Kunitsu-Gami Game Design Commentary 28 & 29: Nanamagari(七曲ななまがり)

■第28回 穢れは溜まって縺れる。七曲り

昔に読んだ本に書かれた一文。これがとても印象に残っていてラスボスとして決意。特定のモチーフは無く、人や動物を軸に山に存在する全ての物を内包する様なイメージでデザイン。第一形態は、左右の人っぽい腕が一つの顔を共有して、本体を守っています。

顔は３つの顔が正面左右とくっついて、様々な視点を持つ意味合い。

かなり時期的にも佳境であった為、時間の捻出も大変、ラスボスいつ上げるんですか？と自身の脳内でだけで響かせてました。

動きも色々なアイデアを出して貰って形になり、全体的に見たことない感じに出来たと思ってます。

■Episode 28 Filth Accumulates and Entwines. Seven Twists

A single line from a book I read long ago. It stuck with me deeply, and I decided on it for the final boss. Without any specific motif, I designed it with an image that encompasses all things existing in the mountains, centered on humans and animals. The first form has arms that resemble human limbs on both sides sharing a single face, protecting the main body.

The face consists of three faces attached to the front and both sides, symbolizing various perspectives.

It was quite a critical point in the timeline, so carving out time was tough; I kept echoing in my own head, "When am I going to finish the final boss?"

I got various ideas for the movements and shaped them, and overall, I think we managed to create something with an unprecedented feel.

■第29回　  「真の縺れは確固たる結び　七曲り

こういうのは何か超越した感じですよね…気づいたら出来てました。一心不乱とはこのことかと。

一番重要なもつれを解こうとすると、硬くなって解けない感じをお腹のデザインに入れ、読み取りづらい表情で、身体は人と獣を混ぜ、なんとも得体の知れない禍々しさと神々しさを目指しました。

■Episode 29  "The True Entanglement is a Firm Bond: Seven Twists  

This kind of thing has a transcendent feel to it, doesn't it... It was done before I knew it. This must be what they mean by single-minded devotion.  

To depict the most important tangle, I incorporated a sense of it hardening and becoming impossible to unravel into the abdominal design, with an expression that's hard to read, a body blending human and beast, aiming for an indescribable wickedness and divinity.

Plaque Lore:

山祇やまがみとの約束。山での人の暮らしは豊かさと共に、 植物、自然、眷属けんぞくなど山で暮らすものを脅おびやかすこととなる。その際に生まれる穢けがれ、その全ての穢けがれが山の頂上でもつれ、混沌こんとんとした状態である。 七曲ななまがりの真の容貌ようぼう。全ての混沌こんとんの更さらに奥おくに存在するもの。その姿を見た人曰く、「神か、もののけか…」と。約束を守ることができなかった人々への国津罪くにつつみなのか…。人々の築き上げた物すべてを無に返す存在。

The Pact of the Mountain Goddess

The lives of the people on the mountain are rich, but their very existence threatens the plants, nature, and all other life who dwell there. The defilement is born of their lifestyle, spreading to the peak of the mountain and throwing all life into chaos.

Nanamagari's True Appearance

The being exists in the furthest depths of the chaos. Is it a God? A vengeful spirit? Or is it the divine judge who places humanity on trial for their broken promises? It will return all that people have built to nothing.

No mention of its first form wearing a mask reminiscent of the Goddess.

8 arms and 8 floating spirits(the black little balls) around it.

Nanamagari's true form, the silhouette of the figure appears feminine? Not entirely sure since it's distorted. Though it held the corrupted Goddess in its belly so it's definitely meant to be related to the Maiden.

'Mountain Hag' vibes, perhaps?

I put the Japanese lore into good translate:

A pact made with Yamagami—the deity of the mountain. Human life upon the mountain, while bringing prosperity, simultaneously poses a threat to the plants, the natural world, and the various beings—the deity’s kin—that dwell there. The *kegare* (spiritual defilement) born from this existence gathers and becomes entangled at the mountain’s summit, manifesting as a state of pure chaos. This is the true form of "Nanamagari"—a presence that lies even deeper than the chaos itself. Those who have beheld it ask: "Is it a god, or a *mononoke*—a supernatural spirit?" Perhaps it is a *kunitsutsumi*—a divine retribution—visited upon those who failed to uphold their pact. It is an entity that reduces everything humanity has built back into nothingness.

The English translation should've kept the wording consistent. 

The living creatures of the mountain are called the deity's kin in the Japanese. The word 'kenzoku' is used. If I translate the Japanese paragraph by paragraph, without the others for context, I get one similar to the english: 
Human life in the mountains, while bringing prosperity, also poses a threat to the plants, nature, and other living beings that inhabit those mountains.

The word mononoke... the wikipedia article on it is worth a read. Though I'd like to find a book on it.

I was working on a Nanamgari post but stopped once I saw the design commentary happen. There's not much extra information though.

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 27: Kagokaburi(籠かごかぶり)

■第27回　何だこいつは！？ラッキーボーナスだよ、かごかぶり
籠、箱から手足が生えている、ネタキャラ。実は仏法僧を運ぶ畏哭としてデザインしていました。
この箱の中に巨人の仏法僧が入っている的な。色々あって目先の金に釣られて現場を疎かにする状況を作りたいという、… pic.twitter.com/4AZZmsnh72

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) July 15, 2026

■第27回　何だこいつは！？ラッキーボーナスだよ、かごかぶり

籠、箱から手足が生えている、ネタキャラ。実は仏法僧を運ぶ畏哭としてデザインしていました。

この箱の中に巨人の仏法僧が入っている的な。色々あって目先の金に釣られて現場を疎かにする状況を作りたいという、

意地悪な発想から、お宝放出畏哭となりました。本当に箱から手足が生えている位に考えていた所、

モデリングの際に構造が具体化され、それを見てなるほどな…と感心しました。

異界遷宮ではプレイヤーにとっては強力な助っ人でもあります！

■27th Round: What the Heck Is This!? Lucky Bonus, It's the Basket-Headed One  

A comedic character with arms and legs sprouting from a basket or box. Actually, it was designed as a fearsome entity for transporting the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.  

The idea was something like a giant Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha crammed inside this box. From a mischievous concept of creating a situation where, due to various circumstances, one gets tempted by immediate gains and neglects the site at hand,  

it became the Treasure-Releasing Fearsome Entity. I had envisioned it to the extent of arms and legs literally growing out of the box,  

but during modeling, the structure became more concrete, and seeing that, I was genuinely impressed, like, "Ah, I see..."  

In the Otherworldly Migration Palace, it's also a powerful ally for the player!

Plaque Lore:

ある村に、たいそう金持ちな屋敷やしきがあった。屋敷やしきで働くも精が出ない男がたまたま、屋敷やしきの主の隠かくし財産の話を聞いてしまう。つい魔まが差した男は籠かごを盗ぬすんでしまうが、屋敷やしきの用人に見つかり討伐とうばつされてしまったという。その亡骸なきがらは籠かごから手と足が生えた不思議で不気味な姿をしていたと記されている。

There once was a village with a mansion full of riches. One day, a boy of lowly birth employed there heard rumors of the lord owner's secret stash of treasures. Struck with greed, the boy attempted to run off with a basket of riches, but was quickly caught by the other servants and executed. It is written that the basket clutched by the corpse of the young boy became shrouded in an ominous aura as it sprouted arms and legs.

Such an adorable thing! He carried me in the DLC. 

The commentary on greed is accurate. I died many times in the DLC because I rush to grab this box-boy and then get one-shot smacked by a gaki as I'm charging up.

The google translation says 'A man who worked at the mansion but lacked motivation happened to overhear the owner of the mansion talking about his hidden fortune.'
So I wonder if he heard rumors or overheard some things...

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 26: Yatsukahagi(やつかはぎ)

■第26回　最高峰に厄介な畏哭はやつかはぎ
機能としては、自らはあまり戦わず、ザコを召喚してくるボス。
悪徳でズルい感じの奴が偉そうにして居座り、高つ鳥の災のイメージで何処か鳥っぽさを感じさせつつ、纏まっていきました。… pic.twitter.com/RvvWcjBGUq

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) July 13, 2026

■第26回　最高峰に厄介な畏哭はやつかはぎ

機能としては、自らはあまり戦わず、ザコを召喚してくるボス。

悪徳でズルい感じの奴が偉そうにして居座り、高つ鳥の災のイメージで何処か鳥っぽさを感じさせつつ、纏まっていきました。

聞き取れそうで何言っているのか分からないけど、SEもハマったのではないでしょうか。

この畏哭もフットロックによって８本脚という複雑な移動を解決して貰う事が出来ました。今作のデザインが活きているのも技術のおかげと感じます。

■26th Round: The Most Troublesome Peak - The Fearful Cry of Yatsukahagi

In terms of function, it's a boss that doesn't fight much on its own, but summons minions.

It has a wicked, sly vibe, lording it over everyone with an air of arrogance, and we wrapped it up with an image of the calamity of the high-flying bird, giving it a subtle bird-like feel somewhere.

It sounds almost intelligible but you can't quite make out what it's saying—don't you think the sound effects fit perfectly?

This Fearful Cry also benefited from Footlock to resolve the complexity of its eight legs for movement. I feel like the design of this game really comes alive thanks to the technology.

Plaque Lore:

その昔、山裾宿やますそじゅくに住む怪僧かいそうがいた。この僧そう、生き物を共食いさせ生き残った方を呪術じゅじゅつに用いていた。呪のろいの言葉と共に己が居るべき真の居場所を求め、夜な夜な路地を出歩き、異界の門を探し回ったという。そんな僧そうを人々は不気味に思いつつも、相手にしなかった。それから暫しばらくして、その町では恐おそろしい笑い声が度々聞こえると共に、路地には異界の門が開き、神隠かみかくしなども頻繁ひんぱんに起こったとされる。蜘蛛くものように見えることもあれば、時には猛禽もうきん類のように上空を飛行し、その笑い声の雨を降らしては村人たちに恐怖きょうふを与あたえたという。

There once was a monk that lived in Yamasuso Lodging. He would pit living creatures against each other, using the last survivor for his dark magic. Night after night, he went outside with his cursed words to find the gate to the other world and return to his true home. The villagers kept their distance from the unsettling man, but their neglect soon led to disaster. Crazed laughter rang throughout the streets and the villagers began to mysteriously vanish as gates to the other world opened. The monster may appear as a terrifying spider or like a raptor that surveys its prey from above, cackling as it rains terror upon the village.

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 25: Noderabo(野寺坊のでらぼう)

■第25回　畏哭は出落ち、いやいや個性です。野寺坊
プランナーから大餓鬼の上位版が欲しいと話があり、前面が無敵が良いです！と。という事は後ろは弱点になる。
古のギャグマンガを連想してしまうも、これは大真面目に作るぞと。… pic.twitter.com/0wKkBMwjQx

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) July 10, 2026

■第25回　畏哭は出落ち、いやいや個性です。野寺坊

プランナーから大餓鬼の上位版が欲しいと話があり、前面が無敵が良いです！と。という事は後ろは弱点になる。

古のギャグマンガを連想してしまうも、これは大真面目に作るぞと。

出て来た時に姿は見えなくても音で存在が分かる様にプレイヤーにはプレッシャーをかけないといけません。

ああ、あいつが来たな、と。という事で、防御も兼ねて鐘を被らせれば万事解決だ！となりました。

■The 25th: The Fearful Cry is a letdown, no, it's a personality trait. Yatera-bo  

The planner mentioned wanting an upgraded version of the Great Hungry Ghost, and they said it'd be great if the front was invincible! Which means the back would be the weak point.  

It reminds me of old gag manga, but no, we're making this dead seriously.  

When it appears, even if its form isn't visible, the players need to sense its presence through sound so it doesn't pressure them too much.  

Ah, that guy's coming, you know. So, to handle that, we decided to have it wear a bell for defense too, and that solves everything!

Plaque Lore:

寺の鐘かねを突つくと決まって大量の蛙かえるが寄ってくる。その様子を見て楽しんでいた坊主ぼうずがいた。ある時、傷を負った落ち武者が寺に迷い込こんだ。 追手が来るも咄嗟とっさに坊主ぼうずは嘘うそをつき落ち武者を匿かくまったがその嘘うそがばれてしまい、切り殺されてしまう。坊主ぼうずの亡骸なきがらの周りには蛙かえるたちが寄り添そい、助かった落ち武者は自らの鎧よろいを坊主ぼうずに着せ供養したという。

There once was a priest who enjoyed ringing the temple bell to lure in a colony of frogs. One day, a wounded warrior came to the temple with his pursuers in tow. The priest tried to hide the defeated warrior, but his lies were seen through and he was cut down. Frogs gathered around the fallen priest's form, and the rescued warrior shrouded him in his own armor.

Frogs are on him in the artwork! Too bad none come when he rings his bell.

This story is quite touching...

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 24: Raikobo(雷公坊らいこうぼう)

■第24回　真の人気者は雷光坊！？
初期に描いたラフ画を元に急成長。蠱物、蠱道をつかう術者。落雷は高つ神の災。自身は主に攻撃方法、武器、動き等の仕様を監修しました。… pic.twitter.com/piHCru4KpA

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) July 8, 2026

■第24回　真の人気者は雷光坊！？

初期に描いたラフ画を元に急成長。蠱物、蠱道をつかう術者。落雷は高つ神の災。自身は主に攻撃方法、武器、動き等の仕様を監修しました。

鳥居に張り付いた畏哭の真の姿！衣装は布では無く、肉の様な、皮の様な、人体を感じさせる抽象化造形をしてと言って困らせていたかもしれません。最高にカッコいい長刀もデザインされ、開発内でも人気の畏哭として君臨。

■Round 24: The True Heartthrob is Raikōbō!?

Rapid growth based on rough sketches drawn early on. A sorcerer who uses gu creatures and gu arts. Lightning strikes are calamities from the high gods. I mainly supervised the specs for attack methods, weapons, movements, and such.

The true form of Ikoku, clinging to the torii gate! The outfit isn't cloth, but something like flesh, like skin, an abstracted form that evokes the human body—might've been stumping them with that request. The supremely cool long sword was also designed, reigning as the beloved Ikoku even within the development team.

Plaque Lore:

寺の中に籠こもり、熱心に日和を調べていた白き僧そうがいた。 その評判は山を越こえて伝わるほどだったという。ある時、僧そうは主に呼ばれ「この土地の日和を言い当て、農耕に役立てよ」との命を受ける。しかし、土地が違ちがうことで上手く成すことができず、主から怒いかりを買い処罰しょばつされてしまったという。それからというもの、その土地の路地では恐おそろしい笑い声が頻繁ひんぱんに聞こえるようになり、落雷らくらいなどの天災が多く起こったとされている。

There once was a monk hidden away in a temple who fervently studied the patterns in the weather. Word of his forecasts reached far and wide throughout the mountain, and one day, a lord summoned him to demand that the monk forecast the weather of his domain to ensure his crops would grow strong. But the monk, who was unfamiliar with the area, was unable to complete the task. The lord became enraged and punished the monk for foolishly disobeying his orders. And ever since that day, the alleyways echo with incessant laughter as the land crumbles at the hands of unforgiving lightning storms.

The true form of the seethe clinging to the gate is Raikobo...? The face on the gates resemble Nanamagari though. Hmm.

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 23: Yatsurao(八面王やつらおう)

■第23回　課題多すぎ？皆やつれる、やつらおう
ステージ丸々ボス戦という変化球のためにトンデモない労力が…
見た目のデザインするにも先に決めなきゃ行けないことが多いです。… pic.twitter.com/Sai3WHRFVz

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) July 6, 2026

■第23回　課題多すぎ？皆やつれる、やつらおう

ステージ丸々ボス戦という変化球のためにトンデモない労力が…

見た目のデザインするにも先に決めなきゃ行けないことが多いです。

この敵は、ステージの進行コンテを描いたり、レベルデザインも考えつつ、細かな造形デザインも自身でさせて貰いました。途中経過で面白い発想と感じたモノを結構取り込んでいます。

八面王（やつらおう）ヤマタノオロチ的な見た目の山の神というイメージから、自然物に取り憑くので、腕、手、指を軸に考え、指で印を結びを８つ作って顔に見せたりして、その形で攻撃方法が分かると面白いかなと考えました。

全てのセクションで取り組んだ最大級畏哭は、皆の情熱により完成しました。BGMも素晴らしい！

■Round 23: Too Many Challenges? Everyone's Worn Out, the Eight-Faced King

For that curveball of an entire stage being a boss battle, it took an absurd amount of effort...

Even when it comes to designing the visuals, there are so many things that have to be decided in advance.

For this enemy, I handled the stage progression key visuals, thought about level design, and even did the detailed modeling design myself. I've incorporated quite a few ideas that felt intriguing during the process.

The Eight-Faced King (Yatsura-Oh)—starting from the image of a mountain god with a Yamata no Orochi-like appearance, since it possesses natural objects, I built it around arms, hands, and fingers as the core, creating eight mudras with the fingers to make them look like faces, and I thought it would be cool if the attack patterns became clear from that form.

The maximum dread I tackled across all sections was completed thanks to everyone's passion. The BGM is fantastic too!

Plaque Lore:

太古より生きる御神木ごしんぼく。山の伐採ばっさいにより木々が穢けがれるのを憐あわれむかのように、自らに穢けがれを集め続けていると言われている。その御神木ごしんぼくの先端せんたんは「顔」と呼ばれ、時折表情を変えるという。その情景を見た村人は八つの面を持つ蛇へびのような木として恐おそれた。

Yatsurao is a sacred tree that has existed since ancient times. It is said that the tree absorbs all of the defilement that has afflicted felled trees into itself out of pity. The tip of the tree is known as its face and has features that change on occasion. Villagers who witnessed this change feared the tree for its likeness to an eight-headed snake.

Yatsurao! 

8 mudras. The number 8 again...

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 22: Notsugo(のつご)

■第22回　良く見ても気持ち悪いのか？かわいいのか？　のつご
これもゲーム的な機能から考えました、部位破壊後に弱点露出の分かり易いやつ。
沼地でのボスである為、ノツゴが頭に浮かび、そのイメージを元にカエルっぽさを混ぜてオブラートに包みました。… pic.twitter.com/ONjIBlinuh

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) July 3, 2026

■第22回　良く見ても気持ち悪いのか？かわいいのか？　のつご

これもゲーム的な機能から考えました、部位破壊後に弱点露出の分かり易いやつ。

沼地でのボスである為、ノツゴが頭に浮かび、そのイメージを元にカエルっぽさを混ぜてオブラートに包みました。

えっ包めていない？モデル担当のスタッフから、設定から弱点箇所を親的な存在が守っているニュアンス入れても良いですか？

と来たので、良いですねとなり、現在の形に落ち着きました。駄々をこねる動きも相まって何とも言えない良さが出た気がするんです。

■Episode 22: Does It Still Look Creepy Even If You Look Closely? Or Is It Cute? The Notsugo

I came up with this one thinking about game-like functions too—it's the straightforward type where weak points are exposed after part destruction.

Since it's a boss in the swamp, Notsugo came to mind, and based on that image, I wrapped it in a layer of frog-like qualities to soften it.

Huh? You say it didn't get softened? From the model staff in charge, I got a message like, "In the setting, can we add a nuance where a parental figure is protecting the weak point areas?"

So we went with "Yeah, that sounds good," and it settled into its current form. Combined with the tantrum-throwing movements, I feel like it ended up with this indescribably appealing charm.

Plaque Lore:

その昔、山で大きな飢饉ききんがあった。村人は子孫を助けるため、その身を傷つけ神に祈いのりを捧ささげるも、願いは届かず多くの命が沼ぬまに沈しずんだとされている。蓮華沼れんげぬまでは夜に沼ぬまの方から赤子の泣き声がすることがあるという。赤子だと勘違かんちがいした人が不意に沼ぬまへ近づくと、沼ぬまの底へと引きずり込こまれるという言い伝えがある。

Long ago, a great famine seized the mountain. The villagers prayed to the goddess, begging her to spare their kin, but their pleas went unanswered as lives continued to be lost to the marsh. Legend states that at nightfall, an infant's cry can be heard from Renge Marsh. If anyone attempts to approach the marsh to offer aid, they too will be dragged down into the depths.

This boss was where I discovered a wailing sound in the background of certain Seethe boss arenas.

It's not really very cute...

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 21: Cursed Torii Gate

■第21回　腕が４本あった時と無くなった時、呪縛鳥居
異界への入口であり出口の門番。体内から出てくるイメージでデザインしました。
鳥居に取り憑いて道を奪っている、大きな干からびた人型です。あれ、デザイン的には書くことがあまりない。… pic.twitter.com/Gsr3Bq5xmd

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) July 1, 2026

■第21回　腕が４本あった時と無くなった時、呪縛鳥居

異界への入口であり出口の門番。体内から出てくるイメージでデザインしました。

鳥居に取り憑いて道を奪っている、大きな干からびた人型です。あれ、デザイン的には書くことがあまりない。

祓われる時にリアクション等が分かり易くなる様に大きくしました。（一番大事なので）

鳥居前で敵を狩る事を阻止するために、鳥居自体も動いて攻撃してくる時代もありましたが、その役目は他に奪われ今に至ります。

■21st Round: The Cursed Torii When I Had Four Arms and When I Didn't, Binding Bird Gate

The gatekeeper of the entrance and exit to the other world. I designed it with an image emerging from within the body.

A large, withered humanoid figure possessing the torii and stealing the path. Huh, design-wise, there's not much to write about.

I made it large so that reactions and such are easier to understand when it's exorcised. (This is the most important part.)

There was an era when the torii itself would move and attack to prevent enemies from hunting in front of it, but that role has been taken over by others, and here we are now.

I wanted more lore on the design itself, like the marking on its forehead.
And its resemblance to Nanamagari?

It would've been cool to see these ideas incorporated into the DLC.

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 20: Bupposo(仏法僧ぶっぽうそう)

■第20回　冷静に見て！ふんどし姿なのに何故か人気（開発内）！仏法僧
これはノリノリに作ってしまいました。日本に来ちゃった異国印象の畏哭の剣士的なイメージです。
鞍馬天狗的なイメージで顔のお面を作り、お面に乗っ取られてしまったら！？として、この姿にまとめています。… pic.twitter.com/GElsb97UcE

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) June 29, 2026

■第20回　冷静に見て！ふんどし姿なのに何故か人気（開発内）！仏法僧

これはノリノリに作ってしまいました。日本に来ちゃった異国印象の畏哭の剣士的なイメージです。

鞍馬天狗的なイメージで顔のお面を作り、お面に乗っ取られてしまったら！？として、この姿にまとめています。

当初はウェーブ中に出てくる事を考えて居たので、村人を乗っ取って姿が変わる等も考えたりもしましたが、

大ボスとして改めて考え、ちっこいオブジェから出て来たら面白いだろうと思って演出しました。

アニメーションもノリノリで仕上げてくれたのでカッコよくなりました！でも、ふんどしにお面姿です！！

■Round 20: Look at it calmly! Somehow popular despite the loincloth look (internal development)! Buddha, Dharma, Sangha

I went all out making this one. It's got that foreign, intimidating swordsman vibe that's come to Japan.

I went with a Tengu-from-Mount-Kurama kind of image and made a face mask for it—what if it gets taken over by the mask!? And that's how I settled on this design.

Originally, I was thinking of having it appear during the wave events, so I even considered ideas like it possessing a villager and changing their appearance,

But then I rethought it as a major boss, and figured it'd be fun to have it emerge from a small object, so I added that as a performance element.

The animation team delivered it with full enthusiasm too, so it turned out super cool! But hey, it's a loincloth-and-mask getup!!

Plaque Lore:

その昔、全身にあざや瘤こぶのようなものがあり、異様に大きく手足の長い者がいた。刀を振ふれば岩をも易々と斬きり、人とは思えないほどだったという。戦場にて主を失い行く当てもなく、落人おちうどとして村に流れ着くがその異様さ故に恐おそれられた。しばらくして墓場で消息を断つも後にはとても小さな達磨だるまのような物が置かれていたという。墓場のある森ではブッポウソウがよく鳴くことから村人はその達磨だるまを「仏法僧ぶっぽうそう」と名づけ、御神木ごしんぼくに祀まつった。

Long ago, there lived a man with elongated limbs and a body swathed in bruises and boils. He wielded his sword effortlessly, slicing through even stone with an inhuman strength. The man lost his master on the battlefield, and with no home to return to, found his way to a village. But his strangeness frightened the villagers, and he disappeared one night from the graveyard, leaving behind nothing but a small Daruma-shaped doll. The villagers named it after the birds known as Bupposo, whose frequent cries could be heard from the forest, and enshrined it within a sacred tree.

The knees are inward again but the body is obviously male. 

(maybe they're using female and male references to create androgyny in the Seethe? Or maybe I'm mistaken about the knees?)

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 19: Shiniku Zamurai(屍肉侍しにくざむらい)

■第19回　見た目の衝撃と機能と屍肉侍
刀を使う敵って魅力ありますよね。ゲーム視点は引き気味なので、鞘から抜いても多分、分からないな、如何しようかな。
開発初期にミーティングで体に刺さった刀を抜いて戦う案があった事を思い出し、それを人体でいう所の頭集約。… pic.twitter.com/PJ7nRWsIhm

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) June 26, 2026

■第19回　見た目の衝撃と機能と屍肉侍

刀を使う敵って魅力ありますよね。ゲーム視点は引き気味なので、鞘から抜いても多分、分からないな、如何しようかな。

開発初期にミーティングで体に刺さった刀を抜いて戦う案があった事を思い出し、それを人体でいう所の頭集約。

身体は全体的に抽象化した印象にして、色々な角度や切り取り方で顔に見える様にデザインしています。

複数体での連携した動きは割と厄介。SEに関しても色々とお願いして困らせた気もしなくは無いですが、

総合的にインパクトが出たので気に入ってます。皆さんの協力ありがとう！

■19th Round: The Shock of Appearance, Functionality, and the Corpse Meat Samurai

Enemies who use swords have a certain charm, don't they? From a game perspective, it's a bit reserved, so even when drawn from the scabbard, it's probably hard to tell—hmm, what to do.

I recalled that during an early development meeting, there was an idea about pulling out a sword stabbed into the body and fighting with it, so I consolidated that into what would be the head area in human terms.

I've designed the body to give an overall abstracted impression, so that it looks like a face from various angles or cropping methods.

Coordinated movements by multiple units are fairly troublesome. As for the sound effects, I feel like I made a bunch of requests and might have caused some trouble,

But overall, it turned out impactful, so I'm quite fond of it. Thank you all for your cooperation!

Plaque Lore:

合戦の中、敵味方関係なく人を襲おそい刀を振ふるった侍さむらいがいた。ある夜、寝込ねこみを襲おそわれたことで命を落とす。 その亡骸なきがらは無数の顔が集まった見た目をしており、どこが本当の顔か分からなかったと言われている。いつの頃ころからか、夜な夜な戦いを求める侍さむらいが山中に現れ、頭部に刺ささった刀を引き抜ぬき、斬きりかかってくると伝えられる。

There once was a samurai who swung his sword at all those in his path, regardless of friend or foe. His life came to an end one night when he was taken down in his sleep. Legend says the corpse left behind was merely a collection of faces, with no way to tell which one was the true face of the samurai. Even in death the samurai's lust for blood is unyielding, and it can be found roaming the mountains at night, a sword pulled from its own head in hand.

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 18: Nurikabe(塗壁ぬりかべ)

■第18回　驚異で最高の出落ち、塗り壁！？
塗り壁…難しい、とても難しい。動き遅くなるだろうし、大きさにも限界あるしどうにかならんもんかと。
ミーティングの最中に「像が真っ二つに割れて広がって壁になる」というアイデアが出て来た瞬間完成。… pic.twitter.com/r1x0gnRaE2

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) June 24, 2026

■第18回　驚異で最高の出落ち、塗り壁！？

塗り壁…難しい、とても難しい。動き遅くなるだろうし、大きさにも限界あるしどうにかならんもんかと。

ミーティングの最中に「像が真っ二つに割れて広がって壁になる」というアイデアが出て来た瞬間完成。

道の広さは引き具合で制御対応可、速度は一定で近づく恐ろしさ、大事なのは何よりも見た目とギミックのインパクトですね。

像は具体的な見た目にするのは心苦しいので、それっぽい偶像をデザイン。中の畏哭はデカい顔で平べったい身体が入っていて、

広がるとそれを坂に敵が昇ってくると伝え、後は担当者の情熱で仕上げて貰いました。色んな解釈の塗り壁が居ても良いんじゃなのかな…

唯の像がまっすぐ動くだけという事でアニメーターの方もビックリしていました。

■18th Round: The Ultimate Drop Comedy with Amazement, Plaster Wall!?

Plaster Wall... it's tough, really tough. It'll slow down the movement, and there's a limit to its size too—wondering if there's any way around it.

Right in the middle of the meeting, the moment the idea "the statue splits clean in half and spreads out to become a wall" came up, it was done.

The width of the path can be controlled by adjusting the pull, the speed is constant for that creeping dread as it approaches—most importantly, it's all about the visuals and the gimmick's impact.

It felt wrong to give the statue a specific look, so I designed something like a vague idol. Inside, there's the Wail of Dread with a huge face and a flat body crammed in,

and when it spreads, it conveys enemies climbing up it like a ramp—after that, the person in charge wrapped it up with their passion. Maybe it's okay to have all sorts of interpretations of "plaster wall" out there...

The animator was shocked too, since it was just a straight-moving statue and nothing more.

Plaque Lore:

巨大きょだいな仏像の姿をした畏哭いこく。宗そうたちの目の前で壁かべとなり妨害ぼうがいしてくる。とある村の男の話では夜道を歩いていると、 地響じひびきと共に暗闇くらやみの中から巨大きょだいな仏像が現れたという。男が先に進もうとすると突如とつじょ仏像は二つに割れ、壁かべとなって道を塞ふさがれてしまったという記録が残されている。

The Nurikabe appear as large Buddha statues, but can turn into walls to block Soh's path. Legend says that there was once a man who was walking in the pitch of the night when all of a sudden the ground beneath his feet shook, and a tremendous Buddha statue appeared as if from the shadows themselves. The man tried to continue past, but the statue split into two, forming a large, impassable wall.

A dangerous enemy in the DLC. It can flatten Yoshiro, defiling her instantly.

 

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 17: Shokera(しょうけら)

■第17回　畏哭一のスタイリッシュ！しょうけら
題名通りです、今までもこの先も割と敵のクセが強いと言われてまして。一体ぐらい所謂カッコいい枠があっても良いのでは？
そう言われる日が来ると思って、考えてました、本当です。… pic.twitter.com/M7XZbAGMZv

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) June 22, 2026

■第17回　畏哭一のスタイリッシュ！しょうけら

題名通りです、今までもこの先も割と敵のクセが強いと言われてまして。一体ぐらい所謂カッコいい枠があっても良いのでは？

そう言われる日が来ると思って、考えてました、本当です。

素直にしょうけらをイメージしつつ、今作に合うようにディティールと攻撃性を詰めました。

動きは創作ダンス等で活躍する渡辺さん。とても魅惑的な動きを吹き込んで頂けたので想像以上のカッコ良さ！！

■17th Round: Ikkyu's Stylish Style! Shoukera  

As the title says, it's been said up until now and probably will be in the future that the enemies have pretty strong quirks. Wouldn't it be nice to have at least one in the so-called "cool" category?  

I was thinking that a day like this would come, I really was.  

I imagined Shoukera straightforwardly while packing in details and aggression to fit this work.  

The movements are by Mr. Watanabe, who shines in creative dance and such. He infused it with such bewitching motions that it's cooler than I could have imagined!!

Plaque Lore:

高所から飛び掛かかって人を襲おそう畏哭いこく。その鋭するどい爪つめは頑丈がんじょうな鎧よろいさえも、いともたやすく切り裂さくという。二カ月に一度の庚申かのえさるの日の夜、罪を犯した人間が寝静ねしずまるのを見計らって罰ばつを与あたえるという神が穢けがされて畏哭いこくになったとする説がある。そのことから、しょうけらが現れる夜は大勢で集まって寝ねずに過ごすという風習がある。

The Shokera leap from great heights to attack their prey. Even the strongest armor is no match for their sharp claws. Legend states that on the night of Koshin, occurring once every 60 days, a god transformed into a Seethe after passing punishment upon the slumbering humans for the sins they had committed. It has now become a custom for people to gather together and stay awake throughout the long nights the Shokera are said to appear.

The head wears a veil like Yoshiro and the horns remind me of Cursed Soh.

Don't you think the lower body looks quite feminine in its proportions? The knees are inward, which is a female trait. The smaller waist in comparison to the hips.

The Seethe are said to be the Goddess's 'kin'. Was this considered when designing them?
These twitter posts don't always give too much information...

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 16: Hirafugai(ひらふ貝がい)

■第16回　畏哭の船だよ、ひらふがい。
船のステージなので水辺の敵が必要です！他の畏哭は船に乗ってる？流石に船に乗ると雰囲気が…という事でどうせなら、その船が敵で良いのでないかと思いまして。
ここに至るまでにも水辺の敵のデザイン案は色々生み出されてはいましたが、今一しっくりこず。… pic.twitter.com/badey8gGWw

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) May 22, 2026

■第16回　畏哭の船だよ、ひらふがい。

船のステージなので水辺の敵が必要です！他の畏哭は船に乗ってる？流石に船に乗ると雰囲気が…という事でどうせなら、その船が敵で良いのでないかと思いまして。

ここに至るまでにも水辺の敵のデザイン案は色々生み出されてはいましたが、今一しっくりこず。

蓮、水草、浮草等の類をみてて、根っこが人の身体だと面白いかもと…。

何体か乗れるサイズなので大きい、明らかに変な乗り物、実は顔、実は海坊主感を感じさせる大きさ、ついでに船沈める。

と頭に浮かんだのでこれらを纏めて現在に至ります。行動、やる事はひらふがいに近いので、そのまま名前を付けました。

■16th Round: It's a Fear-Weeping Ship, Hirafugai.

Since it's a ship stage, we need enemies near the water! Are the other Fear-Weepers on the ship? Honestly, putting them on a ship changes the vibe too much... So I figured, why not make the ship itself the enemy?

Up to this point, we'd come up with various design ideas for water-edge enemies, but none of them quite clicked.

Looking at things like lotuses, water plants, floating weeds, and such, I thought it might be interesting if the roots were human bodies...

It's a size that can carry a few, so it's big, an obviously weird vehicle, actually a face, gives off a big sea monk vibe, and by the way, it sinks ships.

That popped into my head, so we've bundled all that together to arrive at the current version. Its actions and behaviors are close to Hirafugai's, so I just named it that way.

Plaque Lore:

海や湖といった水場に現れ、舟を破壊はかいするとされる畏哭いこく。巨大きょだいな頭部に他の畏哭いこくを載のせて船上にいる人間を襲おそうため、漁師たちの間では非常に恐おそれられている。ひらふ貝がいは舟を転覆てんぷくさせる際、体内にある肝きもを舟に貼はり付けるため、転覆てんぷくさせられる前に肝きもを対処したことによって助かったという村人の話もある。

The Hirafugai appear in bodies of water to capsize the boatsfloating there. Fishermen often fall victim to their attacks as the Hirafugai will attach their own innards to the boats, shaking them and unleashing the hordes of Seethe they carry atop their heads. One tale states that a fisherman once kept his life by destroying the Hirafugai's innards before it could sink the boat.

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 15: Batsu(魃ばつ)

■第15回　色々混ざった乾きの大ボス！魃… pic.twitter.com/AMku2ujoHv

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) May 20, 2026

■第15回　色々混ざった乾きの大ボス！魃

最初期にボスとしてラフ絵は上げていたもので考えた通りの敵になりました。大ボスの設定、干ばつのイメージから、乾き→地面ひび割れ→蜘蛛の巣っぽい→蜘蛛…みたいな連想を繰り返し、顔は動物では無く人寄り、開くと獣感、牛鬼とくだんを混ぜた様な印象にしました。

当初は尻尾に当たる部分は考えておらず、前後の分かり易さ、後ろが隙みたいな印象が必要かな？との意見もあり、蜘蛛の糸を出すようなよく動く尻尾をつけ足しました。この部分の動きの柔らかさも相まって妙な迫力が出ましたね。

当時はデザイン、モデル、リグ制作、アニメーションまで全部作ったのも、良い情熱の思い出。

ひび割れのエフェクトが良い感じに蜘蛛の巣要素を演出してもらえたり、プログラムでの動きも良い感じに生き生きとした制御。

異界遷宮で通常ウェーブで出て来た時のインパクトは必見です。

■15th Round: The Great Boss of Mixed-Up Dryness! The Drought Spirit

This was one I had uploaded rough sketches of as a boss from the very earliest stages, and it turned out exactly as I had envisioned as an enemy. For the great boss's setup, drawing from the image of drought, I went through associations like dryness → cracked ground → spiderweb-like → spider..., and made the face more human-like rather than animalistic, with a beastly feel when it opens, giving an impression like a mix of a cow demon and a prophetic beast.

Originally, I hadn't thought about the part that serves as a tail, but there were opinions that it might be necessary for clarity between front and back, and to give the impression of a vulnerability in the rear, so I added a highly mobile tail that looks like it could shoot out spider threads. Combined with the softness of movement in this part, it ended up creating a strangely compelling intensity.

Back then, making everything from the design, modeling, rigging, to animation was a fond memory of passionate effort.

The crack effects nicely brought out the spiderweb elements, and the programming for its movements was controlled in a way that made it vividly lively.

The impact when it appears in a normal wave in the Otherworldly Migration is a must-see.

Plaque Lore:

人が増えれば増えるほど様々な穢けがれを呼び込こむ。人が人を忌いみ嫌きらい、妬ねたみなどを向け呪のろいをかける。その昔、自分の土地よりも豊かに土地を実らせた人々を妬ねたむ村人がいた。その村人はついには家畜かちくの死体を使い、人々を呪のろってしまったという。呪のろいの力は凄すさまじく、山の一部をすべて干上がらせてしまった。魃ばつとは呪のろいをかけたその村人が変貌へんぼうした姿とも言われている。

Humans and defilement increase in equal parts, curses born from humanity's disdain and envy. Long ago, a man who was envious of those with more abundant fields used the carcasses of livestock to cast a curse upon the land. Legend states that the curse was so potent it dried out the entire side of the mountain and transformed the envious man into a frightening beast.

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 14: Hidarugami(ヒダル神がみ)

■第14回　両面フロントの憑き物、ヒダル神！
村人達の力と同じ様に、逆の力に作用するお面として考案。
お面だけだと、インパクトに欠けるので、お面から人の身体が生えているイメージへ。
頭をすっぽり覆って二人羽織状態になって操る！背中は無く両方前として作っています。… pic.twitter.com/hXYjyIjjhQ

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) May 18, 2026

■第14回　両面フロントの憑き物、ヒダル神！

村人達の力と同じ様に、逆の力に作用するお面として考案。

お面だけだと、インパクトに欠けるので、お面から人の身体が生えているイメージへ。

頭をすっぽり覆って二人羽織状態になって操る！背中は無く両方前として作っています。

村人の手足を奪い、操り人形的に考えていたので手足自体は触手、軟体感が出るようにしました。

二人羽織はIK等、非常に大変になりそうな空気と取り憑かれている状態が視認し辛いかも？を察知したので、シンプルに顔だけに取り憑いて、上に上る印象になって分かり易くなり解決。

■14th Round: The Possession of the Double-Fronted Hidarugami!

Conceived as a mask that exerts an opposing force in the same way as the villagers' power.

Since a mask alone lacked impact, we shifted to an image where a human body sprouts from the mask.

It covers the head completely, creating a two-person costume state where it manipulates! The back is absent, designed with both sides as fronts.

Since we were thinking of it as seizing the villagers' limbs and treating them like puppets, the limbs themselves are made into tentacles to give a soft, invertebrate feel.

We sensed that the two-person costume would be extremely challenging with IK and such, and the state of possession might be hard to visualize, so we simplified it to just possessing the face, giving an impression of rising upward, which made it clearer and solved the issue.

Plaque Lore:

人間に憑依ひょういし極度の疲労感ひろうかんや空腹感を与あたえて憑とりつくとされる畏哭いこく。ヒダル神がみの正体はかつて同じくヒダル神がみに憑とりつかれた人間であるとされ、憑依ひょういされた者の周囲では徐々じょじょに生気を奪うばわれるといった現象が発生する。これは自身が味わった苦しみを他人にも味わわせたいという人間の悪性が顕現けんげんしたものとする説もある。

The Hidarugami will possess humans, inflicting them with severe hunger and fatigue. Legend states that they are born from humans whose life force was completely drained by another Hidarugami. But some believe that they are actually the manifestation of unfortunate humans who wished for others to experience the same suffering.

So the way it looks when possessing Yoshiro the first time was the original idea for it?

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 13: Tsurube-otoshi(つるべ落おとし)

■第13回　時間があると盛ってしまう！つるべ落とし… pic.twitter.com/AfCIYC0ZVR

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) May 15, 2026

■第13回　時間があると盛ってしまう！つるべ落とし

空から落ちて来て、人を食べるを解釈して、空で大きく丸っこい幽体が泳いでいて、落ちてくる。落ちて来たものは実は口で開くと、今まで食べられたであろう者たちの顔が見える、発光のテクスチャで泣いてるようにしました。開発初期にデザイン。最初はザコとして考えていたにも関わらず、内容を盛り込んだ物になってました。

元はひとうばんのポジションで扱う予定でしたが、仮モデルでもポリゴン数も骨も多くなってしまい、これは大量に数出せないかもと。

少し小さめでしたので口中の顔群も細かいので見え辛かったので、思い切って巨大にしてつるべ落としに相応しい大きさへ。

船のステージで乗り物になっているのが面白いです。

■13th Round: When I Have Time, I Overdo It! Tsurube Otoshi

It falls from the sky, interpreting "eats people"—a large, roundish ghostly form swims in the air and comes falling down. The thing that falls is actually a mouth that opens, revealing the faces of those it has presumably eaten before, made with a glowing texture as if they are crying. A design from the early development phase. Even though I initially thought of it as a small fry enemy, it ended up being something packed with content.

Originally, it was planned to be handled as a one-pattern enemy, but even the provisional model had too many polygons and bones, so I thought, "This might not be something I can produce in large numbers."

Since it was a bit small, the cluster of faces inside the mouth was detailed but hard to see, so I boldly made it huge to fit a size appropriate for a tsurube otoshi.

It's interesting how it becomes a vehicle in the ship stage.

Plaque Lore:

人間の頭上を狙ねらって執拗しつように落ちてくる畏哭いこく。その姿はオタマジャクシ、あるいは人の口のようだとも伝えられる。 口を開けた中には人の顔のような集まり、苦悶くもんの表情が見られる。かつて水辺で仕事をしていた際に不慮ふりょの事故によって失われた村人たちの訴うったえなのかもしれないと言われている。

The Tsurube-otoshi aims to relentlessly crush humans from above. Some say it looks like a tadpole, while others say it is a human mouth. When it opens its great maw, many humans faces in great anguish are revealed within. Legend states that it was born from the humans who were lost to unforeseen water-related accidents.

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 12: Enenra(煙々羅えんえんら)

■第12回　顔をリロード！！えんえんら
遠くから呪詛を唱えて、プレイヤーからNPCへの干渉を塞ぐ。という機能をまず考える。
ゲームとしては、接敵しにくくなるから分かり易くしないと。ミーティングの中でラフ画と共にお焚き上げと言うワードが出現。… pic.twitter.com/TnLswcpt0m

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) May 13, 2026

■第12回　顔をリロード！！えんえんら

遠くから呪詛を唱えて、プレイヤーからNPCへの干渉を塞ぐ。という機能をまず考える。

ゲームとしては、接敵しにくくなるから分かり易くしないと。ミーティングの中でラフ画と共にお焚き上げと言うワードが出現。

それだ！頭から延々と煙が出ている。近所の神社で節分の時に神社で見るあの感じ。

罪人の顔を模したものを頭に装填して燃やす！顔自体は”受け皿や襟”に見立て高尚な雰囲気に見える様に造形。

リロードする素材は腰にぶら下げてて、大事そうに他の手で押さえている。顔が装填されると見た目的には完成。

独特な舞が非常にかっこ良い。

■Round 12: Reload the Face!! Enenra

Chant curses from afar to block interference from players to NPCs. First, let's think about that function.

As a game, it makes it harder to engage enemies, so it needs to be visually clear. During the meeting, the word "offering to the fire" came up along with rough sketches.

That's it! Smoke endlessly billowing from the head. Like the sight at the local shrine during Setsubun.

Load a likeness of the sinner's face onto the head and burn it! The face itself is shaped to resemble a "receptacle or collar," giving it a refined atmosphere.

The reload material is dangling from the waist, carefully held in place by the other hand. Once the face is loaded, it looks complete visually.

The unique dance is incredibly cool.

Plaque Lore:

大勢のお経の音と共に現れる。 身体の周りには蛇へびのように巻き付けた経典、腰こしには生前に仏門で悪事を働いた坊主ぼうずたちを模した呪面じゅめんをぶら下げており、その呪面じゅめんからは不気味な念仏が唱えられ続けるという。 呪面じゅめんから発せられる煙けむりは宗そうと仮面の力を抑おさえ込こむ力を持ち、煙けむりが消えると腰こしにぶらさげた呪面じゅめんと取り換かえることで再び煙けむりを発するようになる。

The Enenra have snakelike sutras coiling around their bodies, and the cursed heads of Buddhist monks who committed evil acts during their lifetime hanging from their waists. The heads chant ominous sutras, which can be heard as the Enenra approach, and produce a cursed smoke that suppresses both Soh's own powers and the powers granted through Soh's mask. If one head extinguishes, an Enenra can replace it with a fresh one hanging from its waist.

When we're in Defiled State, we can't guide the villagers or change occupations. The Command screen is unavailable. 

But it says it 'suppresses Soh's own power and the power granted through Soh's mask'.

We bestow power using the mask but suppressing Soh's own power...must be the inability to control the villagers. Which is said to be Yoshiro's power.

When I pasted Soh's plaque into Google Translate App, this came out:

A messenger of the Mountain Deity, an entity that, across the generations, has guided and watched over a world steeped in chaos. Descending into the realm of mortals, it has bestowed guidance upon each successive generation, and, through the lineage, granted power via the medium of a mask.

It's not translating Soh's or Yoshiro's names yet doesn't this make perfect sense in the context of the game?

Each Yoshiro is guided by Soh and through Soh's mask, she grants powers of the masks upon the villagers.

But what 'own power' of Soh's is being suppressed?

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 11: Gotaimen(五体面ごたいめん)

■第11回　擬態で出落ちのはずが・・・の、ごたいめん
当初擬態が中心としてデザイン。穢れに擬態して、出てくるとデカい顔！デカい顔と言えば五体面。
手の平に逆さまの顔がついている、穢れに擬態しているので指には腐生植物的なアレンジを入れ、… pic.twitter.com/Y16NJfLoWw

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) May 11, 2026

■第11回　擬態で出落ちのはずが・・・の、ごたいめん

当初擬態が中心としてデザイン。穢れに擬態して、出てくるとデカい顔！デカい顔と言えば五体面。

手の平に逆さまの顔がついている、穢れに擬態しているので指には腐生植物的なアレンジを入れ、

その指が折りたたまれて顎になり、閉じると顔に見えるけど実は、そこから小さな畏哭が出てくる！だったんです。

ゲーム的にも敵の進軍が大切なので止まって待つは無いなとなり、ゲーム内での役割は固定砲台に変更。

派手に動きまる様になり、敵として擬態よりは強い砲台として脅威になる良い働きをしてくれました。

■11th Round: The Camouflage That Was Supposed to Be a Quick Exit... Turns Out to Be a Five-Faced Horror

Originally designed with camouflage as the central theme. It camouflages as filth, and when it emerges, it reveals a massive face! And when it comes to massive faces, it's a five-faced one.

An upside-down face is attached to the palm, and since it's camouflaged as filth, the fingers have a decay-plant-like arrangement added to them.

Those fingers fold up to form the jaw, and when closed, it looks like a face—but actually, from there, a small Fear-Weeper emerges! That's what it was supposed to be.

From a game perspective, the enemy's advance is crucial, so it couldn't just sit and wait; thus, its role in the game was changed to a fixed turret.

It became something that moves around dramatically, and rather than as a camouflaged enemy, it serves well as a powerful turret that becomes a real threat to the player.

Plaque Lore:

人の顔が逆さまに付いているような姿をした畏哭いこく。 胴体どうたいを引きずりながら動き、大口を開けて穢けがれの塊かたまりを吐はきつけてくる。普段は森の中で息をひそめて隠かくれているとされる。 とある村では親が子を躾しつける際に「不思議な光る玉を見つけても決して触ふれてはいけない、五体面ごたいめんにのまれるぞ」と言い聞かせて躾しつける風習があると伝えられている。

The Gotaimen have the appearance of upturned human faces. They drag themselves across the ground as they vomit defilement from a gaping maw. They are typically found in forests, where they obscure themselves as they lie in wait for their next victim. Parents tell their children the cautionary tale of the Gotaimen when they venture out, warning their kin to never touch the mysterious glowing orb, lest they be swallowed whole.

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 10: Hozukime (鬼灯目ほおずきめ)

■第10回　範囲攻撃＝爆発！？鬼灯目
モチーフより、機能から！
役割としては各職業を固めて置いておくと痛い目に会うかもよ？という存在。これを、”範囲攻撃と抽象化した敵デザイン”での表現を目指しました。記号としては分かり易くなっている思います。… pic.twitter.com/N25AB7pxaA

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) May 8, 2026

■第10回　範囲攻撃＝爆発！？鬼灯目

モチーフより、機能から！

役割としては各職業を固めて置いておくと痛い目に会うかもよ？という存在。これを、”範囲攻撃と抽象化した敵デザイン”での表現を目指しました。記号としては分かり易くなっている思います。

デザイン的には百目っぽい事をやりたいと考えていましたが、そもそも、目が無いって設定にもしたい…、どうしよう。

目の様な物に穢れが入った水風船と思い込んでデザインしたんですけど、伝わりにくいので自身のアイデアは没！！

思考を変える為に、鬼灯目にしたいんですという事だけを伝え、モデラーの方にデザインして頂きました！自分には無い路線で、一塊としてみて、両側に赤目っぽい装飾があり、顔っぽい部分が鼻。そして、亜種の土壌汚しの際には顔が伸びで亀のような見た目！！面白く仕上がりました。珍しくデザイン画も多かったキャラクター。

■10th Round: Area Attack = Explosion!? Lantern Eye

From function, rather than motif!

In terms of role, it's an entity that might make you regret locking down each class too rigidly. For this, I aimed to express it through "area attacks and abstracted enemy design." As a symbol, I think it's become quite clear and easy to understand.

In terms of design, I wanted to go for something reminiscent of a hundred-eyed creature, but at the same time, I also wanted the setting to be that it fundamentally has no eyes... What to do.

I ended up designing it by imagining a water balloon filled with filth in the shape of an eye, but it was hard to convey, so I scrapped my own idea!!

To shift my thinking, I just conveyed to the modeler that I wanted to make it a Lantern Eye, and had them design it! It went in a direction I wouldn't have thought of: viewed as a single mass, with red eye-like decorations on both sides, and the face-like part serving as the nose. And during the subspecies' soil contamination phase, the face stretches out to give it a turtle-like appearance!! It turned out really fun. Unusually for me, this character had a lot of design sketches.

Plaque Lore:

人の手によって開拓かいたくされた土地、土地を敬う心を忘れた人々、それらによって生じた穢けがれが土地を返せと嘆なげく時に姿を現す。 刺激しげきを与あたえるとその目は赤くなり、散り際に周囲に穢けがれをまき散らす。 その様が人々から鬼灯ほおずきのようだと言われている。

Humans have forgotten their place as they till, shear, and cleave the ever-giving earth, the benefactor of their very existence. The Hozukimeare born of the defiled land, lamenting its destruction. The shape of

a ground cherry, their eyes turn red when provoked, and when they are destroyed, the defilement within their bodies returns to the earth.

Kunitsu-Gami Design Commentary 9: Kamaitachi(かまいたち)

■第9回　”網切”or”かまいたち”か…
当初は網切で考えてたんですけど、分かり易い方が良いってことで”かまいたち”として再考、ボディ自体は網切の名残がありますね。完成版は網切とかまいたちのハイブリッドです。… pic.twitter.com/GL5oqzV9Tv

— 【公式】 祇（くにつがみ）：Path of the Goddess (@Kunitsu_Gami_JP) May 6, 2026

■第9回　”網切”or”かまいたち”か…

当初は網切で考えてたんですけど、分かり易い方が良いってことで”かまいたち”として再考、ボディ自体は網切の名残がありますね。完成版は網切とかまいたちのハイブリッドです。

所謂かまいたちの動物っぽいデザインは良く見るので、そこは外す。畏哭の設定から人っぽさが重要なので、腕を遠くでも分かる大鎌へ。

手が鎌だと色々不便だな、何か生活大変そう…からの泣いている様な顔が面白いんじゃないかと思い意図反映。

背中の小さな顔は色々と試行錯誤したなれの果てです。中盤以降にザコとしても出すとの事で、そんな複雑な事もさせられないって事で攻撃はオミット。結果、背中のオブジェクトはデザインの装飾としての意味も強かったので、動きの演出となり、派手さが増し中ボスとして活躍も果たせています。

■Round 9: "Net Cutter" or "Kamaitachi"...

Originally, I was thinking of it as Net Cutter, but for better clarity, I reconsidered it as "Kamaitachi," though the body itself still bears remnants of the Net Cutter concept. The final version is a hybrid of Net Cutter and Kamaitachi.

The so-called Kamaitachi's animal-like design is something you see a lot, so I decided to steer clear of that. Given the settings for Fearful Cry, human-like qualities are important, so I changed the arms to large scythes that are recognizable even from afar.

If the hands are scythes, it'd be inconvenient in all sorts of ways—life would seem pretty tough... and from there, I thought it might be fun to give it a face that looks like it's crying, so I incorporated that idea.

The small face on the back is the end result of a lot of trial and error. It was mentioned that it'd appear as a small fry enemy from the mid-game onward, so I figured we couldn't make it too complex for that, and ended up omitting the attack function. As a result, since the back object was already strong as a decorative design element, it became a motion effect instead, adding more flair and allowing it to shine as a mid-boss.

Plaque Lore

森林の伐採ばっさいによりどこからともなく嘆なげく声が聞こえるという。 腕うでには大きな鎌かま、眷属けんぞくたちの魂たましいを背負ったような見た目をしているとされ、自分たちがやられたことを仕返しに帰って来るという。 人だけではなく人の作りだした物や建物までもが切断されてしまうといい、かまいたちが出没しゅつぼつした村では凄惨せいさんな光景が広がるという。

Distraught wails emanate from the desolate remains of deforestation. Armed with a sickle and carrying the souls of their fallen brethren, the Kamaitachi seek revenge upon the humans that eradicated their homes. Be it humankind or human-made, they will demolish everything, leaving behind nothing but destitution in their wake.