Prompt
Urban Legends
Urban Legends
Concept
The prompt I chose is "Urban Legends," and I decided to focus on a Filipino urban legend, connecting to my cultural background. The creature I chose to depict is the Manananggal, a name that literally translates to "remover." By day, the Manananggal appears as a beautiful woman, but at night, she transforms into a fearsome creature. During this transformation, she leaves her lower half behind, hence the name the "remover," and hides it in a forest to keep it safe from discovery. The Manananggal is characterized by bat-like wings, fangs, and long, sharp nails, giving her a vampire-like appearance.
The prompt I chose is "Urban Legends," and I decided to focus on a Filipino urban legend, connecting to my cultural background. The creature I chose to depict is the Manananggal, a name that literally translates to "remover." By day, the Manananggal appears as a beautiful woman, but at night, she transforms into a fearsome creature. During this transformation, she leaves her lower half behind, hence the name the "remover," and hides it in a forest to keep it safe from discovery. The Manananggal is characterized by bat-like wings, fangs, and long, sharp nails, giving her a vampire-like appearance.
Her most popular prey is a pregnant woman; she uses her incredibly long tongue to feed on the fetus by inserting it through the woman's mouth. The result is that the woman wakes up with no memory of the event but has lost her baby. In movies and stories, the Manananggal is often shown hunting sleeping victims, but once identified in a community, she is depicted as a threat to everyone. This urban legend dates back to as early as 1582 in Spanish missionary texts, yet it remains prevalent today, with films and shows continuing to bring this chilling tale to new audiences.
