Amabie is a legendary creature from the Higo Province of Japan that appeared from the sea and delivered a prophecy. It is described as long-haired, scaly, three-legged, and featuring a bird-like mouth. According to the legend, upon emerging from the sea, it foretold of six years of good harvest, and to draw its likeness and present it to the sick to ward off illness. Following this, it disappears. Due to similarities with a yōkai called the amabiko, including prophetic capabilities and a command to show its likeness to the sick, it is believed that amabie may be a result of a printing or writing error.
Design
Masayuki Doi designed his Amabie with familiar traits that are recognizable as part of Amabie's original design which was depicted in print during the Edo period, and added elements such as the flesh showing through the shape around its eyes to make it seem more like an eerie Megaten demon. He hopes Amabie will be popular not only for its cuteness, but for being both cute and repulsive.[1]
A Japanese yokai said to have appeared in the Higo Province during the Edo period. One day, it was spotted as a glowing object in the sea, and made a prophecy to those who investigated it. The prophecy was that for the next six years, there would be a bountiful harvest, but also an epidemic of disease. Once that time came, it said, those who fell ill should be shown a drawing of Amabie as soon as possible to ward off the sickness. Similar rumors were recorded around this time for amabiko, jinjahime, and kudan.
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Reason: Missing info about Amabie's English speech tick.
Amabie can be found in Jozoji, having moved to Tokyo to become an idol. She speaks in a polite and old-fashioned manner, sometimes unfamiliar with the words she uses. Amabie asks the Nahobino to give its idol bromide to a trendy student for a quest.
Before advancing the story, the Nahobino can give Amabie's bromide to one of his friends in Bethel by speaking to them at Jouin:
If given to Yoko Hiromine, she is unsure of what to make of it. She doesn't particularly dislike it, nor does it make her unhappy.
If given to Miyazu Atsuta, she finds Amabie cute. Due to her chronic illness, she is happy to hear that having it is supposed to make you healthy and says she will treasure it.
If given to Tao Isonokami, she laughs because she was not expecting the Nahobino to give her something like that. She decides to put it in her student planner.
If given to Yuzuru Atsuta, he assumes Amabie is something he doesn't recognize and admits he does not follow the latest trends. He decides to use it as a good luck charm along with his misanga bracelet.
If given to Ichiro Dazai, he mistakes Amabie for a kappa, but likes how it looks and decides to show off its bromide in his next video.
After advancing the story, the bromide can be given to any student at Jozoji.
After reporting back to Amabie, it gives the Nahobino an Amabie Essence as a thank you. It counts the Nahobino as the 3rd member of its fan club, with the first two members being her mom and dad.
In Shinjuku, the Nahobino receives a quest from a Macabre to find an idol such as Amabie and bring her to Hanazono Shrine to perform. Nahobino finds Amabie still at Jozoji, now dejected because humans other than the Nahobino cannot see her. She thinks of returning home but goes to Shinjuku in Da'at after the Nahobino tells her about Macabre. Once at Hanazono Shrine, Amabie performs for the other demons while chanting.
After completing this quest and allowing some time to pass, the Nahobino can return to Hanazono Shrine and recruit Amabie as a Quest Navigator. She names the Nahobino her idol manager and asks him to take her on a tour. She will wait at the Shinjuku 3rd Block leyline. In the field, she mistakes attacking demons as her fans who are waiting to see her.
If the Nahobino does not help Amabie, then after Jozoji becomes inaccessible, she will appear as a generic NPC marker on the map of Tokyo and lament that she was unable to become an idol.
Trivia
Amabie's design originates from a sketch by Masayuki Doi made in 2021. At the time, Amabie was becoming a popular symbol of Japan's efforts to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic due to her ability to protect from disease.
Japanese
