gods of ancient  Japanese myth appear in Love Hina in the form of the various pets:  Genbu is Onsen Tamago, the hot springs turtle; Byakko is Kuro,  Kanakos cat; Suzaku is Shippu, the mysterious bird owned by Tsuroko  (Motokos elder sister); and Seiryuu is the iguana owned by Ema  Maeda (a manga