BAKEMONO AR

Long ago lived young girl named Otoboshi, the daughter of a samurai. When her father was killed, she was kidnapped and sold to a rich brothel named Tamana. She was trained to become an upper-class courtesan.

As a courtesan, she gave herself the name Jigoku (“Hell”) as a way of mocking her misfortunes. She wrapped her body in kimono decorated with skeletons, fire, and scenes from hell. Jigoku quickly rose to the rank of tayū, the highest rank possible for a courtesan.

Her poem, while playing on Buddhist themes, simultaneously implied that everyone who sees her falls in love with her. Onse she noticed something odd about the shadows on the paper doors. She peeked into the room and saw that all of the dancers had turned into skeletons, reveling together in the music.