The Ningen (1991 Deep Sea Video)

Another videotape from the Japanese Office for Human Studies
(Tags: Professor Zubov [Soviet ship])

[@m_g_khatravinsky]

Here’s an extra layer of information that I think is worth pointing out: that in much of the sequences the Japanese either contradict English text's meanings or provide complementary information. They are as follows, translations from Japanese are indicated by brackets: 00:20 (An intelligent hunter) 00:32 (That’s a good eye) (which hunts down the prey) (Terror from the smell) *probably meant to be "It smells fear" 00:40 maxilla (that tear the flesh apart) (and the bones) 00:50 Spine (that turns into a tail) 00:59 (Hunts at the bottom of the ocean) 1:08 (It is more evolved than any of us) 1:18 (It will always out-run you) 1:28 (Its grasp can kill you instantly) 1:37 (If you wish to meet your family again, avoid NINGEN at all costs. ) 1:50 the lower line says: (Our mythologies were their mythologies) 3:25 (whale is filled with fear) 4:35 the Japanese nickname column reads: (KEIZO) 5:03 the nickname column reads: (Removed out of respect to the Hunatsu family) 6:15 (A powerful engine) 6:24 rib cage (of cannibalism) 6:31 (Bullet-proof bone) 6:37 (A superior instinct...) (...It always...) 6:46 (...breaks the neck.) 6:55 skull (that remembers everybody) 7:03 (Ancestor of cannibalism) edit: Adjustments were made here and there after the initial posting. Shout out to the lads in the reply section who pointed out the issues.

[@jdrzkn]

I wonder if hunatsu family is related to funatsu in the previous vid

[@cthulhufan_2394]

"our mythologies are their mythologies." MM connection perhaps?

[@kentaroukamakiri5384]

3:25 (whale is filled with fear)

[@m_g_khatravinsky]

@@kentaroukamakiri5384 Added, thank you!

[@gremloid]

thank you for the translations!

[@fissionabledolphin]

Deep Sea horror is probably one of the most underrated subgenres of analog horror, getting to see Alex’s take on it is really exciting

[@zenatic-aox]

any suggestions for analog horror like this?

[@fissionabledolphin]

@@zenatic-aoxhaven’t seen much of it on youtube but there are some gemini home entertainment videos that give the same vibe, also saw something like this from nepyhs media i believe (no idea how to spell that)

[@2gupsy4me]

@@zenatic-aoxactually, one of the first examples of analog horror is centered around the deep blue sea, its called NOC+10 and its really cool.

[@Amygdalum]

@@fissionabledolphin Unfortunately the Gemini deep sea video (the deep blue) appears to have been removed & decanonized. Was a shame too, deep sea horror is so investing. Would love to make a video myself on the subject of some unknown beast lurking down there in the future.

[@Slipperyslab]

@@Amygdalum any idea why?

[@solarboyaaron4652]

The diagrams of the skeletal structures of these things is both insanely cool and horribly unnerving The vibe of everything in this video is incredible

[@solarboyaaron4652]

Also, whatever that thing at the end is, the ‘Stage 3’ God I love it Idk what it is or if we’ll ever see it in some way other than the blurry photos but GOD I am obsessed with it

[@Just-a-mexican-guy.]

Somehow I convinced my friends that this is real

[@justyuyun1557]

It remind me of those walrus movies Called "Tusk"

[@NighmareEyws]

Anything with fucked up anatomy but with a human skull freaks me out on a primal level

[@gabrielf.ferreira9132]

Sum-up of stuff i gathered through the video: Ningen: -can speak to other creatures(I'll assume by telepathy) and possibly read their minds as well. -merges with other living beings to get to evolve into their other stages(by convincing that being to merge with it, or by force), although initially they don't exactly have to do it to reach their first aquatic stage. -cannibalistic(due to them being super evolved and being the only predators in the area) -It has 3 stages(for now): 1- Mountain: bipedal, most Ningens stay in this stage as trying to merge with the aquatic creatures would be pointless as in the end they would have to go back to land again which would end up killing them as they would end up dying of dehydration) 2- Aquatic: has whale-like structure. 3- Flying: has no other bones aside from it's spine(most Aquatics don't get to reach this stage due to them dying of dehydration, which explains why there aren't like thousands of them flying around) -The last phrase describes how the Ningen use other species as tools to go beyond. Keizo: -from the Hunutsu/Funutsu family. Some assumptions: -Keizo then found the Whale Ningen's corpse, but it was still alive and somehow managed to communicate with him, probably trying to merge with him so that it would continue to live before being interrupted by Keizo's crew members. -the corpse would later be brought to the soviet expedition ship for a better understanding of what exactly it is. But the corpse was still alive, and it manages to merge with Keizo, not only that but it eats the other crew members to satisfy it's hunger. Extra little theory: Why would the Ningen need such an advanced body structure? being able to easily break bones with it's claws, being resistant enough to be impervious to bullets and evolving through the assimilation of other living organisms?? Simple, they're adapting to a bigger threat, maybe what they're trying to do is escape the planet through humanity. We know they are much more evolved than any of us, so they might know something we don't. Edit: why do Mountain Ningens look so fucking goofy?

[@OmartheOnar]

Mountain ningens really do look fucken goofy, there like, 4-5 feet tall and dont even have arms ( or atleast arms in the classical sense ) and they probably walk like a fucken rubberhose looney tunes character.

[@KenzieIsKenzie]

Can you explain the cave story part to me? I can kinda understand it but its still weird to me, because Ningen translates to Human in english, so im confused if the "human" in the cave paintings were ningens or actual humans. Another thing is, im confused if the cave story takes place underwater or in the surface, because the human merged with a whale where it looks like to be underwater, but theres another mountain down below with the more evolved "ningen", then when the human falls, it falls onto the tip of the mountain, which means its on the surface, but how does a whale survive being overwater? Another thing is that when the human falls, it says "mountain humans will find corpse" does it mean mountain ningens or actual people?

[@boijames3253]

⁠@@KenzieIsKenziek so for the first question, I’m leaning over the fact that it’s the Ningen but as humans with the ability to morph and merge with other creatures (like a precursor to Ningen). The whole story is underwater meaning, the Ningen went with the whale and merged with it, meets another evolved Ningen at a deep trench. Both Ningen merge together and gets overwater and climbs the mountain, this is where it gets weird because the current Ningen apparently dehydrates and dies but it’s still somehow alive. A time later, Keizo and his crew discovered the still alive skeletal remains of the Ningen up on the mountain, tried to merge with Keizo but interrupted by Keizo’s crew. The Soviet ship takes both Keizo’s crew and the skeletal Ningen onboard, the Ningen somehow merged with Keizo, transform into the 3rd form (which is just a spine left) and ate all the humans onboard the ship. I can’t tell what exactly happened afterwards tho and this is my best guess. Also, some have theorized that when before the Ningen in its 2nd form (when the 2 evolved Ningens merged) climbed to the mountain, that Ningen literally dropped out of the sky as in there is an ocean above.

[@KenzieIsKenzie]

@@boijames3253 Ah okay, Thank you for telling me the answers to my question, I understand now.

[@bransbersn]

The mountain ningen looks like a nugget with legs

[@xxfalconarasxx5659]

So here is my interpretation of what is going on here. This is an origin story for the Ningen. It seems that it traces back a long time ago, to the Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age). A group of ancient "humans" inhabited some sort of mountainous region lining the Antarctic coast, most likely the Transantarctic Mountain Range. One day, a human traverses the mountain to see what is on the other side, and finds themselves on a cliff edge with only ocean beyond. A whale visits, and asks if the human plans to jump. The human says "No", but expresses admiration at the whale's ability to traverse the waters freely, and disappointment in his/her inability to do the same, because the whale has a tail, and the human has legs. One day, the human "changes form", apparently shapeshifting by some means, transforming into some sort of whale-like creature, and jumps into the water to meet the whale, becoming the first Ningen, and going "beyond", both beyond the mountains, and beyond his/her human limitations. The Ningen meets the whale, and is excited by this turn of events, and it too wishes to go "beyond". It takes the human to what appears to be a drop off, either the edge of a continental shelf or trench. The two figures that represent the whale and Ningen apparently merge and descend, and upon reaching the bottom, a new figure seems to come up, also claiming to want to go "beyond". This may be an odd interpretation, but I think the whale and the Ningen may have mated, and produced an offspring, which is what this new figure is. So, the two became the primordial parents of the Ningen species. So this first offspring also wants to "beyond", but in a different direction. It wants to go to land, and so it heads for the mountains from which the first Ningen came from. Apparently it managed to reach the top, but did not survive for long, and people eventually find its corpse lying there. There is a third stage where a Ningen can go further "beyond", taking on a form without limbs, and an atrophied head. It appears to be an aerial creature this time around. The ramblings of Hugo Funatsu seem to imply it is some sort of an apotheosis phase of these creatures.

[@cosmoscenti5173]

the painting shown is Takiyasha the Witch and the Skeleton Spectre, the giant skeleton shown in it is what inspired popular depictions of the Gashadokuro, a Japanese yokai taking the form of a giant skeleton. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takiyasha_the_Witch_and_the_Skeleton_Spectre

[@artisan2906]

yes, but the Japanese text says the whale is "full of fear". maybe it... merged with the whale?

[@xxfalconarasxx5659]

@@artisan2906 That's a pretty good point. Didn't realise that the English translation might not entirely line up with the Japanese text.

[@ForelliBoy]

When it zooms in on the "11,000 years" part of the caption, the blue letters turn into the question from the first episode: "ARE WE THEIR WARM CHILDREN?" Combined with "Hell is cold, what happens when it's warm" - what if old George had spawn?

[@BobbinRobbin777]

@@artisan2906 Or did the human assault the fish?

[@wesleymiles8756]

The implications of the cave painting story are beyond horrifying. The ocean is such a great source of good horror, since we know so little about what it truly contains.

[@user-jr3zr2mp9c]

Water

[@Raihandsome07]

​@@user-jr3zr2mp9csalt water

[@hootax8980]

​@@user-jr3zr2mp9c dark water that hides strange things

[@Poopenfarden]

​@@user-jr3zr2mp9c Shat myself from this jumpscare

[@Zixi63]

Fish

[@user-rv6qk2cn4z]

Alex I don’t know if the Japanese texts are intentionally translated to be unrelated with English texts but it’s indeed terrifying, especially during the anatomy section.

[@user-rv6qk2cn4z]

I just watched it again and it’s definitely intentional! Like when the English texts say “friendly human” the Japanese texts say “if you want to meet your family again please avoid encountering Human at all costs”

[@fissionabledolphin]

@@user-rv6qk2cn4zi was just watching this and noticing how much longer the japanese phrases were compared to the translations and was just figured ‘oh interesting how english is much shorter when compared to a foreign language’ but that just adds a whole other layer of creepiness

[@nerobernardino88]

@@fissionabledolphin As someone with a VERY basic understanding of japanese (and my "not trusting that shit yo" vibe got reinforced by the top comment): the JP texts are wildly different.

[@bigpigeon2384]

it definitley adds another layer to the story. The japanese seem to think/know that the ningen pose a real threat to humanity. but whoever translated it seems to be deliberatley misleading people into underestimatiing these things. There is definitly some kind of government conspiracy going on.

[@foureyesisafish7968]

@@user-rv6qk2cn4z also notably every instance of human in this series is probably meant to be Ningen instead, because guess what Ningen means in Japanese?

[@mimilllion]

alex making multiple series satirizing the fuck out of america and then immediately moving on to focus on other non american cultures is so funny i love it so much, especially since a lot of web horror is already from a very americanized perspective of monsters destroying buildings and secretly invading our society etc. i respect the grind and i’m in love with this series so far

[@rancorious7785]

His trail of destruction spreads worldwide.

[@Amygdalum]

Love the feel of this new series. The ambiance feels so ethereal when it need to be and terrifying in others, and the use of colors and tinting adds this deeply unsettling aura to it. The deep ocean is full of unknown terrors and you play with some really neat ideas here. Overall consider me very excited to see you continue to expand into this.

[@vipahxxx7640]

It really feels other wordly.

[@cocleum]

I am so proud of you for posting another video about Japan 🇯🇵 Sometimes I was surprised to see that some sentences in English and Japanese don't mean the same thing. I find some sentence in English describing bones was written in Japanese describing something horrible. It was very interesting. I'm using translator so I'm sorry for saying bad English.

[@legatelaurie]

Don't worry, what you've written is very clear

[@cocleum]

@@legatelaurie thank you🥰

[@fortniteblackmanta1098]

The difference between the sentences is very intentional. The text in English is supposed to be misleading to the English viewer but the Japanese text tells the truth

[@randomguy0047]

Can you please translate the japanese text?

[@fortniteblackmanta1098]

From commenter @m.g.khatravinsky2803, “ Here’s an extra layer of information that I think is worth pointing out: that in much of the sequences the Japanese either contradict English text's meanings or provide complementary information. They are as follows, translations from Japanese are indicated by brackets: 00:20 (An intelligent hunter) 00:32 (That’s a good eye) (which hunts down the prey) (Terror from the smell) *probably meant to be "It smells fear" 00:40 maxilla (that tear the flesh apart) (and the bones) 00:50 Spine (that turns into a tail) 00:59 (Hunts at the bottom of the ocean) 1:08 (It is more evolved than any of us) 1:18 (It will always out-run you) 1:28 (Its grasp can kill you instantly) 1:37 (If you wish to meet your family again, avoid NINGEN at all costs. ) 1:50 the lower line says: (Our mythologies were their mythologies) 3:25 (whale is filled with fear) 4:35 the Japanese nickname column reads: (KEIZO) 5:03 the nickname column reads: (Removed out of respect to the Hunatsu family) 6:15 (A powerful engine) 6:24 rib cage (of cannibalism) 6:31 (Bullet-proof bone) 6:37 (A superior instinct...) (...It always...) 6:46 (...breaks the neck.) 6:55 skull (that remembers everybody) 7:03 (Ancestor of cannibalism) edit: Adjustments were made here and there after the initial posting. Shout out to the lads in the reply section who pointed out the issues.”

[@FishandChipper]

Other people have pointed out the differences between the Japanese text and the English text but one really subtle one is how when talking about the "nicknames" for the NINGEN corpses the first time round they use "愛称" (nickname/ more like pet name) and the second time they use "ニックネーム" which is just the English word "nickname" in Katakana.

[@beancan2752]

For those of you wondering the interview at the end talking about the energy of animals was taken from an interview with Steve Jobs about VisiCalc. This same interview is also used in the music video for "Barbra" by Vulfpeck

[@gigachadgaming1551]

Bicycles really are impressively efficient, we had to make the tour de france go through multiple countries to make it hard enough.

[@SisterRose]

man I did not expect to see a Vulfpeck reference here but i'm happy i did

[@beancan2752]

You'll be glad to know you can now connect Mr Manticore to Brian David Gilbert as well with this line

[@tracewyrm]

Would've never guessed the first video was going to become a series! I loved the aesthetics of the video so seeing more of it really is pleasant

[@starxolotl]

5:39 With how slowly this thing is moving when contrasted to the size comparative to the camera- either they were lying when they said this thing was fast or it’s MASSIVE.

[@loercayt6146]

Massive since in the stone painting it was the size of the whale

[@MayliSong]

I thought it was a bit odd that the Japanese text at 1:08 is big and red like a warning, while the English text is small, calm blue, and saying reassurances. Kudos to Mister Manticore there, that’s a very clever way to subtly cue us in that something is wrong here. Thank you also to the commenters who actually knew what it was saying, it is both wildly unsettling and very gratifying to have that hunch confirmed.

[@zaunerswife]

FATHER I WAS CONCERNED, BUT YOU ARE HERE

[@CodeNameX001]

9:00 For those who don't know, that's a Yokai, a Japanese style "demon" called Gashadokuro. Probably the most famous legend of the Gashadokuro was from the execution of the real life figure Taira no Masakado. Masakado was a leader and a samurai, who betrayed the Emperor and lead a failed rebellion. A bounty was put on his head, and he was decapitated by his nephew, as revenge for killing his father years prior. In revenge Taira no Masakado's daughter, Takiyasha Hime, raised the bones of his deceased army, and gathered them into a single monstrocity to ravage Kyoto until her father's head was returned to a small fishing village called Shibasaki. Today, Shibasaki is now Tokyo, and Masakado has been deified as a protector of Tokyo.

[@M8tallicJi8ngshi]

@@milkallergy8829 YOUNG NOBLE JUNIOR!!! YEAAAAHHHH

[@ravenslight7934]

I wasn't expecting this to become a series, but I'm really happy it is. Cryptids aren't really something that's touched on in analogue horror, and it's really cool to see someone finally doing it. The manticore never ceases to amaze.

[@torvovenator]

I think the same, cryptids has a lot of potential in analog horror!

[@Beowolf-jy5rc]

yeah gemini is the only one that has made a full series based on a cryptid.

[@davidjovanovic2614]

​@@Beowolf-jy5rcwhich one?

[@Mr.G69420Bro]

When society collapses, I hope that this is archived somewhere on a physical medium. I hope future humans or aliens can find all of the work Alex has done here and think that this was real or at least start throwing wrenches in the theories they will have about us.

[@WobblesandBean]

I love how you say "when", not "if". Cuz yeah, there's no way we're not gonna end the world one way or another.

[@soraxstacy1477]

We need a huge threat in order for humanity to work together

[@weregarurumon3202]

​@@soraxstacy1477what if the sun is a deadly laser?

[@LemonHallPartii]

@@weregarurumon3202but then what if we get a blanket?

[@weregarurumon3202]

@@LemonHallPartii and choke the sun with it?

[@DeadBoneJones]

"whale is speechless" bro is FLABBERGASTED

[@mrreyes5004]

Fr this one random whale was having a civil conversation with some caveman in one moment, and then witnessed the caveman go through a Junji-Ito-style Pokemon evolution in the next moment. I would start questioning existence too, wtf.

[@DeadBoneJones]

@@mrreyes5004 I wanna see Junji ito’s Pokemon now

[@mrreyes5004]

Human: It's not fair, you get to swim freely as an awesome creature while I'm just a land ape. Whale: Damn bro, guess that sucks. Human: Man, screw this. **Randomly folds into a Lovecraftian abomination** Whale: _AYO WHAT THE FU--_

[@nocontent641]

Came over from wendigoon So much awe and respect keeping up your art through the years and with losing a parent . I loved how you tied everything non-linear specific writing is so hard to do well but this is great I hope you continue your art and feel love from your fans ❤❤❤❤❤

[@ForelliBoy]

On the Ukiyo-e at the end: "Utagawa Kuniyoshi was known for his depictions of historical and mythical scenes, and combined both in portraying the tenth-century princess Takiyasha summoning a skeleton spectre to frighten Ōya no Mitsukuni." The figure holding the flag/shovel is smiling.

[@WhatIsThatThingDoing]

Or an axe maybe

[@seanemery1917]

I think that is an axe

[@TheTrailArchivist]

I’m likely reading this wrong, but I’ve got the implication that that thing just fell from the sky & that there is an “ocean” above us.

[@yaronakrayis7291]

I'm sure you're right, it fell back in time from what's below the ocean

[@Slipperyslab]

The Ocean Above Us, known as Space.

[@thequimsnaim]

As Slap Man sad perhaps space, or perhaps... Another reality.

[@yaronakrayis7291]

@@Slipperyslab so pacific rim was correct, there's a portal to space in the ocean

[@TheTrailArchivist]

@@thequimsnaim that is 100% a possibility

[@kilojool4kuhd68]

i don't know anything about japanese but i'm sure as hell that the texts at the beginning describing the ""friendly"" human are probably not accurate

[@zenatic-aox]

it probably says something different. like there are two perspectives of the video. maybe one's from some corporation or government trying to cover up what's really happening.

[@stnkbug7533]

This is really exciting! I'm so glad we're getting more Ningen content!! I really loved the shot of the creepy underwater human, the design is super cool, I love the long arms

[@gabrielamaro1470]

Interesting little theme of looping in this one. The ancient parable a cycle that leads into itself, and the numbers at the top of the footage of the stage 2 keep repeating instead of progressing forward like a regular timecode for VHS footage. Since the Stage 3 seems to be eldritch horror tier, I wonder if these beings have increasingly reality warping power as they mature. "Going beyond" as was said in the parable.

[@eduardotejeris3506]

Una pregunta a las 1:54 del vídeo el texto de azul cambia a otras palabras solo pude entender "warm children", ¿podrias averiguar si se puede entender la oración completa?

[@gabrielamaro1470]

@@eduardotejeris3506 no se ve, pero creo que el mensaje completo era el que estaba en el video antes de este “are we their warm children?”

[@eduardotejeris3506]

​​​​@@gabrielamaro1470 gracias, por cierto ¿que crees que signifique?

[@gabrielamaro1470]

@@eduardotejeris3506 los que estaban investigando las criaturas tenian la idea de que los humanos modernos descendieron de las criaturas “ningen”. Porque como viste en el video, tienen esqueletos similares. Pero es una teoría, no tienen prueba.

[@eduardotejeris3506]

@@gabrielamaro1470 esa es una buena teoría, gracias por tomarte el tiempo de traducir todo esto mi inglés no es tan bueno

[@user-kl6wf6cv5e]

It was pointed in the comments that the Russian word for "help" is incorrect, however in context of Japanese wordplay I don't think it's a mistake from Alex. It's another clue to what happened. Look at the placing of the words, how and why would a real human paint them there? The words are hardly reachable from deck or side windows. It was made by the "human", it's smart enough to understand the concept of written language and use it to lure prey, it just used a slightly wrong word.

[@tauroadventures7897]

That's exactly I was thinking, a normal person gonna write it correctly but I notice multiple times people marking as a gramma mistake, make thinking if wasnt a human make this, perhaps the Ningen do it Also I start thinking That's isnt red paint... the places was painting are really bad and harsh

[@Raptorozaur]

bro, i thought, this was just mistake in translation, but now it's even more terryfying...

[@ohajohaha]

Ooh so that's the reason. Ominous

[@verycool_yeah]

Fun Fact: At about 1:54 the top text (obscured by the zoom in) changes to say (presumably) “are we their warm children?”

[@ReysaAdam]

This is the first time i've seen something like an analog horror take about the deep sea, interesting.. i got humongous fear of the deep water and honestly, i'm not sure if i should watch this but i know that i'm gonna love it lol. i remember that the Ningen was one of those cryptid that i obsess so much when i was a kid besides Mokele Mbembe, i was a big cryptid nerd and the fact that someone made this creature into some analog horror stuff like this is really cool!

[@monstermaker73]

I'm loving this new series. Long have I waited for analog thriller regarding cryptids, and seeing one made by the Manticore himself is just stunning!

[@josephhenderson2538]

Spoilers for Part 3 for anyone working through these for the first time. I like how stage 3 is represented with a question mark @7:12 before we see that it's a floating spine in the shape of a question mark. That was a cute touch. I also love how the audio clip @9:10 references both the spine's ability to float in the air (like a condor) and foreshadows what it does to the boat (using tools to "amplify an inherent ability that he has").

[@BobelPop]

Perhaps the spine is the main organism. It latches & fuses with other beings & that's how it travels about. It's a stretch but that's the impression I get from the series.

[@0_dearghealach_083]

A literal backbone of the creature, in more ways than one. @@BobelPop

[@Rose-gc8lk]

christ, there were moments when I could only look on in dumb, silent horror. the type of tension Mister Manticore is able to create is special, something I've never quite felt in other analog horror. it's not that this stuff is the scariest stuff I've seen, but the craftsmanship allows you to seamlessly, if you are willing, be submersed into this world. other stuff may be "scarier" but you are not as immersed, so the fear doesn't fully reach you. with Mister Manticore's creations, at least me personally, I feel the horror to my core. bravo 👏

[@POTATO4444]

god damn!!!! this turn from american history to japanese folklore is outstanding! I love what you doing w the new series, and clearly you are doing your research so you know how to connect each mythos with another.

[@PerogiXW]

Fantastic work, Alex! I've never seen anyone make a link between the two famous images of a Ningen, which is impressive enough, but to take it to level 3? Brilliant.

[@bcbgaming4481]

Omg, your use of ambient noise freaks me out on some old school horror shit. Also, love the continuation keep it up!

[@risingskyz]

Holy shit that transitory to Funatsu talking scared the hell out of me. Been a long time since this channel has had a proper chair-jumper like that!

[@JasonLyman-ny4hm]

The new little Mermaid looks great!

[@Citridile]

God It excites me so much that you're doing deep sea horror type stuff, its my absolute favorite and you're KILLING it with this, i felt so tense watching this

[@mandridhugh9555]

Alex's visuals and sound designs have a way of making something like a documentary come off as so otherworldly and unnatural

[@EngineerMonkey-zp3yj]

"Oh hey dude, what's wrong? You gonna jump?" "No. I just want to swim in the sea like you." "Oh." *leaves*

[@tauroadventures7897]

Update: I decide to make some investigation and I found some interesting info This is a fragment from an article in wikipedia about the 1990 International Trans-Antarctica Expedition: "The expedition traveled to Antarctica on a Soviet Ilyushin 76 from Minneapolis, Minnesota to King George Island and was transported from King George Island to its starting point, Seal Nunataks, on the Larsen Ice Shelf by Twin Otter. Beginning on the Antarctic Peninsula on July 26, 1989, the expedition traveled the length of the peninsula - the first to do so during the Antarctic winter. There, they encountered heavy storms, deep crevasses and hurricane-level winds. Once on the plateau, the expedition traveled at an average elevation of 3,000 metres (10,000 ft) along the Ellsworth and Thiel mountain ranges to the U.S. base at the South Pole, arriving on December 11, 1989. The team then traveled through the area known as the "Area of Inaccessibility," a region east of the South Pole which, due to its extreme isolation, had never been crossed on the ground and rarely by airplane. The team then visited the Soviet base at Vostok on the continent's interior and finished at the Soviet scientific research base at Mirnyy on March 3, 1990, as Antarctica winter set in once again. The team was evacuated from the continent by Soviet ship, the Professor Zubov." As I remember the report news in the end of the video of "The Ningen (1990 Sighting)" mentions two of the ice shelters the team arrived not longer exists (perhaps the Vostok and Mirnyy bases), I belive the Nigen attacked the two bases, the teams reach to the Professor Zubov to escape but some people was captured by the Nigens, and perhaps Keizo was one of them or soemthign really bad happened to him be converted in one of these monsters...

[@gremloid]

this is absolutely my favorite new series from you, this is insanely captivating

[@VictorIV0310]

Godwyn, Prince of Death.

[@morbidlyobesewizard2411]

the fishe

[@indecisiveyama5081]

Getting some lovecraftian vibes with Hugo being driven mad reading out of the book.

[@Chunga9]

This is amazing so far, Alex. Keep up the great work

[@carlosvalerochavez3045]

Magnificent Good job I've sometimes felt that we need Analog Horror series from other countries (not only in the US)

[@TherealSoggyCan]

I loved the first ningen video and now were getting a sequel and a series on it, this is a great start from a great man, i cant wait for new videos, cause this is already amazing

[@casparfournier7206]

one of the best analog horror creators out there... keep it up my man

[@Observer-3913]

Nothing lives at the bottom of the Marianna trench.

[@Patodeagua213]

The multiverse is expanding

[@quempire2656]

Nah im chilling rn

[@gatorroids3933]

At 1:48 the English text about icarus changes to what looks like "where are my children"

[@tauroadventures7897]

"We are the warm children?"

[@reyanuro6398]

i was having a pretty empty day you always show up n make everything better as if to say “cheer up” thank you mister manticore i love your content thank you🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️

[@Gou01]

I'm posting this again so everyone could see. Yes, there is some funky Japanese going on. Edit: Thanks to the comment below, we have the complete translation. 0:20 - 知的なハンター　- Intelligent hunter 0:32 - 良い目だ - It has good eyes 獲物を狩る - It hunts its prey 匂いの恐怖 - The fear of smell (probably supposed to be "the smell of fear") 0:40 - 肉を引き裂く - They tear through meat そして骨 - And then bone (not grammatically correct) 0:51 - 尻尾になる - It becomes a tail 1:03 - 海底狩猟 - Hunting on the sea floor 1:09 - それは私たちの誰よりも進化しています - It is more highly evolved than any of us 1:20 - それは常にあなたを追い越します - It will always outrun you 1:31 - そのグリップはあなたを即死させる可能性があります - Its grip has a possibility of killing you instantly 1:37 - 家族にもう一度会いたいなら、何としてでも人間を避けてください - If you want to see your family again, please avoid the Human at all costs 1:48 - No translation issues here. However, there is no mention of Icarus or the 11,000 year gap. 私たちの神話は彼らの神話です - Our mythologies are their mythologies Edit: I missed these details in the whale story. Another comment pointed this out 2:28 - Here, the whale is referred to as ホエール instead of クジラ 3:25 - クジラは恐怖でいっぱいです - The whale is filled with fear 4:37 - 愛称：ケイゾウ - Nickname: Keizou 5:11 - ニックネーム：船津家に敬意（？）を表してなし - No nickname provided, to show respect for the Funatsu family Another interesting note here: the word "nickname" for Keizo's entry is written in kanji, but the redacted entry's "nickname" field is written with katakana characters. This may be related to the previous video where Keizo's name is written with both kanji and katakana characters. 敬三 and ケイゾウ 6:15 - 強力なエンジン - A powerful engine 6:26 - 共食い - Cannibalism 6:32 - 防弾骨 - Bulletproof bones 6:37 - 優れた本能 - Excellent instincts いつも - Always 6:48 - 首を折る - It breaks the neck 6:55　みんな覚えている - It remembers everything (someone else translated this as "it remembers everyone," but I think this fits more with the creature's ancient origins) 7:06 - 人食いの祖先 - The ancestor of man-eaters (cannibals) Another interesting bit. There might be a distinction between the Ningen cannibalizing one of their own and eating a normal human. Both　共食い (cannibalism) and　人食い (man-eater) is used, which suggests that the Ningen is distinct from human beings. No more weird Japanese past this point, although at 8:58, the word "art" is translated as 芸術 which is a bit unusual.

[@m_g_khatravinsky]

At 5:11 船津(Hunatsu) is the last name of the Antarctic explorer Keizo featured in the previous video.

[@gatorroids3933]

Also at 1:48 the English text changes to what looks like "where are my children"

[@Gou01]

@@m_g_khatravinsky Thank you!

[@tauroadventures7897]

Why you mention the word "art" is a bit unusual?

[@budakbaongsiah]

We definitely need someone proficient in Japanese from now on. It's also interesting how when the whale speaks it uses the English name of whale (Whale - hoeeru -「ホエール」), simply written in Katakana while outside of it it's referred as the Japanese name of whale (kujira) but written in katakana 「クジラ」 instead of kanji 「鯨」.

[@cal_f10]

Extremely cool stuff here... love the painting comparison and the audio recording at the very end of the video. Paints a lot of very interesting images in one's mind

[@lucasfraczek4320]

I'm hoping this series doesn’t get tied into the Momument Mythos, I had bad vibes when Hugo said the Ningen's arms had melted off its body and just turned into some snake thing.

[@Sharlatans]

Hoping it's not just another Horned Serpent expy like the Martian Serpent and Crescent King

[@cattoproductions7142]

It could be a eel thing or a worm thing!Not everything in that shape needs to be a snake.

[@bionichuteagain2583]

The idea of this being related to the Gashadokuro is really interesting. Nice to see something combining both cryptids and yokai.

[@somdummyidiotnerd]

honey wake up new mister manticore video just dropped

[@creeperhunter2k03]

Yes honey (It's 1:00 here in Spain)

[@gwennorthcutt421]

as a japanese major, im delighted for this new series! i loved the linguistics of course, but the mythology and the body horror and the comparison of the "ningen" to that giant skeleton youkai is wonderful!

[@Neptunequeen42]

Lately I feel like everything you upload is my new favorite thing you've ever uploaded. But this time I mean it.

[@benny_lemon5123]

New series looks amazing 👏 👍 super spooky and i just love all the little details, and the different mediums and scenes. These videos are never boring, and always maintain a fresh visual style. Its not just found footage vhs stuff, which can drag on after so many videos. ❤

[@cl0k3]

Translator's Note: Ningen = Human

[@yaronakrayis7291]

Or "Human"

[@tepig2828]

I’m all for this Yokai Biology series.

[@foreignwun8585]

You always nail that dream logic old myths have, real impressive.

[@RandomOrdinary_Girl_6123]

7:30 Top 10 rappers Eminem was too afraid to diss

[@SisterRose]

Also, since I didn't see anyone point it out, I don't think this is connected to Monument Mythos but if it is, it could be that the Horned Serpents evolved from Ningens too, maybe an alternate stage 3. That's the first thing I thought when I saw the Airborne Ningen.

[@captromancer]

this is so beautiful and one of my favorite pieces of art i’ve ever found on youtube

[@daisyjoy242]

“Whale is speechless”

[@letsplay2bros679]

They tend to be

[@julius4653]

Ambiance goes hard. Seriously though it adds a lot to the video. Love it

[@johnlime1469]

I like how the Japanese section says the opposite of what the English section says.

[@FelipeASaito]

It's only Human, after all

[@Slipperyslab]

Don’t put the blame on it

[@vsprodctions]

Alex back again with the peak content. Truly some of the most engaging and interesting horror/storytelling on KZbin. One of a kind creator

[@DeepseaOddities]

Instantly hooked

[@StarcleBlaze]

Hey it’s you!

[@prismus6520]

I'm not sure about this, but my speculation on the other meaning of "human" at the end of the video would be the kanji "you" in "youkai" [妖]怪. Youkai are monsters in Japanese folklore, though it's more accurate to call them supernatural than monstrous. After all, the "you" in "youkai" means "strange" but there are other meanings the kanji could have; "seductive", "demonic", "calamitous"... This ningen cryptid wandering the sea could very well be classified as a youkai. It ticks the general box of "monster/supernatural". For the ningen/"human" to have a definition of "strange" is pretty cut-and-dry; it is a strange creature. But what if the ningen also "seduces" humans to come with it? Or what if the ningen was a demon? Perhaps it is a sign of forthcoming calamity in the world? Also, very interesting how near the end, the ningen is compared to yet another youkai called the gashadokuro, which is a giant skeleton (derh) made up of the bones of humans that died in battle. Could the two be one and the same in this world? Fun tidbit btw: combine this "you" kanji with the "nin" kanji (the kanji used to describe a human and the "nin" in "ningen") and you get 妖人. (It's not "younin"; due to funky Japanese language rules, it's "ozoyurebito".) Though it means "sorcerer" or "evil enchanter" in Chinese, in Japanese it means *"a person who leads others astray with their words"* according to Wikitionary. Take from that what you will.

[@jack_rabbit]

you continue to impress the hell out of me with each release. excellent work. i am enthralled.

[@dandanthedandan7558]

I love the abstract cavemen illustrations. It just makes it more horrible that you can't get the full pictures

[@MtSimpleEra]

Can anyone double check the japaneese text that pops up when theres blue english subtitles? I think the blue subs are like the government trying to cover up the tapes and the yellow is the original text.

[@whoised603]

It definitely isn't "friendly human", if that's what you're asking.

[@IGunProFan2341]

@@whoised603 pls translate it

[@FreakensteinAG]

From the second half: "Spinous reversal" = "Powerful Engine" "Ribcage" = "Cannibalism" "Shoulder blade" = "Bullet proof bone" "Humerous/radius/ulna" = "Good instincts every time" "Hand" = "Breaks necks" "Skull" = "Everyone remembers" When it says "Friendly Human", the Japanese says "Cannibalistic Ancestors."

[@IGunProFan2341]

@@FreakensteinAG thanks

[@prismaticerror6911]

I like the pacing of your videos. Relatively slow compared to most stuff nowadays and lets you linger on the implications of what youre seeing as well as giving stuff a good vibe

[@JustynaKLambert]

Omg, Im speechless of how wonderful this idea is! Can't wait for more

[@reallyseriousman5765]

Holy Cow, this is SO good. I feel like how I did when I first watched The Monument Mythos or Gemini Home Entertainment. I am eager to see what else is in store.

[@SisterRose]

This is really incredible, I didn't think you could surpass the eeriness of Momument Mythos or Trinity Desk but you did, the atmosphere of this is on point.

[@heatherofmorans]

it should've been "помогите, помогите, помогите" instead of "помощь, помощь, помощь" (as in, a verb instead of a noun) but overall FUCKING INSANE Alex you are a literal genius I love this new series

[@massproductivethrill2681]

So does the Japanese subtitle. At 3:23 says whale is filled with hope. But in Japanese subtitle. It means the whale is filled with terror. And lot more others.

[@tauroadventures7897]

If you thinking, perhaps isnt a mistake from MM, is deliberate for the context of the story Something really horrible happened in that ship

[@tauroadventures7897]

@Heather Moran what I try to express is perhaps that written wasnt made by the people of the ship... common humans dont make mistakes in the gramma but if the japanese words are totally different from the english translators... well... perhaps someone learn how to write russian...

[@majornewb]

Mister Manticore and Gemini are the best analog horrors on KZbin

[@Slipperyslab]

Vita Carnis and Backrooms too

[@daisyjoy242]

Indeed

[@Tcheesy583]

This scared the living hell out of me... Just the cave paintings and footage with light had something so creepy about it

[@sapphireshadow3425]

my favorite analog horror creator and my favorite cryptid, let's fucking go.

[@stages_of_mania]

i love how the world building offers an explanation as to how the ningen has both a bipedal and whale-like form

[@meaganfarr2]

The actual skeletons of the humans are fascinating design wise, let's you see the body horror but doesn't show all of it. Really interested to see what you do with it Alex, amazing work as always :)

[@nefariousgremlin7554]

I like the ending to the cave painting story. Beyond the mountain, beyond the ocean, and finally beyond life. The final frontier is death.

[@thatoneweirdguy7447]

Intresting, having STAGE 3 compared to the Gashadokuro

[@keeperofdragons456]

Indeed the giant cannibal spirits... that bodes poorly

[@Darth_Melek]

looking back at the first vid when they found the false Keizo you could actually see that something was off, his smile was a little bit too wide and his skin was dark blue which made no sense as the people around him wore black clothing that didn't go blue in the photos. The Keizo corpse we see here was similarly absorbed like the Ningen in the paintings absorbed the whale while another Ningen took the form and life of Keizo.

[@teddydietrich586]

"We were lucky the horned serpent never completed it's life cycle... unfortunately, we cannot say the same for the Ningen." also, the blue text at 1:55 changes into "?????????? warm children?" (by the time the changed text is readable only a small part of the text is still on screen)

[@budakbaongsiah]

Wait, when was that on the video? Your first sentence.

[@Slipperyslab]

@@budakbaongsiah it isn’t in the video

[@teddydietrich586]

@@budakbaongsiah "We are lucky the horned serpent never completed its life cycle" was a reply given during one of the Q&As when somebody asked if/why the horned serpent had offshoots

[@budakbaongsiah]

@@teddydietrich586 Oh, okay. I thought it was included on this video.

[@user-pr6ed3ri2k]

4:58 he flew too close to the sun

[@Yews]

The demonstrative form of ‘help’ (‘помощь’) on the ship, rather than the imperative form ‘помогите’ indicates that the ship was sent as a relief, or auxiliary vessel of some sort, rather than it requesting assistance.

[@zombiesalmon4997]

Nice to see you branching out!

[@UnrelatedAntonym]

I wish to go beyond too. Cool to get some deep-sea horror from you!

[@CrypticCreature]

The Ningen is one of my all time favorite cryptids, has been for years and seeing it represented through analogue horror is SO exciting! In general, the idea of using cryptids in analogue horror is VERY neat. I also see that the Gashadokuro is shown, it'd be interesting if yokai are used here as well!

[@illseeyaonthedarksideofthemoon]

What's up my fellow ningens!

[@kingsnakke6888]

It's ya buoy, Ning0n

[@tankman5783]

Those ningers

[@yoshietakayama]

This is SO Cool ! ! ! Good luck on your future projects ! I wish to see more from you,I don't speak english well but this is SUPER cool !

[@XenoTheEnergized1339]

Now that we've got footage of the ningen we just need footage of the kai

[@lc168691]

The Ningen was a super interesting choice. I feel like alot of internet dwellers know and have seen the pictures online but when exploring what the Ningen is actually supposed to be it becomes confusing. I think that makes it a good target to explore in a horror or fictional aspect. Keep up the good work man, excited to see where it goes.

[@stardustdiver]

ik its (probably) unrelated, but when the stick drawings combined into arches i was like, :o special trees