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Shiriki Utundu is the main antagonist of Tokyo DisneySea's version of the Tower of Terror. He is a cursed idol and is responsible for the disappearance, and supposed death, of Harrison Hightower III.

History[]

Its name literally means "Believe the Misfortune".

Legends believe that the idol is possessed by a deity.

According to Kibwana, the son of the Mtundu chief Kijanji, the legend goes that, sixty to seventy years ago, the Mtundu tribe of the Congo were a band of thieves and vagabonds. They were so disliked by their neighbors that they were forced off their land by the Kokoko tribe. As the Mtundu migrated, they learned of a wealthy tribe with a powerful idol. Kijanji's grandfather (Kibwana's great-grandfather) got an idea and, during the night, snuck into the village and stole the idol. The fortune of the Mtundu changed afterwards, and the grandfather demanded tributes from other tribes. He then learned how the magic of the idol worked and planned to get revenge on the Kokoko tribe.

He proceeded to pound nails into the idol's head and chanted an incantation, causing the idol to come to life and disappear into the night, scaring the Mtundu. The next morning, the tribe awakened to find the idol had returned, blood dripping from its weapons. A few weeks later, they learned the Kokoko tribe and their village had indeed been destroyed.

Feeling guilty for what they had done, the grandfather tried to get rid of the idol by throwing it into a river. Before he could, though, the idol came alive again and zapped him with green energy, causing him to disappear. He returned a week later, claiming to have been sent to a jungle, in a permanent night, full of leeches and snakes, where he was forced to face death again and again. The idol was teaching him a lesson.

Years later, Hightower was on an expedition to Africa with his valet, Smelding, where he came across the Mtundu tribe and learned of the idol. At first, Hightower offered to purchase the idol from the tribe. When the members of the tribe refused, he decided to take it by force, though strangely, it was almost as if the Mtundu let them take it.

As the expedition continued, Hightower mounted the idol to the tip of his canoe, and each tribe that saw the idol showered Hightower with gifts, though it seemed to be out of fear for the idol. When he returned to New York, Hightower plotted to keep the idol in his penthouse suite in his Hotel.

During a New Year's party, Hightower was about to take the idol to his suite, but Smelding begged him to treat the idol with respect. Hightower merely dismissed the curse and extinguished his cigar on the idol's head. At the stroke of midnight, green lightning came from the Hotel, and Hightower's screams could be heard inside the elevator. When Manfred Strang (a New York reporter) and Smelding searched the elevator, the only things they found were the idol and Hightower's fez.

Years later, Strang returned to the hotel on the invitation of Beatrice Rose Endicott, the head of the New York Preservation Society, and the daughter of Strang's boss. He urged her not to conduct the tours of the hotel, as she was planning to host, but the two entered the hotel. They found the idol in an office, and Endicott pushed it to tease Strang about the curse. The phone rang and tried to warn the two about the curse, but Endicott thought it was someone trying to pull a prank on them.

The two then made it to Hightower's suite, where they found the idol. The phone rang again, with Strang realizing that the call was from Hightower, warning them, as he noticed the idol's eyes open. He escaped with Endicott and continued to beg for her not to do the tours. She told him that she would consider it, but showed that she planned to have the tours.

It is said that the idol still lurks within the hotel…

Rules[]

Those who possess the idol must follow a number of rules:

  • Always treat it with respect.
  • Do not have it close to fire.
  • It must not be wrapped up, buried or confined in a small building.
  • It must never be thrown or given away.
  • Beware its eyes.

Sightings[]

He is first seen on a pedestal near a stained glass window. After riders learn what happened via the window changing, Shiriki vanishes in a field of stars and flying through the glass window that the idol's body in black and the glowing eyes. He is then seen in the hallway, sitting on a table. As Harrison gloats, the idol zaps him into another elevator. He's next seen in the hallway mirror after a mysterious force of magic fills it. He thrusts forward and causes the riders' elevator to zoom up and perform a drop sequence. He's third seen as shadow uses his dagger to cut one of the elevator's wires. He's fourth seen in the star-field room as illuminate lightning face coming towards the riders. He's finally seen as glowing green eyes, as the elevator returns to the loading bay.

Trivia[]

  • Prior to Tower of Terror's development, Shiriki's voice actor Richard Horvitz had to learn Japanese in advance.
  • Shiriki appears in the S.E.A. group portrait that first debuted at Mystic Manor, which is meant to depict a meeting that took place on the fateful night of the elevator crash.
  • Disneyland Paris's version of Tower of Terror has since recycled the sound effects for Shiriki for the "Shaft Creatures" drop profile in its 2019 "New Dimension of Chills" update.


v - e - d
Tower of Terror logo
Media
Tower of TerrorBook"Lost Episode"
Disney Parks
The Twilight Zone Tower of TerrorTower of Terror Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe
Locations
The Hollywood Tower HotelThe Tip Top ClubThe 5th DimensionThe Manhattan Tower HotelHotel HightowerSunset BoulevardHollywood
Characters
Twilight Zone Tower Of Terror: The BellhopsThe NarratorSally Shine Carolyn CrossonEmeline PartridgeDewey ToddGilbert LondonThe Silver Lake Sisters (Ethel Bounds, Dolly Bounds and Dottie Bounds)

Tower of Terror (Tokyo DisneySea): Harrison Hightower IIIShiriki UtunduArchibald SmeldingBeatrice Rose EndicottManfred Strang • Kibwana • Kijanji • Kijanji's grandfather (Kibwana's great-grandfather)
Characters from Spinoffs: Great Grand DudeAbigail GregoryChris ToddBuzzy CrockerAnna PettersonPatricia PettersonJosh WinslowJill Perry

Miscellaneous
We'll Meet Again • Kokoko tribe • Mtundu tribe



v - e - d
SEALogo
Linked Attractions
Fortress ExplorationsTower of TerrorMystic ManorBig Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom) • Oceaneer Lab (aboard the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder) • Miss Adventure Falls (Typhoon Lagoon) • Soaring: Fantastic FlightJungle CruiseAdventureland TreehouseAdventurers Suite (Disney Explorers Lodge)
Restaurants
Magellan'sJock Lindsey's Hangar BarSkipper CanteenExplorer's Club RestaurantThe Tropical HideawayColonel Hathi's Pizza OutpostCafe HyperionAbracadaBarTrader Sam'sClub 33
Members
Harrison Hightower IIILord Henry MysticBarnabas T. BullionJason ChandlerCaptain Mary OceaneerJock LindseyDr. Albert FallsMerriweather Adam PleasureCamellia FalcoProf. R. BlauerhimmelCharlton J. TaboretDr. J.L. BateristaMaestro D'ElfmanDr. Kon ChunosukeProf. Garrett Reed • Luana Teixeira • Chef Tandaji • Shango Sio
Associated Characters
Alberta FallsAlbertArchibald SmeldingArielBeatrice Rose EndicottCaptain BrieuxCaptain Nemo • Charlie Allnut • Colonel Critchlow SunchbenchConstance HatchawayCornelius Endicott IIDuncan the ParrotEmil Bleehall, Jr.Felix Pechman XIIIFletcher HodgesGeorge HightowerGiant SquidHathaway BrowneHoward StarkCliff SecordFrank WolffIndiana Jones • Hammerhead Fred • Kimballum HorriblusMadame ZarkovManfred StrangMaraMarion RavenwoodMickey MouseMinnie MouseOtis T. WrenPacoOtis BigelowPamelia Perkins • Rose Sayer • RositaSallah Mohammed Faisel el-KahirSalty the ParrotSamantha SterlingTheodore RooseveltTrader SamUrsula • Victoria Marie Falls • Yeti
Artifacts
Backside of WaterBalinese Music BoxDead Man's ChestFountain of YouthHyperion AirshipMedieval Crossbow • Jujus • Monkey King StatueShiriki UtunduTreasure of CortésSnarfblatt • Ursula's contract
Other Associated Attractions
Raging SpiritsAdventurers ClubWalt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room
See Also
Disney KingdomsShinji Takahashi and the Mark of the CoatlLeague of AdventurersAdventure Isle Discovery BayDisney Springs
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