What do you think?
Rate this book
Pedacinhos
O grande nome do body horror japonês na DarkSide® Books
Uma série de assassinatos assusta os moradores da região do distrito de Setagaya, em Tokyo, onde são encontradas mulheres com os corpos divididos ao meio. O autor dos crimes, ainda não identificado, é apelidado de Maníaco Fatiador.
Pedacinhos se desenrola em meio a esses misteriosos assassinatos, alternando duas narrativas paralelas — episódios ficcionais que se entrelaçam com a própria vida do mangaká. Uma delas é contada pela perspectiva de Kotaro, um garçom aficionado por filmes de terror, enquanto a outra apresenta Shintaro Kago, o próprio autor da história, que se incorpora à trama como um artista em meio a uma crise, buscando experimentar novos estilos de mangá.
Um dos principais autores japoneses de mangá ero guro — gênero que enfatiza as dimensões eróticas e grotescas —, Shintaro é também o grande representante do body horror oriental, quebrando tabus e se dissociando da realidade. Considerando a bagagem do autor, é com naturalidade que sua editora propõe a ele, dentro da narrativa, que desenhe um mangá inspirado nos casos de esquartejamento de mulheres perpetrados pelo Maníaco Fatiador.
Contudo, o que o mangaká busca é algo mais ousado: criar um mangá de mistério usando técnicas específicas que podem ser empregadas apenas em quadrinhos, a fim de abrir novos caminhos e surpreender o leitor. Partindo da autoficção, o personagem Shintaro Kago começa a analisar os principais aspectos e truques geralmente usados na literatura e em filmes de mistério e horror, como as obras de Agatha Christie e Dario Argento, estudando as possibilidades e limitações para o seu trabalho.
Enquanto isso, Kotaro e sua colega Fujioka conduzem investigações sobre os assassinatos em série, mas acabam envolvidos em eventos sinistros, e o caso toma um rumo ainda mais intrigante. Quando as duas narrativas se cruzam, todos os mistérios convergem para uma conclusão arrebatadora, como não poderia ser diferente numa obra do autor, marcada pela imprevisibilidade.
Não por acaso, Pedacinhos conquistou o 3º Prêmio Mundial Baka-misu, concedido a obras de mistério nas quais a ênfase está não só no suspense e na sua solução, mas sobretudo em proporcionar entretenimento por meio de tramas que desafiam a lógica, muitas vezes tendendo para o absurdo. Um livro para quem se encanta pelo mestre Junji Ito e pelos contos de Fragmentos de Horror.
O volume contém outros quatro contos: “O Homem que Retornou”, que retrata o dia a dia de um veterano de guerra com deficiência física e sua mulher; “Tremor”, em que as pessoas desenvolvem espasmos que não conseguem controlar; “Colapso”, sobre uma mulher atormentada por estranhas obsessões, e “Comichão”, que mostra como a sensação de desconforto pode ser relativa.
A singularidade desta obra está na habilidade do autor em mesclar o grotesco com o humor, brincando ao construir não apenas uma história de detetive, mas transformando a própria narrativa em um grande quebra-cabeça, onde não podemos confiar no que vemos. Sua abordagem, que não se limita ao bizarro, brutal e erótico e sempre procura inserir aspectos cômicos, não só tem forte influência de Monty Python, grupo britânico de humoristas que ganhou notoriedade fazendo sátiras e comédias de conteúdo surreal e absurdo, mas sobretudo de Yasutaka Tsutsui, escritor japonês de ficção científica conhecido pelo estilo nonsense e pelo aguçado senso de humor ácido.
Uma série de assassinatos assusta os moradores da região do distrito de Setagaya, em Tokyo, onde são encontradas mulheres com os corpos divididos ao meio. O autor dos crimes, ainda não identificado, é apelidado de Maníaco Fatiador.
Pedacinhos se desenrola em meio a esses misteriosos assassinatos, alternando duas narrativas paralelas — episódios ficcionais que se entrelaçam com a própria vida do mangaká. Uma delas é contada pela perspectiva de Kotaro, um garçom aficionado por filmes de terror, enquanto a outra apresenta Shintaro Kago, o próprio autor da história, que se incorpora à trama como um artista em meio a uma crise, buscando experimentar novos estilos de mangá.
Um dos principais autores japoneses de mangá ero guro — gênero que enfatiza as dimensões eróticas e grotescas —, Shintaro é também o grande representante do body horror oriental, quebrando tabus e se dissociando da realidade. Considerando a bagagem do autor, é com naturalidade que sua editora propõe a ele, dentro da narrativa, que desenhe um mangá inspirado nos casos de esquartejamento de mulheres perpetrados pelo Maníaco Fatiador.
Contudo, o que o mangaká busca é algo mais ousado: criar um mangá de mistério usando técnicas específicas que podem ser empregadas apenas em quadrinhos, a fim de abrir novos caminhos e surpreender o leitor. Partindo da autoficção, o personagem Shintaro Kago começa a analisar os principais aspectos e truques geralmente usados na literatura e em filmes de mistério e horror, como as obras de Agatha Christie e Dario Argento, estudando as possibilidades e limitações para o seu trabalho.
Enquanto isso, Kotaro e sua colega Fujioka conduzem investigações sobre os assassinatos em série, mas acabam envolvidos em eventos sinistros, e o caso toma um rumo ainda mais intrigante. Quando as duas narrativas se cruzam, todos os mistérios convergem para uma conclusão arrebatadora, como não poderia ser diferente numa obra do autor, marcada pela imprevisibilidade.
Não por acaso, Pedacinhos conquistou o 3º Prêmio Mundial Baka-misu, concedido a obras de mistério nas quais a ênfase está não só no suspense e na sua solução, mas sobretudo em proporcionar entretenimento por meio de tramas que desafiam a lógica, muitas vezes tendendo para o absurdo. Um livro para quem se encanta pelo mestre Junji Ito e pelos contos de Fragmentos de Horror.
O volume contém outros quatro contos: “O Homem que Retornou”, que retrata o dia a dia de um veterano de guerra com deficiência física e sua mulher; “Tremor”, em que as pessoas desenvolvem espasmos que não conseguem controlar; “Colapso”, sobre uma mulher atormentada por estranhas obsessões, e “Comichão”, que mostra como a sensação de desconforto pode ser relativa.
A singularidade desta obra está na habilidade do autor em mesclar o grotesco com o humor, brincando ao construir não apenas uma história de detetive, mas transformando a própria narrativa em um grande quebra-cabeça, onde não podemos confiar no que vemos. Sua abordagem, que não se limita ao bizarro, brutal e erótico e sempre procura inserir aspectos cômicos, não só tem forte influência de Monty Python, grupo britânico de humoristas que ganhou notoriedade fazendo sátiras e comédias de conteúdo surreal e absurdo, mas sobretudo de Yasutaka Tsutsui, escritor japonês de ficção científica conhecido pelo estilo nonsense e pelo aguçado senso de humor ácido.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
23 people are currently reading
1323 people want to read
About the author
Shintaro Kago
143 books349 followersKago Shintarō ( 駕籠真太郎) is a Japanese illustrator and manga artist. Kano was born in Tokyo in 1969. He debuted in 1988 on the magazine COMIC BOX. Since then his comics, usually short stories, have been published in several adult manga magazines, gaining him considerable popularity around the world.
Kago specialises in ero-guro, a Japanese visual genre that puts its focus on eroticism, sexual corruption, and grotesque body horror. Many of Kago's manga have strongly satirical overtones, and deal with grotesque subjects such as extreme sex, scatology and body modification. His unique style has been called "fashionable paranoia".
Kago specialises in ero-guro, a Japanese visual genre that puts its focus on eroticism, sexual corruption, and grotesque body horror. Many of Kago's manga have strongly satirical overtones, and deal with grotesque subjects such as extreme sex, scatology and body modification. His unique style has been called "fashionable paranoia".
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
November 9, 2023
I truly dislike most meta-fiction, the once ground-breaking post-modernist technique that's so omnipresent from Don Quixote to Deadpool movies. The metacommentary, the self-conscious character, the fictional book about the book itself. What was once an insightful approach within an well established structured narrative is now a saturated and tiresome gimmick. It's so often a self-congratulatory tool, an exercise in emptiness, a literary snake eating its own tail. The writer spends more time commenting on the structure of fiction than actually using its potential to create something new. We usually end up with an irony-poisoned take on narrative or anything else other than a good story, or a truly new perspective on any given subject. That's not to say it is impossible for an author to articulate metalinguistics good-old tricks and come up with a good work, we have Calvino, Vonnegut, Byrne's She-Hulk, Don Quixote, there are good examples in literature and other mediums. That being said, Fraction is not on that list.
There are two parallel narratives happening in Fraction, the first one is about a serial-killer, his methods and daily life, the second follows Shintaro Kago himself in endless monologues about his own career in ero-guro comics, mystery fiction and techniques to deceive the manga reader. Both stories are interconnected by a sudden mystery introduced in the first narrative that bleeds into the second one, it's the metalinguistic magic happening, and it is terribly boring. Some tension is built and finally there's a nonsensical plot twist, that was a pretty fun (and brief) moment, unfortunately it is not worth it. There are interesting aspects to the story, the absurdity of it could be explored further, instead we get pages and pages of Kago explaining to an editor what is manipulation in fiction. The absudity of the pay-off is simply not strong enough. An analytical take on the manipulation of mystery stories could be an interesting subject, obviously Kago has a lot to add on the matter. But the fact that these narratives are interwoven and that that second one is just commentary on the first, breaks the magic of the absurd world Kago is attempting to create, as Bakhtin would say, the introduction of the writer in his own fictional world compromises its aesthetic integrity (and pacing, I must add in this case).
Fraction is followed by a brief interview with Kago and a few of his scatological short-stories, Back from the front, about the consequences of war and the extremes of feminine devotion in a patriarcal society; Tremors, about a city hit by an earthquake and its inhabitants who start to tremble and disappear even after the event; Collapse, about paranoia, suicide and castration; and Voracious itches about paranoia and flesh eating worms. Completely disgusting and absolutely compelling, the short-stories are the best part of this book. Kago has a wonderful way to create absurd scenarios full of meaning and possible interpretations, his short-stories here are as nonsensical as they are absorbing. I will not be giving up on his work, it was just unfortunate to get started by his meta book.
There are two parallel narratives happening in Fraction, the first one is about a serial-killer, his methods and daily life, the second follows Shintaro Kago himself in endless monologues about his own career in ero-guro comics, mystery fiction and techniques to deceive the manga reader. Both stories are interconnected by a sudden mystery introduced in the first narrative that bleeds into the second one, it's the metalinguistic magic happening, and it is terribly boring. Some tension is built and finally there's a nonsensical plot twist, that was a pretty fun (and brief) moment, unfortunately it is not worth it. There are interesting aspects to the story, the absurdity of it could be explored further, instead we get pages and pages of Kago explaining to an editor what is manipulation in fiction. The absudity of the pay-off is simply not strong enough. An analytical take on the manipulation of mystery stories could be an interesting subject, obviously Kago has a lot to add on the matter. But the fact that these narratives are interwoven and that that second one is just commentary on the first, breaks the magic of the absurd world Kago is attempting to create, as Bakhtin would say, the introduction of the writer in his own fictional world compromises its aesthetic integrity (and pacing, I must add in this case).
Fraction is followed by a brief interview with Kago and a few of his scatological short-stories, Back from the front, about the consequences of war and the extremes of feminine devotion in a patriarcal society; Tremors, about a city hit by an earthquake and its inhabitants who start to tremble and disappear even after the event; Collapse, about paranoia, suicide and castration; and Voracious itches about paranoia and flesh eating worms. Completely disgusting and absolutely compelling, the short-stories are the best part of this book. Kago has a wonderful way to create absurd scenarios full of meaning and possible interpretations, his short-stories here are as nonsensical as they are absorbing. I will not be giving up on his work, it was just unfortunate to get started by his meta book.
October 26, 2021
The first half of the book is made up of the titular story Fraction; a serial killer thriller that gets all kinds of meta and crazy as it progresses. The second half of the book consists of a short interview with Kago (and Ryuichi Kasumi, a Japanese crime fiction writer) and a number of short stories.
This really surprised me. This is the type of story where you feel as if you can figure out the entire plot just from reading the first chapter. It's intentionally set up to seem extremely cliche and uninspired only to completely turn your head upside down (quite literally in some ways) somewhere in the middle. It's extremely meta as well, the author cleverly inserts himself as a character in the story and manipulates many of the other characters without ever directly meeting them. The way it plays with framing, angles and perspective is extremely creative. It rivals the best of Junji Ito's stories in terms of bizarre body horror as well as having the psychological manipulation tactics of something like Homunculus by Hideo Yamamoto.
The main story isn't anything to write home about, but it's worth reading for the deconstruction of horror manga/comic tropes and techniques as well as the meta commentary about the industry.
***
If you're looking for some dark ambient music for reading horror, dark fantasy and other books like this one, then be sure to check out my YouTube Channel called Nightmarish Compositions: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPPs...
This really surprised me. This is the type of story where you feel as if you can figure out the entire plot just from reading the first chapter. It's intentionally set up to seem extremely cliche and uninspired only to completely turn your head upside down (quite literally in some ways) somewhere in the middle. It's extremely meta as well, the author cleverly inserts himself as a character in the story and manipulates many of the other characters without ever directly meeting them. The way it plays with framing, angles and perspective is extremely creative. It rivals the best of Junji Ito's stories in terms of bizarre body horror as well as having the psychological manipulation tactics of something like Homunculus by Hideo Yamamoto.
The main story isn't anything to write home about, but it's worth reading for the deconstruction of horror manga/comic tropes and techniques as well as the meta commentary about the industry.
***
If you're looking for some dark ambient music for reading horror, dark fantasy and other books like this one, then be sure to check out my YouTube Channel called Nightmarish Compositions: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPPs...
May 3, 2021
Pensate alla roba più assurda che la vostra mente riesca a concepire. Ecco, da qualche parte in Giappone, c'è un mangaka pronto a farla sembrare una storia per bambini in confronto ai suoi lavori. Questa ad esempio è una di quelle opere.
Peace Off
Peace Off
October 15, 2014
This is my first manga by Shintaro Kago. I have been in search of straight up horror/gruesome murder mangas and one of my friend recommended Fraction to me. Kago is an excellent manga artist. If you're reading this review, then I assume you have a pretty strong stomach. By any chance you're a squeamish person, this isn't the right book for you. It has extreme mature contents and explicit scenes and the murders are grisly. Let me admit, it was unconformable at certain moments. The story is discussed in two perspectives:
1. The serial killer is on killing spree and gets all kinds of meta and crazy as it progresses. In this, a bunch of waiters and waitresses in a small diner, discuss the murders and try to find who the murderer is before the detectives.
2. The manga artist discussing his next project with the editor of a magazine and discussing the recent murders in the city. This is the most interesting part, as the artist portrayed here is Kago, himself and he discusses how crime/mystery novels trick the readers. Also, this is the section where dark twist happens. **Jaw-dropped**
All you have to know, is Fraction deals with horror/murder and heavy sexual content. One of the best Mangas, I've read this year.
1. The serial killer is on killing spree and gets all kinds of meta and crazy as it progresses. In this, a bunch of waiters and waitresses in a small diner, discuss the murders and try to find who the murderer is before the detectives.
2. The manga artist discussing his next project with the editor of a magazine and discussing the recent murders in the city. This is the most interesting part, as the artist portrayed here is Kago, himself and he discusses how crime/mystery novels trick the readers. Also, this is the section where dark twist happens. **Jaw-dropped**
All you have to know, is Fraction deals with horror/murder and heavy sexual content. One of the best Mangas, I've read this year.
October 9, 2014
Horrifying O_O
July 31, 2020
The main story is probably one of the most genius things Kago has ever written. The other short stories are ok, but 2 of them have already been collected in previous volumes... All boring when compared with Fraction.
September 14, 2018
It had so much potential that is hurtful how bad it ended.
January 13, 2025
7/10
I like the art style of Kago. It's both elegant and slightly unsettling. I am referring to how things are drawn, i.e., the line work and figure drawings. As for what he draws, well, that's way more that 'slightly unsettling'... that's just brutal. All that dismemberment and body horror would not even unsettle me, if not for the fact that they are often charged with sexual allure.
The main part of this book, Fraction turns out to be a pretty good meta-narrative story. Sort of Scott McCloud meets Junji Ito. (Although, I consider Kago overall more interesting that the latter.) The way the story goes did take me by surprise, making me smile and think: 'Kago, you son of a bitch...'. Which I guess was the purpose.
The volume contains four additional short stories, some fifteen pages each, and most of these were hard to decrypt. The one about the girl getting addicted to the titillating pleasure of having bugs under her skin was the understandable one, I presume not too removed from standard erotic-horror manga. (I am not much familiar with the genre). The other three were way too absurd. I understood some of the themes touched - war trauma, abuse, feminine sexual repression, paranoia, torture and other nasty mental deviations. But all that is mixed in a way close to the non-sequitur.
I like the art style of Kago. It's both elegant and slightly unsettling. I am referring to how things are drawn, i.e., the line work and figure drawings. As for what he draws, well, that's way more that 'slightly unsettling'... that's just brutal. All that dismemberment and body horror would not even unsettle me, if not for the fact that they are often charged with sexual allure.
The main part of this book, Fraction turns out to be a pretty good meta-narrative story. Sort of Scott McCloud meets Junji Ito. (Although, I consider Kago overall more interesting that the latter.) The way the story goes did take me by surprise, making me smile and think: 'Kago, you son of a bitch...'. Which I guess was the purpose.
The volume contains four additional short stories, some fifteen pages each, and most of these were hard to decrypt. The one about the girl getting addicted to the titillating pleasure of having bugs under her skin was the understandable one, I presume not too removed from standard erotic-horror manga. (I am not much familiar with the genre). The other three were way too absurd. I understood some of the themes touched - war trauma, abuse, feminine sexual repression, paranoia, torture and other nasty mental deviations. But all that is mixed in a way close to the non-sequitur.
April 2, 2020
Una historia que se presenta como si fuera inteligente pero en realidad es sumamente estúpida. Lo único interesante/rescatable es la explicación metanarrativa de los trucos narrativos de distintos medios audiovisuales.
Las historias cortas de la parte final son sumamente intrascendentes, dicho como juicio de valor: un intento de émulo de Junji Ito o Junji Ito great value.
Las historias cortas de la parte final son sumamente intrascendentes, dicho como juicio de valor: un intento de émulo de Junji Ito o Junji Ito great value.
March 21, 2015
La historia principal del tomo (la que le da nombre) es posiblemente la ida de olla más enferma que haya visto en un manga de Kago. No sólo porque el autor dé rienda suelta a sus perversiones y asquerosidades (como hace siempre), sino porque el hijoputa es capaz de hilar un argumento que hasta cierto punto parece coherente, y te llega a convencer de que estás leyendo una historia de misterio más o menos ordinaria. Justo cuando tu cerebro se siente cómodo con la historia, es cuando el sr. Kago te trepana el cráneo usando como broca su pene lleno de larvas.
Recomendable dejarlo bien a la vista en caso de visitas inoportunas.
Recomendable dejarlo bien a la vista en caso de visitas inoportunas.
November 8, 2023
شینتارو کاگو به عنوان مانگا آرتیستی در ژانر ارو گورو ( اروتیک گروتسک) شناخته میشود. اما نابغهای مانند او را نمیتوان با عنوانهایی از این قبیل برچسبگذاری کرد. قسمت عمدهی کتاب را داستان فرکشن تشکیل میدهد. داستان کسانی را که به زیباشناسی بدنهای دفرمه، تکه شده و دل و رودههای آویزان علاقهمندند ناامید نمیکند اما مسئله فقط اینها نیست. فرکشن مثل نمایشنامه با معرفی شخصیتها و لوکیشن آغاز میشود البته معرفی تصویری و در دو بخش دنبال میشود: یکی داستان قاتلی است که زنان را از کمر دو شقه میکند و دیگری داستان خود کاگو است. مانگا آرتیستی که دیگر نمیخواهد در ژانر ارو گورو کار کند میخواهد مخاطب عامتر داشته باشد و داستانهایش محدود به مجلههای خاصی نباشد که ممکن است بسته شوند. اینجاست که در گفتوگو با ناشرش دربارهی امکانات مدیوم مانگا در ژانر جنایی تئوری میسازد. کاگو بحث میکند که چگونه میتوان در مدیوم مانگا خواننده را فریب داد. مثلن چگونه با کادربندیها، حبابهای گفتگو و ... پیش فرضهای خواننده را به چالش کشید. نویسنده از همین تکنیکها برای فریب خواننده در داستان موازی قاتل دو شقه کن استفاده میکند. فرکشن پر از ارجاعات سینمایی است: فیلمهای کلاسیک ژانر وحشت به خصوص نوابغ ژانر وحشت ایتالیا.
September 28, 2019
After reading Super Powered Mongol invasion, I found this one. Again, disturbing and unsettling but utterly skillful storytelling. Why do some of the most creative writers feel the need to push boundaries specifically in the areas of violence and sex (I'm looking at you, Ennis)? The first story,which is most of the book, focuses on a group of friends who are trying to find a serial killer who may or may not be one of them. It intercuts that narrative with another one where the author himself is depicted discussing how he might weave the ero guro style he is known for with a straight up whodunit, which is the direction he wants to go as a creator. Needless to say, the way it all wraps up is surprising and utterly unexpected. There are a handful of short horror stories afterwards that remind me of Ito's but that push the envelope further than I've seen Ito do (yes, I know). I love the unexpected directions the stories go in everything I've read of Kago's so far but I've got to be careful not to overexpose myself to this kind of material. It's a conundrum!
July 30, 2020
So weird and so good!!
This manga contains one main story, "Fraction" and some short stories.
Fraction has 2 parts that seem totally different from one another.. The first part tells the story of a serial killer and the second part shows the mangaka himself talking about drawing horror mangas. We get to read these 2 parts alternately and then, they become intertwine and one epic tale of horror, thriller and gore is formed. The ending was so weird and kind of funny. Still like it anyway.
For the short stories, I like "Back from the front". It has so many horror themes and very, very graphic. The others were just funnily weird.
This manga contains one main story, "Fraction" and some short stories.
Fraction has 2 parts that seem totally different from one another.. The first part tells the story of a serial killer and the second part shows the mangaka himself talking about drawing horror mangas. We get to read these 2 parts alternately and then, they become intertwine and one epic tale of horror, thriller and gore is formed. The ending was so weird and kind of funny. Still like it anyway.
For the short stories, I like "Back from the front". It has so many horror themes and very, very graphic. The others were just funnily weird.
April 27, 2018
The first story is a wonderful, weird meta-murder mystery for the most part, but stumbles a bit at its reveal that pushes the envelope a bit too far into just straight up goofiness for my tastes. The shorts included are real creepy though, so it all balances out.
October 24, 2014
¡WOW! O_O Bastante bueno, el dibujo es interesante y la trama digna de cualquier pelicula de misterio.
November 12, 2015
ah kago's mangas are always very graphic
March 6, 2024
Esse foi o meu primeiro contato com a obra do Shintaro Kago, e uma primeira impressão que deixou um gosto bem ruim na boca.
A história título "Fraction" funciona, a atmosfera da trama principal é envolvente e o plot twist surtado é maravilhoso (para quem gosta do horror non sense japonês), mas todo o encanto da historia é destruído quando a trama principal começa a se intercalar com uma trama paralela que usa e abusa de uma metalinguagem absurdamente didática, parece que alguém arrancou páginas de um livro sobre técnicas de HQs e colocou no meio da história.
Quanto aos outros contos curtos que acompanham essa edição, gosto de "Voracious Itches", é uma história bem marcante e memorável, mas o resto é bem esquecível.
Pelas resenhas que vi depois de ler esse mangá, esse parece não ser o melhor trabalho do autor, o que me dá curiosidade de conferir algo que os fãs recomendem com mais carinho e menos ressalvas.
A história título "Fraction" funciona, a atmosfera da trama principal é envolvente e o plot twist surtado é maravilhoso (para quem gosta do horror non sense japonês), mas todo o encanto da historia é destruído quando a trama principal começa a se intercalar com uma trama paralela que usa e abusa de uma metalinguagem absurdamente didática, parece que alguém arrancou páginas de um livro sobre técnicas de HQs e colocou no meio da história.
Quanto aos outros contos curtos que acompanham essa edição, gosto de "Voracious Itches", é uma história bem marcante e memorável, mas o resto é bem esquecível.
Pelas resenhas que vi depois de ler esse mangá, esse parece não ser o melhor trabalho do autor, o que me dá curiosidade de conferir algo que os fãs recomendem com mais carinho e menos ressalvas.
December 31, 2023
Forse è azzardato ammettere che sia l’opera di Kago che ho preferito, proprio perché esula dal solito ero-guro surreale raccontato dall’autore.
È una storia fortemente sperimentale (e Kago non è nuovo alle sperimentazioni, certo) che mischia l’ero-guro al crime e al mistery, attraverso la decostruzione del genere e la metanarrazione.
Tutti elementi che amo.
L’idea in generale e molti passaggi sono a dir poco geniali, ma non sono del tutto convinta della risoluzione finale, magari a freddo trarrò nuove e diverse considerazioni.
È una storia fortemente sperimentale (e Kago non è nuovo alle sperimentazioni, certo) che mischia l’ero-guro al crime e al mistery, attraverso la decostruzione del genere e la metanarrazione.
Tutti elementi che amo.
L’idea in generale e molti passaggi sono a dir poco geniali, ma non sono del tutto convinta della risoluzione finale, magari a freddo trarrò nuove e diverse considerazioni.
April 3, 2024
3,75 ⭐
minha primeira experiência com o trabalho do shintaro foi com o dementia 21, que eu gostei bastante pelo surrealismo e artes que eram bem impressionantes. nessa coletânea da darkside, o que brilha (além da edição belíssima que é marca da editora) é a história título - pedacinhos. sem dar muitos spoilers mas me diverti bastante com os plots twists que aparecem ao longo da história.
já as outras histórias, a grande maioria não me entreteve tanto, só uma ou duas me chamaram a atenção. no fim, acho que vale mais para quem já conhece o trabalho do autor e meio que já sabe o que esperar. não sugeriria como primeiro contato com a obra do kago.
minha primeira experiência com o trabalho do shintaro foi com o dementia 21, que eu gostei bastante pelo surrealismo e artes que eram bem impressionantes. nessa coletânea da darkside, o que brilha (além da edição belíssima que é marca da editora) é a história título - pedacinhos. sem dar muitos spoilers mas me diverti bastante com os plots twists que aparecem ao longo da história.
já as outras histórias, a grande maioria não me entreteve tanto, só uma ou duas me chamaram a atenção. no fim, acho que vale mais para quem já conhece o trabalho do autor e meio que já sabe o que esperar. não sugeriria como primeiro contato com a obra do kago.
December 7, 2025
Si se pudiera le pondría 3 y medio, pero bueno.
La verdad es un manga que juega mucho con tu percepción, la primera mitad usa la meta ficción de forma inteligente pero siento que entre más avanzaba lo sentía un poco mas forzado.
No soy fan del género Ero-gure, he de admitir que fue un error mío no investigar más el manga. Los últimos relatos son lo más débil de todo, están de más la vdd
Concuerdo que se sintió como un Junji Ito chafon
La verdad es un manga que juega mucho con tu percepción, la primera mitad usa la meta ficción de forma inteligente pero siento que entre más avanzaba lo sentía un poco mas forzado.
No soy fan del género Ero-gure, he de admitir que fue un error mío no investigar más el manga. Los últimos relatos son lo más débil de todo, están de más la vdd
Concuerdo que se sintió como un Junji Ito chafon
August 7, 2024
“I give up on ero guro! I will write a story without nudity, without murders, without guts hanging out, without scat, S&M, or torture scenes!”
Nós mulheres meio Fujioka!!!!!
Ansiosa para ler mais do Shintaro Kago.
Nós mulheres meio Fujioka!!!!!
Ansiosa para ler mais do Shintaro Kago.
November 6, 2020
1,000 Doors Readathon
A book that reminds you of American Horror Story, Murder House: Season 1
Wheel Picks for November 2020
Read a manga
A book that reminds you of American Horror Story, Murder House: Season 1
Wheel Picks for November 2020
Read a manga
September 24, 2021
Um da funk??!
May 22, 2025
Je regrette tous mes choix de vie!!!! J’hésite carrément à mettre 1 étoile…
June 22, 2022
"Estando una persona viva no creo que se pueda cortar correctamente, la verdad."
Shintaro Kago es el máximo exponente del eroguro, la manifestación artística que pretende romper los tabúes y convencionalismos de la sociedad japonesa poniéndolos delante de la cara del lector y haciendo que se enfrente a ellos. Para ello, el señor Karo no rehúye huir de lo grotesco y lo que aún es más retorcido, de la utilización erótica de lo grotesco. Mientras el gore convencional utiliza una representación de lo desagradable para lograr despertar inquietud y repulsa en el espectador, el eroguro deriva esas situaciones no sólo en lo visualmente desagradable, sino en las motivaciones psicológicas que provocan el hecho.
Una vez contado esto es obvio decir que este manga no es apto para todos los públicos. Es más, es apto para un limitado púbilico.
En el volumen encontramos el relato principal además de una charla del autor (que la verdad no aporta mucho) y cuatro relatos más breves donde se expone de forma aún más descarnada su estilo.
Fraction nos cuenta la historia de un asesino en serie desde una perspectiva muy original de la que no quiero develar nada. Contada a modo de un true crime e introduciendo unas reflexiones del propio autor con su voz me ha parecido una obra bastante original en su desarrollo y en su conclusión. Además como las buenas historias, al comienzo te hace dudar si lo que el autor te está exponiendo va a llevar a algún sitio. Cuando empiezan a encajar las piezas te das cuenta que la historia está muy bien hilada y merece la pena, a pesar de lo explícito de su contenido.
Del resto de relatos destacaría El súmmun de lo irritante pero la verdad es que no me parece que esté a la altura del relato principal ni por asomo.
¿Lo habéis leído?¿Os llama la atención el autor?
Shintaro Kago es el máximo exponente del eroguro, la manifestación artística que pretende romper los tabúes y convencionalismos de la sociedad japonesa poniéndolos delante de la cara del lector y haciendo que se enfrente a ellos. Para ello, el señor Karo no rehúye huir de lo grotesco y lo que aún es más retorcido, de la utilización erótica de lo grotesco. Mientras el gore convencional utiliza una representación de lo desagradable para lograr despertar inquietud y repulsa en el espectador, el eroguro deriva esas situaciones no sólo en lo visualmente desagradable, sino en las motivaciones psicológicas que provocan el hecho.
Una vez contado esto es obvio decir que este manga no es apto para todos los públicos. Es más, es apto para un limitado púbilico.
En el volumen encontramos el relato principal además de una charla del autor (que la verdad no aporta mucho) y cuatro relatos más breves donde se expone de forma aún más descarnada su estilo.
Fraction nos cuenta la historia de un asesino en serie desde una perspectiva muy original de la que no quiero develar nada. Contada a modo de un true crime e introduciendo unas reflexiones del propio autor con su voz me ha parecido una obra bastante original en su desarrollo y en su conclusión. Además como las buenas historias, al comienzo te hace dudar si lo que el autor te está exponiendo va a llevar a algún sitio. Cuando empiezan a encajar las piezas te das cuenta que la historia está muy bien hilada y merece la pena, a pesar de lo explícito de su contenido.
Del resto de relatos destacaría El súmmun de lo irritante pero la verdad es que no me parece que esté a la altura del relato principal ni por asomo.
¿Lo habéis leído?¿Os llama la atención el autor?
August 7, 2018
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Trigger Warnings: NSFW images; sexual assault (frankly, if you have any triggers with NSFW at all, I'd recommend avoiding this completely); emetophobia
After a reading many of Junji Ito's works in the ero-guro category of manga, I decided rather than binging all his works in one, I'd also check out another highly recommended mangaka - Shintaro Kago. Reading through what works were available on the website I use, I decided to start off with Fraction after having seen some intriguing artwork from the specific manga upon Google Image searching his name.
The first story in this is definitely what I expect from ero-guro artists this early into reading them. It's gory, it's messed up but it's also extremely clever in the way that Kago creates his world. The author even explains as he goes along how the manga is created, the tricks they are using to twist your mind and for them to see what they want you to see, but even still twists and turns fill the pages, making you question everything when you come to the end. It's an extremely clever use of literacy illusion throughout the manga.
With a well thought out storyline, causing you to question everything you first believe in when it begins, Fraction is, I would say, a small work of art. It definitely only gives you a fraction of what to expect and it's amazing in the way it does that.
The two extra stories - they don't quite hold up to the same content quality. The first one - Tremors is relatively boring. For a piece of work in a horror collection, I don't expect to come across something that's basically science fiction. Reading it was intriguing, but the story offered nothing much past what was happening on the pages. There was nothing explained, just people vibrating. It is an interesting concept but for how much was contained in the story, it just didn't get the justice it could have were it longer or a full manga.
The second one, however, was much more into the ero-guro style, and much more graphic. Returning to horror imagery that makes you curl your toes and itch at your skin, Voracious Itches is a story that some bug haters should probably avoid. This story finishes the collection in true guro violence and a story that has definitely left my skin positively crawling.
All in all, if you're gonna read this, I kinda recommend dropping the middle story out. It's not so much in guro style and was interesting but then boring as it gave us nothing past the mystery on the page - which was a shame. However, the main story and second short story were spectacular in their own ways and are definitely worth the read if you're a horror manga fan.
Trigger Warnings: NSFW images; sexual assault (frankly, if you have any triggers with NSFW at all, I'd recommend avoiding this completely); emetophobia
After a reading many of Junji Ito's works in the ero-guro category of manga, I decided rather than binging all his works in one, I'd also check out another highly recommended mangaka - Shintaro Kago. Reading through what works were available on the website I use, I decided to start off with Fraction after having seen some intriguing artwork from the specific manga upon Google Image searching his name.
The first story in this is definitely what I expect from ero-guro artists this early into reading them. It's gory, it's messed up but it's also extremely clever in the way that Kago creates his world. The author even explains as he goes along how the manga is created, the tricks they are using to twist your mind and for them to see what they want you to see, but even still twists and turns fill the pages, making you question everything when you come to the end. It's an extremely clever use of literacy illusion throughout the manga.
With a well thought out storyline, causing you to question everything you first believe in when it begins, Fraction is, I would say, a small work of art. It definitely only gives you a fraction of what to expect and it's amazing in the way it does that.
The two extra stories - they don't quite hold up to the same content quality. The first one - Tremors is relatively boring. For a piece of work in a horror collection, I don't expect to come across something that's basically science fiction. Reading it was intriguing, but the story offered nothing much past what was happening on the pages. There was nothing explained, just people vibrating. It is an interesting concept but for how much was contained in the story, it just didn't get the justice it could have were it longer or a full manga.
The second one, however, was much more into the ero-guro style, and much more graphic. Returning to horror imagery that makes you curl your toes and itch at your skin, Voracious Itches is a story that some bug haters should probably avoid. This story finishes the collection in true guro violence and a story that has definitely left my skin positively crawling.
All in all, if you're gonna read this, I kinda recommend dropping the middle story out. It's not so much in guro style and was interesting but then boring as it gave us nothing past the mystery on the page - which was a shame. However, the main story and second short story were spectacular in their own ways and are definitely worth the read if you're a horror manga fan.
July 15, 2016
If you've read some of Kago's more abstract or surreal manga then this will seem ordinary, and I think that is partly the intention. It is more "mainline". But it is still very innovative for reasons which it is hard for me to describe. He tends to use the Manga medium to fool the eye. He hides crucial information just out of frame, or misdirects the reader in other subtle ways. A good chunk of the manga is actually dedicated to explaining exactly how he does these tricks, but you fall for them anyway. As the story is about murders it is mildly gory and horrifying, but it isn't a bloodbath. The erotic element is also quite downplayed. As he says in the comic (the artist is one of the characters) this is a movement away from the most blatant manifestations of the ero-guro genre. And unlike some of his other stuff, it more or less follows the logic of reality rather than a surreal dream logic. This form of logic is necessary for the mystery element of the story to work. The most interesting part of the volume is the main story. It has 2 unrelated short episodes at the end, and they are approximately as realistic as the main story, but not quite as gory. They more resemble the rarer (in Japanese comic medium) supernatural horror comics rather than Kago's normal fare.
December 22, 2020
Shinataro Kago es mi maestro y a su lado nada me faltara, que forma de volver a revolucionar el género del terror y el eroguro y que provocó en mi que mi cabeza explotara y que gritara literal : "NO MAMES, QUE PASO AQUÍ" MAGISTRAL Y PESADILLEZCO, EN VERDAD RECOMIENDO MUCHO ESTA HISTORIA.
¿Para qué leer Fraction?
1. Por que es un ejercicio narrativo donde el autor habla con sus lectores y a través de una entrevista llena de sangre conocemos sus ideas creativas y como estructurar un manga de eroguro. Ya que en estas paginas Kago es un personaje más.
2. Que forma tan bien explicada de conocer la manipulación narrativa, desde un ámbito teórico y uno práctico.
3. Pasa de una novela de asesino serial, a una trama llena de giros raros, para cerrar con un tipo de criaturas o seres tan grotescos y malévolos, que sólo puedes decir, este autor volvió a jugar con mi cabeza y la hizo pomada.
4. Adictivo, didáctico, estremecedor, imágenes mortificantes. Una gran obra del horror actual.
¿Para qué leer Fraction?
1. Por que es un ejercicio narrativo donde el autor habla con sus lectores y a través de una entrevista llena de sangre conocemos sus ideas creativas y como estructurar un manga de eroguro. Ya que en estas paginas Kago es un personaje más.
2. Que forma tan bien explicada de conocer la manipulación narrativa, desde un ámbito teórico y uno práctico.
3. Pasa de una novela de asesino serial, a una trama llena de giros raros, para cerrar con un tipo de criaturas o seres tan grotescos y malévolos, que sólo puedes decir, este autor volvió a jugar con mi cabeza y la hizo pomada.
4. Adictivo, didáctico, estremecedor, imágenes mortificantes. Una gran obra del horror actual.
May 12, 2016
Fantastic. Fucking horrifying in the best way. The style of this one was particularly delightful, the way it weaved different parts together. And I will leave my review at that for now to avoid spoilers.
January 15, 2019
Just ...wow.... y’all in for a ride
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews