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Brain Damage: Вынос мозга
Синтаро Каго – непревзойдённый мастер гротескной манги и психоделических иллюстраций, один из самых заметных представителей жанра эрогуро, который не боится экспериментировать и шокировать. Он рисует более 30 лет; в Японии у него вышло более 50 книг и сформировался круг преданных поклонников. В последние годы всё больше и больше читателей на Западе открывают для себя его мангу, а в Испании и Италии его работы отмечены наградами. Синтаро Каго – живой классик альтернативной японской манги. В сборник "Вынос Мозга" вошли четыре истории, одна удивительнее другой.
192 pages, Paperback
First published November 25, 2017
11 people are currently reading
313 people want to read
About the author
Shintaro Kago
143 books347 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".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
August 15, 2025
Some creepy ideas illustrated here, but not all of the stories were cohesive or easy to follow along with. There’s also a super nasty/perverted section that really has no business being with the rest of the collection. It’s like something from the depths of 4chan/pornhub. Totally ruined the entire book for me 🤢🤮
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Fantagraphics for a copy.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Fantagraphics for a copy.
July 19, 2025
Labyrinth Quartet - 3.5✨
The Cursed Room - 3.0✨
The Family Portrait - 2.5✨
Blood Harvest - 4.5✨
3.37✨
The Cursed Room - 3.0✨
The Family Portrait - 2.5✨
Blood Harvest - 4.5✨
3.37✨
July 7, 2025
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
I really liked the first two short stories, especially the second one (it felt more original and unique). Unfortunately, I wasn't enjoying the third one that much 'cause it sexualised a minor, but I get that it's supposed to be creepy (which it was, but I was actually more grossed out than anything). It felt very unnecessary to me to include incest as well as sexualising a minor, that's why I wasn't able to enjoy it.
Anyway, the short stories were all interesting to read about and I was glad that they had that weird vibe going on which I was looking for (+ it was somewhat funny). The art work was great as well, most of them had a dimmed light atmosphere, which gave me a mix of creepy and cosy at the same time, which suited the weird stories.
My favourite part about these stories were that most (if not even all of them) had a twist at the end, which didn't make them predictable. As someone who doesn't like predictable plots (unless it's done to serve some purpose) it felt refreshing to not always know how it will end.
Labyrinth Quartet: 3/5
Curse room: 4/5
Family portrait: 1/5
Blood Harvest: 3/5
Overall score: 2.75 ≈ 3
Thank you NetGalley and Fantagraphics Books for the advanced reader copy of Brain Damage by Shintaro Kago.
Started the book: 7. July 2025
Finished the book: 7. July 2025
Wrote the review: 7. July 2025
StoryGraph review
I really liked the first two short stories, especially the second one (it felt more original and unique). Unfortunately, I wasn't enjoying the third one that much 'cause it sexualised a minor, but I get that it's supposed to be creepy (which it was, but I was actually more grossed out than anything). It felt very unnecessary to me to include incest as well as sexualising a minor, that's why I wasn't able to enjoy it.
Anyway, the short stories were all interesting to read about and I was glad that they had that weird vibe going on which I was looking for (+ it was somewhat funny). The art work was great as well, most of them had a dimmed light atmosphere, which gave me a mix of creepy and cosy at the same time, which suited the weird stories.
My favourite part about these stories were that most (if not even all of them) had a twist at the end, which didn't make them predictable. As someone who doesn't like predictable plots (unless it's done to serve some purpose) it felt refreshing to not always know how it will end.
Labyrinth Quartet: 3/5
Curse room: 4/5
Family portrait: 1/5
Blood Harvest: 3/5
Overall score: 2.75 ≈ 3
Thank you NetGalley and Fantagraphics Books for the advanced reader copy of Brain Damage by Shintaro Kago.
Started the book: 7. July 2025
Finished the book: 7. July 2025
Wrote the review: 7. July 2025
StoryGraph review
July 12, 2025
someone check bro's internet history
July 10, 2025
my first time reading a manga by this author and definitely won't be the last! i need more even though some stories didn't fully work for me. 👀
these are my ratings for each story:
labyrinth quartet - 3⭐️
curse room - 5⭐️
family portrait - 3⭐️ this would've been a higher rating if it wasn't so damn weird 😭
blood harvest - 2.5⭐️
i still highly recommend reading this if you like horror mangas, this was unique and the artwork was gross at times! for fans of junji ito, try this out!
these are my ratings for each story:
labyrinth quartet - 3⭐️
curse room - 5⭐️
family portrait - 3⭐️ this would've been a higher rating if it wasn't so damn weird 😭
blood harvest - 2.5⭐️
i still highly recommend reading this if you like horror mangas, this was unique and the artwork was gross at times! for fans of junji ito, try this out!
July 29, 2025
***I thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review***
hope i recover from this brain damage.
feast your eyes on body horror—four grisly tales from a renowned mangaka.
the first two stories were remarkable, and i really liked the unique concept in the fourth one. the third story, however, unnecessarily sexualised a minor and it was disgusting, not to mention the incest. i know the author also writes adult magazines but i do not condone this. yes, it’s supposed to be disturbing but the way it was written seemed otherwise. take notes from inio asano.
the art was great—i would even say it inspired me more to create a manga of my own. it’s simple yet detailed in the gruesomeness. as for the plot, there’s some sort of a twist in the ending of each story which was nice.
labyrinth quartet—3 ★
the cursed room—3 ★
the family portrait—2 ★
blood harvest—4 ★
this is my first read from shintaro kago and would probably explore his work again.
x
hope i recover from this brain damage.
feast your eyes on body horror—four grisly tales from a renowned mangaka.
the first two stories were remarkable, and i really liked the unique concept in the fourth one. the third story, however, unnecessarily sexualised a minor and it was disgusting, not to mention the incest. i know the author also writes adult magazines but i do not condone this. yes, it’s supposed to be disturbing but the way it was written seemed otherwise. take notes from inio asano.
the art was great—i would even say it inspired me more to create a manga of my own. it’s simple yet detailed in the gruesomeness. as for the plot, there’s some sort of a twist in the ending of each story which was nice.
labyrinth quartet—3 ★
the cursed room—3 ★
the family portrait—2 ★
blood harvest—4 ★
this is my first read from shintaro kago and would probably explore his work again.
x
August 21, 2025
uszkodzenia mózgu to ja doznałam po przeczytaniu tej mangi
July 7, 2025
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
Brain Damage is a manga volume with four creepy stories. In this review I will go through each story individually, because the quality of story telling really differs each story.
The first story felt as if it changed its storyline halfway through, making it feel a bit incohesive. But I still liked it for what it was.
The second story gave me Ringu vibes at first, which is one of my favourite horror stories ever. It was different enough to feel like another story, but the similarities definitely were there. I really liked the twist at the end, which completely changed the story. I don’t think I would have liked it as much if it didn’t do the twist.
I have some issues with the third story. It oversexualized a teenager, and even started victim blaming. It knocked down the rating a whole star for me. I don’t mind social commentary, but it has to be done with tact. The tact definitely was missing in the 3rd story. It also distracted from the main story and made the creepy aspect of the horror much less impactful. I really didn’t like this one, the sexualization felt so out of place.
The 4th story was a fun one and very easy to read! I really liked that one. It felt a bit illogical at times, but that didn’t bother me too much. I would have rated this manga much higher if the other stories were more like this one!!
Brain Damage is a manga volume with four creepy stories. In this review I will go through each story individually, because the quality of story telling really differs each story.
The first story felt as if it changed its storyline halfway through, making it feel a bit incohesive. But I still liked it for what it was.
The second story gave me Ringu vibes at first, which is one of my favourite horror stories ever. It was different enough to feel like another story, but the similarities definitely were there. I really liked the twist at the end, which completely changed the story. I don’t think I would have liked it as much if it didn’t do the twist.
I have some issues with the third story. It oversexualized a teenager, and even started victim blaming. It knocked down the rating a whole star for me. I don’t mind social commentary, but it has to be done with tact. The tact definitely was missing in the 3rd story. It also distracted from the main story and made the creepy aspect of the horror much less impactful. I really didn’t like this one, the sexualization felt so out of place.
The 4th story was a fun one and very easy to read! I really liked that one. It felt a bit illogical at times, but that didn’t bother me too much. I would have rated this manga much higher if the other stories were more like this one!!
July 6, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-manga in exchange for an honest review.
I thought maybe Kago's work might be similar to Ito's as there is similar artwork and creepy intent with the stories. However, this manga fell quite short of expectation. The artwork is good, so that is one thing that I liked about it. However, the stories were not very cohesive. The plot of the story would change midway for some, especially the first one, and things definitely still need to be edited which I understand the idea of an arc, but some errors were a bit much. I also did not like the oversexualization of women, teens, and incest thrown into the third story as it just seemed completely unnecessary. I'm not sure if I would pick anything else up by the author, so I can't really recommend this one.
I thought maybe Kago's work might be similar to Ito's as there is similar artwork and creepy intent with the stories. However, this manga fell quite short of expectation. The artwork is good, so that is one thing that I liked about it. However, the stories were not very cohesive. The plot of the story would change midway for some, especially the first one, and things definitely still need to be edited which I understand the idea of an arc, but some errors were a bit much. I also did not like the oversexualization of women, teens, and incest thrown into the third story as it just seemed completely unnecessary. I'm not sure if I would pick anything else up by the author, so I can't really recommend this one.
June 26, 2025
I’m a huge fan of the kind of weird horror manga artists like Junji Ito create, so I was hoping to love this one too. And there is a lot to like about this collection! The stories have fun twists with a creepy edge and it’s definitely weird enough for my tastes. Unfortunately, I feel like there was a lot of unnecessary sexualization of the female characters (including young teenagers), which I wasn’t a fan of. I’m no prude, and I’m fine with sex and nudity if it serves the plot, but it was just so clearly shoehorned into stories where it wasn’t relevant and it felt kind of gross. If you’re not bothered by that kind of thing, you’ll probably enjoy these stories, but I’ll be sticking with Ito for my horror manga fix.
Thanks to the publisher for giving me access to an early digital copy!
Thanks to the publisher for giving me access to an early digital copy!
November 26, 2024
Arc from NetGalley.
Good stories/acceptable art. Ultimately, I don’t think there is much there that will stay with me.
Good stories/acceptable art. Ultimately, I don’t think there is much there that will stay with me.
November 21, 2025
Far-fetched but initially intriguing horror premises are followed up with heaps of nudity, gore, and body horror but uniformly give way to endings marinated in the weakest of sauces.
Labyrinth Quartet ~ 2 stars ~
Four identical women wake up in a maze of rooms and hallways filled with butchered bodies and a serial killer.
The ending is a bad joke twice over.
Curse Room ~ 2 stars ~
A young woman feels that something is off in her apartment. And that's an understatement. A creepy start is squandered through increasingly outlandish escalations.
Family Portrait ~ 1 star ~
A family suffers due to the actions of the increasingly senile grandfather who lives with them. There's a sickening sexual assault played for laughs, and there's just no coming back from that.
Blood Harvest ~ 2 stars ~
A young woman nods off while stuck in a traffic jam and is shocked by what happens to her passenger. She then discovers the incident is part of a larger pattern. The investigation leads to an abrupt and ludicrous final panel twist that left me shaking my head and grateful to be done with this mess.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: Labyrinth Quartet -- Curse Room -- Family Portrait -- Blood Harvest
Labyrinth Quartet ~ 2 stars ~
Four identical women wake up in a maze of rooms and hallways filled with butchered bodies and a serial killer.
The ending is a bad joke twice over.
Curse Room ~ 2 stars ~
A young woman feels that something is off in her apartment. And that's an understatement. A creepy start is squandered through increasingly outlandish escalations.
Family Portrait ~ 1 star ~
A family suffers due to the actions of the increasingly senile grandfather who lives with them. There's a sickening sexual assault played for laughs, and there's just no coming back from that.
Blood Harvest ~ 2 stars ~
A young woman nods off while stuck in a traffic jam and is shocked by what happens to her passenger. She then discovers the incident is part of a larger pattern. The investigation leads to an abrupt and ludicrous final panel twist that left me shaking my head and grateful to be done with this mess.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contents: Labyrinth Quartet -- Curse Room -- Family Portrait -- Blood Harvest
September 29, 2025
Brain Damage promises psychological horror but mostly delivers scattered shock value. The story feels disjointed, the characters lack depth, and the disturbing moments don’t leave a real impact. The gritty art works at times, but overall it’s more messy than meaningful.
July 5, 2025
I really liked this. Brain Damage is an excellent collection of interesting and entertaining horror stories. I read this immediately after receiving it and couldn't put it down. Definitely more suitable for people who find entertainment in absurd situations (aka me) than those looking to not be able to sleep at night.
Thank you to Fantagraphics books for the review copy. I'm already looking for more of Kago's work!
Thank you to Fantagraphics books for the review copy. I'm already looking for more of Kago's work!
July 15, 2025
thanks to netgalley for the arc!
none of this felt remotely believable or even scary really, but it had a few moments
first two stories were kinda just eye-roll corny, maybe 2 or 3 stars. i did laugh at the final shot of story 1
second story was off because at every turn the character actions didn't feel like something a real person would do. this could have worked maybe if there was a clear established code of behavior differing from that of our world but it came off more as a series of "wouldn't this be crazyyy" character choices
a lot of gratuitous nudity of school girls (read: under age), the panty shot in story 3 really made me grimace
just a lot of weird horniness and bad sexual behavior that seems pretty implicitly supported by the narrative? a boy pins his sister down and starts pulling her shirt off, which obviously looks like (and is) sexual assault, but then, plot twist: the boy is just forcefully checking her for The Curse, stop being a perv!! note that his only established character traits are Horny and blaming his sister's sexual assault at the hands of their grandfather on the way she dresses
ok actually scrap this whole review im just going to live react because i hit the halfway point and this whole thing is just incest shock factor 😭 sorry man i'm not with it, 1 star
quote: "You may have forgotten you* grandchild but you won't forget this ass!"
*typo straight from the text
after this we are treated to several pages of the grandfather groping her nude breasts and another panty shot (now with 100% more incest!) and now he's fingering her, oh wow. what else can i even say
ok fourth story. art of the mangled corpses is cool. visual of the taste of blood making a car burst into flames is also cool, can't say i've ever seen vampire cars before. truly the lengths society will go to to avoid investing in public transport! 3 stars. wait never mind the last page has tits for no reason, 2 stars (i get it's probably trying to show her dehumanization but it just looks like a pattern in context w the other stories)
overall: did not think after reading story 1 that it was going to be my favorite lol. main thing that's sticking w me is the gratuitous and tasteless sexual content and not in a cool way 👎
avg rating 2 stars? could be 1 star for me tbh, the treatment of sexual assault left a pretty bad taste in my mouth
none of this felt remotely believable or even scary really, but it had a few moments
first two stories were kinda just eye-roll corny, maybe 2 or 3 stars. i did laugh at the final shot of story 1
second story was off because at every turn the character actions didn't feel like something a real person would do. this could have worked maybe if there was a clear established code of behavior differing from that of our world but it came off more as a series of "wouldn't this be crazyyy" character choices
a lot of gratuitous nudity of school girls (read: under age), the panty shot in story 3 really made me grimace
just a lot of weird horniness and bad sexual behavior that seems pretty implicitly supported by the narrative? a boy pins his sister down and starts pulling her shirt off, which obviously looks like (and is) sexual assault, but then, plot twist: the boy is just forcefully checking her for The Curse, stop being a perv!! note that his only established character traits are Horny and blaming his sister's sexual assault at the hands of their grandfather on the way she dresses
ok actually scrap this whole review im just going to live react because i hit the halfway point and this whole thing is just incest shock factor 😭 sorry man i'm not with it, 1 star
quote: "You may have forgotten you* grandchild but you won't forget this ass!"
*typo straight from the text
after this we are treated to several pages of the grandfather groping her nude breasts and another panty shot (now with 100% more incest!) and now he's fingering her, oh wow. what else can i even say
ok fourth story. art of the mangled corpses is cool. visual of the taste of blood making a car burst into flames is also cool, can't say i've ever seen vampire cars before. truly the lengths society will go to to avoid investing in public transport! 3 stars. wait never mind the last page has tits for no reason, 2 stars (i get it's probably trying to show her dehumanization but it just looks like a pattern in context w the other stories)
overall: did not think after reading story 1 that it was going to be my favorite lol. main thing that's sticking w me is the gratuitous and tasteless sexual content and not in a cool way 👎
avg rating 2 stars? could be 1 star for me tbh, the treatment of sexual assault left a pretty bad taste in my mouth
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2025
Brain Damage is a manga volume collecting 4 different stories by the mangaka Shintaro Kago. This graphic work is a bit of a mixed bag. Overall I quite enjoy Kago's ideas and illustrations. He has an amazing grasp of anatomy that evokes a visceral response to the body horror depicted throughout. Kago also has a great, absurdist sense of humour that shines through and adds a bit of levity to tense situations.
However I do find myself wanting just a bit more when it comes to execution. Kago states he enjoys leaving readers in the dark and not providing all the answers, but for me that balance swings too much to the side of leaving the reader in the dark. Having some answers and clues can excite the brain into imagination which can deepen a story. I also found the fact that all stories were mostly focused on the suffering of female characters to come across as possibly misogynstic and not as diverse as these stories could be. Now onto the stories itself.
Labyrinth Quartet - 3.5 stars
The illustrations in this story perfectly capture the feel of claustrophobia. I found this story quite original and something that can feasibly only be thought up based on Japanese culture. I do we wish we could have gotten some more answers in the end though.
Curse Room - 3.75 stars
This one was my favourite of the volume. With a premise reminiscent of One Missed Call, but with an unexpected twist. I enjoyed the rare combination of hope and horror.
Family Portrait - 1.5 star
This story was by far my least favourite. While the idea of this story is certainly interesting, the execution and specifically incest related imagery were too much for me.
Blood Harvest - 2.5 stars
While there was a lot of potential in this story it didn't really go anywhere. We got too little information to draw any meaningful conclusions. While the ending felt fitting, it came about a bit sudden.
Average: 2.8/5
Brain Damage might be your next favourite read if you enjoy off beat mysterious horror stories drawn in toe curling body horror detail.
Thank you Shintaro Kago and Fantagraphics Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
However I do find myself wanting just a bit more when it comes to execution. Kago states he enjoys leaving readers in the dark and not providing all the answers, but for me that balance swings too much to the side of leaving the reader in the dark. Having some answers and clues can excite the brain into imagination which can deepen a story. I also found the fact that all stories were mostly focused on the suffering of female characters to come across as possibly misogynstic and not as diverse as these stories could be. Now onto the stories itself.
Labyrinth Quartet - 3.5 stars
The illustrations in this story perfectly capture the feel of claustrophobia. I found this story quite original and something that can feasibly only be thought up based on Japanese culture. I do we wish we could have gotten some more answers in the end though.
Curse Room - 3.75 stars
This one was my favourite of the volume. With a premise reminiscent of One Missed Call, but with an unexpected twist. I enjoyed the rare combination of hope and horror.
Family Portrait - 1.5 star
This story was by far my least favourite. While the idea of this story is certainly interesting, the execution and specifically incest related imagery were too much for me.
Blood Harvest - 2.5 stars
While there was a lot of potential in this story it didn't really go anywhere. We got too little information to draw any meaningful conclusions. While the ending felt fitting, it came about a bit sudden.
Average: 2.8/5
Brain Damage might be your next favourite read if you enjoy off beat mysterious horror stories drawn in toe curling body horror detail.
Thank you Shintaro Kago and Fantagraphics Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
August 15, 2025
"the more you suffer and fret, the more you despair"
you'd have to have brain damage to enjoy the last 2 stories, because what? I felt all the stories had a really good stopping point, but then just continued until they were overexplained or completely changed the plot and ruined the unique story that was being told and could've had an ominous ending
you'd have to have brain damage to enjoy the last 2 stories, because what? I felt all the stories had a really good stopping point, but then just continued until they were overexplained or completely changed the plot and ruined the unique story that was being told and could've had an ominous ending
July 10, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Fantagraphics Books for the advanced copy.
I feel torn on this. I'm giving it 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 stars because the stories I liked, I liked. But I really took issue with Family Portrait and the sexualization of what was a literal child?? Japan is different but I read a lot of horror manga and that was just too gross, too far. I didn't find it funny or amusing in the slightest, it just nauseated me as a woman.
The other stories were better, absurdist horror takes. I read a lot of Junji Ito and I just got into Masaaki Nakayama as well, so this is a new brand of comedy-horror manga I haven't tried yet... I usually love comedy-horror but this just wasn't it for me I guess. I'm willing to try more from this author though, I'll just temper my expectations. I was so excited for this and I think that made the disappointment hit harder.
I feel torn on this. I'm giving it 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 stars because the stories I liked, I liked. But I really took issue with Family Portrait and the sexualization of what was a literal child?? Japan is different but I read a lot of horror manga and that was just too gross, too far. I didn't find it funny or amusing in the slightest, it just nauseated me as a woman.
The other stories were better, absurdist horror takes. I read a lot of Junji Ito and I just got into Masaaki Nakayama as well, so this is a new brand of comedy-horror manga I haven't tried yet... I usually love comedy-horror but this just wasn't it for me I guess. I'm willing to try more from this author though, I'll just temper my expectations. I was so excited for this and I think that made the disappointment hit harder.
August 1, 2025
3.5, rounded down because the third story was sexually predatory in a way that felt like it didn't contribute to the horror aspects. The ending of the fourth story also felt a bit off, but the author admits he wasn't quite sure how to end it.
CW: Sexual assault
CW: Sexual assault
Read
October 23, 2025me dio pesadillas
July 31, 2025
A new English-translated collection of Shintaro Kago short comics graces our shelves, this one collecting four horror stories - "Labyrinth Quartet", "Curse Room", "Family Portrait" and "Blood Harvest". Kago is at his best when he blends body horror and experiment layouts with his predilection for thinly-veiled critiques on capitalism. Aside from some short bits of body horror (as mostly just seen in one story here), the lack of bombastic panel layouts going alongside some rather banal horror stories makes Brain Damage a rather disappointing collection for me. The stories do maintain some degree of Kago's perverse humor and penchant for absurdity, though not enough to offset the mostly boring nature of each story.
"Labyrinth Quartet" starts off well enough, though meanders until it gets to a fairly subversive ending that doesn't feel earned. "Family Portrait" is probably the most bizarre story in the collection, where people begin to disappear slowly by the formation of gaping holes around their body (basically resembling Swiss cheese) unless a pervy old man can remember enough of them to restore their body. The strongest story of the bunch is "Blood Harvest", primarily due to its brisk pacing and the rather well-built up mystery.
I like Kago's work a lot, but I can't say that I'd be recommending Brain Damage to people looking to jump into his work. The horror stories, whilst somewhat weird and out there as one might expect from Kago, are not really quite as well fleshed out or grandiose as some of his other works are.
"Labyrinth Quartet" starts off well enough, though meanders until it gets to a fairly subversive ending that doesn't feel earned. "Family Portrait" is probably the most bizarre story in the collection, where people begin to disappear slowly by the formation of gaping holes around their body (basically resembling Swiss cheese) unless a pervy old man can remember enough of them to restore their body. The strongest story of the bunch is "Blood Harvest", primarily due to its brisk pacing and the rather well-built up mystery.
I like Kago's work a lot, but I can't say that I'd be recommending Brain Damage to people looking to jump into his work. The horror stories, whilst somewhat weird and out there as one might expect from Kago, are not really quite as well fleshed out or grandiose as some of his other works are.
September 4, 2025
lots of negative/confused reviews on here. Ignore them. This isn't the highest-order horror manga, but as Shintaro Kago acknowledges in short essays about the four stories of this volume at the end, he's working at the tail end of a long tradition and there's not much left to do. So if that means he has to make do with pedophilic horndog granddad humor that doesn't translate (though the central conceit about a cursed dementia people "forgetting" the humans around him and disappearing them is quite good), a labyrinth in which similar-looking girls are hacked up by another girl (a joke about how manga artists can only draw a handful of faces, given how quickly they work), a tale of vampiric used cars destroying their owners (a very good story that could've been taken further, but the Japanese used car business is far more reputable than ours...though this entry has some of the best crushed faces this side of Katsuhiro Otomo, whose linework SK is surely invoking to some extent), and a twist on the zombie apocalypse storyline that involves a lot of good vore scenes...so be it. This stuff is strange and impressionistic, deliberately underplotted and inexplicable even by horror-manga standards, and he says as much by way of apologia. If you don't like it, so be it, but this is genuine art (and the handsome Fantagraphics edition does justice to that art). Recommended if you're into the real sicko art stuff.
October 23, 2025
Never read something by Shintaro Kago, but like most horror manga, it is very remnicent of Junji Ito. Good creepyness and gore throughout. One very disturbing scene, but I made it through and felt it was somewhat important to the plot of it.
Brief Summaries:
Labyrinth Quartet - 4 identical women wake up trapped in a room together and have to try and escape a killer.... but what does the killer look like? (A much better story when revealed that the author was making commentary on how similar women look in manga.)
Curse Room - A very interesting take on dealing with the living dead. Would love to see this as a movie!
Family Portrait - Trigger warning... pervy old man! BUT... answers a unique question "If we forget something exists, does it cease to exist?"
Blood Harvest - A unique premise involving used cars and thirst for blood. Definitely not what I expected, but a chilling ending.
Overall, glad I read this one. Will definitely be looking into this author more.
Strong recommend for anyone who loves horror manga!
Brief Summaries:
Labyrinth Quartet - 4 identical women wake up trapped in a room together and have to try and escape a killer.... but what does the killer look like? (A much better story when revealed that the author was making commentary on how similar women look in manga.)
Curse Room - A very interesting take on dealing with the living dead. Would love to see this as a movie!
Family Portrait - Trigger warning... pervy old man! BUT... answers a unique question "If we forget something exists, does it cease to exist?"
Blood Harvest - A unique premise involving used cars and thirst for blood. Definitely not what I expected, but a chilling ending.
Overall, glad I read this one. Will definitely be looking into this author more.
Strong recommend for anyone who loves horror manga!
August 6, 2025
boise public library has this btw
July 16, 2025
I received an e-ARC from NetGalley.
I’m a huge Horror fan and not a stranger to gross and weird stories, but these were disgusting just for the sake of it. No substance, no character depth, no deeper meaning, nothing. Huge NO from me.
I’m a huge Horror fan and not a stranger to gross and weird stories, but these were disgusting just for the sake of it. No substance, no character depth, no deeper meaning, nothing. Huge NO from me.
March 3, 2025
Brain Damage by Shintaro Kago will definitely be compared to Junji Ito’s works–the cover alone is reminiscent of many of Ito’s. Nonetheless, the two authors definitely stand apart in artistry and storytelling style. Brain Damage by Kago is shocking, witty, and quick. Each short showed a versatility to the depths of darkness humankind can stoop to. Of the four stories, “Labyrinth Quartet” ranked first for me; it was a pity the story wasn’t as long as “Blood Harvest”. I really wanted to stay with these girls who looked similar, yet were different people. There were definitely ways it could’ve been stretched to fuel my PLL heart. “Family Portrait” was absolutely stomach-turning/sickening, which I guess is the point of horror, but I was not a fan of the last (5?) panels. It was definitely unforgettable, pun intended. “Curse Room” was an interesting twist on zombies, as Kago stated in the notes of the work. I am curious how this type of story will fit in with the symbolism of zombies as a whole and what they represent in literature. No, not everything needs to be analyzed, but my passion (and my degree) beg to differ. As aforementioned, “Blood Harvest” was the longest narrative of the four. Or maybe it felt the longest? If King’s Christine and It Follows had a baby, it would be “Blood Harvest”. Overall, I found this work to really stand for itself in the broadening genre of horror manga. I was intrigued enough to ILL Dementia 21. Thanks to Fantgraphics and NetGalley for the chance to read this eARC.
July 14, 2025
[2.5 stars] This is a gory, creepy collection of four horror stories with a few twists and turns. My favorites are "Curse Room" and "Blood Harvest," the former being an interesting concept on the living dead and the latter playing with the idea of tech becoming sentient. They feel quite bleak overall and I think the art style is well-executed as well. I enjoyed the first story, "Labyrinth Quarter," too.
The third one, however, feels unnecessarily disturbing (even taking into account the taboo themes and genre). There were quite a bit of SA & incestuous scenes that came across as fetishizing, and just the general oversexualization of girls and women was overboard - not really serving a specific "purpose" or conveying a message effectively either. If it weren't for that story, I would bump this anthology up to a 3.5 stars out of 5.
Thank you Fantagraphics and NetGalley for the eARC! All opinions are my own.
The third one, however, feels unnecessarily disturbing (even taking into account the taboo themes and genre). There were quite a bit of SA & incestuous scenes that came across as fetishizing, and just the general oversexualization of girls and women was overboard - not really serving a specific "purpose" or conveying a message effectively either. If it weren't for that story, I would bump this anthology up to a 3.5 stars out of 5.
Thank you Fantagraphics and NetGalley for the eARC! All opinions are my own.
April 25, 2025
thanks to netgalley and fantagraphics for an arc of this title. kago's work is definitely an acquired taste, but this one unfortunately didn't match up to his earlier work. the first story in this collection was definitely the most solid--that final page was truly a gut punch. but! the rest of the stories truly didn't make much sense, and not in an absurdist way. it was more so that the stories didn't really get too fleshed out and it made kago's trademark grotesquerie fall flat.
July 9, 2025
3.5 stars overall (rounded up) - There were plenty of WTF moments as I was reading this book because it was just so weird and bizarre...In general, I enjoyed each story; however, there is a content warning (see below) that readers may want to consider before reading the third story, "Family Portrait." It should be assumed that all story include elements of horror, such as body horror and gore.
In “Labyrinth Quartet,” four identical young women trapped in an eerie building must solve the mystery of why they’ve been gathered there — while being hunted by a knife-wielding stalker. This story receives a 3.5/5 stars from me.
In “Curse Room,” a plucky health aide is tasked with keeping zombies peaceful, lest they go on a brain-eating rampage. This story receives a 3/5 stars from me.
In “Family Portrait,” people throughout town are strangely disappearing without a trace, and the key to it all is a senile and perverted old man. This story receives a 4/5 stars from me. Content warnings include sexualization of a minor and incest.
Finally, in “Blood Harvest” a series of gruesomely mangled bodies are found in pristine cars — and it appears something sinister lurks within these masses of glass and steel. This story receives a 3.5/5 stars from me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Fantagraphics Books | Fantagraphics for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest opinions/review.
In “Labyrinth Quartet,” four identical young women trapped in an eerie building must solve the mystery of why they’ve been gathered there — while being hunted by a knife-wielding stalker. This story receives a 3.5/5 stars from me.
In “Curse Room,” a plucky health aide is tasked with keeping zombies peaceful, lest they go on a brain-eating rampage. This story receives a 3/5 stars from me.
In “Family Portrait,” people throughout town are strangely disappearing without a trace, and the key to it all is a senile and perverted old man. This story receives a 4/5 stars from me. Content warnings include sexualization of a minor and incest.
Finally, in “Blood Harvest” a series of gruesomely mangled bodies are found in pristine cars — and it appears something sinister lurks within these masses of glass and steel. This story receives a 3.5/5 stars from me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Fantagraphics Books | Fantagraphics for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest opinions/review.
July 10, 2025
~Thank you, Fantagraphics Books and Net Galley, for the advanced reader copy! I review this voluntarily ~
I have been a big fan of Shintaro Kago and his art works for a while. They're bloody, surreal and delightfully disturbing. “Brain Damage” is no different. Four macabre stories full of dark humor and wonderful absurdity.
Each story has its own charm and style that in the end all make you think, “What the hell happened?”
As you read each story, the body horror and gore escalate in a way that keeps you wanting more.
“Blood Harvest,” the last of the stories, is the prime example. A story of mysterious and gruesome automotive deaths. Victims found mangled in cars as if they were in a terrible accident; however, the car itself is left intact as if nothing ever happened. Once it starts, the gore train keeps on rolling. Each death panel made me cringe, but I looked on in awe of how much detail Kago can fit in there. “Blood Harvest” was my favorite. It left me with a lot of unanswered questions, but that only adds to the surreal feeling you get when reading Kago’s work.
It's a quick read, I can see myself going back to.
I would recommend this to fans of horror manga, especially Euro-guro.
I have been a big fan of Shintaro Kago and his art works for a while. They're bloody, surreal and delightfully disturbing. “Brain Damage” is no different. Four macabre stories full of dark humor and wonderful absurdity.
Each story has its own charm and style that in the end all make you think, “What the hell happened?”
As you read each story, the body horror and gore escalate in a way that keeps you wanting more.
“Blood Harvest,” the last of the stories, is the prime example. A story of mysterious and gruesome automotive deaths. Victims found mangled in cars as if they were in a terrible accident; however, the car itself is left intact as if nothing ever happened. Once it starts, the gore train keeps on rolling. Each death panel made me cringe, but I looked on in awe of how much detail Kago can fit in there. “Blood Harvest” was my favorite. It left me with a lot of unanswered questions, but that only adds to the surreal feeling you get when reading Kago’s work.
It's a quick read, I can see myself going back to.
I would recommend this to fans of horror manga, especially Euro-guro.
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