Shintaro Kago Is Back With ‘Brain Damage’ A New Anthology From Fantagraphics
by Tito W. James
Since I discovered his work back in 2018, Shintaro Kago has been one of my favorite creators. Kago’s manga is what introduced me to the Ero Guro (Erotic and Grotesque) genre. Since then, I’ve been looking for similar interplay between horror, surrealism, and erotica. As a result, I discovered other transgressive creators like Dario Argento, Park Chan-wook, Vladimir Nabokov, and Anais Nin.
“Brain Damage collects four new short manga stories, a tantalizing blend of the hilarious and the macabre. 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. In “Curse Room,” a plucky health aide is tasked with keeping zombies peaceful, lest they go on a brain-eating rampage. 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. 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.”
I read as many of the Shintaro Kago stories as I could get my hands on, with the best being The Princess of the Never-Ending Castle, Super-Dimensional Love Gun, and Dementia 21. Brain Damage from Fantagraphics is a return to form in true Shintaro Kago fashion. The collection of four stories play out like mind-bending X-rated Twilight Zone episodes. At the end of each short I found myself as excited as when I first discovered Kago’s manga.
With Brain Damage, Kago’s writing and art really shine in punchy, short form stories. It’s hard to keep pulling a rabbit out of a hat without the magic wearing off. However, Kago is able to remain truly unique within the world of comics, manga, and surrealism. These are low-brow comix for high-brow readers– a blend between “trash” and creative aesthetics. Brain Damage reminds me why I first become obsessed with Kago’s artwork and use his stories for inspiration. Whether you’re a long time Ero Guro fan or are completely new to Shintaro Kago, Brain Damage is a great addition to your bookshelf.
