Yokai Kinchaku

Yokai Kinchaku (ようかいきんちゃく) is a Yamataian video game series developed by Level 100 Studio and published by Hakkodo. The series was created by Sugimori Ken and Tajiri Satoshi and the first game, Yokai Kinchaku, was released in 1996 in Yamatai for the Hakkodo Game Friend. The main series of role-playing games have continued on each generation of Hakkodo's handheld game devices. The most recently released game, Yokai Kinchaku: Legend of Mt. Azusa, was released on January 28, 2022. While the main series consists of RPGs developed by Level 100 Studio, many spin-off games based on the series have been developed by various companies, encompassing other genres such as action role-playing, puzzle, fighting, and digital pet games.

The games are set in a world where, which are supernatural entities, creatures, and spirits in Yamataian and Hinoan folklore, are real and often interact with human society in secret. Though some yokai are benevolent, others are animalistic or evil in nature and must be hunted down and tamed for public safety. Yokai Tamers, who have a natural affinity with yokai due to various life-changing incidents involving such entities, are able to work together with yokai to hunt down and defeat these antagonistic or wild yokai.

As most people are unaware that yokai are real, tamers often carry their partner yokai around in specially enchanted pouches, thus the name of the franchise. Kinchaku are also used to store captured wild or hostile yokai. Tamers are also able to challenge other Tamers to Yokai Duels for the purpose of training their Yokai to face stronger enemies in the wild. Most Yokai Kinchaku games are set in abstracted and simplified parodies of famous cities and places in Yamatai and Hinomoto, incorporating famous urban legends related to that area for plot elements or characterisation of local characters. One game in the series (Yokai Kinchaku: Secret of the Bear God) has been set in Chisei, making use of some Saramosiri folklore elements.

Though aimed at young children, the series has seen great popularity among teenagers and adults of all ages. Yokai Kinchaku is one of the most popular video game series in Escar, and is part of a wider global franchise that also includes various douga, films, merchandise, toys, card games, and other forms of media.