Scary vampires of Asia: Penanggalan, Mananananggal & more | Myth Stories

In this special Halloween video, you're going to find out all about vampiric blood-sucking creatures from across Asia. From India to Japan, to the Philippines, Indonesia, and beyond. This is about to get very, very red, MythStorians. So strap in, bring the garlic, but leave that steak at home. It's not going to help you here. Greetings, MythStorian, and welcome to this Myth Stories Animated Legends Halloween Special. Vampires. In the West, there are Nosferatu, Angel, Blade, Morbius, and, of course, Dracula. But if you look beyond traditional European folklore, you'll find some absolutely horrifying mythological creatures in Asia. Things that will burn themselves into your brain or, more likely, eat them. So without further ado, let's get to it. The Penanggalan. The Penanggalan comes from Southeast Asia. It is said to be a sort of vampire originating from the Malay Peninsula. There are similar creatures from other nearby locales, such as the Layak from Indonesia, but we'll get to these later. Penanggalan, in most depictions, appear as a beautiful young woman. But when darkness comes, the true monster within reveals itself. The creature is often shown as a floating female head that has separated itself from the body. As this moves around, the intestines and entrails follow. How lovely. Surprisingly, they're not undead creatures. By day, they are believed to live out their lives as a regular person would and probably have a career and home. But come nightfall, they are terrifying predators. Legend has it that Penanggalan are cursed women. It is said they are those who got their good looks via black magic or sorcery. Another tale relates that one was a nurse who made a deal with an ancient magical evil. Another story says a woman became one by accident. It is said she was washing herself when a man surprised her. Apparently, the woman turned so fast, her head came off and flew at him in anger. Guts and all. They move their organs in a tentacular fashion, similar to a squid. They also feed on human blood, pregnant women and children. Anyone unfortunate enough to become their prey is infected with a killer virus. But they're easy to beat. Legend has it they fear beetle nuts and scissors. Another way to deter them is said to be via special pandan leaves. These are normally used for flavoring and cooking, but they're also very sharp. Sharp enough, legend has it, to cut up a Penanggalan's floating organs. These creatures, Mythstorians, are a piece of work. Legend has it there are two types of this vampire. One which can detach its head from the body and move around freely, and another where the head stays attached but the neck can stretch to terrifying lengths. These vampires are tricksters who hunt small game. However, they are also said to have a penchant for violence. Both types of Rokurokubi attack in the dead of night and drain the victim's blood. According to a Japanese encyclopedia from 1712, similar creatures are said to come from China. They are called Feitouman. Legend has it that Rokurokubi are cursed women who performed evil deeds. Yet, in some tales, it is their fathers or partners who are bad and, by some twisted logic, the female had to suffer for actions that were not their own doing. And they are absolutely vicious, but not invulnerable. Their heads can be cut from the elongated neck. Another way is to simply hide the body from the floating head. If the head can't return to it, then it shall soon die. Also from Japan are these serpentine bloodsuckers. Nureonna translates to wet woman. These vampires are sea creatures that roam the coastal waters and rivers of Kyushu, Japan. Their diet is blood. These are very strong vampires, MythStorian. Apparently, they can shatter entire trees with their massive bodies. Legend has it that they operate in a similar fashion to mermaids and beg passing mariners for their help. Then, when their unsuspecting prey turns their back, it's dinner time. At the outlook, this creature appears to be more zombie than vampire. However, MythStorian, you'd be at your peril for mistaking this devious creature as one of the brainless undead. The boot is a cunning demon. They can appear as regular humans or whatever form they choose, usually animals. In most cases, they have unfinished business here on Earth and must stay to fix it. Other things that keep them from reaching the next place include murder or incorrect burial rites. Some other interesting traits of a boot include their lack of a shadow and how they dare not touch the Earth. They float. But their most notable trait is their feet. These are backward. Weird, right? Well, it gets stranger still. They hate burning turmeric and are weak against water and steel. So, while they may be powerful demons, they are quite easy to defend against, much like the next one on our list. The name translates to stiff corpse. These vamps hunger for human souls. They have sharp, long fingernails and are most famous for their trademark hopping. Legend has it that these creatures are people who took their own lives or performed evil acts. Some say they are people who died far from home and are being magically guided back toward there. They can also be summoned magically from their grave. Jiangsi devour a person's qi. Qi. That's their life force. Legend has it the more souls they consume, the stronger they become. And to find out just how strong they can get and how to defeat them, you'll need to watch our special on the subject. There's a link in the description. The manananggal is a horrid, blood-sucking monster from the Philippines. They are said to be similar in appearance to a bat, with huge wings that they use to fly and hunt in the midnight sky. The name comes from both Filipino and Malay languages. It means separator. This is appropriate. To hunt, the manananggal severs its upper body from around the waist down. The creature then takes flight and looks for victims. They are terrifying to look at and are thought to mainly prey on sleeping people and pregnant women. But just like Jiangsi and other vamps, they can be defeated quite easily. All it takes is some garlic, salt or ash and it's bye-bye manananggal. Also, just like European vampires, these things hate the sun. This vampire comes from Hindu mythology. They are said to be dead scholars who led awful lives and acted evil to others. When these people die, they return as brahma rakshas. They are massively powerful creatures that can only be killed by other powerful beings. Interestingly, they are like genies or jinns in that they can grant almost any wish. It is said they are typically found hanging upside down from a tree. Legend has it that they feed on humans. They feature in many stories from Hindu mythology and appear in Indian television, film and pop culture. Finally, we come to the Layak. This vamp is like an evil witch. And in Indonesian, the name means just that. They are said to feed on embryonic blood and are unique to the islands of Bali, Indonesia. They haunt crypts and graveyards and devour the corpses of the dead. People often blame these creatures for sickness and death. And like other vampires we've covered, they often appear in the form of a flying disembodied head, complete with entrails. Thank you MythStorian for watching. We hope you enjoyed this special. We're one year old and over 5,000 subscribers strong. We only upload once a week now. That way, we can focus on one topic and provide you longer videos that will supercharge your mythological know-how. Why not check our two-part documentary about the devil king of Chinese mythology or journey into the lost city of El Dorado. But as always, this isn't goodbye. This is just until the next mythical video.