Things are getting a little spooky in this week’s Reader’s Corner—or should we say Reader’s Corner of Horrors? Just in time for Halloween, we’re diving into three delightfully creepy Japanese horror picture books, including the latest illustrated work from horror master Junji Ito! We’ve also got My Hero Academia creator Kohei Horikoshi trying his hand at horror in Quit Laughing, Shijima, while BEASTARS mangaka Paru Itagaki explores a most unusual romance between a housewife and a zombie in Witching Hour. And it’s not all frights and scares! We’re also celebrating the explosive conclusion of Kaiju No. 8 and revisiting the Pokémon: Red and Blue adventures in a gorgeous new edition. Tricks, treats, and plenty of manga await!
Horror Picture Book: A Bad Book • Horror Picture Book: Is It There or Not • Horror Picture Book: Looking at Me • Kaiju No. 8 (Vol. 16) • Pokémon Adventures: Red and Blue, Deluxe Edition • Quit Laughing, Shijima • Witching Hour (Vol. 1)
Horror Picture Book: A Bad Book, Picture Book
Horror isn’t always murders and gore. As most of us know, some of the most frightening conventions in horror involve turning something innocent or even angelic into something slightly off, cursed, and evil. That’s the intent behind A Bad Book, the first of the three Horror Picture Books being released by VIZ Media this month, which we’re covering in today’s column. Written by noted Japanese crime and mystery author, Miyuki Miyabe, A Bad Book explains to its readers that though they may not find a use for it right now, one day, they’ll want to return the book, which seems to promise that something horrible will happen to the reader’s enemy or bully. The beautifully creepy illustrations, which are drawn by artist Hisanori Yoshida as warm children’s decor at first on the cover, grow increasingly menacing over time. The book is absolutely a hoot, turning a children’s picture book upside-down (or maybe inside-out) by being structured like a work for pre-school-aged children while meant for those a little older. It reads incredibly well out loud, and though it may not be enough to quite frighten the age group it’s meant for—older elementary schoolers to adolescents—it’ll still be quite a fun read at spooky night’s gathering. ~ Twwk
Horror Picture Book: A Bad Book is published by VIZ Media
Witching Hour, Vol. 1, Picture Book
The newest release by Paru Itagaki (BEASTARS, SANDA) continues her usual exploration of sexuality and the supernatural, but this time she goes a little creepier and perhaps a little edgier with an adult story about adultery and zombies. Yes, zombies. Volume one introduces us to Megumi, a housewife stuck in a passionless marriage with her husband, Yuji. One night, however, she’s visited by a ghoul—apparently the ghost of a now-dead man who takes the form of a zombie—and finds herself sexually aroused by him. As her marriage to Yuji deteriorates, her relationship with the zombie, whom she affectionately calls “Gho,” grows increasingly intimate. Those familiar with Itagaki-sensei’s work know that she doesn’t shy away from mature material, but Witching Hour takes things a step further. While I wouldn’t quite call it an erotic work, there’s plenty of sexual content, nudity, and coarse language. This is strictly for adults. It also features Itagaki’s typically raw illustrative style and offbeat, sometimes downright silly humor. And there’s quite a bit to unpack here, even in this opening volume: metaphors about relationships, Megumi’s search for growth and liberation, and criticism of husbands who have grown cold toward their wives. But what’s most disturbing to me is how positively the story seems to portray adultery. Megumi insists that her relationship with Gho doesn’t count as cheating because, technically, he isn’t alive. It’s a flimsy justification, of course, but the manga seems largely content to go along with it, at least for now. Admittedly, there are hints that consequences for these choices may be coming, and Itagaki may yet have something meaningful to say about marriage, faithfulness, and how spouses treat one another. I certainly hope so. There’s a potentially compelling story here, one that uses its supernatural premise to explore some very real problems in marriage. But as interesting as some of the themes are, I don’t know that I can stomach continuing with a series that treats infidelity so casually, at least until its characters begin to recognize the damage they’re doing—if they ever do. ~ Twwk
Witching Hour is published by VIZ Media
Horror Picture Book: Looking at Me, Picture Book
Of the three Horror Picture Books released by VIZ Media this month, Looking at Me is likely to be the most popular, and for one simple reason: Junji Ito. The legendary horror mangaka illustrates this volume, and boy, can you tell it’s him! The story follows a young boy who begins noticing faces staring at him from all sorts of unexpected places. Ito’s distinctive style is immediately recognizable, particularly in the boy’s unsettling eyes and the grotesque faces that seem to be watching his every move. Unfortunately, while the illustrations are appropriately creepy, the picture book itself is the weakest of the three. Unlike A Bad Book and Is It There or Not, which cleverly subvert the conventions of children’s picture books to create something frightening, Looking at Me doesn’t do quite as much with the format. It’s a horror story told through a picture book rather than one that really takes advantage of what makes the medium special, nor does it feel particularly subdued for children. Still, it’s Junji Ito, and there’s plenty of fun to be had in seeing his unmistakable artwork applied to a children’s book format. It may not be the strongest of the three, but it’s certainly worth a look, especially for fans of the artist. ~ Twwk
Horror Picture Book: Looking at Me is published by VIZ Media.
Kaiju No. 8, Manga Vol. 16 (Final)
The final volume is here, and with it, the ultimate battle against the most dangerous kaiju of all time: the Daikaiju of the Meireki Era! With Kafka putting everything on the line, including his very life, he aims to bring peace to all of Japan with the defeat of this Daikaiju. Thankfully, his friends and comrades are there to aid him in what seems to be one final mission. I confess I was pretty nervous going into this volume after hearing mixed thoughts on the ending, but I shouldn’t have worried at all because this volume was absolutely wonderful! I feel like everything came full circle and thought the ending was so much better than I ever could have predicted! I would also say it was more emotional too, because there were several key moments when I teared up and one where I even gasped out loud! After all, Sensei still had to give us a good twist, as he did in every previous volume! The way everyone came together was truly magnificent! I will say that I am especially touched by how Sensei portrayed Mina and Kikoru: Never once have these women been fan service side pieces, but always essential and, I would even say, the foundation of the Defense Force. The respect that he has shown for these women in this story has always touched me deeply, but I feel downright blessed by how, even in the most pivotal moment of this story, they were right there at the heart of it with Kafka. So well done! I am already saddened at the idea that I will have no more volumes to pick up, but I am also filled with immense happiness at how the series has concluded. This was such an incredible story that it had me wishing I could read faster with the increasing intensity, character growth, and overall story. From start to finish, this is a series I highly recommend! ~ Laura A. Grace
Kaiju No. 8 is published by Shonen Jump.
READ Kaiju No. 8 Reviews: Vol.1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol.4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6 // Vol. 7 // Vol. 8 // Vol. 9 // Vol. 10 // Vol. 11 // Vol. 12 // Vol. 13 // Vol. 14 // Vol. 15
Horror Picture Book: Is It There or Not, Picture Book
Do you remember the old children’s ghost story, In a Dark, Dark Wood? That tale builds suspense by moving from one creepy setting to another, eventually arriving at a frightening surprise (oh, I loved it so much as a child!). Is It There or Not, the final of three Horror Picture Books we’re reviewing today, follows a similar approach, gradually building toward something sinister. Written by Natsuhiko Kyogoku, best known for his novel Mōryō no Hako, the story follows a young boy visiting his grandmother, whose house seems to be inhabited by something strange. The boy is understandably frightened, but Granny is an interesting character herself. She’s fully aware of the evil lurking about, yet seems far less preoccupied with it than either her grandson or we readers are. That contrast adds to the unsettling atmosphere, as do the wonderful illustrations by Naoko Machida, an artist particularly known for drawing cats, which she puts to excellent use here. There’s something delightfully creepy about searching the pages for what might be hiding in plain sight, and the suspense builds nicely as the story progresses. Like A Bad Book, this is a picture book that turns the familiar comforts of children’s literature into something considerably more frightening. It’s a good, scary story for older elementary school readers, particularly those who enjoy a little fright before bedtime—though perhaps not too close to bedtime. ~ Twwk
Horror Picture Book: Is it There or Not is published by VIZ Media
Quit Laughing, Shijima, Manga One-shot
Azumi is a transplant to Konoshiro City, a “land” boy now living in a coastal area—one that holds an ancient secret that’s somehow connected to Shijima, a girl adored by the whole student body, seemingly in large part due to her wide, infectious laugh. But Azumi sees something different in the laugh—and something dangerous in the city as well. This one-shot by Koehi Horikoshi was much anticipated, the mangaka’s first published work since My Hero Academia finished. There are flourishes of his famous adventure series in this work (including one homage I won’t give away), but it’s obviously meant to be a step away from MHA: This isn’t a hero action-adventure shonen; it’s a creepy horror love story, except that it’s not that creepy. Unfortunately, this story won’t give you chills. But the artwork is fantastic, especially of the supernatural beings, and I love the dynamic between Azumi and Shijima as well. As with most one-shots, there are bits and pieces hinting at what this story might look like if it was picked up as a full series, and though these elements are sometimes tantalizing (the last page especially so), I think the series is better left alone. These sixty pages show that Horikoshi-sensei isn’t great at scaring us, even with all the typical tropes in place; he’s better off exploring a different style for his next series. ~ Twwk
Quit Laughing, Shijima is published by VIZ Media.
Pokémon Adventures: Red and Blue, Deluxe Edition, Manga Vol. 1
I may be one of the few people of my generation who never played a Pokémon game. I did watch the anime growing up, but somehow never got around to picking up a Game Boy and catching ’em all. Maybe that makes me the perfect audience for Pokémon Adventures: Red and Blue, because this manga reads very much like a video game, meaning there was no repetition for me in this initial volume—though it did encourage me to play the games! Following the adventures of Red, a young Pokémon trainer seeking to become the very best, the story moves along at a brisk pace as he encounters new Pokémon, battles other trainers, and grows in his abilities. It’s a whole lot of fun, particularly because of the characters. Red and his rival, Blue, make excellent foils for one another, while Pikachu is an absolute delight, full of grit, spunk, and electricity, of course. The manga is definitely aimed at young readers, with straightforward storytelling and plenty of action, but there’s also a strong sense of nostalgia here for longtime Pokémon fans, particularly, I imagine, those who grew up playing the original Red and Blue games. And then there’s the book itself: This deluxe hardcover edition is a beauty, featuring an elegant black, white, and gold cover and gorgeous gold-gilded page edges. It’s the kind of volume that looks terrific on a shelf and feels special in your hands. Whether you’re revisiting a childhood favorite or, like me, experiencing this version of the Pokémon world for the first time, there’s plenty to enjoy here. ~ Twwk
Pokémon Adventures: Red and Blue, Deluxe Edition is published by VIZ Media.
“Reader’s Corner” is our weekly celebration of manga, light novels, and visual novels—the creative works most closely tied to anime, yet with a magic all their own. Each week, our writers share their honest take on what they’re reading: new releases as they hit shelves, so you’re always in the loop on the latest manga and light novel news, alongside older titles we revisit because they’re just as unforgettable—for better or worse.
