Japanese Urban Legends: Who is Aka Manto?

He's one of Japan's most famous urban legends, but what's the long and terrifying history behind the one and only Aka Manto?

[PrincessMadeira]

Aka Manto’s horror story: encountering someone who responds “Oh I don't wipe”

[MillywiggZ]

‘The Matrix’ would have been a short film if it were Japanese.

[meimei]

I like the theory that these stories are not just scary stories but it lays the mental ground work for “the third option.” It’s the idea that if you know about the “the third option” then you will be safe. The people you’re connected to or the knowledge you have is exclusive and your escape from this fate is cultural, familial or special in some other way. I think the split mouth woman is another example. Do you think I’m pretty is a yes or no answer but they should say something else, you know? Has anyone else heard of this idea?

[HughAverageHomoMan]

"guess i'll die then" embodied in a legend

[FunkyBukkyo]

Ah... As with many urban legends, it was based on a somewhat actual incident that got mixed up with other stories.

[lunardiinferi]

C: got my own paper. Bye weirdo in the other side of the door.

Ps. What is that mask around 4:00 ?

[rinpaisys]

With things like aka manto I always wonder what happens if someone doesn’t understand any japanese, is deaf, has headphones on, is nonverbal, is too socially anxious to answer, or just assumes they are talking to someone else.
Or if they have absolutely no spiritual sense or have some neurodivergence that would leave them assuming they are hallucinating and opt to ignore it.
All these of course, fall under the suspension of disbelief type of pretending involved in any fiction, as someone who fully does not believe in the supernatural.

[ceewood]

[GREAT VIDEO!!} Question: I've noticed that a few Japanese words sound like they are based on English words: "des" and "manto." When in Japanese, you say basically, "my name is ___", ending in "des"--it seems to be based on the word "designate." And "manto" seems based on the word "mantle" which means the same thing! Are these "modern" adaptations based on Japanese contact with the English, back in the day? Like in English, we adapted some French and German words that have no English equivalent, like "fiance'" and "reek."

[onicore]

Good ending: asking Aka Manto which color THEY want instead

[soccerandtrack]

The picture looks like japans v or vendetta.

[samuelhayden]

1. Are u more of a old school resident evil fan or are you a 4 5 and 6 fan



2.thank u Tara

[soccerandtrack]

10:34 i try not to use the outside bathrooms, they treat it like he does,
except they dont leave bodies...

[keip]

Must be nice to have been the Aka Manto or (Aoi blanket) ... he or they got away with it like Jack the Ripper.
But in the end, life is meaningless when you live a bad one. Which everyone neglects you for to worse bully.

[darkneko]

I swore i heard the story of Aka Manto in life was a very beautiful man who used to hid himself with a mask and cloak and was killed because of his looks.

[HexIsme]

Blue blood is what gives a body a blue color. Blue blood is just blood that has no oxygen in it (Hence people who are SUFFOCATING turn blue). If you had no blood at all, you'd have very little color overall (Completely white if your skintone was above medium toned while alive, VERY ashy gray if you had darker skin). You would not be blue at all.
But hey, who says "scary" stories have to be based in reality, right? I think it would be more disturbing if it made actual sense, though.

[lordsquid]

Blue paper or red paper? I want toilet paper