The oarfish, a deep-sea fish, is not well understood in terms of its ecology. While adult fish are said to inhabit the deep sea, their appearance has been confirmed occasionally washed up on shore or their younger counterparts drifting on the surface. Due to its enigmatic appearance, it is called "sea pal's messenger" in Japanese. In Japan, there is a superstition that the appearance of the oarfish predicts natural disasters like earthquakes. Photographs were taken to mimic the appearance of a Japanese sword shining by utilizing the unique body surface that reflects the light from strobes.