"Igyoto" (JP) is a term for a character with a human body and an oddly shaped head that is different from that of a human being. The head is often covered with household appliances or sometimes with more abstract inorganic objects. Because of their deformed heads, the only way for them to express joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure is through gestures, leaving it up to the viewer's imagination, but this mysterious side is what makes them so appealing.
Etymology
Meaning of the Term
Igyoto (異形頭) is a combination of "igyo" (異形), meaning "strange-looking or suspicious-looking", and "to" (頭), meaning "head".[3]
Origin
The origin is not currently known, but the term dates back to at least 2009.[3]
History
Official Media
Several characters from Igyoto-san to Ningen-chan
The archetype is very popular in anime and manga, particular in romance series.[2]
One of the most notable examples is the 2022 romance manga series Igyoto-san to Ningen-chan, which follows a girl named Chika who is reincarnated into a new world where she meets an igyoto character named Razu. The story follows their romantic journey and the struggles of being different species. The story also features various other couples between a human character and an igyoto character.[1]
Characteristics
Igyoto characters have fully human bodies and unusual shaped heads. The head is often a common household item, such as a clock, television, hat, teddy bear, but it can also be a more abstract inanimate object such as balloons or flowers. They may have facial features like eyes or a mouth superimposed over their heads, but there are also many who have no human features whatsoever on their head.
Personality
Igyoto characters can have any personality, however, they are usually depicted as being very mysterious.
A common trope to see is for igyoto characters to actually be surprisingly kind, despite their scary or unusual appearance, as a form of gap moe. This is most prevalent when they are used in romance media.[2][1]
Because of their unusual heads they are generally unable to show emotions of any kind through their face, leaving them to have to use gestures or verbal words.
Differences From Other Archetypes
Unlike similar archetypes, such as monster danshi, which rely on the combination of a monstrous body and a beautiful human face, igyoto characters are the inverse and regular human body but a non-human head.
Similar Japanese Archetypes
- Monster Danshi: A term for a beautiful male character who shares traits with a monster.
List of Characters
Gallery
 Razu with Chika from Igyoto-san to Ningen-chan  Razu with Chika from Igyoto-san to Ningen-chan  Razu with Chika from Igyoto-san to Ningen-chan  Razu with Chika from Igyoto-san to Ningen-chan  Razu with Chika from Igyoto-san to Ningen-chan  Razu with Chika from Igyoto-san to Ningen-chan |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Igyoto-san to Ningen-chan. CMOA (2022/11/05). “The protagonist, tired of being a corporate office lady in the present world, is transferred to another world and ends up living with an igyoto. Although they have romantic feelings for each other, they are not able to develop due to the race barrier, but...”
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Igyoto+Kareshi. Be Comics (2018/01/24). “A being that makes you feel cooler than anyone else - an igyoto. The souls that reside in them are the histories of the people that each of them have witnessed. This is an experience-type anthology spun by you and your non-human boyfriend. What is a igyoto + boyfriend? They are men who are between things and people, a little mysterious and more than that, fascinating. They experience their position as tools, but they also know how to work as human beings. They have experienced both the good and the bad of humans, and what they exude is... an unfathomable kindness. There is no going back to love with humans.”
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 What is Igyoto. Pixiv Encyclopedia (2009/11/10). “A character with a human body and a head that is different from that of a human being. The head is often covered with tools or household appliances, and sometimes with more abstract inorganic objects. Basically, the only way to express joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure is through gestures, leaving it up to the viewer's imagination, but this is what makes the deformed heads so appealing. Those with animal heads are called beastman and are regarded as belonging to the kemono genre.”
| v • eHybrid Archetypes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Animal |
Juujin ♡ Kemono ♡ Kemonomimi ♡ Tsuno Musume | |
| Machine | ||
| Monster | ||
| Other |
Igyoto | |