Nobody was quite sure how Shuten-doji had turned into an ogre. Some said it was after his mother abandoned him. Others stated that wine had corrupted his soul. Those with a fondness for the macabre swore that his transformation happened only after he fed rotten meat from a corpse to his religious master. Whatever the cause, all were in agreement: Shuten-doji was a horrible beast.
From his bastion on top of Mount Oe, northwest of Kyoto, he commanded a band of monsters who terrorized the surrounding areas. For years, their predations went unimpeded, until one day, people had had enough. They approached Minamoto “Raiko” Yorimitsu, a famed warrior, and begged for his help. Raiko obliged: He promptly led his men into the den of the villain and put an end to his mayhem.