| Balloon Dog | |
|---|---|
| |
| Name | |
| Kanji | 風船犬 |
| Rōmaji | Fuusen Inu |
| First Appearance | |
| Anime | 04. Bloody History |
| Novel | Part I: Chapter 01 (Mentioned) Part I: Chapter 05 (Official) |
Balloon Dog or Blowdog (風船犬, Fuusen Inu) is one of the in-world creatures of Shin Sekai Yori. They make an appearance in the novel and anime.
Description
- Balloon Dogs are about the size of a dog, completely black, with a round, big torso. Their heads are barely half the size of a normal dog’s and hang so low that they almost touch the ground. If they get mad, their bodies swell up like a balloon to warn their enemies to stay away. But if provoked even more, they puff up bigger and bigger until they finally explode. When they blow up, the enemy will likely be killed, or at least seriously injured.[1] Balloon Dogs are assumed to have sulfur and saltpeter stored in their bodies so they can make gunpowder, as just inflating themselves to the point of bursting would not create a powerful explosion alone. Some of its bones therefore act as flint to create the spark that sets everything off. Before exploding, the Balloon Dogs usually radiate white rays of light as a warning to their enemy.[2]
- The spine of the Balloon Dogs is described to look like a disc surrounded by six sharp, feather-like spikes sticking out in alternate directions. It is hard as stone and extremely heavy. The shape of the spine serves the purpose of flying out when the Balloon Dog dies, so it would kill their opponent in response.[2]
History
- Balloon dogs are first mentioned by Saki's father when she asks him about the dangers beyond the Holy Barrier, whereas Saki believes that they are made up, with her father supporting that assumption.[3] They are again mentioned by Satoru, who tells stories about them to his friends in Group One. He states that an acquaintance of his was attacked by a Balloon Dog at the foot of Mt. Tsukuba, while on a job for the Board of Education, which he does not know the details of.[1]
- Fascinated by the mystery of their existence, Group One decides to go looking for the Balloon Dogs and the Evil Minoshiros during their summer camp trip, to see if either of these creatures is real. However, they only happen to actually encounter one while being on the escort of the monk Rijin. Irritated by the humans' presence, the Balloon Dog begins to puff up, intending to threaten the enemy and make them leave its territory. While Group One escapes from the dangerous animal, Rijin, who appears unconscious, remains in front of it, whereupon the Balloon Dog finally explodes after swelling up to three times its size. Although Rijin manages to wake up right in time before the explosion, he is caught in it and is killed, along with the animal itself.[2]
Trivia
- It is stated that some people believe that Balloon Dogs are messengers of god.[1]
Quotes
Quotes about Balloon Dogs
- "The balloon dog inflated. Its coarse black hair spread out and white lines of light showed between the bristles. If this warning was ignored, it would puff up one last time. Right before it died, its eyes rolled back in its head and saliva dripped from its mouth, a look of indescribable ecstasy on its face. As it reached its limit, the skin was stretched so thin that you could see through it in some places. Inside it, small blue and white sparks danced. (This was the first time I clearly saw the instant that the explosive powder in its body was ignited.) Then the balloon dog exploded. The skin on its back was torn into pieces, and its head, still with a Cheshire Cat smile, was blown away in the blast. However, the shockwave kicked up great clouds of dust, expanding outward at increasingly high speeds. The balloon dog's sharp bone shards tore into Rijin and his body was shredded as if it had been scraped away by a coarse file." - Saki remembering the death of Rijin through a Balloon Dog during her narration. (Part II: Chapter 06)
See also
References & Citations