Ningyo(Japanese Mer-Ape) (Mego) Custom Action Figure
Custom #:27041
Name:Ningyo(Japanese Mer-Ape)
Custom Type:Action Figure
Toy Series:Mego
Creator:ようかい ジョン  
Date Added:January 26, 2011
Base Figure:CTVT Green Female Body
Height:8.50 inches
Ningyo(人魚, "human fish", often translated as "mermaid") is a fish-like creature from Japanese folklore. Anciently, it was described with a mouth like a monkey's, small teeth like a fish's, shining golden scales, and a quiet voice like a skylark or a flute. Its flesh is pleasant-tasting, and anyone who eats it will attain remarkable longevity. However, catching a ningyo was believed to bring storms and misfortune, so fishermen who caught these creatures were said to throw them back into the sea. A ningyo washed onto the beach was an omen of war or calamity.
One of the most famous folk stories concerning ningyo is called Happyaku Bikuni (八百比丘尼, "eight-hundred year Buddhist priestess"?) or Yao Bikuni. The story tells how a fisherman who lived in Wakasa Province once caught an unusual fish. In all his years fishing, he had never seen anything like it, so he invited his friends over to sample its meat.

One of the guests, however, peeked into the kitchen, noticed that the head of this fish had a human face, and warned the others not to eat it. So when the fisherman finished cooking and offered his guests the ningyo's grilled flesh, they secretly wrapped it in paper and hid it on their persons so that it could be discarded on the way home.

But one man, drunk on sake, forgot to throw the strange fish away. This man had a little daughter, who demanded a present when her father arrived home, and he carelessly gave her the fish. Coming to his senses, the father tried to stop her from eating it, fearing she would be poisoned, but he was too late and she finished it all. But as nothing particularly bad seemed to happen to the girl afterwards, the man did not worry about it for long.

Years passed, and the girl grew up and was married. But after that she did not age any more; she kept the same youthful appearance while her husband grew old and died. After many years of perpetual youth and being widowed again and again, the woman became a nun and wandered through various countries. Finally she returned to her hometown in Wakasa, where she ended her life at an age of 800 years.
Here's my Ningyo that got away.I sculpted her head from clay over a CTVT mad clown Dementia head.For her body I used a CTVT neckless green body(I found in the bottom of one of my CTVT body boxes with one broken leg,kind of like a happy accident though because I was wondering how I should make the ningyo)which I removed one leg on and repositioned underneath the figure.I sculpted over the figure completely with the clay. I painted the entire figure with acrylic paints and sealed with modpodge.

Pictures
User Comments
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ようかい ジョン -
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Thanks Patraw!The Ningyo came about because I found the body in the bottom of my CTVT bodies box with a broken leg,so I removed the broken leg and was going to make another one-legged Yokai(I was going to give my Dodomeki one leg,even though it doesn't mention her being one legged anywhere,she just has bird's eyes all over her arms)and I was working on her foot,I was making it a bird-like claw(wide and flat to aid in standing)and then I thought,hey this looks like a fin,so then I thought this isn't going to be Dodomeki,its going to be my Ningyo(and that's what I did).Despite the way she may look.she really stands well(since the fin is wide and flat,makes her very easy to stand).
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Patraw -
Saturday, January 29, 2011
I like the unique anatomy of this one--usually you see mermaid figures swimming/reclining, rather than standing erect, which is an interesting look (reminds me a bit of TMNT's Merdude, the only other figure I can think of that was ever done like that). Must be tricky to get her to balance on one leg though. Nice work!
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ようかい ジョン -
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Thanks for the positive feedback!Glade you like!Many more to come.
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Poopay -
Thursday, January 27, 2011
I expect you're the only guy on here with such an interest in Japanese folklore which is why these brilliant pieces are not getting enough praise. very original - much more interesting than a comic book guy repaint, imho.
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