Yomi

Meta Knight meets Papi, a resident of Yomi.

Yomi, or Yomi-no-kuni, is an underworld that appears in Kirby: Meta Knight and the Knight of Yomi. It is based on the eponymous underworld from Japanese mythology. Yomi is mentioned in Morpho Knight and Morpho Knight EX's Special Pages in the Japanese version of Kirby Star Allies, as well as the description of the Morpho Doomhelm Gear in the Japanese version of Super Kirby Clash, but it is never visited or depicted, so its portrayal is entirely original to the novels. The souls of those who have passed away or are on the brink of death arrive at Yomi; according to Japanese folklore, butterflies would appear to guide these dying souls to Yomi. Meta Knight and Papi's side of the story takes place here.

Characteristics

Yomi is not a paradise or a place of suffering, but instead acts more as a purgatory where restless souls spend the eternity of their afterlife. There is no proper entrance or exit to Yomi. Meta Knight arrives there after he is deceived by Beryl and thrown into the Magnus Hellhole, which contains poisonous gas and is so deep that it is near bottomless. Another way to enter or exit is through the dark portals created by Morpho Knight soon after someone in the world of the living lets out a final death scream of agony.

Yomi has a perpetually dim and gray sky, with no sun or clouds, and no differences between day and night. Instead, the flow of time is determined by the common faded flowers growing on trees, as they open in the daytime and close at night. The flora of Yomi includes the aforementioned flower trees, as well as regular flowers and fruit trees scattered across a road. However, none of these possess a scent or taste of their own. As in the actual myth of Yomi, tasting a fruit or a flower from Yomi prevents one from ever returning to the world of the living. The most notable landmark of Yomi is a small fountain of unknown origin located behind some trees.

Residents

After three days pass, a soul caught between life and death becomes a permanent resident of Yomi. Newcomers to the underworld typically lose their energy and are unwilling to communicate; they either spend the rest of eternity sleeping or become monsters. However, the more strong-willed are able to recover and return to their body, or, in rare cases such as Meta Knight's, have the body return to the soul.

Among the permanent residents of Yomi are hostile monsters such as Ghost Bats or the powerful Giant Snake (both of which are named by another inhabitant, the atypically colorful butterfly Papi). Residents of the underworld do not grow hungry, tired, or sick, and cannot die again since they are mere souls. However, injuries are permanent and result in degradation, such as shrinking and losing certain mobility. One inhabitant stands out: Morpho Knight, typically seen at night in butterfly form, is bright red and can freely travel to the world of the living and back. The nocturnal lifestyle of the monsters and Morpho Knight makes traveling at night dangerous.

For unknown reasons, Meta Knight obtains a sword replacing his Galaxia, which was taken from him by Beryl, when he arrives in Yomi. This sword has no substance and is less apt for battle.

Mentions in games

Yomi is only mentioned in texts of the Japanese version of Kirby Star Allies related to Morpho Knight:

• Morpho Knight's title is 黄泉返る極蝶, "Butterfly of Paradise Returning from Yomi";
• It is also mentioned in Morpho Knight's Special Page: 銀河最強と 言われる白き騎士が もたらした、長年の 生命のさけびに共めいし、黄泉からの騎士となって こうりんする。(Sympathizing with endless cries for life from the white knight said to be the greatest in the galaxy, it turns into a knight of Yomi and descends.);
• Finally, it is also mentioned in Morpho Knight EX's Special Page: 夢の国か、黄泉の国か… 次は どの次元を めぐり行くのだろうか。(Which dimension will it land in next... the land of dreams, or the land of Yomi?). In particular, here it uses 黄泉の国 (Yomi no kuni, or "land of Yomi").

Moreover, it is also quickly mentioned by Shinya Kumazaki in an interview about Kirby Star Allies: チョウチョって、日本でも古くは黄泉の国を感じさせる不吉なイメージがありましたよね？(Butterflies used to have an ominous image in ancient times in Japan, reminding us of the land of Yomi, didn’t they?).

The Japanese version of the description of the Morpho Doomhelm Gear from Super Kirby Clash also mentions Yomi: 黄泉の騎士を かたどったぼうぐ。(Armor modeled on the Knight of Yomi.)

The Chinese localizations, in places where Yomi is referred to, instead refer to Huangquan (the Yellow Springs), the equivalent underworld from Chinese mythology. While both are read as 黄泉 in hanzi/kanji, they have different mythologies surrounding them.

Gallery

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  Flower trees in bloom

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  The red butterfly can be seen at night

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  A heated battle with the Giant Snake

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  The portal back to the realm of the living

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	黄泉よみ Yomi 黄泉よみの国くに Yomi no kuni	Yomi (kanji literally translates to "yellow springs") Land of Yomi