of various factions and the gloomy public mood, monsters became the explanation for the darkness of the times.
This gave rise to countless ghost stories and anecdotes about Onmyoji, the most famous of whom was the great Onmyoji Abe no Seimei.
And during the Heian Period, another star who shone alongside Abe no Seimei was Minamoto no Raiko.
In legend, he vanquished countless demons and monsters, including Shuten Doji of Mount Oe, the Earth Spider of the capital, and the Gyuki of Senso-ji.
Legends of Minamoto no Raiko's demon-slaying were recorded in books such as Anthology of Tales from Times Past, Companion Tales, and Tales Collected from Uji. As later literary works increasingly mythologized him, his historical deeds became obscure, while his tales of slaying demons became household knowledge, his name known far and wide.
Naturally, the Island Nation's anime, comics, and games would never pass up such excellent material. Minamoto no Raiko was a regular in mobile games, manga, and anime, and had even been turned into a woman several times.
"Oh, come on! Hozoin again!"
"No luck. Superstition won't save the unlucky, and spending won't change your fate. This sacred relic summoning trick doesn't work."
Several