Dogu

Dogu
(守護土偶, Shugo Dogū?)
Location	Moon Cave entrance (100 years ago)
Species	Demon
Organization	Demons
Offense	Sword attacks
Floral finisher	Power Slash

The Dogu is a type of demon rarely encountered in Ōkami. It belongs to the unique categories of demons, Humanoids.

Description

The Dogu is first encountered just outside the Moon Cave on the other side of the Spirit Gate during Amaterasu's trip there. The Dogu has a strange appearance, with a round body and stubby arms and legs. Its most noticeable feature, however, is its head. It has large almond-shaped bulging eyes that seems to be closed, decorations that seems to be the creature's mouth and other features, and a small protrusion on the top of its head, like a small "hat".

Background

The Dogu is the strangest of all strange clay figures in Nippon. Some people say that they originated from the moon. The Dogu are said to be living beings and are known as guardians. Some Dogu are controlled by good, and others are by evil. Also, a legend holds that a Dogu went on a rampage, destroying villages one after another. It is only stopped by a warrior who fought it with bravery and love.

Strategy

The Dogu is not difficult to defeat, but it can withstand some severe punishment, so follow these guidelines. When a Dogu emerges, immediately start off the battle by farming it by using Golden Fury and Brown Rage (try to use both techniques to yield the maximum of 3 Demon Fangs for this farming stage). Then, Amaterasu has to use the Thief's Glove on the Dogu, but the Hidden Strike Glitch is not necessary, for the Dogu is quite damage resistant. Then after these procedures are done, feel free to bash the Dogu to its death. From times to times, it will rise from the assault, and will either teleport to a different location (use Veil of Mist when the demon starts to visually tremble in place) or attacks with a slash of its blade (time the attack of the Dogu, and when it closes in, execute a Sub-Reflector Counterattack to receive another Demon Fang, though the pile-driver will not be used). Occasionally, it will summon five blades that circles around the arena, before stop moving and locking onto Amaterasu's position, all five firing at her. Use Power Slash on the blades to dispose of them, or simply keep moving. When the Dogu is killed, use Power Slash as its Floral Finisher, which yields a great amount of 5 Demon Fangs.

Trivia

• The Dogu is modelled after the clay Dogū figurines from the Late to Final Jōmon period (1000-400 BCE) of Japan.
• A number of inanimate Dogu statuettes appear as decorations throughout Nippon.
  • In the Tsuta Ruins, where Amaterasu learns Vine, she obtains that technique inside a gigantic Dogu statue.
  • Nazo has what appears to be the head of a Dogu on a string, although a comment in the Ōkami Official Complete Works suggests that it is a UFO.