Shibitos in 'Siren: Blood Curse'
The Shibito are the main enemies in the Forbidden Siren series. The Shibito are corpses reanimated by supernatural forces, but unlike zombies, they retain a sense of intelligence and personality. In Forbidden Siren and Siren: Blood Curse, the Shibito evolve into insect-like forms. In Forbidden Siren 2, the Shibito are succeeded by the Yamibito, halfway through the game.
Origin
Forbidden Siren
The Shibito are the result of human exposure to the Red Water, a crystalline liquid that enters the body through ingestion, prolonged submersion or directly through open wounds. The Red Water has regenerative properties, allowing the characters to restore health quickly. When a person becomes too contaminated with Red Water, or the Red Water regenerates a dead person, that person becomes a Shibito.
The Siren beckons the villagers of Hanuda to bathe in the Mana River, which is a religious procedure, but the Mana River becomes Red Water, causing all the villagers to become Shibito.
Forbidden Siren 2
The Shibito are now dead corpses inhabited by a Shiryo, a smoky spirit that appeared on Yamijima Island after a red tsunami washed over the island, killing most of the inhabitants. Mother is the source of the Siren, which caused the tidal wave as revenge for the villagers’ killing of Kanae, and from this wave came the Shiryos, who come from Otoshigo, an entity similar to Mother. The Shiryos then enter the corpses and reanimate them.
Siren: Blood Curse
Because Siren: Blood Curse is a reimagining of Siren, the Shibito origin is the same. Instead of Red Water, all the water in the village becomes blood, which has the same effect as the Red Water. It begins to rain blood as well. The first Shibito to appear are Yukie and the police officer, who proceed to slaughter the rest of the village’s inhabitants. By the time Howard Wright encounters the police officer, most of the villagers are dead or dying. The blood rain then revives the corpses as Shibito.
A Shibito in 'Siren'
Behavior
Because the Red Water is the blood of Datatsushi, a Shibito is bound to aiding the summoning of Datatsushi. The Shibito collectively build a Nest to house Datatsushi’s form when he arrives. Other Shibito patrol Hanuda, ready to kill and convert any remaining humans. They are occasionally heard uttering unintelligible murmurings, with a weird rasping quality to their voice, as though they are gargling water.
There are various behaviours of Shibito: solitary, patrol or guards. When a Shibito becomes aware of the player’s presence, several things may happen.
Solitary Shibito are found focused on one task (such as hammering plywood, eating, or cutting grass) and will not displace from this activity unless the player makes themselves known nearby.
Guard Shibito are fixed in one position but they keep a vigil on a certain area, such as a corridor or a door, and are usually equipped with a pistol. If the Shibito is a guard with a firearm, they will first attack the player until the player is out of sight, at which it will shout, then pursue the player. Sniper Shibito will not move at all, and will snipe the player with their rifles.
Patrol Shibito follow a set route, actively looking for humans. They are usually equipped with melee weapons. If the Shibito is a patroller, the Shibito will shout to attract nearby Shibito and then actively pursue the player, attacking them with weapons or by strangling.
Most Shibito can be displaced from their post or route by shouting, or any other noisy distraction. More often than not, the Shibito will be displaced indefinitely, allowing alternate routes through a level. Shibito will also react to nearby gunshots, even from the player, and will investigate. Footsteps can also be heard and will affect Shibito in the same way as other noises.
After a Shibito takes enough damage, they will be rendered unconscious, crouching into a prayer-like position and will recover after a period of time, briefly remaining in an alerted state. Different Shibito have various recovery rates, ranging from a very long time to only mere seconds.
Forbidden Siren 2
Because they are not bound to a higher entity, the Shibito simply re-enact their own tasks when they were alive (like scraping a trowel over a wall or patrolling with a gun). Although they are the same entity as those in Forbidden Siren, the Shibito lack the bluish hue in their skin, appearing bloodier with bleeding eyes, noses and mouths.
The Shibitos’ appearance varies from those with working clothes, traditional Japanese clothes or uniforms of the Japanese Self-Defence Force. Their voices are high-pitched and distorted, and some of the Shibito will initiate conversations with other Shibito, or just utter to themselves. Some Shibito will talk to the player when attacking them. The Shibito can no longer try to strangle the player, and instead, they can grapple the player, biting them until the player shakes them off.
There are solitary, guarding and patrolling Shibito, but the Shibito do not evolve into more complex forms. The Shibito will shout when they see the player, and then pursue them. Sniper Shibito are also present. They are succeeded by the Yamibito halfway through the game. On Hard Mode, the Shibito are more efficient at detecting the player, and are extremely vicious when equipped with firearms. Certain Shibito are more powerful than others, such as Tomoe Ohta, who has the fastest recovery rate or Tsuneo Ohta , who is the fastest moving Shibito.
Rendering the Shibito unconscious is not permanent; they will revive when a Shiryo enters the corpse. The player may delay the recovery rate by defeating nearby Shiryos. The Shibito will also drop their weapon, so the player may pick it up. An empty-handed Shibito will pick up a weapon only if it is directly in their patrol route- it will never leave its patrol route to pick up a weapon.
Siren: Blood Curse
The Siren (the scream of Kaiko) causes the Shibito to construct a Nest for Kaiko when he is summoned. Otherwise, the Shibito simply wander the village, killing any remaining humans or re-enacting their previous life (such as writing at a desk, gardening, praying, etc.).
Unlike the original Shibito, these lack the bluish tinge to their skin and instead have a tenebrous hue which makes them extremely pale. Their eyes are bleeding out, while their skin and clothes are splattered with dirt and bloodstains. Their voices are similar to the Shibito of Forbidden Siren 2, with almost every Shibito talking to themselves, other Shibito or talking to the player when attacking or searching for them (such as "You’re not getting away!" or "Where are you?"). Their clothes are Japanese traditional wear or common/work clothes.
The Shibito can grapple like in Forbidden Siren 2,but instead of biting, the Shibito will attempt to instantly kill the player, by either drowning them in the water, or executing them with their weapon or their bare hands until the player shakes them off. As in the previous installments, there are solitary, guard and patrol Shibito. The Shibito also evolve into more complex organisms due to Kaiko’s will, which resemble insects. Unlike the previous games, there are no Sniper Shibito apart from only one instance (but even then, the sniper is just a patroller on a vantage point).
When knocked out, they will recover after a period of time which varies between Shibito. They will also drop their weapon, allowing the player to pick it up. Whatever weapon the player drops, they will pick up when they get back up, and continue their routine (though they may stand on patrol due to not having their usual tools/weapons). Unlike Forbidden Siren 2, the Shibito are just as aggressive without weapons, and can easily beat the player to death with their fists.
It is hinted in the first game (and this remake), that the Shibito see the world dramatically different from the real survivors. It is a considerably happier place; filled with a warm, sunny environment with tiny, floating angelic sparks.
Forms
The more complex forms of the Shibito indicate an insect-like intelligence (such as their construction of a Nest and their insect-features). This is due to Datatsushi being the combination of an insect and fish.
Forbidden Siren
Half-Shibito
A Half-Shibito in 'Siren'
The most common form of Shibito. They retain their human form, but their skin becomes a swollen bluish tinge after being engorged in water. Their eyes are bleeding and their skin is usually pockmarked with sores and wounds. Their clothes are usually traditional Japanese farming clothes, such as headscarves and farming overalls, which are usually stained with blood or other smears. These Shibito wield weapons, ranging from melee weapons to firearms, so only these Shibito can take one of the aforementioned behaviours.
Sniper Shibito
A Sniper Shibito seen from the sight of a rifle.
Half-Shibito who are situated in high places, where they can spot the player from long distances. Their aim is deadly accurate and can usually kill the player with only two shots. They usually serve to eliminate a certain route until they are defeated.
Spider Shibito
A Spider Shibito from 'Siren'
Exclusively male Shibito, who have evolved into a spider-like form. Their heads have been twisted back completely on a 180 degree angle. Their hands and feet have become more gnarled like spider legs and they crawl like a spider too. Their eyesight has become slightly poorer but they are much better at hearing sounds, even through walls. Their recovery rate is the fastest of any Shibito, reviving after a mere 10 seconds.
Beetle Shibito
A Beetle Shibito in 'Siren'
Exclusively female Shibito, who crawl on all fours. A pair of thick beetle-like antennae have sprouted from the top of their head and their heads look down, their hair covering their face although they can still see perfectly. They act essentially the same as the Spider Shibito except that they are faster and have a slower recovery time. The Siren guidebook calls them Dog Shibito which is a mistake.
Fly Shibito
A model of a Fly Shibito from 'Siren'
Shibito that have sprouted large fly wings, and that fly throughout the level. These are always equipped with a firearm and function very similar to a Sniper Shibito, except they can move quicker. They are also not bound by the same contours as the player, making them very dangerous. Despite these strengths, they are generally weak and can be downed with one shot.
Shibito Brain
A Shibito Brain from 'Siren'
A Shibito with control over other Shibito. Their behaviours range from evasive to aggressive. Quite often, a Shibito Brain will be part of the mission objective (usually to defeat them). Brains are distinguished by their faces, which adopt strange features such as octopi-like tentacles, abnormally large pustules or large fungi-like growths. Defeating a Shibito Brain will result in all the other Shibito in the level being rendered unconscious until the Brain revives.
Failed Shibito
Villagers who became Shibito but refused to submerge in the Red Water again to become more complex forms. They have rotted beyond recognition and are in eternal pain, acting more like traditional shambling zombies. They do not seem to be aggressive towards humans. The majority of them are still in the Mana River. Tamon’s parents became this kind of Shibito, and Tamon finds them but only sees his parents’ human form.
Forbidden Siren 2
Normal Shibito
Unlike the shibitos of the first game, the appearance of this shibito is more similar to a typical zombie, since they have normal skin, their eyes are totally white and their clothes and skin are covered mostly with blood. Like the first game, they work as patrollers, guards or solitaries, normally equipped with melee weapons or firearms.
Yamibito
see main article: Yamibito
A Yamibito from Siren 2
Siren: Blood Curse
Normal Shibito
A group of Normal Shibitos
Human-looking Shibito, who function as patrollers, guards or solitaries. Some Shibito are more aggressive and quicker than others, depending on their gender and the weapon equipped.
Spider Shibito
A Spider Shibito as seen in Siren Blood Curse.
Unlike the original Spider Shibito, they are not restricted to males. Instead of their limbs gnarling up, their limbs have become slightly elongated to allow walking on their back. Their stomach has swollen and become hard like a spider’s abdomen. Like the original, their heads have been twisted back to allow normal sight when walking on their back. They have great hearing ability, able to hear even faraway footsteps. Their grapple attack is tackling the player to the ground.
Fly Shibito
Fly Shibitos as seen in Siren Blood Curse
Shibito that have sprouted giant fly’s wings to enable flight. Their original function has been toned down to make the game easier. Instead of acting like Sniper Shibito, the Fly Shibitos are usually equipped with melee weapons and will swoop to ground level to attack the player. Their grapple is grabbing the player and starting to fly off to kill them.
Maggot Shibito
A Maggot Shibito.
A new type of Shibito not in the original game. A large maggot body has overtaken a Shibito, giving them a very tall and large appearance, with feelers and pads on their torso. They are extremely difficult to defeat and will always instantly kill the player if they manage to grapple them. Usually, they are only defeated using special methods, such as eliminating a Shibito Brain.
Shibito Brain
A Shibito Brain.
Like the original game, Shibito Brains have control over the other Shibito on a level. Their appearance is much more diverse however, with several insect combinations. Particular ones include:
- A mass of writhing leeches on a wheelchair.
- A Shibito whose head has become a cluster of millipedes attached to the ceiling.
- A Shibito whose head has become a giant wasp abdomen.
- A Shibito with colorful cocoons hanging from their face.
- A Shibito with a face made of fly's compound eyes.
- A Shibito whose arms have eroded away and their torso has grown feelers. Their face has become a moth's head, and it has sprouted moth's wings.
- A Shibito whose become an enormous disembodied head made to resemble a cocoon. It resides in a closet space.