Amabie goes viral: the monstrous mercreature returns to battle the Gothic Covid-19

Sam  George

doi:10.1111/criq.12579

Amabie goes viral: the monstrous mercreature returns to battle the Gothic Covid-19

Sam George

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Abstract

This essay focusses on yōkai, Amabie, a mer-monster from Japan’s Edo Period (1603–1868), who is being revived to ward off the Covid-19 virus in 2020. I argue that our understanding of crises is enhanced via the hybrid monsters they engender; here, I focus on the viral spread of the apotropaic image of Amabie via the internet. I also position Amabie as a Gothic artefact, though one which invites a revision of some of the approaches to monstrosity prevalent in Gothic studies.

Original language	English
Article number	criq.12579
Pages (from-to)	32-40
Number of pages	9
Journal	Critical Quarterly
Volume	62
Issue number	4
Early online date	10 Dec 2020
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/criq.12579
Publication status	Published - 10 Dec 2020

Keywords

yokai
amabie
mermaid

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10.1111/criq.12579Licence: Unspecified

Accepted_Manuscript
© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is the accepted manuscript version of an article which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/criq.12579
Accepted author manuscript, 330 KBLicence: Unspecified

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Amabie goes viral: the monstrous mercreature returns to battle the Gothic Covid-19

Abstract

Keywords

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