INARI
Real Name: Kodomo-no-inari
Identity/Class: Japanese god
Occupation: God of rice and prosperity
Group Membership: The Kami
Affiliations: Gods of Olympus, especially Hermes
Enemies: Mikaboshi
Known Relatives: Takamimusubi (father), Amaterasu (mother), Himiko, Homimi, Nioo (brothers), Ninigi, Hiruko (nephews), Uzumei (neice), Shinatsukiko, Tsukiyomi, Susanowo, Kagutsuchi, Emma-O (uncles), Uke-Mochi (aunt/wife, deceased), Benten (second wife)
Aliases: O-Inari, Oinari-sama, Yeta (mortal guise), Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto
Base of Operations: Ama
First Appearance: Ares#4 (June, 2006)
Powers/Abilities: Inari possess the conventional powers of the Kami (Gods of Japan) including superhuman strength, longevity and invulnerability to harm. He also has limited mystical skills and can change his form. In Ancient Japan, he was known to take on a female form to mortals. He was often attended by two foxes who acted as his messengers.
History: (Myth) - Inari is the son of Amaterasu, empress of an extra-dimensional race of beings known as the Kami who were worshipped as gods by the ancient Japanese. He is brother to Homimi, father of Ninigi, the first Emperor of Japan.
Inari was taken as a husband by the food-goddess, Uke-Mochi, but she was slain by Susanowo, the sea-god, who was offended by her mystical ability to summon food from her body. In her absence, Inari stepped in to replace her as protector of the rice crop. In Shinto Religion, Inari-worship was merged with worship of Uke-Mochi and Inari's worshippers learned to honor him in both male and female forms. Sometime after Uke-Mochi's demise, Inari took the sea-goddess Benten as his wife.
(Ares#5 (fb) - BTS) - Inari made an alliance with his Olympian counterpart Hermes to force their peoples into an alliance against Mikaboshi in order to preserve both of their people, and knowing that neither one would trust the other.
(Ares#4) - As Olympus lay in ruins following a battle with the demon Mikaboshi, Inari visited the gods and offered the aid of the Kami to Ares. Ares flatly refused and demanded he depart Olympus. Inari asked for water to quench his thirst, and Ares had Hermes give him some.
(Ares#5) - Inari brought the water back to the Kami and presented it to them as a gift from the Olympians, leading them to assume that the Olympians desired their aid. The Kami helped the Olympians defeat Mikaboshi, and Inari and Hermes were pleased to see their scheme succeed.
Comments: Adapted by Michael Avon Oeming, Travel Foreman and Derek Fridolfs.
In Japanese relgion, Inari is often pictured as an old bearded man sitting on a sack of rice, but he was also worshipped in female form.
In some versions of the myth, Tsukiyomi is sometimes attributed with slaying Uke-Mochi, but Susanowo is generally given credit.
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CLARIFICATIONS: Images taken from: Last updated: 09/05/06
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
Inari should not be confused with:
Ares#4, page 12, panel 4 (not counting ads)
Ares#4-5 (June-July, 2006) - Michael Avon Oeming (writer), Travel Foreman (penciler), Derek Fridolfs (inker), Warren Simons (editor)
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