YIKI ONNA VAMPIRES

Classification: Presumably supernaturally altered humans

Location/Base of Operations: Japan

Known Members: Juito

Affiliations: Dracula, other vampires

Aliases: Asian Snow vampires, Snow vampires of Nippon

First Appearance: Tomb of Dracula IV#1 (December, 2004)

Powers/Abilities: As vampires, the Yiki Onna consume the blood of humans, and presumably those slain by having their blood drained by the Yiki Onna will become Yiki Onna themselves.
    They presumably have superhuman strength.

    Rather than turn into mist, the Yiki Onna can become clouds of ice -- razor-sharp shards that slice flesh to ribbons if it chances to pass through them. However, the scent of blood compels them to feed, and when they materialize they are as vulnerable as any other vampire.

    The Yiki Onna's vulnerability to sunlight (probably), religious symbols, etc. is unrevealed, as is whether the possess other powers or limitations.

Traits: The Yiki Onna consume the blood of humans for sustenance. They are savage warriors.

History: The origin of the Yiki Onna vampires is unrevealed.

(Tomb of Dracula IV#1 (fb) - BTS) - Yiki Onna vampires slew a Shinto priestess, earning the enmity of her daughter, Michiko Watanabe.

(Tomb of Dracula IV#1 (fb)) - Michiyo used silver samurai swords and nitrate-dipped darts to destroy Yiki Onna vampires.

(Tomb of Dracula IV#1-2 - BTS) - Yiki Onna vampires were amongst the many vampires of the world summoned to Castle Dracula in the Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania to protect Dracula during his performance of the Ritual of Ascendance.

(Tomb of Dracula IV#3) - While Juito stood alongside Dracula, the Yiki Onna attacked Noah van Helsing's vampire hunters -- Benjamin Alomii, Blade, Enzo Ferrara, Lucas Telling-Stone, Noah van Helsing, and Michiko Watanabe, as well as their ally, Ion -- as they approached Castle Dracula. Michiyo sensed their approach seconds before they struck down Ion. Michiyo explained their nature to her allies, but a group of them abducted Noah van Helsing and brought him before Dracula. Michiyo sent the rest of her allies to continue their trek while she used her Silver Scythe for it's purpose, sacrificing her own life to destroy the vampire that had slain her mother.
    The other Yiki Onna returned to Castle Dracula. As they had slain one of his opponents as well as capturing Noah, Dracula did not destroy Juito.

(Tomb of Dracula IV#4) - The Yiki Onna were present as Dracula completed the Ritual of Ascendance, but Aamshed unleashed 6000 souls against Dracula, destroying him and all other nearby vampires.

Comments: Created by Robert Rodi, Bruce Jones, Jamie Tolagson, Tom Palmer, and Jay Leisten.

    On a quick net search I didn't find evidence that the Yiki Onna are a real part of vampire mythology:
But they have some resemblance to Yuki-Onna, a Japanese spirit associated with snowstorms, and who sometimes has vampiric or succubus-like qualities, draining a victim's life force. Google it.

In Vampire Tales#4 (April, 1974) "The Drifting Snow" - there is a story featuring a female Snow Vampire. Maybe this could be connected to the Yiki Onna from Tomb of Dracula IV? The story itself was originally written by August Derleth and would more than likely be considered a part of the Cthulhu mythos.
--AvatarWarlord72

In Blade III#12 a prophecy was fulfilled that brought back all vampires that ever died. This most likely included Yiki Onna vampires as well. We'll have to wait if they resurface.
--Markus Raymond

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Yiki Onna should be distinguished from other types of vampires

Juito

    Leader of the Yiki Onna, he stood by Dracula's side as his warriors assaulted the vampire-hunters, receiving the warning that failure would be met with his destruction. As one of the vampire-hunters was slain and their apparent leader captured, Juito was spared. He was presumably destroyed in Aamshed's final assault on Dracula.

--Tomb of Dracula IV#1 (1 (fb) - BTS, 1 (fb)

images: (without ads)
Tomb of Dracula IV#3, p16, panel 2 (feasting on Ion)
            panel 3 (Juito)
        p17, panel 1 (impaled on sword)

Appearances:
Tomb of Dracula IV#1 (December, 2004) - by Robert Rodi & Bruce Jones (story), Robert Rodi (script), Jamie Tolagson (pencils), Tom Palmer and Jay Leisten (inks), Warren Simons and John Miesegaes (editors)
Tomb of Dracula IV#2-4 (January-March, 2005) - by Robert Rodi & Bruce Jones (story), Robert Rodi (script), Jamie Tolagson (pencils), Tom Palmer and Scott Koblish (inks), Warren Simons and John Miesegaes (editors)

First Posted: 02/18/2007
Last updated: 02/18/2007

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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