1 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff to Blow Your Mind, a production of 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: My Heart Radio. Hi, my name is Robert Lamb and 3 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: this is the Monster Fact, a short form series from 4 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: Stuff to Blow Your Mind, focusing in on mythical creatures, ideas, 5 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: and monsters in time. In Capcom Survival horror video game 6 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 1: Resident Evil Village, the character Ethan Winters finds himself beset 7 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: by werewolves, vambires, and other creatures of darkness in an 8 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: unnamed Eastern European rural location. Particular village is governed by 9 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 1: four lords, but the most impressive of these strange rulers 10 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: is Lady Dimitrescu of Castle Demitrescu. Her lordship might otherwise 11 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 1: be mistaken for any other Gothic fim fatal figure, resplendent 12 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: with classic vampiric qualities and a stylish ensemble, but she 13 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:08,919 Speaker 1: also stands well over nine feet tall, and it's forced 14 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: to duck as she moves through doorways in her otherwise 15 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: high ceilinged castle. While she often employs brute giant strength 16 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: and dispatching her enemies, she can also manifest scimitar like 17 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: claws to cut them limb from limb. She is arrogant 18 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: and vain but also highly protective of her three vampiric daughters. 19 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 1: The character has proven highly popular, quickly joining the likes 20 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: of pyramid Head and Nemesis in the pantheon of great 21 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: memorable horror video game monsters. And dissecting the influences that 22 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: brought this character together, we of course have to give 23 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: a proper nod to both Dracula and Countess Elizabeth Bathory. 24 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 1: But many commentators have also pointed to the modern Japanese 25 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 1: yuri or yokai known as Miss eight foot Tall or 26 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: has Haku Sama, who has depicted in a wide brimmed hat, 27 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:10,640 Speaker 1: much like the Lady Demitrescu. According to haik Issuhani in 28 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:14,239 Speaker 1: a two thousand eighteen thesis paper titled Mythology Marches to 29 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: Modernity Yokai in contemporary Japan, this spirit seems to have 30 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: originated in a Japanese internet forum in two thousand and eight. However, 31 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:28,639 Speaker 1: the author stresses that Hasaku Sama's origins might actually extend 32 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: back much further, to an older yokai named taka Onwa 33 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: literally Tall Woman, briefly mentioned in the Illustrated Night Parade 34 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: of a Hundred Demons published in seventeen seventies. Six. However, 35 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 1: the idea of a fearsome giant Tests is far older 36 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:51,520 Speaker 1: than any of these examples. Some variations of the Irish 37 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 1: and Scottish winter Hag and deity uh Kieligak are described 38 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: as a giant test and she is credited with kidnapping 39 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,799 Speaker 1: this pirit of summer. Other legendary hags are also given 40 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: giant proportions from time to time, including the Baba Yaga. 41 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 1: There's also Zunuqua of the quack Utel people of British Columbia, 42 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: who hunts the children of man. Multiple giant tests is 43 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 1: of varying temperaments can be found in Norse mythology, and 44 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 1: these are often described as beautiful to behold and in 45 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:28,399 Speaker 1: Hindu traditions, the demon giant tests Putana attempts to kill 46 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: the infant Krishna by taking on a human appearance and 47 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: breastfeeding him poisoned milk. Baby Krishna, however, turns the tables 48 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: on the demon by draining her of all her milk 49 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: and her life essence. Suffice to say, Lady Demitrescu is 50 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: but the latest in a long line of intriguing fictional 51 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 1: giantesses employed to express varying ideas about feminine power. Her 52 00:03:56,400 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: ancestors run the gamut of hags, demons, heroes, and goddesses. 53 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: Tune in for additional episodes of The Monster Fact each week. 54 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 1: As always, you can email us at contact at stuff 55 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: to Blow your Mind dot com. Stuff to Blow Your 56 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: Mind is a production of I Heart Radio. For more 57 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: podcasts for my heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, 58 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.