02.09.11

Artist spotlight: Shintaro Kago

Weird manga day again!

Perhaps, guro means gore in Japanese. It doesn't really make much of difference. I just googled the term in Wikipedia and voila, it proved me right. Well, partially. The possible difference between Japanese macabre and forums devoted for morgue photos is that the amount of bizarre and grotesque in the West oscillates at quite low levels. In Japan, things are different, and these levels of weirdness are skyrocketing. Once, my friend said that if it's Japanese, it doesn't have to make sense and I think he's got a point. Kago's work is one of the most grotesque, nonsensical and weird piece of art I have ever laid my eyes on. Just look at this one:

Many people who arrive in Japan swear it's like suddenly finding themselves on an alien planet. Kago may seem to epitomize all the Japan bizarreness. Not that there are no alternatives, because you should know that Japanese manga library is full of weirdish stuff. Shintaro Kago is typical here. I could even say: so you want to explore Japan? Here, take this. And this. Yes, they have it, too.

I have to say that his works are not intended for the fainthearted. He did work on aborted fetuses worn as hats and on a village of which denizens drown women each year, to name only few. And there's more. Much, much more. In a strange-yet-fascinating way, he blends erotica with macabre, adding a few pinches of surrealism and his standard nonsense. Once you get to know his style, there's no way to miss it.

So, who is the work intended for? When you are bored with standard mainstream manga media (these dull and repetitive ones I mentioned in the previous post), you may give it a shot. Expect to be shocked. In fact, you will be shocked.

01.09.11

I don't like mangas at all. Most of them are terrible in many aspects. Poor plot, ridiculous anatomy of the characters and dull cliche repetition are only some of the more obvious. Yet, for some mysterious reason, people keep reading them, completely ignoring the west comic school.

But then again, there are notable exceptions. One of them is Junji Ito who fills a terrible hole in the market and indeed there are few good horror comics. And when I say good horror comics, I mean it. Too much ink has been spilled only to produce laughable abortions. Thank God that Junji Ito is different.

 

But what really hit me in all his works is that he actually tells stories and makes art. No grotesque big-eyed girls staring at you from every page. And yet you can easily pick his style from the crowd. It's distinct due to its anatomical realism or, perhaps better said, surrealism. Either way, things he draws look convincing and that is the point. His art and stories do stir emotions in the sea of dullness and misunderstanding.

(Images from: Secret of the Haunted Mansion, Uzumaki)