Japanese · No. 037

Bakeneko, the Shapeshifting Cat

Real myth

Bakeneko, the Shapeshifting Cat
It lived thirteen years. Now it walks on two legs.
Rarity
Common
Category
Monster
ATK
1200
DEF
800
Level
3
Type
Beast
Element
Darkness
Constellations
Moon · Fox

The myth

The bakeneko, "changed cat", is the house cat that, after living many years, gains supernatural powers. In Edo-period belief it walks on its hind legs, dances with a towel on its head, speaks, licks the oil from lamps, takes human form and can reanimate the dead. When its tail splits in two, it becomes a nekomata. Fearing this, some people docked their cats' tails. The most famous legend is the Vampire Cat of Nabeshima, in which a cat kills a feudal lord's favorite concubine, takes her shape and makes him sicker night after night.

Why it has this power

A Common level-3 Darkness Beast with 1200 ATK and 800 DEF: a night predator that hits well but guards little. Darkness and Moon come from the nights when it dances; Fox, the shapeshifting art it shares with kitsune and tanuki. As a Beast it shines with the Oni's Kanabō, which adds 500.

Did you know

Some regions believed that a cat over thirteen years old, or over a certain weight, could already become a bakeneko.

Connections

  • In Renji, Ronin of the Snowy Roads's deck

Where to get it

  • Comes in every duelist's starter deck.
  • Campaign drop: Aiko, Dojo Apprentice (Archipelago of the Kami) — grade C: 13% · grade D: 13%
  • Daily Offering: 0% per pack (Common 64% per card)
  • Welcome Pack: 0.97% per pack (Common 70% per card)
  • Traveler's Pack: 0.88% per pack · 5.2% in the themed pack (Common 64% per card)
  • Bronze Reliquary: 0.86% per pack · 5.1% in the themed pack (Common 62% per card)
  • Silver Reliquary: 0.67% per pack · 4% in the themed pack (Common 49% per card)
  • Golden Reliquary: 0.46% per pack · 2.7% in the themed pack (Common 33% per card)
  • Daily Showcase: Shows up on about 0.69% of days · 150 gold
  • Craft with card dust: 40 dust
  • Crossing of Myths: Can be offered as a reward during a crossing (the card stays in the crossing deck).

Sources

  1. Tales of Old Japan (Project Gutenberg) — A. B. Mitford (Lord Redesdale)
  2. The Database of Paintings of Mysterious Phenomena and Yōkai — International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Nichibunken)