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History

Yomi (黄泉) is the gloomy and desolate realm designated to serve as the Shinto underworld in Japanese mythology, to where the sprits of the dead descend in the afterlife.  Near the dawn of time, after the god of evil Mikaboshi unsuccessfully attempted to destroy the pantheon of Shinto gods known as the Amatsu-Kami, Izanagi (Skyfather of the Amatsu-kami) imprisoned him in Yomi for centuries.[4]

When Izanagi’s wife Izanami (actually the Earth Mother Gaea) disappeared after giving birth to their son, the fire god Kagutsuchi, Izanagi believed that she had died and descended to Yomi, but could not find her there.[4]

Mikaboshi remained in Yomi for centuries, gradually gaining control of the legions of Shinma demons, oni, tengu and other malevolent spirits living in the underworld.[4]

Many centuries ago, a Shinma demon known as Kao-Goto Suru escaped Yomi and entered the Earth realm, where he came to be known as the "Face Thief."[1]

In modern times, “Empress of the Dark” Miyu of the Shinma empowered Japanese industrialist Inoshiro Kondo with the mysterious “Element Z,” which enabled him to transform his body into other substances.[5]

After Police Captain Kioshi Keishicho of Japan’s Imperial Guard was killed by the Silver Samurai in an assassination attempt on the Japanese Emperor, Keishicho’s soul descended to Yomi. In Yomi, Mikaboshi offered Keishicho a chance to return to the mortal realm to gain revenge upon the Silver Samurai for his death.  Keishicho readily accepted and was returned to the mortal realm by Mikaboshi as a yūrei (departed spirit) known as the Ebon Samurai, but learned that he was now permanently bonded to a suit of ebony armor modeled after the armor worn by the Silver Samurai and carried a katana sword that was mystically bonded to the essence of a Shinma demon which corrupted his mind.[6]

Yomi from Incredible Hercules Vol 1 117 001

Izanagi traveling to Yomi

Mikaboshi was eventually freed from Yomi by Izanagi in order to join the "God Squad" (alongside Hercules, Snowbird, Tecumotzin, and Atum, the God Eater) to battle and defeat the extraterrestrial Skrull gods Kly'bn and Sl'gur't.  Although Mikaboshi was believed to have been killed in the battle, he survived and began conquering and enslaving an army of extraterrestrial deities from across the galaxy on his way back to Earth.[7]

Yomi from Chaos War God Squad Vol 1 1 0001

The Gateway from Takamagahara to Yomi

Eventually returning to Earth, Mikaboshi defeated and enslaved the Amatsu-Kami.  The Amatsu-Kami, now under Mikaboshi’s control, lured a new "God Squad" (consisting of Silver Surfer, Venus, Sersi, Daimon Hellstrom and Bast) to their home of Takamagahara (the Plain of High Heaven) within the realm of Ama and presented them with a plan to defeat Mikaboshi by again imprisoning him in Yomi.  However, once the God Squad were led to the temple within Takamagahara that contained the sealed gateway to Yomi, the Amatsu-Kami revealed that they were under Mikaboshi’s control and turned on the God Squad, destroying the gateway’s seal and unleashing the demonic inhabitants of Yomi against them.  The God Squad defeated the Amatsu-Kami but were unable to reseal the gateway to Yomi, forcing the team to venture into Yomi to prevent any additional demons from coming through.[8]  

Yomi from Wolverine Soultaker Vol 1 4 0001

Gateway from Ashurado to Earth

Points of Interest

  • Ashurado is the fourth level of Yomi,[9] inhabited by Shinma demons such as Ryuki.[9] In the 1800s, Ryuki possessed the body of Hana Yanowa, a former priestess of the Shosei Order, in order to kill and absorb the souls of enough innocent victims to open a gateway from Ashurado and crossover into the Earth realm in his own physical form.[10]
Yomi from Chaos War God Squad Vol 1 1 0002

The demonic denizens of Yomi

Residents

See Also

Links and References

References

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