Quick Review: ‘Face Meat’ By Bonten Taro
by Tito W. James
Summary
‘Face Meat’ is a novelty within the Ero Guro genre.
However, the art and stories aren’t as shocking as contemporary ecchi or horror manga.
Overall
7/10
Seeing as I’ve become the go-to guy for all things Ero Guro, I knew I had to check out Face Meat by Bonten Taro. The manga is a collection of horror stories that were previously published in 1960s erotic men’s magazines. Showa Period manga — and the blending of horror and eroticism — is right up my alley, so I had high hopes for Face Meat.
However, Taro’s art and storytelling are just okay. There isn’t the mind-bending quality of Shintaro Kago or the wicked humor of Go Nagai. None of the sex and violence will be particularly shocking to contemporary manga readers familiar with works like GANTZ or High School of the Dead. Face Meat only appeals to the niche audience of people who are interested in the evolution of Ero Guro as a part of art history. While I wasn’t blown away by Face Meat, I would like to see more translations of Taro’s manga, especially the “Pinky Violence” with femme fatales.
Face Meat is available now from Uncivilized Books.
