Daruma-san ga koronda

The Daruma doll is a type of okiagari-koboshi which is said to have originated from Shorinzan Daruma-ji in Gunma prefecture in the mid-18th century. They are normally seen as symbols of good luck and perseverance, but are sometimes used as monsters in art and fiction.

Obake-daruma (お化け達磨) are not particularly common, and should not be confused with mokugyo daruma (木魚達磨), which are something different.

Mokugyo daruma

The closest thing I could find to an obake-daruma from before the Showa era is from a woodblock print by Kawanabe Kyōsai, depicting a daruma doll coming to life and frightening some artisans.

Watonai, Hariko no Meijin
(和藤内 はりこの名人)

The video game Yomawari, features an obake-daruma in a sub-event where the character plays a life-or-death game of Daruma-san ga koronda.

Daruma and Kotomo

Another obake-daruma appears in the doujin game Oniga's Journey (鬼我の旅) by Syarekoube (しゃれこうべ)

Perhaps the most well known obake-daruma is Daruma (だるま) from GeGeGe no Kitarō.

This yokai-daruma has the ability to swallow victims and transform them into daruma dolls.

It can also release swarms of mini-daruma (子だるま) that represent its internal organs to attack enemies.

A reference to ireko-daruma (入れ子だるま)?

It also has cold and fire powers which are probably derived from wordplay as opposed to anything folkloric.

Yuki-daruma ("Snowman" in Japanese)

Hi-daruma

To represent obake-daruma for gaming, there are various daruma charms, phone straps, or keychain fobs available, as well as inexpensive puzzle erasers.

For smaller daruma, there are various gotochi (ご当地, ゴトウチ) from Gunma (群馬) prefecture. Gotochi are local souveniers that feature famous regional specialty items. The term was originally used for special postcards issued by prefectural post offices, but now includes various phone straps, keychain fobs, or other goods (often in collaboration with various anime series or character brands).

The following image shows an eraser made by Iwako (red), a charm by Yujin (yellow), and three smaller gotochi daruma.

The gotochi were cut up to make standalone daruma, but the figures need smoothing, patching, and painting to look good from all angles.

Giant Catfish

Tall tales of giant catfish have circulated in the American South since the 19th century, and were even propagated in the Northern states along the Upper Mississippi River.

Giant catfish, 1914
Hardin County, Tennessee

While modern US tabloids have reported attacks on people by giant catfish, it was the South Asian goonch that seemed to demonstrate that attacks on humans by giant catfish were possible.

In D&D, the giant catfish was introduced in the Creature Catalog under the category of Giant Fish. They were described as being 15 feet in length, with 8+3 HD. Instead of having spiked fins with poison, they were able to cause damage with their barbels (which I'm guessing is founded in the mistaken belief that catfish can sting with their whiskers).

I'd probably just change the stats a bit and say that the catfish can bite for 2D8 damage, and inflict 1D4 damage with each of two fin attacks.

To represent giant catfish, I have several different gashapon models, as well as a gigantic Reaper catfish that I just bought today.

The first two catfish are Lake Biwa giant catfish (Biwako-o'namazu; ビワコオオナマズ). Both are ChocoQ shokugan from Furuta – Choco Egg Classic (チョコエッグ・クラシック no. 047C), and Choco Egg Animals of Japan Collection series 2 (チョコエッグ・日本の動物コレクション第2弾 no. 047).

The two catfish are multi-part plastic models manufactured by Kaiyodo. They are slightly different sculpts, each measuring 73mm in length. The Choco Egg Classic version comes with a base.

The next image is of a Lake Biwa giant catfish by Yujin from the Kitan Club Nature Technicolour Nature of Japan vol. 02 (奇譚クラブ・ネイチャーテクニカラー・日本のいきもん vol. 02 no. 19), and a red torrent catfish (Akaza; アカザ) from the Furuta Choco Egg Animals of Japan series 4 (チョコエッグ・日本の動物コレクション第4弾 no. 119).

The Yujin catfish is a single piece model made of PVC measuring 70mm in length. The torrent catfish is made by Kaiyodo, and measures about 64mm in length.

The last model is the Reaper Gulper (Bones Black 44038).

The Gulper seems to be modeled after the flathead catfish, though it is covered with spikes like the typical modern fantasy "dire" creature. It is made with the new Reaper Bones Black material, and measures 125mm in length.

All five catfish compared.