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笑う吸血鬼 [Warau Kyūketsuki] #1
笑う吸血鬼 1
「永遠の命をあげよう」。そう謎の女に言われて、十四歳の少年は、吸血鬼となった…。現代日本を生きる美しき少年少女吸血鬼の物語。
「少女椿」・「パノラマ島綺譚」（原作：江戸川乱歩）・「トミノの地獄」…唯一無二の“闇”を描いて、世界中に熱狂的ファンを持つ日本漫画界の魔神・丸尾末広、その魅力が横溢する傑作長篇が、手に取りやすい新装版となって、ついに刊行！（全２巻）
「少女椿」・「パノラマ島綺譚」（原作：江戸川乱歩）・「トミノの地獄」…唯一無二の“闇”を描いて、世界中に熱狂的ファンを持つ日本漫画界の魔神・丸尾末広、その魅力が横溢する傑作長篇が、手に取りやすい新装版となって、ついに刊行！（全２巻）
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
About the author
Suehiro Maruo
56 books381 followersSuehiro Maruo ( 丸尾 末広) is a Japanese manga author and illustrator.
Maruo graduated from junior high school in March 1972 but dropped out of senior high school. At the age of 15 he moved to Tokyo and began working for a bookbinder. At 17, he made his first manga submission to Weekly Shōnen Jump, but it was considered by the editors to be too graphic for the magazine's format and was subsequently rejected. Maruo temporarily removed himself from manga until November 1980 when he made his official debut as a manga artist in Ribon no Kishi (リボンの騎士) at the age of 24. It was at this stage that the young artist was finally able to pursue his artistic vision without such stringent restrictions over the visual content of his work. Two years later, his first stand-alone anthology, Barairo no Kaibutsu (薔薇色の怪物; Rose Colored Monster) was published.
Maruo was a frequent contributor to the legendary underground manga magazine Garo (ガロ).
Like many manga artists, Maruo sometimes makes cameo appearances in his own stories. When photographed, he seldom appears without his trademark sunglasses.
Though most prominently known for his work as a manga artist, Maruo has also produced illustrations for concert posters, CD Jackets, magazines, novels, and various other media. Some of his characters have been made into figures as well.
Though relatively few of Maruo's manga have been published outside of Japan, his work enjoys a cult following abroad.
His book Shōjo Tsubaki (aka Mr. Arashi's Amazing Freak Show) has been adapted into an animated film (Midori) by Hiroshi Harada with a soundtrack by J.A. Seazer, but it has received very little release.
Maruo graduated from junior high school in March 1972 but dropped out of senior high school. At the age of 15 he moved to Tokyo and began working for a bookbinder. At 17, he made his first manga submission to Weekly Shōnen Jump, but it was considered by the editors to be too graphic for the magazine's format and was subsequently rejected. Maruo temporarily removed himself from manga until November 1980 when he made his official debut as a manga artist in Ribon no Kishi (リボンの騎士) at the age of 24. It was at this stage that the young artist was finally able to pursue his artistic vision without such stringent restrictions over the visual content of his work. Two years later, his first stand-alone anthology, Barairo no Kaibutsu (薔薇色の怪物; Rose Colored Monster) was published.
Maruo was a frequent contributor to the legendary underground manga magazine Garo (ガロ).
Like many manga artists, Maruo sometimes makes cameo appearances in his own stories. When photographed, he seldom appears without his trademark sunglasses.
Though most prominently known for his work as a manga artist, Maruo has also produced illustrations for concert posters, CD Jackets, magazines, novels, and various other media. Some of his characters have been made into figures as well.
Though relatively few of Maruo's manga have been published outside of Japan, his work enjoys a cult following abroad.
His book Shōjo Tsubaki (aka Mr. Arashi's Amazing Freak Show) has been adapted into an animated film (Midori) by Hiroshi Harada with a soundtrack by J.A. Seazer, but it has received very little release.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
December 26, 2018
Despite the gorgeous artwork, it suffers from a complete lack of pacing in storytelling. There are definitely horrific elements, but no suspense, no mystery. Beautiful nonetheless, and it serves as a beautiful art book. The characters are lackluster, and irredeemable.
May 5, 2014
This is how Vampire Stories should look like. Beautifully grotesque!
February 13, 2019
BY FAR my fav suehiro maruo work !! beautiful, haunting, compelling, ero guro horror art. i’m gagging for more 🥀
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May 21, 2022
~*See below for review in English*~
Ich war gespannt auf dieses Werk, da es erst mein zweites im Ero-guro-Genre und das erste von diesem Autor ist. Leider hat für mich aber der Erzählstil alles überschattet.
Für mich ist diese Geschichte nur eine lose Aneinanderreihung von Geschehnissen, die sich irgendwie von Ero-guro-Szene zu Ero-guro-Szene hangeln. Verstärkt wurde dieser Eindruck dadurch, dass Szenenwechsel (Ortswechsel, Perspektivwechsel zwischen den Charakteren etc.) oft nur schwer zu erkennen sind, was zum Teil auch daran liegt, dass die Charaktere recht gleich aussehen. Die Zeichnungen an sich haben aber einen besonderen Charme und haben mir gut gefallen.
Letztendlich kommt auch hinzu, dass ich die Symbolik (?) nicht verstanden habe. Dies macht es natürlich schwer ein tieferes Verständis für die Charaktere und die Absichten des Autors zu erlangen. Das geht aber auf meine Kappe, denke ich.
Da die Geschichte auf mich somit größtenteils zusammenhangs- und kontextlos wirkte, blieb auch der Grusel und Ekel weitesgehend aus. Manches war zwar schon echt widerlich, aber anhaltend berührt hat es mich nicht, weil ich die Charaktere und die Geschichte nicht verstanden habe.
~**~**~**~
I was looking forward to this work as it is only my second in the ero guro genre and the first by this author. Unfortunately, the narrative style overshadowed everything for me.
For me, this story is just a loose succession of events that somehow meander from ero guro scene to ero guro scene. This impression was reinforced by the fact that the transitions of scenes (change of location, change of perspective between characters, etc.) are often difficult to recognise, which is partly due to the fact that the characters look quite the same. However, the drawings themselves have a special charm and I liked them a lot.
There is also the fact that I didn't understand the symbolism (?). This, of course, makes it difficult to gain a deeper understanding of the characters and the author's intentions. But that's on me, I guess.
Consequently, the story seemed largely incoherent and lacked context in my eyes, and the horror and disgust I should have felt were largely absent. Some of it was really disgusting, but I wasn't moved by it on a deeper level because I didn't understand the characters or the story.
Ich war gespannt auf dieses Werk, da es erst mein zweites im Ero-guro-Genre und das erste von diesem Autor ist. Leider hat für mich aber der Erzählstil alles überschattet.
Für mich ist diese Geschichte nur eine lose Aneinanderreihung von Geschehnissen, die sich irgendwie von Ero-guro-Szene zu Ero-guro-Szene hangeln. Verstärkt wurde dieser Eindruck dadurch, dass Szenenwechsel (Ortswechsel, Perspektivwechsel zwischen den Charakteren etc.) oft nur schwer zu erkennen sind, was zum Teil auch daran liegt, dass die Charaktere recht gleich aussehen. Die Zeichnungen an sich haben aber einen besonderen Charme und haben mir gut gefallen.
Letztendlich kommt auch hinzu, dass ich die Symbolik (?) nicht verstanden habe. Dies macht es natürlich schwer ein tieferes Verständis für die Charaktere und die Absichten des Autors zu erlangen. Das geht aber auf meine Kappe, denke ich.
Da die Geschichte auf mich somit größtenteils zusammenhangs- und kontextlos wirkte, blieb auch der Grusel und Ekel weitesgehend aus. Manches war zwar schon echt widerlich, aber anhaltend berührt hat es mich nicht, weil ich die Charaktere und die Geschichte nicht verstanden habe.
~**~**~**~
I was looking forward to this work as it is only my second in the ero guro genre and the first by this author. Unfortunately, the narrative style overshadowed everything for me.
For me, this story is just a loose succession of events that somehow meander from ero guro scene to ero guro scene. This impression was reinforced by the fact that the transitions of scenes (change of location, change of perspective between characters, etc.) are often difficult to recognise, which is partly due to the fact that the characters look quite the same. However, the drawings themselves have a special charm and I liked them a lot.
There is also the fact that I didn't understand the symbolism (?). This, of course, makes it difficult to gain a deeper understanding of the characters and the author's intentions. But that's on me, I guess.
Consequently, the story seemed largely incoherent and lacked context in my eyes, and the horror and disgust I should have felt were largely absent. Some of it was really disgusting, but I wasn't moved by it on a deeper level because I didn't understand the characters or the story.
February 16, 2025
6.5/10
Thirteen years old* girls and boys - but mostly girls - being raped, slaughtered, mutilated, bled dry, decapitated. And they all piss themselves when they die, nice realistic touch. Perpetrators who become victims, victims who become perpetrators, in a sequence of diabolic acts. No single character is redeemable in this horror, and no-one demands to be redeemed. I really did not like any of these evil cunts. Also, I mean...people marinating in blood baths with the corpses of newborn babies!?! That one took me by surprise. Quite effective. I guess that if you want to go for vampires, really go for some serious vampiring 😅.
(I read it in Italian. Goodreads tells me that the English edition was 194 pages long, while in all the other languages the book counts 240 pages. If you have read the English edition, I guess the most brutal passages have been censured.)
Art-wise, this is great. Some panel compositions really enhanced the sense of horror. Storytelling-wise, I am not sure about some moment-to-moment transitions, here and there Maruo looses me. Not bad, to be clear, but not that great either from that perspective.
Anyhow, looking forward to read the sequel.
(*13 being the age of consent in Japan, this book does not technically count as pedo-pornography. Just saying for context.)
Thirteen years old* girls and boys - but mostly girls - being raped, slaughtered, mutilated, bled dry, decapitated. And they all piss themselves when they die, nice realistic touch. Perpetrators who become victims, victims who become perpetrators, in a sequence of diabolic acts. No single character is redeemable in this horror, and no-one demands to be redeemed. I really did not like any of these evil cunts. Also, I mean...people marinating in blood baths with the corpses of newborn babies!?! That one took me by surprise. Quite effective. I guess that if you want to go for vampires, really go for some serious vampiring 😅.
(I read it in Italian. Goodreads tells me that the English edition was 194 pages long, while in all the other languages the book counts 240 pages. If you have read the English edition, I guess the most brutal passages have been censured.)
Art-wise, this is great. Some panel compositions really enhanced the sense of horror. Storytelling-wise, I am not sure about some moment-to-moment transitions, here and there Maruo looses me. Not bad, to be clear, but not that great either from that perspective.
Anyhow, looking forward to read the sequel.
(*13 being the age of consent in Japan, this book does not technically count as pedo-pornography. Just saying for context.)
December 4, 2022
"É possível se apagar da existência em vida?"
Mesmo simultaneamente repelido e maravilhado pelas obras de Suehiro Maruo é inevitável constatar o poder da sua obra em gerar incômodas reflexões. O normal e o anormal, o moral e o imoral são conceitos relativos e flutuantes nos seus trabalhos. A maldade é onipresente, mas possui matizes diferentes a depender de como é empregada. O vampiro que ri é um tetraedro das múltiplas faces do mal, recortes de diferentes realidades, num mundo que é tanto "normal" quanto pós-apocalíptico, se acumulam numa perspectiva desoladora. Tomar partido de um ou outro personagem é natural, mas quão natural é aceitar a abjeção da violência mesmo em uma vingança supostamente justa? Quão maus são aqueles que infligem a dor por não possuírem outras escolhas? É possível se apagar da existência em vida? A idosa vampira pergunta ao seu pupilo. Suehiro Maruo propõe perguntas de difícil resposta ao longo de páginas e páginas de uma arte aterradoramente bela. O vampiro que ri é uma das melhores histórias de vampiro que já li, uma que se aproveita das ambiguidades morais inerentes dessa figura mitológica para tecer uma história incômoda, mas não sem os seus prazeres.
Mesmo simultaneamente repelido e maravilhado pelas obras de Suehiro Maruo é inevitável constatar o poder da sua obra em gerar incômodas reflexões. O normal e o anormal, o moral e o imoral são conceitos relativos e flutuantes nos seus trabalhos. A maldade é onipresente, mas possui matizes diferentes a depender de como é empregada. O vampiro que ri é um tetraedro das múltiplas faces do mal, recortes de diferentes realidades, num mundo que é tanto "normal" quanto pós-apocalíptico, se acumulam numa perspectiva desoladora. Tomar partido de um ou outro personagem é natural, mas quão natural é aceitar a abjeção da violência mesmo em uma vingança supostamente justa? Quão maus são aqueles que infligem a dor por não possuírem outras escolhas? É possível se apagar da existência em vida? A idosa vampira pergunta ao seu pupilo. Suehiro Maruo propõe perguntas de difícil resposta ao longo de páginas e páginas de uma arte aterradoramente bela. O vampiro que ri é uma das melhores histórias de vampiro que já li, uma que se aproveita das ambiguidades morais inerentes dessa figura mitológica para tecer uma história incômoda, mas não sem os seus prazeres.
October 29, 2022
So I found out about this story through Joey’s video he uploaded recently and I am literally in a state of confusion right now cause my bros, this story made my reading experience like a floor trip hazard that kept on going through the very end lol! Yet I don’t know how I feel about the ending lol. I like the vampire genre so this story is pretty unique in a sense where it didn’t need the signature fangs and the cloak, but it had just the vampires smiling and chewing people with their pearly whites (that sounds odd from me but ok). It’s messed up but there’s a lot going on so I’m 50/50 with this story. The animation was really greatly detailed, I wasn’t spooked at all, I was so memorised instead haha.
Definitely check out if you like the vampire genre and want to get lost without worrying about the plot!
Definitely check out if you like the vampire genre and want to get lost without worrying about the plot!
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July 11, 2018ao mesmo tempo é tudo lindo e mentalmente fodido.
February 26, 2017
O Vampiro que Ri é, talvez, meu gibi underground favorito, junto com o também sensacional Como Luva de Veludo Moldada em Ferro. A pegada principal do gibi é que a história se passa numa Tóquio que parece completamente à deriva, com todos os terrores possíveis povoando as ruas.
Esse clima indica que tudo pode acontecer. E realmente tudo acontece. Todas as histórias mais escabrosas do Japão foram exacerbadas pelo traço e roteiro de primeira do terrorista Suehiro Maruo. Meninas que vendem calcinhas, voluntárias que transam com idosos, palhaços assassinos, um adolescente se tornando serial killer e estupradores, e um vampiro adolescente que ainda está aprendendo a usar seus poderes.
Esse aqui é talvez o primeiro mangá underground (chamado angura) que recebemos no Brasil, fruto de uma ótima fase da Conrad. De fato, difícil conseguir mais impacto que com esse gibi. Parece que tudo aqui é pensado para ser hardcore, para chocar, o que consegue sem dificuldades, não apenas pelas cenas que beiram o escatológico, mas por plantar a maldade dentro de qualquer um, até mesmo nas mãos dos mais puros.
Além de injetar novidade na mitologia dos vampiros, Maruo ainda consegue ir além, e demonstrar que os vampiros não são o mal encarnado, mas sim uma criação do nosso medo, de nós mortais. Nessa toada, me lembra um dos meus filmes de vampiro favoritos, Sede de Sangue (além do igualmente excelente Amantes Eternos), que mostra o lado ruim e o lado bom de ser imortal bebedor de sangue.
O Vampiro que Ri se mostra sensacional não apenas pelo choque da violência extrema, mas por nos fazer refletir no mal que há em nós em suas piores formas.
Esse clima indica que tudo pode acontecer. E realmente tudo acontece. Todas as histórias mais escabrosas do Japão foram exacerbadas pelo traço e roteiro de primeira do terrorista Suehiro Maruo. Meninas que vendem calcinhas, voluntárias que transam com idosos, palhaços assassinos, um adolescente se tornando serial killer e estupradores, e um vampiro adolescente que ainda está aprendendo a usar seus poderes.
Esse aqui é talvez o primeiro mangá underground (chamado angura) que recebemos no Brasil, fruto de uma ótima fase da Conrad. De fato, difícil conseguir mais impacto que com esse gibi. Parece que tudo aqui é pensado para ser hardcore, para chocar, o que consegue sem dificuldades, não apenas pelas cenas que beiram o escatológico, mas por plantar a maldade dentro de qualquer um, até mesmo nas mãos dos mais puros.
Além de injetar novidade na mitologia dos vampiros, Maruo ainda consegue ir além, e demonstrar que os vampiros não são o mal encarnado, mas sim uma criação do nosso medo, de nós mortais. Nessa toada, me lembra um dos meus filmes de vampiro favoritos, Sede de Sangue (além do igualmente excelente Amantes Eternos), que mostra o lado ruim e o lado bom de ser imortal bebedor de sangue.
O Vampiro que Ri se mostra sensacional não apenas pelo choque da violência extrema, mas por nos fazer refletir no mal que há em nós em suas piores formas.
June 17, 2018
No es mi obra preferida del autor, que tiene otras mucho más redondas. No ha ayudado la versión que he leído, bastante mal traducida. Eso sí, dibujos perturbadores, escenas que llegan a causarte asco, ambiente malsano... en eso el autor es un experto.
November 17, 2018
best horror manga i've read so far. something about maruo's art style.. the only artist who can create a sense of terror in a graphic novel without having to resort to grotesque.
April 28, 2019
Beautiful breathtaking art, dark and disturbing content. A lot of it was hard to take in.
October 3, 2024
It’s called The Laughing Vampire, but I personally didn’t laugh once. The artwork is stellar, but I’d never recommend this to anyone!! Ever!!
January 2, 2024
People always recommend horror that they say is truly horrific and it usually falls flat with me, but this is actually disturbing. Great art and a scary take on vampires but not for the faint of heart or the easily offended.
January 16, 2024
Qué susto
June 15, 2025
Bello, grotesco, perverso, extremo... Una experiencia hipnótica.
July 10, 2025
Hacia tiempo que no leía algo tan perverso y que me hacía sentir tan incómodo. Cada página que pasaba tenía miedo de la viñeta que me iba a encontrar y de la angustia que me iba a generar.
May 18, 2018
15 años después, me sigue pareciendo una obra de arte y una cumbre que no ha vuelto a igualar Maruo, al menos en lo que se ha publicado de él en España. El dibujo está en su máximo esplendor y la inspiración desatada. Cada viñeta es una joya que retrata a la perfección el mundo de podredumbre y pesadilla en el que viven sus personajes. Su manera de llenar las páginas de metáforas visuales, movimientos, insectos... no tiene igual. Además, aunque también me guste el Maruo actual mucho más comedido, echo de menos este desparrame de ultraviolencia, mala leche y pesimismo. Que no es que él haya hecho nunca algo que sea la alegría de la huerta, pero creo que nunca tan profundamente oscuro como aquí.
May 15, 2020
Meu primeiro contato com o Suehiro Maruo havia sido na coletânea "Ero-Guro", que possui contos selecionados de suas antologias, pincelados para mostrar o melhor do mestre para novos leitores.
Em "O Vampiro que Ri", ele demonstra toda sua competência para histórias mais longas, com o tempo necessário para desenvolver algumas relações.
O clima de história de horror e o fato de acompanharmos a criatura dentro da história propicia justamente uma simpatia desconcertante pelos protagonistas.
A única coisa frustrante, e ao mesmo tempo satisfatória, é saber que a história é fechada e que há somente uma outra continuação independente, sendo que eu acompanharia com gosto esse universo, em uma série maior.
Em "O Vampiro que Ri", ele demonstra toda sua competência para histórias mais longas, com o tempo necessário para desenvolver algumas relações.
O clima de história de horror e o fato de acompanharmos a criatura dentro da história propicia justamente uma simpatia desconcertante pelos protagonistas.
A única coisa frustrante, e ao mesmo tempo satisfatória, é saber que a história é fechada e que há somente uma outra continuação independente, sendo que eu acompanharia com gosto esse universo, em uma série maior.
October 24, 2020
I started reading this manga attracted by aesthetics ... it didn't take me long to discover that the author is the same author of the infamous film The Camellia Girl, a movie that I could not bear even the first two minutes. I'm not a fan of the perverse and unhealthy at all, so while Suehiro Maruo's aesthetic attracts me, his recurring themes appalled me. However, this work, while quite lewd, was neither excessive nor explicit. The aesthetics, german impressionism influence and art enchanted me and the story, I consider, is how vampire stories should be. In the end, I really liked what I read.
March 18, 2021
I read a scanlation of this years ago and it was my favorite of the Maruo books I could find at the time and more atmospheric. The story didn't matter that much, it's a nice mood piece and even if I found the fetishism unrelatable, there was something strangely nice and intimate about that guy secretly touching himself with a severed finger. Love the way the characters looked too.
I remember there being a lot of excitement about Maruo at that time, he was a gateway to a lot of other art (admittedly, most of it nowhere near his level) and it's sad that english language publishers are still too scared to touch him.
I remember there being a lot of excitement about Maruo at that time, he was a gateway to a lot of other art (admittedly, most of it nowhere near his level) and it's sad that english language publishers are still too scared to touch him.
June 3, 2011
I've only read an english scanlation of this manga, but it was so incredible I'd have to list it here, because in the deluge of subpar horror manga that reaches me on the internet, this is one of the best I've ever read. The nihilistic tone of the story, the macabre themes and art style that is characteristic of postwar Japan, made this a poignant favourite of manga for me (and I've read a lot). If you're a fan of horror and suspense (and a good splash of gore) this is one for you. If I could buy an english translation I would!
September 26, 2017
E' malsano, è un incubo ad occhi aperti, la storia si rotola lenta, fra suggestioni, sogni, violenza, regole che cadono. Il vampiro che ride è un'opera di genere perfettamente orchestrata, in cui la valenza narrativa delle splendide immagini di cui è capace Maruo ben si accorda con i testi, scarni ma efficaci. I personaggi di questo teatro dell'orrore si muovono come su un palco dove l'obiettivo è la morte e la vita umana vale meno di zero. Difficile non rimanere colpiti da questa opera. Edizione meravigliosa della solita Coconino.
September 5, 2020
Le Maître de l'eroguro japonais nous présente ici un conte qui mêle erotisme et horreur.
On y reconnait les fantasmes et les tabous de la société japonaise où le vampire symbolize le déviant des règles du groupe. Le dessin est super et de Maruo on ne peut s'attendre à moins. Par contre, vu l'intensité de la palette de couleurs de Maruo, je m'avoue un peu déçu que cette histoire ne soit pas illustré en couleurs.
On y reconnait les fantasmes et les tabous de la société japonaise où le vampire symbolize le déviant des règles du groupe. Le dessin est super et de Maruo on ne peut s'attendre à moins. Par contre, vu l'intensité de la palette de couleurs de Maruo, je m'avoue un peu déçu que cette histoire ne soit pas illustré en couleurs.
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September 21, 2026Ce livre m’a tendu un piège à la bibliothèque municipale. Absolument rien dans le rayon habituel de la « fantasy surnaturelle, qu’elle soit sérieuse ou légère », n'indiquait à quel genre d'auteur on avait à faire, ni préparait le lecteur à son contenu.
En bref : un collégien devient vampire après avoir bu le sang d’une femme assassinée lors des lynchages anti-coréens qui ont suivi le grand tremblement de terre du Kantô de 1922. S’ensuivent alors toutes les horreurs imaginables.
Je n’ai pas trouvé ce livre « difficile à comprendre », « une caricature raciste » ou « intéressant ». Mais bon, j’ai probablement vu trop d’horreurs dans ma vie, et j’ai donc du mal à comprendre le regard neuf de quelqu’un qui se demanderait pourquoi ou comment on pourrait avoir une telle opinion de ce livre. Il n’y a plus dans la vraie vie des « enfants maléfiques » ni de de raccourci facile de récit bien trop courante dans l'horreur « tous les enfants sont maléfiques », quels que soient les protagonistes, car il y a des enfants négligés, et ceux que les parents et la société ne parviennent pas à éduquer, à protéger ou à confiner – dans le cas de la minorité bien réelle d’enfants véritablement psychopathes et qui font un choix conscient de tuer ou de violer, dont la société a tendance à ignorer l’existence ou à la considérer comme fictive (En France en 2024-2026 donc, l'année actuelle). Mais ce manga ne traite pas de cela.
À ceux qui parlent de « caricature raciste » : quelqu’un a vraiment raté tout le début, qui donne le ton – le massacre anti-coréen de Kanto et la véritable nature de l’« ogresse » – non pas une « ogresse laide », mais ce que la société japonaise voyait en elle : les passants ont tout simplement tué une femme coréenne, puis elle est revenue en une vampire, et en effet, la société est mauvaise. Je veux dire, c’est un message assez limpide, facile à comprendre et de ce fait - didactique et ennuyeux.
Et c’est de l’exploitation – allez, c’est évident, mais je ne trouve pas ça particulièrement astucieux – on s’en rend compte dès la cinquième page et, eh bien, soit on referme le livre, soit on feuillette l’histoire de la « société noire », qui est – là encore – tout à fait claire et tout à fait prévisible – parce que c’est un phénomène humain, pas spécifiquement japonais, à moins que l’on veuille s’y complaire, et, bien que cela soit efficace dans certains cas (« C’est arrivé près de chez vous / Man Bites Dog», film belge et français de 1992, bien connu, sur un tueur en série), je… ne vois tout simplement pas l’esprit du temps là-dedans.
Le style général me rappelle l’art de critique sociale de la République de Weimar des années 1920, ou l’art de critique sociale russe des années 2000-2010 relevant de l’« horreur », mais ces deux montagnes n’ont accouchés que des souris : ce type d’art ne peut ni guérir la société ni réellement la critiquer ; c’est la même chose que de s’en délecter, tout comme la presse à scandale qu’il (ce manga, et cet auteur) est censé aborder de manière critique.
This book ambushed me in the public library. Literally nothing around it, in the ordinary lineup of the "high and low supernatural fantasy" prepared me for the contents.
TLDR: a middle schooler becomes a vampire, following a sharing of the blood of a woman who was assassinated during the anti-Korean lynchings which followed the 1922 Great Kanto Earthquake. Then follows every disturbing thing one can imagine.
I didn't find it "difficult to understand", "a racist carricature" or "interesting". Then, again, I've probably seen too much horror in life, so I just have trouble understanding the fresh-eyed perspective on why/how anyone would have such a view of this book. There are no more "evil children"/"all children are evil" there, despite who the protagonist are, as there are neglected ones, and those whom parents and society fail to educate, fail to protect, or fail to confine - in case of the very real minority of very evil children the existence of whom the society tends to ignore and treat as fictional. But this isn't a manga about that.
To those saying something about the "racist carricature" - someone really missed the entire beginning which sets up the tone - the Kanto anti-Korean massacre and the fact what the "ogress" really was - not an "ugly ogress" but what the Japanese society saw her as - they killed a Korean woman and then she became the vampire, and indeed - society is bad. I mean, it's a pretty crystal clear, didactic, boring, easy to understand, message.
And it is exploitative - c'mon, it's obviously so, but I just don't see it as clever - you see it 5 pages in and , well you close the book, or flick through the story of the "black society", which is - again entirely clear and entirely predictable - because it's a human thing, not a Japanese thing, unless you want to revel in it, and , while it's effective in some cases ("Man bites dog/C'est arrivé près de chez vous", Belgian and French movie about a serial killer 1992) I just ... don't see the zeitgeist in it all.
The overal style does remind me of the 1920ies Weimar republic social criticism art, or of the Russian 2000-2010s social criticism art of the "horror" but both of those mountains bore a mouse - this type of art can't heal society and can't actually criticize it, it's the same thing revelling in it, as the tabloid it's supposed to take a critical approach of.
En bref : un collégien devient vampire après avoir bu le sang d’une femme assassinée lors des lynchages anti-coréens qui ont suivi le grand tremblement de terre du Kantô de 1922. S’ensuivent alors toutes les horreurs imaginables.
Je n’ai pas trouvé ce livre « difficile à comprendre », « une caricature raciste » ou « intéressant ». Mais bon, j’ai probablement vu trop d’horreurs dans ma vie, et j’ai donc du mal à comprendre le regard neuf de quelqu’un qui se demanderait pourquoi ou comment on pourrait avoir une telle opinion de ce livre. Il n’y a plus dans la vraie vie des « enfants maléfiques » ni de de raccourci facile de récit bien trop courante dans l'horreur « tous les enfants sont maléfiques », quels que soient les protagonistes, car il y a des enfants négligés, et ceux que les parents et la société ne parviennent pas à éduquer, à protéger ou à confiner – dans le cas de la minorité bien réelle d’enfants véritablement psychopathes et qui font un choix conscient de tuer ou de violer, dont la société a tendance à ignorer l’existence ou à la considérer comme fictive (En France en 2024-2026 donc, l'année actuelle). Mais ce manga ne traite pas de cela.
À ceux qui parlent de « caricature raciste » : quelqu’un a vraiment raté tout le début, qui donne le ton – le massacre anti-coréen de Kanto et la véritable nature de l’« ogresse » – non pas une « ogresse laide », mais ce que la société japonaise voyait en elle : les passants ont tout simplement tué une femme coréenne, puis elle est revenue en une vampire, et en effet, la société est mauvaise. Je veux dire, c’est un message assez limpide, facile à comprendre et de ce fait - didactique et ennuyeux.
Et c’est de l’exploitation – allez, c’est évident, mais je ne trouve pas ça particulièrement astucieux – on s’en rend compte dès la cinquième page et, eh bien, soit on referme le livre, soit on feuillette l’histoire de la « société noire », qui est – là encore – tout à fait claire et tout à fait prévisible – parce que c’est un phénomène humain, pas spécifiquement japonais, à moins que l’on veuille s’y complaire, et, bien que cela soit efficace dans certains cas (« C’est arrivé près de chez vous / Man Bites Dog», film belge et français de 1992, bien connu, sur un tueur en série), je… ne vois tout simplement pas l’esprit du temps là-dedans.
Le style général me rappelle l’art de critique sociale de la République de Weimar des années 1920, ou l’art de critique sociale russe des années 2000-2010 relevant de l’« horreur », mais ces deux montagnes n’ont accouchés que des souris : ce type d’art ne peut ni guérir la société ni réellement la critiquer ; c’est la même chose que de s’en délecter, tout comme la presse à scandale qu’il (ce manga, et cet auteur) est censé aborder de manière critique.
This book ambushed me in the public library. Literally nothing around it, in the ordinary lineup of the "high and low supernatural fantasy" prepared me for the contents.
TLDR: a middle schooler becomes a vampire, following a sharing of the blood of a woman who was assassinated during the anti-Korean lynchings which followed the 1922 Great Kanto Earthquake. Then follows every disturbing thing one can imagine.
I didn't find it "difficult to understand", "a racist carricature" or "interesting". Then, again, I've probably seen too much horror in life, so I just have trouble understanding the fresh-eyed perspective on why/how anyone would have such a view of this book. There are no more "evil children"/"all children are evil" there, despite who the protagonist are, as there are neglected ones, and those whom parents and society fail to educate, fail to protect, or fail to confine - in case of the very real minority of very evil children the existence of whom the society tends to ignore and treat as fictional. But this isn't a manga about that.
To those saying something about the "racist carricature" - someone really missed the entire beginning which sets up the tone - the Kanto anti-Korean massacre and the fact what the "ogress" really was - not an "ugly ogress" but what the Japanese society saw her as - they killed a Korean woman and then she became the vampire, and indeed - society is bad. I mean, it's a pretty crystal clear, didactic, boring, easy to understand, message.
And it is exploitative - c'mon, it's obviously so, but I just don't see it as clever - you see it 5 pages in and , well you close the book, or flick through the story of the "black society", which is - again entirely clear and entirely predictable - because it's a human thing, not a Japanese thing, unless you want to revel in it, and , while it's effective in some cases ("Man bites dog/C'est arrivé près de chez vous", Belgian and French movie about a serial killer 1992) I just ... don't see the zeitgeist in it all.
The overal style does remind me of the 1920ies Weimar republic social criticism art, or of the Russian 2000-2010s social criticism art of the "horror" but both of those mountains bore a mouse - this type of art can't heal society and can't actually criticize it, it's the same thing revelling in it, as the tabloid it's supposed to take a critical approach of.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2018
Amazing artwork, the kind that stays with you after finishing the story. I keep going back to the story and salivating over the pages. They're truly eye-candy, in that haunting ero-guro aesthetic that only seems to exist in Asian illustrations.
The plot was alright, and didn't make much sense at times. But the art more than made up for it.
The plot was alright, and didn't make much sense at times. But the art more than made up for it.
April 18, 2020
Visualmente una joya, narrativamente bastante vacío.
Como dicen algunos por aquí, no hay tensión ni suspense, y los personajes son caricaturescos al servicio de la violencia y el sexo desenfrenado. Sin embargo, no se puede negar la fuerza de los dibujos y los enfermizos y delirantes simbolismos que hacen de Maruo uno de los grandes genios del eroguro.
Como dicen algunos por aquí, no hay tensión ni suspense, y los personajes son caricaturescos al servicio de la violencia y el sexo desenfrenado. Sin embargo, no se puede negar la fuerza de los dibujos y los enfermizos y delirantes simbolismos que hacen de Maruo uno de los grandes genios del eroguro.
October 3, 2020
El dibujo es bellísimo, cada elemento está plasmado a detalle, los rostros de los personajes están impregnados del horror y el deseo.
¿Los bajos instintos de los humanos son peores que los de un vampiro? La degeneración mezclada con toda esa sangre crea admiración y a la vez remordimiento. Los monstruos somos nosotros, no los seres sobrenaturales.
¿Los bajos instintos de los humanos son peores que los de un vampiro? La degeneración mezclada con toda esa sangre crea admiración y a la vez remordimiento. Los monstruos somos nosotros, no los seres sobrenaturales.
March 21, 2014
I only knew of Suehiro Maruo because of his art, and I liked how artistic this manga was. The story was interesting and there's more meaning behind it than just a vampire story. It was pretty gory, and there were a few scenes that bothered me. Definitely not for the faint of heart.
December 31, 2020
The shock of the morbid content contrasted with the beautiful art style is horrifying in a great way , and the overall flow of the panels and the motions of the characters is well done. The plot could be a tad more riveting, but damn is this manga just so fun to look at.
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