Beyond Godzilla...by Cristy Burne

or why I love science, history and blood-sucking monsters. 

What if I told you that late at night, after you’re tucked up in bed, a frog-like mutant sneaks into your bathroom and licks it till it’s clean?

What if I told you that your umbrella will one day sprout hair on its handle and an eye on its head, and hop up and down your hallway blowing raspberries?

What if I warned you that a tiny snail can grow large enough to crush you to death, or that mermaids harbour vampiric tendencies or that eating fruit is horribly dangerous for your health?

I didn’t invent any of these monsters. They’re all creatures from Japanese mythology. Just as European myths have dragons and fairies and werewolves and vampires, Japanese myths have… well, Japanese myths have some of the craziest, most creative, most dangerous, most hilarious monsters I’ve ever come across.