The title come from the idea of a disembodied spirit of a living person, often associated with strong emotions Unlike traditional ghosts that appear after death, an ikiryō can manifest while the person is still alive, potentially leaving their body to haunt others or places.
This piece is a part of body of work with the protagonist, who I called Saru Kuma (because of the reference to the Kabuki make-up of a monkey) who meets with a series of ghosts and yokai (Japanese supernatural beings). I treated the ikiryō a bit like doppleganger many of the same annoying and terrifying him.
You can of course leave this description of my thoughts and see what you will. A person being pulled from danger...