Kuchisake-onna



Kuchisake-onna (which translates into "slit-mouth woman") is a demonic spirit from a Japanese urban legend of the same name. She is recognisable by her horrendous slit mouth and her character is presumed to be based from older Japanese mythological beings.

Legend
Long ago, during the feudal period of Japan, a young and beautiful woman lived happily with her samurai. However, she was very vain and one day, she secretly cheated on her husband after meeting a younger and attractive man. Enraged, the samurai raised his sword and mutilated her mouth ear to ear and asked her "Who will think you're beautiful now?".

After the incident, the woman died either from her injuries or commited suicide after the humiliating experience and she later became a restless spirit, doomed to roam on Earth for eternity. As a vengeful spirit, she hid behind the bushes and stalked students who walked home from school during the late afternoon. While a naive student hears a rustling sound within the bushes, the woman will appear in front of him/her and ask him/her if she is beautiful or not. If the student replied no, she immediately killed him/her with her large pair of scissors but if the student replied yes, she took off the surgical mask that she often wore as a spirit and revealed her horrendous slit mouth.

The woman will proceed to ask him/her if she is beautiful now but if the student persists on saying no, she will cut them in half with her scissors. However, if the student replied yes, the woman will mutilate his/her mouth ear to ear with her scissors. While it is obvious that he/she will run away from this situation, this is impossible as the woman will simply reapppear in front of him/her via teleportation.

However, there were strategies to escape Kuchisake-onna. If the student replies that she is average, she will become confused, giving time for the student to run away. Another strategy included throwing candies and fruits at her, which the woman will pick up and eventually get distracted. A less common strategy is that the student asks her if he/she him/herself is pretty and the woman will get confused and leave.

Trivia

 * So far, there is no way to defeat/kill Kuchisake-onna.
 * She is similar to Bloody Maryas both are vengeful female spirits who lurk in hidden, unsuspecting areas and involve replying and asking questions to the victim, where dire consequences are met if the victim does the wrong thing.
 * Her appearance is similar to Joker and Jeff the Killer, who are all known for their insanity.