Bullhead is a boss encountered in Ōkamiden. He is a giant catfish who is responsible for the terrible flooding in Agata Forest. Nanami is the partner who helped Chibiterasu in his fight against Bullhead. It is said that the bones of his victims can be seen caught in his sharp teeth.^[1]

Story

Background

Nine months prior to Ōkamiden, aboard the Goryeo, Bullhead stole the Dry Jewel and the Wet Jewel from Nanami. He believes in a legend that says that he will become a dragon if he swims up a waterfall. So he stole these jewels in order to create a waterfall and fulfill the legend.

Ōkamiden

Just before Chibiterasu first arrived in Agata Forest, Kokari felt he is to blame for the floods and sacrificed Nanami for Bullhead as an offering to cease the flood, but Bullhead instead passed Nanami to the Witch Queen. After Kuni and Chibiterasu saved Nanami, Kuni was kidnapped by Bullhead, so Nanami and Chibiterasu chased after the catfish to save him. Nanami and Chibiterasu soon reached the depths of the Five-Story Pagoda, and Bullhead confirmed that he had devoured Kuni and taunted them to try and cut out his stomach to find out if it's true. Bullhead then engaged the two in battle, to which he lost and was knocked unconscious.

Kuni managed to open the jaws of the unconscious Bullhead and escaped the gut of the fish, but the large catfish awakened and attempted to kill them all. Nanami prevented this by draining the water with her Dry Jewel, and Kuni and Chibiterasu worked together to finish the vulnerable Bullhead once and for all. Bullhead, despite his mortal injuries, in a final act, managed to activate a switch in his lair that caused the flood water in Agata Forest to be violently drained out to the Ryoshima Coast, washing away Chibiterasu, Kuni and Nanami in the process. When struggling in the water current, a log came thundering for Chibiterasu and Kuni, who then pushed the young god out of the way, and took a heavy hit from the log, getting separated from Chibiterasu.

The lifeless form of Bullhead floated along the current, and emanated a dark essence, which Akuro absorbed to reunite the entities born from Yami's defeat at the hands of Amaterasu.

Beastiary entry

Strategy

Bullhead can attack Chibiterasu and Nanami by trying to flatten them with a belly flop. He can use his whiskers for whips and he can also shoot electricity from them. He uses his sharp teeth to try and bite Chibiterasu and Nanami. He will swim around the arena and Nanami must chase after him. When she has caught up, Vine can be used to drag Chibiterasu to an island near her. He can be Power Slashed to stop him from attacking Nanami. Although his electric attacks cannot be deflected the same way, using Power Slash on his whiskers before he fires the attack will not only stun him, but also allow Chibiterasu to use Vine on his tongue to pull him out of the water.

He can only be really damaged when he is out of the water. Chibiterasu can attack him with his Divine Instruments or Nanami can attack him, however this will only serve to weaken him. When he is weak enough he can then be hoisted out of the water using Vine to latch him, by his tongue, onto a Konohana blossom.

If Chibiterasu is using the Providence Crystal, then he can only use Fire to damage Bullhead, since Bullhead swims in water, thus somewhat affiliated to Ice; he also uses electricity in his attacks, therefore Lightning doesn't deal any damage to him.

Trivia

• Bullhead is most likely named after a number of fish genuses and species having the same name.
  • In addition, to be "bullheaded" means to be stubbornly determined. Because Bullhead is bullheaded in his quest to climb a waterfall, his name has a double meaning.
• In some Asian countries (China, Japan, Vietnam, etc.), there is a legend that says if a carp swims up a waterfall, it will become a dragon. This fits with Bullhead's assumption that he himself is a carp, and his intention to become a dragon.
• Bullhead's Japanese name, Ōnamazu (「大ナマズ」^?), and his design as a catfish is based on the Ōnamazu of Japanese mythology, which is a giant catfish that causes earthquakes with its thrashing, residing under the mud of the islands of Japan, restrained by the god Kashima.
  • Despite Bullhead being based on the namazu, he claimed himself to be a carp (following the legend of the dragon-morphing carp above), contradicting the race of the namazu itself; obviously, all those who encounter Bullhead saw him as a catfish.
• He resembles the Whopper from Ōkami in that they are both giant catfish. They also both lived in Agata Forest before their defeat.
• He considers himself to be a carp, but any who see him consider him to be a catfish, much to his irritation.