Boroboroton

Sources attribute the Boroboroton's animation to two overlapping motifs within tsukumogami belief: objects becoming animate after long continuous use (commonly said to be on the order of 90–100 years) or through possession by spirits/ghosts. Accounts emphasize that a futon may 'come to life when feeling ignored or unneeded,' so neglect or lack of care is presented as a proximate cause of its awakening.

Most sources describe the Boroboroton as a tattered futon or an amorphous pile of fabric that animates. Descriptions emphasize fabric-based, formless appearance (a worn/tattered futon) rather than a consistently humanoid shape; a contemporary artistic account frames this as an amorphous pile of fabric that gradually comes to life.

Traditional descriptions state the Boroboroton rises into the air, can throw its former owner out of bed, and then twine around the sleeper's head and neck with the intent to strangle. Alternative behaviors noted in the record include leaving the house to stroll in search of companion tsukumogami or meeting other tsukumogami and holding noisy gatherings. The motive presented in sources is retaliatory—animation and attack arise from feeling ignored or unneeded.