Fables and Folktales: Shippeitaro

[@matthewspencer5548]

Hero: We saved the day Village: All praise the dog Hero: I'm okay with this, he's earned it

[@justintime3656]

he was a good boy

[@AtarahDerek]

The fact that in his quest for adventure, he was willing to put the goodest boi on a heroic pedestal over himself just makes him a wholesome hero.

[@silence_dais]

It actually makes him a true hero. Sometimes doing the right thing without expecting a reward is the essence of heroism.

[@ominous-crustation]

@@silence_dais i second that

[@akirajotaro]

I get the feeling it's more likely he just got overshadowed by the dog and not because he didn't mind letting the dog get the glory.

[@galning2768]

@@akirajotaro yes but that is boring

[@alexschild5389]

Didnt he also put the goodest boi in the sacrificial coffin?

[@gus.smedstad]

From the tone “don’t tell Shippeitaro” was delivered, I figured the cats were pulling a Brer Rabbit. Nope. They were just announcing to the world what would defeat them, in the tradition of Rumplestilskin and most supervillains.

[@AegixDrakan]

Same! I was seeing a dozen red flags going up at that segment, but nope! The cats really WERE that stupid. XD

[@alienalchemist]

They just hate their big cat boss for not demanding fish from the human.

[@PsiJuicu]

I mean who would expect a man to sleep inside the shrine where blood sacrifices are made in a horrifying fashion that too at nighttime nonetheless

[@sprightlyoaf9583]

Brer Rabbit is a crafty protagonist and the cats are the antagonists (and tbf, cats can be *really* stupid) so that tracks

[@kittiekat10105]

honestly, knowing most cats I've met... accurate.

[@Sam_596]

I love how the dog isn't particularly magical or anything, it's just a good boy.

[@yourlittleinsomniac5369]

I was also expecting.... something beyond just you're everyday dog 😂.

[@RainaRamsay]

+

[@dollarbill6102]

You forget that good boys are always magical ^_^

[@bluelanternguardianangel8038]

He just followed his instincts and yet still saved the day. Truly the best of bois

[@xLoLRaven]

The ~goodest~ of boys!

[@nicolebee3283]

I wonder if this story was written by someone who had a dog they REALLY loved and now they’re immortalised

[@TreeHairedGingerAle]

🤧 He is the best pwuppy and must always be remembered 🥰🎉✨

[@nihilasta2661]

Somehow this makes it all the better and even cuter. Truly the best of best boys

[@Kumahachi8]

I truly hope that’s what happened.

[@simonmunch1638]

The poem to Pangur Ban

[@Great_Olaf5]

Given that it has regionalized variants, 8 would suspect not.

[@hip2besquare632]

“Someones been a very good boy!” “Is it me?” This is simply incredible

[@ravenalchemy610]

IKR? Best Bit honestly.

[@howtodrinkwaterin5simplesteps]

4:39

[@Poxysocks]

4:40 the villager responding to “someone’s been a very good boy” with “is it me? :D” got me lmao

[@jeanetten.s.8557]

Retriever energy has existed in man for centuries

[@styrax7280]

glorious!

[@BladeLigerV]

Guy is a bit thick in the head but he's alright.

[@craftanought1991]

@@jeanetten.s.8557 Where do you think the dogs got it from?

[@blarg2429]

@@craftanought1991 They retrieved it.

[@americanpidgeot6486]

Declaring a cacophonous choir of cats suddenly vanishing at the end of the midnight hour a "tomorrow problem" is such a mood though

[@RainaRamsay]

So valid!

[@midnight6994]

Basically watching the cat's musical in a nutshell, except this cat cult has a demon overlord instead 💀💀

[@archivist_13]

Literally me in that situation

[@simonmoore9030]

Ooh alliteration!

[@thehollyraven]

@@midnight6994 i mean… who’s to say old deuteronomy ISN’T a demon overlord?

[@purplehaze2358]

The fact that you went out of your way to depict Shippeitaro as either a Shiba-Inu or an Akita-Inu makes me unreasonably happy.

[@darkhorsedouglas4789]

Because he must be the cutest of all good boys! And also should probably be a Japanese dog breed in feudal Japan. But it's definitely also because they are some of the cutest dogs ever

[@aircraftcarrierwo-class]

@@darkhorsedouglas4789 The Shiba Inu has been around since about 7000 BC, so it's entirely possible to have owned one in Heian-era Japan when most youkai legends take place. And they are hunting dogs! Shibas have been very good boys for a very long time.

[@georgeray1906]

Just out of curiosity but can you tell me the major differences that separates an Shiba-Inu from an Akita-Inu?

[@brigidtheirish]

@@georgeray1906 Akita are a *lot* bigger.

[@purplehaze2358]

@@georgeray1906 Mostly size. Akitas are WAY bigger than Shibas.

[@wormsdonthaveeyes2888]

“Sir, I need to borrow your dog for some incredible heroics!” “Yeah, he IS the most incredible little boy, isn’t he!”

[@ouliaarts5201]

The way red draws Shippeitaro's goofy face combined with the fire in his eyes is so funny to me

[@Vespuchian]

'This goodest of boys burns with the PASSION OF JUSTICE AND BELLY RUBS!'

[@cylnder]

✨justice✨

[@TB-1927]

Ikr?

[@jonathanwen3342]

I hunger for justice. Or for treats

[@metarcee2483]

Akitas and Shibas actually look like that when they're mad. Akitas in particular are extremely protective.

[@kastanimates]

3:28 Can we just all appreciate this magnificent piece of art? The obvious inspiration of traditional japanese art merged with Red's typical style is fantastic!

[@8unnylover]

YESSSSS!!! My jaw DROPPED when I saw the lady, and then it zoomed out all the way to show the full olden-Japanese-esque art and I was just blown away!!

[@Thorns31122]

I love the way the dog gets a name and the guy just is nameless. The priority of who wrote the story was in the right place. 🐕😂

[@juanmanuelpenaloza9264]

I'm not sure if it’s the same in real life but I know in the military the dog gets the credit while the handle just holds the leash.

[@frick_____you]

I guess the point of the story was that the guy wasn't as heroic as he thought he was; and got shown up by the dog.

[@creepyasgramdpa9916]

@@frick_____you but he did help the village from getting sacrificed. If he didn’t found out the cat yokai earlier then shippeitaro nv exist and the village would still offer more sacrifices.

[@sable7687]

I'd imagine thats on purpose, he seems very nondescript, maybe so that the reader can relate to him better.

[@travispluid3603]

@Vice-Virgo I mean- the guy still is the one who killed the monster. You know, by cutting off its head.

[@birbsbizarreaccenture7999]

The bgm made me remember i literally studied Shinto and Japanese mythology JUST FOR INUYASHA to get the references. It was totally worth it. To be fair, memorized some hieroglyphs and bought Egyptian mythology picture books just for Yugioh. Anime was my gateway drug to mythology.

[@kylajensen1957]

Sammmeee! My search history is full of a mountain of weird, esoteric questions about both mythologies and cultures to make it accurate. In one story I even gave each character a unique kimono pattern that means something in the context of their character, and the kanji spelling of their name also means something. Edit: Now I'm writing an Egyptian mythology themed horror novel. Thank you, Kazuki Takahashi.

[@samueljo7910]

May I introduce you two to the Fate series?

[@lanabanana538]

Finally, a folk tale that shows that even people who lived hundreds of years ago loved their dogs more than anyone

[@arthurmartin4616]

And who can blame them? This one really is the goodest of bois.

[@casualswimmer5930]

Also that people hundreds of years ago believed at night cats would conspire to kill their human masters

[@gregcox777]

"My eyes were wet with tears, our little dog, when I bore thee (to the grave)... So, Patricus, never again shall thou give me a thousand kisses. Never canst thou be contentedly in my lap. In sadness have I buried thee, and thou deservist. In a resting place of marble, I have put thee for all time by the side of my shade. In thy qualities, sagacious thou wert like a human being. Ah, me! What a loved companion have we lost!" Epitaph for Patricus, a dog from ancient Rome

[@pocarski]

@@gregcox777 I have been ruined, when I read "Patricus" I instantly imagined Ancient Roman Patrick Bateman. To be fair, that could be said about a good few emperors as well

[@Noddarappa]

@@gregcox777 why would you write this. I’m tearing up in a cafe rn.

[@lfr8666]

3:43 I love that the poor Sacrifice Girl is shrieking lyrics to Memory in the background. This episode is delightful.

[@nunyabiznes7446]

Lemme tell you it was absolutely crushing to realize there wasn't a compelling found family narrative waiting for me once I left home and now I have to do taxes ;~;

[@mothhuuny]

easy, create a found family with your coworkers instead. totally works out perfectly 100% of the time.

[@nicktallfox5266]

Maybe you just need to look harder for it. Mayhaps go on a little Hero's Journey™ about it.

[@OpenBiolabsGuy]

The virtue of self discipline carried me through adulthood. Now, 20 years and a new family later, I am about to go on a dangerous adventure. May it be as boring as possible.

[@nataleynakata3687]

Who knows, life with a family of your own can be an adventure all its own, even some of the “boring” parts.

[@Broomer52]

My martial arts training has also gone to waste. Action Adventures were not in my future unfortunately

[@calicokity1]

The boss cat being a nekomata is utter perfection. I audibly went "hell yeah" when I saw that second tail.

[@ButterflyScarlet]

*Red:* Have you ever had that thought that you'd be really great in a crisis? *Me who gets nervous when I have to speak to my own coworkers:* oh absolutely not but continue

[@blueteller]

🤝

[@cooltrainervaultboy-39]

Me having to put up with disgruntled mother of the brides, who won't be happy no matter what you tell them: *Dialup noises* 🤖

[@tangentreverent4821]

I work at a gas station and complain about it being too exciting.

[@Gore1704]

My inner voice goes "you're the random extra the badguy just exploded into tomato sauce on an idle whim."

[@maddie9602]

Yeah .... I happen to know for a fact that I freeze up under pressure and would probably just stand there like an idiot during a crisis 😅

[@Green-3c34y65vrbu]

"everything changes when he reaches the foothill of an extremely scary-looking mountain!" oh don't worry, i'm sure Sun Wukong already cleared it out.

[@garethspotfur1]

Well he would have, if it was a mountain in China. Japan was on their own.

[@xRAINxOFxBLOODx]

That demon(s) must've been very determined if they took Tripitaka across the sea. And after Sun takes less than hour (only going so slow so he won't break Tripitaka's neck) to fly them back to the exact spot where they were interrupted, Tripitaka's gonna complain about the speed for weeks again.

[@metarcee2483]

This is Japan, his name is Son Goku.

[@paragamer85]

**overwhelming urge to adopt a Shiba Inu and name it Shippeitaro**

[@kaiyu4147]

Same

[@vyprrgirl3012]

Do it! (Don’t look to me for sage advice-I just encourage fluffy habits)

[@fresianabi]

Sameeee

[@JasperForge]

Do it let the cuteness flow through you

[@jasonblalock4429]

You do not know the powah of the cute side!

[@ratoh1710]

4:48 This is probably the single greatest thing you have ever drawn... Can we have a pin with Shippeitaro, pretty please?

[@parkerdixon-word6295]

I prefer 5:01, personally.

[@8unnylover]

@@parkerdixon-word6295 4:48 would probably make a better pin just because it’s the full doggo, but if it had the 5:01 face on it that’d be the best universe

[@thehistoryandbooknerd8979]

YES PLEASE! Edit: I also would love a pin that just says BORF!

[@VictoriaStarratt]

@@thehistoryandbooknerd8979or mug?

[@SerDerpish]

I truly hope Red saw this thread

[@limkailuen3022]

I can’t even imagine what was going thru those cats minds when they were dancing “Hey Frank u think it’s smart to sing so loudly about our ONE and ONLY weakness , what if someone nearby hears us ?” “Shut up Percy no one ever comes here , god man ur so paranoid .”

[@torva360]

"Idk guys, Shippeitaro could be listening." "Heyo well guess what? Shippeitaro sucks! Nobody tell him, because that dog is the worst! Ruins everything." *random guy takes notes*

[@fakeaccount9046]

“Here’s a bright idea , how about u don’t loudly sing about your bosses only weakness in a open area where anyone nearby can easily hear u and take notes , you all saw what happen the rumplestilskin .” “Ugh fine I guess we will just have to sing about cat nip and pushing cups off tables then”

[@christophergarcia9022]

Came from the same school of "sing your weakness" as rumplestinkin

[@limkailuen3022]

@christopher Garcia LMFAO

[@failureman6832]

Imagine if the lord just called his dog a simple common dog name like floof , the poor nameless hero would probably have to borrow half the village dogs and hope that one of them is the correct weakness of the cats

[@Moodyman90]

Can't help but come up with a demystified version of the story where some guy was just traveling, took shelter for the night in a shrine and a bunch of feral cats wouldn't shut up, so he angerly went to the closest village, kept asking if they had a dog he could borrow, went back to the shrine, chased all the cats away that night, came back to the village and went "Hopefully they won't be a problem anymore."

[@meganmadson8588]

“IS YOUR DOG BUSY??!!” this is one of my favorite things you have ever made lmao. shippeitaro is the goodest boy!

[@RainaRamsay]

I had to pause the video at that point to just laugh for a bit 😂

[@jeffbenton6183]

Reminds me of when my brother would ask the family dog, "Are you going to accomplish anything today?" right after she woke up.

[@TB-1927]

Yeah

[@runashadow4033]

I love the last image of doggo blehping with fire in his eyes and the word justice appearing was pure gold.

[@justjesssss1026]

We stan an unnamed protagonist who is outshined in his self-imposed hero's journey by a puppy. But we stan the puppy way harder.

[@Cronosonic]

Still, props to the young man for having the bravery to actually commit to his plan even when the huge demon-cat appeared and just _straight up decapitating it_ after Shippeitaro attacked. Dude deserved a few good drinks on the house for that at the very least.

[@homeworksdone2378]

"Tons of cats partying up at night" nah that's perfectly normal they just got the zoomies

[@teragram38crows49]

Jellicle cats were having a Jellicle ball!

[@KingsBard]

Everybody Everybody Everybody wants to be a cat

[@John_Weiss]

In my house, we call it, "The Running-Crazies!"

[@elliethefuzzyturtle]

​@@teragram38crows49as soon as she said that they were partying under the full moon. That was what I thought and then when she used the word catawall I started laughing

[@pridelander06]

3:48 one of my favorite tropes from Red's videos is the hero busting in on someone who is drinking something and does a spit take 😂

[@sarahhowell6781]

As you talk about the “sinister and untrustworthy nature of the cat” mine cat is currently biting my ankle

[@playererror4044]

I was petting mine as she said that.

[@danielschott4639]

Your cat's tasting your betrayal.

[@vaultdweller7]

I remember my old cat who would stretch out for belly rubs and at a random point during said belly rub close like a bear trap. I miss that cat.

[@melkhiordarkfell4354]

"Hisss don't listen to her lies"

[@notoriousgoblin83]

It's a warning

[@NotesFromTheVoid]

Honestly, you have to respect that guy's determination. Often mundane boredom and despair is harder to deal with than an active threat

[@dragoness7181]

I love in folklore when an antagonist just goes out to party or something and just starts casually singing/talking loudly about their one weakness. It’s just so funny to me, I’m just picturing them getting like super drunk when they do it.😜

[@gus.smedstad]

It’s like it’s contractually required. Suppose you’re a fairy creature, and make a bargain with a young woman where she has to give up her first born child to you, but she can get out of it if she guesses your name. Dancing around a fire singing your name seems like a poor choice, but that’s what he does.

[@leeshajoi]

"Rumpleteaser is my name!"

[@torva360]

Just a bunch of cats minding their own business roasting the local dog they all hate. "Shippeitaro sucks! No one tell him we're here."

[@phastinemoon]

I’m honestly more impressed that so many of these folktales have the hero able to easily find the thing that is the monster’s one weakness. Like, what if nobody in the village knew who Shippetaro was? They’d be proper f*cked.

[@CrownofMischief]

​@Samantha Phastine or worse, the villagers called him Maru or something but Shippeitaro was what the dog was known as in the animal world. He was there all along

[@justinwood7232]

“It’s hard to be a hero in a world with no easy villains” love that

[@i.s.9451]

"And sometimes the greatest tool just happens to be the cutest guy~" Romance novels: Why yes, we knew that.

[@munchlacks2900]

Good one

[@eyy_its_danny7584]

"someone's been a good boy" "is it me?" honestly this is such a mood

[@theanimeunderworld8338]

I know I'd die in an adventure story

[@yaumelepire6310]

Oh mama! I'd probably die in the inciting incident, even before the mom and stern paternal figure.

[@Bobberation]

I would be the extra killed to demonstrate to the hero how evil the bad guy is

[@woodlefoof2]

Skill issue

[@kaitlynboss3497]

Oh yeah, me too. I’m one of the random civilians that just fucking dies cuz plot demands that drama happens

[@fluffystuff500]

I'd probably die before it even started. I wouldn't be the adventurer, I'd be the call to adventure. The buddy that the hero needs revenge for

[@mycelium_hearts888]

Everybody give Red more dog related myths This is the best thing I've seen all week

[@ReySilverskin]

The crying girl in the village is also singing "Memory" That is so perfect, considering the sheer number of cats involved 😆

[@B2WM]

I immediately assumed Jellicle shenanigans - like the 2019 movie.

[@doodledogdiary3644]

ITS SO EASY TO LEEEEEEAVE MEEEEEEEE

[@Midsomnyx]

You had a golden opportunity to write "purrfect" and you didn't use it, the pun gods weep

[@matthewmcmullan4832]

The sentence “proto-weeb in 1800’s Europe” reminds me why I subscribed to this channel.

[@thatlycantomboy]

“he goes to sleep, deciding that is a *tomorrow* problem” …yeah so I don’t relate to the totally thriving in a crisis thing, I relate to this part right here

[@Mistress0fMonsters]

Omg I NEED a shirt with that dog's determined face all close up saying "JUSTICE."

[@wolfgang8391]

we need a "Shippeitaro and the Young Man" series of just these two helping people and defeating monsters in simple and straightforward manner

[@RainaRamsay]

I would crowdfund that

[@vdate]

'The Dog And His Boy', if you will.

[@TacComControl]

I like the idea that the young man is constantly trying to save the day in consistently more and more convoluted ways, and well he's not looking, shippeitaro just walks up behind him and does something simple and easy to solve everything.

[@DJchilcott]

@@TacComControl Make the young man an adult, add in a precocious niece, and you've described Inspector Gadget.

[@TacComControl]

@@DJchilcott Yes, but with a little more Don Quixote thrown in to the mix for added comedy potential.

[@addisonhamilton3382]

i just rewatched the og iliad video, and its amazing to me how much red has improved, in art, in storytelling, and (although she didnt start doing it right away) even as a singer/musician for the outros. She was always _good_ but now she's *_awesome_* . Thank you for the years of content

[@ventusvindictus]

"Guess who's a good boy!" Random villager: "Is it me?!" :D That got me good.

[@Ekami-chan]

Omfg the illustrations on this episode were amazing! "is your dog busy!?" And hero's look when hearing screams are wonderful 😂

[@bimyouna]

I can confirm that this is an actual Japanese folktale, although the version I'm familiar with uses monkeys rather than cats. (Incidentally, the phrase 犬猿の仲 (*ken'en no naka*, "a relationship like a dog and a monkey"), refers to two sides that simply can't get along due to mutual hostility.)

[@RainaRamsay]

That is delightful to know; thank you!

[@RainaRamsay]

(The last two pieces, after the の, look to me like the character for "person" and for "China", which I would have taken to mean "Chinese Person". Is that the word for monkey, or for dog? 😅 Or am I misreading it entirely, lol?)

[@bimyouna]

@@RainaRamsay 犬 is "dog," 猿 is "monkey," の is an attributive particle, and 仲 refers specifically to (the tenor of) a relationship between two people or entities. The 中 part actually means "middle," and it has come to refer to China because, of course, back when they were inventing written language the Chinese - like many other peoples, cf. "Mediterranean" - decided that they were the center of the world.

[@RainaRamsay]

@@bimyouna That is so wonderful! Thank you for explaining!!! I am so excited to know that!

[@katerocks82196]

There's an anime I like called Yuru Camp where one of the main characters visits the shrine of a dog named Hayatarou. I wondered, "Are Shippeitaro and Hayatarou the same dog?" so I went back and looked it up and, sure enough, the tale of Hayatarou (where Hayatarou ends up traveling to Shizuoka so he can fight a monkey that's causing trouble there) is just a version of the Shippeitaro story local to Nagano prefecture. So, yes, technically, they are the same dog!

[@jackielinde7568]

It's funny that Red opened up the video talking about being in an action adventure story. My department has a monthly work meeting that ends with one of the staff asking the group a non-work related question. This weeks work question was, "What TV show would you like to live in as a character." My answer was, "Oh, heck no! Not most of the stuff I watch" for this very reason. My answer was "Shows like Mayberry, Leave It To Beaver, The Dick Van Dike Show, Newhart, Cheers, etc." where This "There's always an Arquillian Battle Cruiser, or a Corillian Death Ray, or an intergalactic plague that is about to wipe out all life on this miserable little planet" isn't the weekly scenario. (Thank you, Men In Black)

[@vyprrgirl3012]

I’d want to be in Archer so I could randomly yell Danger Zone! and no one would bat an eye

[@jackielinde7568]

@@vyprrgirl3012 Well, if you don't mind the high body count and the possibility you might be the red shirt, go for it.

[@vyprrgirl3012]

🎶Danger Zone!🎵

[@leshyaedawnfire]

Pokemon.

[@peterwhite6415]

The same applies to Anime suprisibly enough. You would get some wild answers and people will eitehr go "Yeah, that makes sense and doesnt sound to bad" or "ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE?!". Example: - Any slice of life anime would problaby be fine. - Anything like AoT, OPM, MHA would mean the person only consider the positives and cool things and is ignoring the Bad Shit.

[@tylerhildebran3479]

Am I the only one who expected the cats to secretly WANT Shipeitero to come? It sounded a lot like the tale of the rabbit and the briar patch there at first.

[@JellicleKitten]

Me, at the cats dancing under the full moon: it's fine he's just at the first jellicle ball Me at the end song: 😮🤩 (thank you Red)

[@comradesionnach]

"It's hard to be a hero in a world with no easy villains in it" this is such a great quote and can explain so many problems today.

[@demi-fiendoftime3825]

Oh there's plenty of villians everywhere problem is you'd probably go to jail for killing them

[@leeshajoi]

@@demi-fiendoftime3825 And a lot of them have a vested interest in convincing you that _someone else_ is the villain.

[@comradesionnach]

@demi-fiendoftime3825 there's also many people wanting to be heros but can't figure out who the real villains are.

[@demi-fiendoftime3825]

@@comradesionnach That too especially on social media -_-

[@samueldimmock694]

@@demi-fiendoftime3825 Well, those ones aren't easy villains, are they?

[@cassandrazatka6240]

0:40 yes of course…that inner monologue that definitely went away and matured over time. I’m definitely NOT pretending to be constantly questing

[@edbangor9163]

It's a little weird that the townsfolk never thought "dogs hate cats, maybe a dog could fight off the demon cat"

[@lordofuzkulak8308]

Maybe they thought it needed to be a demon dog but they only had regular ones to hand? 😉

[@josephperez2004]

I'm not sure if it was completely clear to the villagers that the Spirit of the Mountain was a feline demon.

[@bloodbane007]

Fun fact, dogs don't hate cats in Japan...They hate monkeys! The Japanese equivalent of fighting like cats and dogs is fighting like dogs and monkeys.

[@Dragonlover553]

Apparently it was that one specific dog, for some reason? Maybe because he was the lord's dog, and they didn't realize that was significant?

[@albinlindh4000]

or maybe this is the origin story of why cats hate dogs!?!

[@nobodysanything2330]

The rendition of the sacrificial victim and the cat was peak class⛩️

[@kf10147]

3:27

[@wheresbellaj2386]

My dululu mind “I would thrive so much in crisis” *still needs my sister to schedule my haircuts bc I am scared of phonecalls*

[@matthewpopow6647]

I feel that

[@shadowclaw7210]

Lol same

[@Lionstar16]

If it makes you feel better, I'm 32 years old and really don't like having to make phonecalls

[@pattheplanter]

I use hair trimmers once every few months, 9mm. Not been for a haircut in 25 years.

[@valtteripennanen4043]

5:01 "I am the bestest best good boi who will deserve all the treats you got or otherwise I start being fucking dramatic ex-theatre kid who is definitely not BI" -Shiba inus and huskies.

[@owo_blue_ninja3483]

While I always will adore fantasy and always want to live up to that, I am very aware that I would die before I even spoke a word in most of the fantasy worlds I like.

[@mirjanbouma]

Honestly, same. I'd die by tripping over something long before the hero(es) show(s) up.

[@supreme_king_obama1158]

I probably die in the Inciting incident before the stern mom and pop do.

[@eshbena]

As a parent, I'd die before the story started as a motivating factor for my kid to go off on an adventure. XD In a Disney film, as a mom, I'd have the life expectancy of a mayfly.

[@jordanhunter3375]

I'd be the character in the horror films that recite the local legends for the heroes and audience, then be found dead hours later

[@Swaiznhe]

I'd be zombie n°7 in the background

[@Joy-zz8wz]

Omg that introduction is such a CPTSD mood 😅 Edit: imagine if mortal combat was genuinely someone's comfort zone *but* filing paperwork gives that person panic attacks because they don't know what they're doing and feel overwhelmed 😢

[@fangsabre]

I don't have to imagine 😁

[@Blockio1999]

What a cute little story. Also excellent job on the art of the cat demon, looked the perfect mixture of unhinged and still vaguely fluffy

[@phastinemoon]

I still wanna pet her!

[@0katsuki0]

i want to cuddle the kitty

[@raininess]

That dog's cuteness is certainly worth a legend. Also thumbs up for unexpected InuYasha music.

[@Lilyvex]

A story about cats being silly little guys and dogs being very good boys. This now my favorite folktale

[@Riya-uy6ik]

oops, this giant cat is going to eat this random girl! such a silly creature!

[@mollydaughterofduck1484]

I read and write fanfiction, so I've read a self-insert or two in my day. It's led to considering writing one myself, but that always leads to the thought of main character who tries to run, rolls their ankle and ends up limping through the rest of their quest, skipping from panic attack to panic attack.

[@phastinemoon]

DO IT!

[@Amanda-C.]

I would read that. That sounds rad.

[@Nasser851000]

0:00 This feels like a trope talk the way Red is sitting XD

[@cameronjohnson4936]

The art in this is amazing, but that slide of the cats dancing in the darkness with the light and shadow highlighting them... awesome

[@user-hs1xb9tv6e]

What a heroic little good boy. And also that other guy was there.

[@ruikamo]

One of my favourite things red does is playing the inuyasha ost whilst talking about japanese folktales😊

[@cupcakegirljen7]

From Shippeitaro to Hachiko, Japanese dogs never fail to tug my heartstrings.

[@adammcelroy3143]

Love the attention to detail in your drawings when you drew a Kasa Obake at 1:52. It’s one of my favorite yokai.

[@Josiahiswatching]

The little guy with the big hammer?

[@adammcelroy3143]

@@Josiahiswatching no it’s the umbrella one with one eye

[@Josiahiswatching]

@@adammcelroy3143 they are pretty good!

[@nozzrik4472]

If there isn't going to be a Shippeitaro Pin with fire eyes and Justice, I will be so sad

[@jonp8015]

I'm at the point where I've crossed from "I would thrive so much in a crisis" to "I kinda thrived in crisis, but I *never* want do it again."

[@NivRel]

Ok i expecyed this to end horribly, yet It turned out waaaay more heartwarming than i would have ever even imagined

[@dotdotdot...176]

I love how the young man wasn't the singular focus and doesn't even have a name in the story. He was just a lad looking for adventure and actually ended up saving those girls being sacrificed, and he didn't do it for the fame, glory, power, women or something he wanted from someone, but because it was the right thing to do. And he wasn't too proud to outsource a good boy to help, then he happily lets said good boy Shippeitaro be the main hero of the story and be in the limelight while he is just... there. Unnamed to the end. What a wholesome story and a surprisingly humble hero, considering he started the tale looking for adventure and crisis. He just wanted to help, and he actually did. Good on him. And gahhh, cute doggo!

[@Aku9466]

I can not imagine anything other than a corgi puppy on a pedestal being sweet and adorable while “I! AM! BATMAN!” and similar heroic “I am justice” quotes run through its head.

[@onlylonelystars9268]

YES!

[@renatocorvaro6924]

Never underestimate the power of a good boy.

[@VelkanKiador]

0:20 I love that the theoretical guy who wants to adventure you drew fantasizes about being Gimli of all people XD

[@artemis_areia8108]

We do not shame the short kings here

[@Nortarachanges]

Because Gimli is the best! ^_^

[@MegaDzib]

Because Gimli is the best one of the original fellowship.

[@vetchb.s.c.1612]

This story was read to me at a summer reading program at our local library when I was 7 or 8. Straight up scared the crap out of me. Lost sleep for weeks over this.

[@elixershorts]

2:35 jellicle cats come out tonight, jellicle cats come on come on , the jellicle moon is shining bright, jellicles come to the jellicle ball

[@gothnerd887]

God, I wish jellicles were demon cats

[@Rutgerman95]

If I'm going to be in a fantasy story, I want to be... One of the background Hobbits in the Shire. Those guys are living the good life and I want in.

[@ShanRenxin]

You’re going to want to be a movie hobbit then, ‘cause in the books they get wrecked too😭

[@Rutgerman95]

@@ShanRenxin But they bounce right back thanks to Sam's Loth Lorien soil. They're fine

[@kjj26k]

​@@Rutgerman95 Does Sam's magic dirt therapize the trauma they endured?

[@Rutgerman95]

@@kjj26k Probably not for everyone, but I can imagine that seeing their lands bloom anew and better than ever after being razed would restore some hope to at least a few

[@B2WM]

​@@ShanRenxin At least Farmer Maggot rocks in the book. (And also has a pack of goodest Bois.)

[@yosefzanerva806]

Shippeitaro, the story of the goodest, bestest dog.

[@youtubewatcher6719]

The sheer amount of nostalgia that kicked in when I heard the Inuyasha music is incredible

[@xenomang3149]

This.

[@Urameshi0963]

I love the evolution of your art style. The simplicity of the normal characters’ designs and the stylization of cultural art! Also props for using Inu Yahsa music. 🙌😎

[@chaihill1837]

I didn’t know I needed a Japanese folkloric tale about a cute pupper of the goodest variety today, but I sure am grateful I found one.

[@denizygc3018]

If you keep going back 5 seconds after the "have you ever had that thought" line in the beginning you get a sick beat

[@kylehall8760]

"proto-weeb" has got to be one of the most hilarious phrases I've heard in my life

[@Fornothing_atall]

Coincidently I just bought the "supernatural lives of cats in Japan" book! Its a really great read! I love it so far.

[@katherineclawson3494]

I was not expecting to be smacked with Memory but it’s lovely and soothing as all the endings

[@Raylockthehellion]

The dog is and will always be the best part of any story. This one especially. The goodest of good bois

[@pastaman68]

Off topic but I really love your use of the word "quixotic" it just rolls off the tongue so nicely

[@Rainears129]

Doggy! Such a good boy! And Red, you did a fantastic job depicting Shippeitaro, you're hours on google were well worth it.

[@ArturoStojanoff]

2:58 I've never identified more with something.

[@angeygirl]

Love how Shippeitaro has a permanent blep

[@calire4294]

To be fair if I found out that a cure dog was part of a duo that helped save my village I would only focus on it cause that's just too darn cute

[@not4turtle883]

4:14 That inuyasha music got me the chills

[@oriolguerrero1702]

Heroic goodest of boys is not a line i would have expected Red to ever say but man am I glad she did.

[@11daroy]

I will admit that the first time I heard of shippeitaro was from the manga Ushio and Tora in which its just a old, old dog who was able to help fight a demon monkey. But it's so cool to learn the ledgend its referencing.

[@Dark_Tale_1985]

I think over time, a lot of us realized that without a powerful McGuffin, we would probably get our collective asses handed to us on a silver platter the first outing. The world of adventure tends not to look to kindly upon ordinary humans. You gotta have something special otherwise welcome to background character status.

[@apocalypticdream2258]

Speaking as someone who's entire life has been constant crisis with arbitrary adventure sprinled in... Listen to Red, those voices are not to be trusted. Character stories gloss over crazy amounts of trauma. From a first hand experience there's so much literature and media I cannot enjoy due to it being actively triggering because I CAN relate to the characters on... far too many accounts. Enjoy fantasy, learn from history. Appreciate Red and Blue for making it safe to learn even for the traumatized ❤😅

[@rowdyriolu1]

It's amazing how much the quality of these videos has improved... I especially love the drawing that shows up at 3:19

[@metarcee2483]

Akita Inus in particular are incredibly protective of their pack, and will violently defend them. My family had an Akita/Greyhound mix for years. It once thought my dad, who had worked late that day, was an intruder. If that door didn't open inwards, dad would have been mauled before Mickey recognized him. Yes, her name was Mickey. She also treated me like I was her puppy, and once dragged my dad into another room when baby me had started chewing the TV remote. She would also become incredibly worried when I was in my baby swing. I loved it, she was certain that it was a torture device.

[@Just_Some_Guy_with_a_Mustache]

I know everyone's the main character of their own story. I'm just saying that I know I'm barely an NPC in someone else's story. I'm like one of those corpses they use as checkpoints on Mount Everest.