Hitodama - by Kevin
12/12/2005
A long long time ago (more than 5 months!) Lenny suggested I make a one-legged vehicle for hopping from one floating rock to the next. I filled the idea away, and now, upon my return from school for winter break, I have built it!
The Hitodama is a steam-powered vehicle that moves by hopping on its one powerful leg. When building I was struck by the similarity to a creature I had once read/seen. It was a small creature with one leg and lantern that hopped in swamps, leading wary travellers to their doom. Such a creature makes a small appearance in the film "Spirited Away" and is called a "hinkypunk" in the Harry Potter book series. The phenomenon of floating lights in swamps is also called "will o' the wisps", "jack o' lantern", "spunkie" and "hitodama", depending on the cultural region.
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