The Sankebetsu Brown Bear Incident 

Hello everyone, I finally created a merchandise store. There are hundreds of illustrations on shirts, hoodies, posters, canvas, metal plates, tapestries, thousands of products including all configurations. BGStoreFront.com You may have to do some scrolling, but if you’re looking for a specific illustration, it’s probably there. This has been a labor of sweat, tears, and love. Half of all profit goes to my illustrator Fred. So this is a great way to support him. Love you all, thank you. Bob Gymlan.

Most people in modern times often forget all our monster stories originate from actual real world monsters like this. Fantastic work

I keep rewatching the section where Ishiguro declares he will not return to Rokusawa empty-handed, and Yamamoto then realizes that he knows of the bear in question. Can you imagine being in Ishiguro's shoes, explaining a situation like this to a man with a reputation like Yamamoto's, and then that man reveals to you that he happens to already know of the EXACT individual beast that's terrorizing your home?? It feels straight out of a horror movie

What a heartbreaking story. Thank you for being so respectful to the memory of the victims.

A note on your conclusion: it’s absolutely INSANE how we’ve survived for so long. Knowing that my ancestors lived during times when bears 3 times the one in this story roamed freely and were common is terrifying and amazing. I find it truly incredible just how we’ve survived against what we have.

Everything you said at the end was spot on. Years ago my girlfriend and her friend said if they could they'd own a lion. I said your out of your mind they said ow no I'd raise it from a cub. I said that wouldn't matter. They scoffed at me. Later that night we happened on a show where a couple owned a couple of giant cats can't remember if they where lions. And at first it showed footage of them playing with the cats. And they where "see we were right" then it said that one of there employees were killed by the cats, and it was deemed an accident cause a bundle of lumber collapsed while he was playing with the cats and they thought that the commotion scared the cat. So they got a judge to not kill the cat and release it back to them. The wife was killed shortly after. Then they showed an interview with the husband saying not to ever do what they did, that they are wild dangerous animals and now he has two deaths on his conscious. My gf and her friend didn't have anything to say after that. I didn't gloat.

As to the name of the bear, Kesagake is from Japanese /kesa/, a term that originally referred to the yellow sash worn over a Buddhist priest's shoulder. /-gake/ refers to the fact that the kesa-sash is "draped" over the shoulder, so that /kesagake/ came to mean (a) wearing a kesa-sash, and eventually (b) any article of clothing (such as a military sash) worn draped over from one shoulder down to the opposite side of the body in the manner of a kesa-sash. So the bear which appeared to be wearing a sash from one shoulder down towards his opposing ribs was given a name that could just as easily mean "sash (worn from shoulder down at an angle across the chest)" as "wearing a sash thus draped". Another word involving the word /kesa/ is /kesa-giri/ where /-giri/ is from /kiru/ 'to cut' and refers to the slashing of a sword. A sword slash in which the victim is cut from around the shoulder at an angle across his chest down to his ribs is a /kesagiri/ (lit. "sash-slash").

With regard to your statement about the factor of luck: it's worth noting that one reason bears are notoriously difficult to kill is their ability to modulate their blood pressure. Even if it wasn't cold enough for it to hibernate, the bear's metabolism may have still been low enough that nothing short of a bullet directly to the heart/brain would kill it.

As a father of three young girls, this was by far the most horrifying story I've ever heard. Its hard as a father to not project yourself into the horror of these events. What a terrible tragedy beyond comprehension. Thank you for your hard work Bob. love what you do.

It's hard for someone like me whose only experience seeing bears was in zoos or recordings of them to really get a grasp on just how horrifying encountering one would be; it's stories like this that put into perspective that very fear, and especially that of being attacked by one.

Thanks for all you do, Bob!

There is something about your rapid but soothing voice, the eerie silence without background music, your open mindedness, and yet thorough research that brings a worthwhile chill to every story. Thank you for all that you do, and for the slightly unnerved feeling I get when I venture into the wild.

as someone who has encountered Kodiak and Polar bears in my home town on the shore of Hudson Bay, i always saw them as beasts never to be trifled with the Ussuri would be no different, i have a tattoo covering a scar on my shoulder from being swatted by a Kodiak on a fishing trip i went on with my brother: i was pulling up the boat with the bag of 9 large fish i can't remember what when it came i tried running it was faster and i guess it just left me alone after smacking me and took my whole catch which probably was seeming more substantial than a 10year old... i still am unafraid of bears and enjoy hiking in the same places they hang out and i grew up hearing stories like this. *edit* i've had three shoulder surgeries as an adult that hit from the Kodiak was the cause of them

I once had a woman yell at me because I had killed a wild boar with a legal permit too do so and was bringing it back home to be skinned and turned into pork chops. She Yelled and spewed at me with a lot of vitriol in her voice about how could I do that to something so natural. I then reminded her that there's nearly 38,000 of them running around destroying the very farms she got her food from in such devastating numbers and aggression that they weren't even afraid to target animals on said farm let alone the people who ran the farm. I had a caught this particular one which was a rather big wild boar in the process of eating a chicken that it had managed to eat after breaking into the pen. People do not understand that there is a balance between us and nature

Not many things get my attention faster than a notification for a new bob gymlan video. The wait is always absolutely worth it

I think one issue that seems to jump out is that the police and guardsmen sent to kill the bear probably had quite limited skills for the kind of operation they were taking part in. Training to maintain public order, and perhaps deal with the odd riot, is very different from training to hunt a bear.

Holy crap, Bob. What a tragic tale. I was absolutely glued to your narrative. Not because I am a sadist but because the story was so well told and detailed. And because you brought a sense of presence to the story that touches the heart, mine anyway. I am grateful for your efforts here. The video was not "too long," but rather "complete." I'm sorry but I just cannot find the words right now to tell you how much I appreciate you for how you show up in your work. With deepest respect, Gerard. Thank you.

I wish he would cover more of these hunter/man-eater stories. the sloth bear of Mysore and the lions of tsavo are my favorite videos from him

Allegedly, the son of the village mayor become a bear hunter as an adult man and swore an oath to kill ten bears for every person Kesagake killed. He ultimately killed over 100 bears before retiring and building a memorial shrine. No clue if it's true.

The Sankebetsu Bear and the Tsavo Lions both show a comfortable predator's behavior. Considering in both accounts the animals wandered to areas with a high human presence indicates they had developed a level of comfort in seeing them as prey and prey that can be taken from a place of perceived safety. It's easy to associate an attack on a lone hiker who has wandered into a bear in the woods. It's the wild after all. But for an animal to be willing and bold enough to break into camps and homes means it has learned it as a successful tactic in gaining food. Animals do things of necessity. So I think it's well within reason there's a possibility of more than 12 victims.

How has this not blown up? Even if the views and like count don’t reflect it, this is a tremendous upload Bob and well worth every second you poured into it. Well done

Its 3:22 am and i should be asleep but here i am completely immersed in this story with tears rolling down my face. You have a talent for story telling and i thank you for sharing it.

This is a very interesting and horrific story from history that I’ve known about for quite some time, I’m very glad you covered it. Man eater stories are what introduced me to the channel, and I had been hoping you’d cover them again some day. I don’t know if this is a start to more to come in the following months, but I hope it is. These are always fascinating to listen to and paired with the visuals these stories are done justice. If I could suggest one, the beast of Gevaudan seems like something that you’d cover.

One of the saddest bear attacks that I have ever heard. Your artwork is stellar, and so is your channel. Thank you Bob, for this story.

The US parks service is pretty good about neutralizing "problem" bears early. I know that if a bear didn't run when yelled at, reporting the encounter would get said bear either moved deeper into the park away from humans, or put into captivity (indifference to the yelling was enough to be moved). There is a rescue center right outside of Yellowstone that is all bears that got too comfortable around humans. The system isn't perfect, some kid got killed by a black bear in NJ a couple of years ago. The trick is to move them early, rather than waiting for them to start approaching humans.

I just realized this video is over an hour long. Thank you Bob! It's a terrible story and all the more because it's true. It's hard to imagine living anywhere near such a predator without a rifle that could stop it.

I was hoping for bigfoot, but this was one of your best Bob. This would make one of the best horror movies ever made. Hell of a story. Great job.

We had never heard this story before and you did a wonderful job of presenting it. My husband and I felt for all involved. We need to be more grateful for what we have today.

This might be your best work yet Bob. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t shedding any tears by the half way mark. You done an excellent job at capturing the reality of this story and my heart truly goes out to all the families who suffered loss to this creature. Rest in peace to those who lost their lives.

You've broadened what I can I believe in. The talent to broaden other people's minds is a real gift Bob. Thank you.

Living in Japan (though not anywhere near Hokkaido), one quickly becomes aware of the tumultuous relationship between people and wildlife, even in towns and cities--everybody knows someone whose neighborhood has seen some troubling and potentially deadly encounter, be it with boars, monkeys, and (especially lately) bears. At any rate, the news is unavoidable. I've been preparing to make a video about this incident myself, and this is really something. The level of research and analysis here and elsewhere on this channel is truly impressive and I can't help but concur with many of your observations. You go to uncommon lengths to depict and dissect every topic you present. Excellent work. Please keep it up!

Bob, loved the video. It took your usual storytelling and cranked it to 11; and you can tell in the writing and delivery that it was a labor of love. You are one of the most unique and refreshing voices out there, and I appreciate all the work that you do!

" So many reasons to cry." These stories are so moving & gripping. Incredible! I'm at the edge of my seat whenever I get a notice from Bob's channel.

This video was very well made. I love learning of old stories like this, even if they are as horrifying as this one. I just kept imagining myself as one of those kids getting attacked and the hopelessness alone would have been absolutely life changing. Bears are one of my biggest fears when out hiking and stuff because I know what they are capable of. Idk what the guys name was but there was this guy who lived in this forest where there were a ton of bears and he thought he had somehow mastered the art of “living with the bears”. He posted a video talking about how he had been very lucky but also very skillful and then proceeded to get eaten by a bear like 2 days after posting that video. Idc what anyone says, you are never safe when in the presence of wild animals. I mean shit, a wild cat will fuck your day up. Just imagine something 1000x bigger but 100x more wild. Terrifying

Now here’s the bear horror story Hollywood could use! I will admit though, this was tough to listen to. Bob, you did an amazing job as always but damn, I could feel the pain you tried to keep out of your voice as you described what happens to the families. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.

this is such a terrifying story my god, you did a very good job telling it

This was a powerful video. There were several times I had to pause to tearfully soak in what I had just heard (the boys dying together, the mother pleading to spare her stomach). It was visceral, but you poured so much humanity into it. Thank you for telling this story.

My favorite thing about you Bob is how empathetic you are. You give people the opportunity to behave like a human being, even if the hindsight is obvious as to what one SHOULD have done. It’s beautiful and something I wish more people were capable of.

The bear sparing the pregnant belly ruined my Ketamine appointment today. I'm currently sitting in front of my 16 year old son's room. Great storytelling.

A Bob Gymlan upload is always an instant watch but an hour and 37 minute upload made me legitimately so excited. Thank you Bob.

"It would have taken just a terrible moment"... this is some of your best work.

Thank you for covering this story Bob, and Fred for illustrating it!

Just like watching a movie, your narration skills are top level. The word play you use plus how you branch off really quick on little side stories to add to the main story is very impressive. Keep them coming.

I'm a 45 year old from So Cal, I know I've been through it. You Channel makes bad days short and long years better. My young wife had a stroke to say it's been tough and is an understatement. But man, listening to you helps so much. You have no idea, Bob. Thank you I hope you can expand we need to make ur Channel bigger

This reading was totally incredible. Instant subscribe!

This was, by far, your saddest video. I found myself getting emotional at more than one point. How sad to think there was really nothing that could have been done for those poor people. The extended suffering of the survivors, and even the men charged with protection who determinedly left their posts rather than staying to stand between the nightmare and their charges. Those guards/military men had to witness and live with the aftermath of the carnage. Thank you for another well thought out and prepared and researched video.

I was literally just watching one of your videos and saw you uploaded again. What a wonderful thing. Thank you for all your hard work, your videos are unbelievably compelling and exciting.

Just wanna say a big THANK YOU for providing the most entertaining content I've ever discovered on the RU-vids. I have a sick dog that requires 24 care the last few months and your channel has been my lifeline 💗🐶🙏

What have I done right in my life to deserve this! The length, the detail, the fabulous storytelling, the artwork. Thank you 😊❤

This was genuinely a terrifying tale. And it really brings to mind old stories of demon animals. And I can say, this bear very well likely would have earned that title. Almost unstoppable with a wake of terror behind it. Truly immortalized. Also- That story of the lioness was a rare fluke of nature. I remember when that documentary was aired. It lasted something like a week (the documentary, the actual incident spanning weeks I believe) the lioness actually was trying to raise that infant antelope as her own, even making vocalizations utilized towards their own cubs. She was a unique case because she was alone without a pride, had likely lost her own cubs recently to a male lion and likely imprinted on the baby for reasons that were oddly obscure. They did make the observation that she appeared to lean on instinct to kill it, but never did. Even when she herself began to starve to death, due to not being able to hunt. The villagers in the area had tried to feed her and the baby, but true to animal nature, they were weary of hand outs and ignored the food. The baby antelope met its death to an adult male lion, and again, curiously, the lioness made the same vocals that a mother lion is known to make in that situation. The next day she had a successful hunt and survived, meaning she could have killed the baby at any time. She was documented to have attempted adopting antelope babies four or five times after that. None survived as long as the first, and shortly after the last she went missing. It’s an interesting case actually. Here’s the story actually: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mZw-1BfHFKM.html

Glad I decided to check on this channel again, this was a terrifying story, and it hit me right in the heart. You are a great storyteller *Bob*

Being of half Japanese descent, born in Japan, and Japanese being my native tongue, even though I have been away for almost 6 decades I still appreciated this story very much. LOVE the art, and thank you for not totally butchering the Japanese language. I grew up associating the Matagi with hunters from the Tōhoku region of Honshu, not Hokkaido, so I was enlightened by this episode (old dog, new tricks). The fiercest things the Tōhoku Matagi would encounter would be the smaller Japanese Black Bear, and Wild Boar, nothing as large and fierce as the Hokkaido Browns. Thank you very much for this story, never heard of it before. Do you know if any of the victims were of the Ainu people? This monster much more scary than any cryptid. Refreshing change.

Thank you Bob, for doing this story. It truly is one of the most horrific and yet "mystical" true stories.

That “all the pain a boy could bear” pun was soooo uncalled for 💀 amazing story telling. Truly horrifying I was in Montana a month ago and I’m glad I didn’t see no bears Edited: holy shit “bearer of bad news” I can’t even tell if you doin it on purpose or not 💀

It's always a good day when Bob Gymlan posts. Quick question, are you ever going to do anything on the Giant of Kandahar?

Best work to date, this is essentially a film script for whoever of the very talented group of Japanese filmmakers would be willing to convert this onto the big screen.

The thought that Patterson in a trench just had this Order 66 type disturbance in the force because people can’t hunt man eating predators sends me. “I sense a disturbance in the hunt”. Great call back

An absolutely horrific incident, but a masterfully crafted recounting. As always Bob, impressive work!

I'm only halfway through and I'm certain this is my favourite story you have ever told. You are very gifted as is your illustrator. I love the amount of depth he portrays with black and white still illustrations.

I’ve put off watching this for several months because of the length, but this was well worth the time spend listening. Thank you for the wonderful video(s) Bob!

NO WAY. I legit just watched Corrupt Nostalgia’s video on this a few weeks back. Can’t wait to listen to your telling of this horrific story.

This was extremely difficult for me to get through as my son just turned 4 months old and I cannot even begin to imagine the depth to which the young father's suffered. My heart hurts for them. After this tale ends, I'll hug my wife and kiss my child. Also, this is another reason why I keep a loaded Kalashnikov in the house at all times as well as never getting out of sight of my house without it when I go into the woods.

You sir are a master story teller. This was unbelievably chilling

The best storytelling you have ever done, Bob. Your illustrator is as awesome as always, but today your writing and narration really shine. I am so pleased to see I'm only halfway through the video because I didn't want it to end. The usual dissection of the story that follows feels like a giant bonus. Thanks so much for all your hard work and I don't care how cringe I sound!

You&the illustrator portrayed an amazing story in an amazing way. Keep up the outstanding work. You've created a truly great channel.

Thank you for a telling of events in such a straightforward, respectful and empathic manner. The lack of any music or background additives did not go unnoticed and was very much appreciated as well. Also worth mentioning - your voice is clear, smart and natural. Good job!

Wild animals are still wild animals, it doesn't matter if you "raised them from a baby" the wild instincts are still present and will emerge as they grow older. One of the best examples of an exotic pet turning on the owner is Travis the chimpanzee, he literally ripped the face of a woman he had gone to visit his owner. In a rage he attacked without mercy and the police had to Trac the chimp down and kill him. It's a terrible truth meny people choose to ignore and its sad, that's how shows like fatal attractions are made.

I think your point about keeping in mind what sort of lessons we're teaching animals is something so vital and yet not something that nearly enough people ever even think of - One of my friends has a family member who owns a gas station, thankfully nowhere near me, that makes a social media event out of the fact that they've got a black bear who will come in around sunset every evening and take whatever food they've left close to the door. Their rationale, I guess, is that trying to stop it from coming inside was causing more damage than it was worth - every time I'm reminded of this I wonder how much damage it's going to cause if it's ever hungry enough to not be satisfied by their leftover hot dogs.

You're a really great storyteller! I realized while listening that only Mr. Ballen can get me as engaged with a story as you have

Before I even begin to watch just let me say how awesome it is to see a new Bob Gymlan video in my sub box. I already know this will be a fascinating in depth documentary. We love ya Bob! And now to enjoy.

I've only watched 30 seconds of this and this is next level congratulations Bob every time I see you post something new I know I'm going to be entertained

Came back to watch this again as I was so fascinated the first time. The scene at 27:42 is still the most chilling I've seen from Fred Dunn and that's saying something; his illustrations are always spot on with the emotions of the story. So very well done. The combined excellence between Fred's and Bob's perfectly coordinated pens is the stuff of legend. And Bob's intelligently executed and subtly poetic narration always leaves me spellbound. Gosh I love these guys. What a great way to edge into my morning.

This is an impressive recounting of one of the most savage predation incidents in modern history. You have really outdone yourself, Bob. In my opinion, you are among the best writer/narrators in the English language.

Fantastic, I can't imagine how much time has been spent to produce this. Every one of your video's is a classic.

Dont feel like you have to defend your story because of trolls. Your storytelling and art style is so enjoyable! I always love it. Your doing great work. Invest in the info of the story and not what others think. Keep going. ❤

When you have a rough day there is a light that warms your soul. Thanks for all you do Bob

You're story telling is absolutely unparalleled.

I Think it's important to remember that the guardsmen were city folk sent out into an environment they had little experience with to fight against a threat they had zero experience with. It is well within human nature to get caught up in the chase running off whooping and a hollering as we innately want to be the aggressor for while on the attack fear fades away but asked to sit in the cold and the dark fear easily settles on the soul.

One of your best videos to date. I find including the emotive and human parts of the story important, respecting the memories of victims and the events themselves by ensuring they are remembered as more than just numbers or cold historical text, I think you did an excellent job and I found the final story and messages around it a powerful follow-up and conclusion. Great work Bob, and I look forward to more. Stay safe out there, too.

Thank you for all the work you put into these videos.

Man im loving these long videos about maneaters you go into so much. Its just the best. Thank you for you hard work.

Sweet! I was wondering if you'd ever cover this since you covered the Tsavo Lions and I enjoyed that video immensely and still go back and watch the whole thing. I especially loved the illustrations.

I can't tell you enough how much I love this channel. I've been a fan for years, and the quality of your videos are always consistent. I thank you for all the work you put into these videos, Bob. You could simply narrate, and I'd be hooked either way. You're a great storyteller.

You covered this topic better then any other channel I have seen on RU-vid keep up the great work

I'm a few days behind getting to watch this one, I'm usually the kind to drop everything if able and watch your videos as soon as I'm notified, but what a rollercoaster. I love the way you told this story not to glorify or skew the account in order to embellish it, but just presented what was known, and give the possible series of events in the areas where things were unclear, and the fact you let it be known that no one but those involved could say what really happened at this point and that point. That's one thing I've always respected about your videos, you don't try to direct things to a certain conclusion, you present the information, in an unbiased way, offer possibilities as to what could or couldn't be, then allow the viewer to make their own decision.

Instead of spending my holiday money on a holiday, I am distributing it among creators who have inspired me and entertained me in extraordinary ways. Today, it is your turn to receive a piece of my humble savings. I thank you for your enduring efforts to provide us with your thoughts and narrations about these fascinating topics. You are in my top 5 of all RU-vidrs, and I hope you will find the motivation to continue for decades to come. Feel free to spend as you please! Thanks, sir!

Honestly I find these maneater saga coverages your best works. Keep these up!

Death by animal attack is in my top three ‘things I don’t want to experience’ and yet I can’t stop learning about them; it’s such a treat when Bob covers them, too, since he’s got a good mix of drama and respect: This one’s going in my rewatch list.

Damn, Bob… that was the most intense vid you’ve done in awhile! Great job, thanks for all of your hard work, and honestly, I hope one day you go on an expedition to track down a Sasquatch/Yeti! I hope you keep this channel going, been a fan since 2021! You rock!

The most interesting thing about this bear is that he was hunting during a difficult time in firearms history. Japan had adopted the Arisaka chambered in a 6.5mm calibre. Very flat shooting round with good effect on human targets. Many Japanese soldiers and police would have been issued such a rifle. But there's an issue. A bear is a lot tougher than a man and the round penetrates too well. The bear in this case would suffer minimal damage when hit by 6.5 Arisaka. Ironically, the Murata rifle the Arisaka replaced in 1897 would have been effective. It lobbed an 11mn lead bullet with exceptional energy transfer, exactly what a big bear needed at that time. Even today, those intent on taking out large, dangerous, bears often use larger calibres like .450 Nitro Express (11.6mm) for that punch unless they have the luxury of a good, safe position and decent range at which point a 7.62mm, usually .308, is a viable option. Bears are amazing animals. It cannot be understated just what tanks they are and just how hard they are to kill. It cannot be understated either how bold the police/soldiers were to face a bear armed with relatively underpowered rifles at an unsettlingly close range.

Thank you Bob. Every time I get a notification about your channel, it makes my day better.

Bob, you & Fred did amazingly on this harrowing story. What a nightmare. I'll watch this a couple times & share as much as I can. Sad, sad story. Looking forward to the next one, & I hope you & your family & Fred & his family had a good holiday. Take care.

Wow, this was exceptionally great! Thank you so much for all of your work, I love this channel.

Always happy to see a new video, and I’ve been secretly hoping for one on this exact topic! You do such a good job of dramatizing these events, and, as a resident of Japan, I always want to see things from here!

I adore all your content but I have always found your longer, historical videos especially fascinating and humbling; the idea that we control nature or are immune to its cruelty is a lie, and being aware of its brutality has oddly made me more appreciative and protective over it. I hope that you will do more of these case studies in the future, I'd heard this story before but knew you would be able to present it in a way that was far more insightful, compassionate, and profound than the majority of content creators on this platform. I was so, so right.

Kudos to this amazing storyteller & narrator! I became totally enthralled listening to your presentation of this story. I didn't put my phone down for even a minute from the beginning to the end! 👏👏👏

So happy to see you back again with a long video! Love your long video formats.

OMG! What a great story! Why on Earth does Hollywood still remake other movies and not grasp stories like this??? Thank you Bob for another masterpiece!

I’d love for you to do more maneater stories, this content is amazing. One story worth narrating is about Gustav, one of the very few man eaters we have video of yet we have so little information. I think you could find and share some amazing stories about that.

From someone who literally makes their living by verbal communications...I find it hard to express to you just how good your presentations are. Seriously.