27-05-2025
Last collection of Umezu Kazuo's horror stories published
The final collection of horror stories by the late Japanese manga artist Umezu Kazuo has been published.
Umezu died last October at the age of 88.
The first volume of his "Scary Book" series was published in 2021. His publisher planned a sequel this year to mark the 70th anniversary of Umezu's debut.
Umezu oversaw the making of the collection, although he was in a hospice receiving care for terminal cancer. He spoke with the editing staff from his bed and reportedly chose the stories himself.
The collection features his rare short and middle-length horror stories from the 1960s through the 90s.
They include "Akanbo Shojo," in which a girl who does not grow up and remains looking like a baby, attacks her innocent younger sister.
Kishimoto Aki, an editor from Kadokawa Bunko, said Umezu appeared full of creative energy, sitting on his bed with a blanket bearing his trademark red and white stripes.
Kishimoto described Umezu's works as not only scary but beautifully invoking deep sorrow and a sense of loss.
A farewell event for Umezu will be held on Wednesday in Tokyo's Kichijoji area, where the artist long resided.
