With Supernatural Beings: Hyakki Yakou Shou

"Hyakki Yakou Shou" is ongoing series of Japanese manga and there is no plan of publishing the English edition; however, I want to introduce to foreign people that its fantasic story and sensitive drawing is wonderful. I believe that it will be translated into many foreign language sooner or later.

Hyakki Yakou Shou

First of all, what "Hyakki Yakou Shou" means? Japanese word "Hyakki Yakou" means "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons". Japanese folklore in ancient times such as 9th Century tells that every year youkai, the Japanese specters, will take to the streets during summer nights. Anyone who comes across the procession will die, unless protected by some Buddhist sutra. "Shou" means abridgment. Thus "Hakki Yakou Shou" depicts Japanese youkai, demons or ghosts and contacts between human being and them.

Started a serial of "Hyakki Yakou Shou" in a Japanese comic magazine "Nemuki" in 1995. Until now the 19 volumes have been published in book form. In 2006 this comic was awarded the Excellence Prize of manga section of Japan Media Arts Festival.

The reason for award accurately portrays the good point of the series: Beautiful and scary. The story proceeds in a quiet and delicate manner but it produces anxiety in its readers as if they had looked into the abyss of horror as soon as they begin to read. The carefully calculated dialogue and frame layout create a unique time-space. What creates an elegant atmosphere is the ability to structure an attractive story and the skillful drawing of the author who is very laid back. It is good that the innocent charm of specters comes and goes over time. This work is fascinating and makes us aware that death and life exist very close to each other in this way, perhaps just as they exist in our daily life.

The author, Ichiko Ima, also says for comment of award: When I was a child, I was fond of the world of ghost stories such as The Snow Woman, which my grandmother told me. So, I wished I could write a story in which human beings and specters lived side by side in a boundary-pushing ground, not saying which is right or wrong.

Ritsu and Oziro/Oguro

This is because "Hyakki Yakou Shou" does not scary and sometime comical or heartwarming. A main charcter Ritsu Iijima is 16-year boy (at the beginning of the series, now university student) and has extrasensory power what he can see not-human being such as specters or ghosts. He succeed the power from his grandfather Kagyu, who was a writer regarding specters and demons. Ritsu is guarded by Ao-arashi,dragon-derived specter, and has two servants, Oziro and Oguro, who are brid-derived specter.

Oziro and Oguro are funny and contributes the story as not-scaring atmosphere. Other characters are atractive as well as them, such as Tsukasa, beautiful cousin for Ritsu. When Tsukasa comes Ristu's home, Oziro and Oguro entertain Japanese sake to her. It is supernatural but so natural. That is the author's word - "write a story in which human beings and specters lived side by side in a boundary-pushing ground, not saying which is right or wrong."

As I said earliar, Ima's drawing is very sensitive and fine. She made her professional manga debut in Comic Image with "My Beautiful Green Palace" in 1993. But before her professional debut, she worked as an assistant for 12 years. Probably it tempers her as a fine manga artist. As the author itself says, the most influenced by as the creator is Moto Hagio, whom I wrote an article about earliar on this blog. Ima says "I worship Hagio as a goddess."

"Hyakki Yakou Shou" made into TV drama in 2007. I haven't seen them but you can check by official site and see them from YouTube-like site.

http://www.ntv.co.jp/oni/index.html

http://videonavi.blog66.fc2.com/blog-entry-384.html

You can also download wallpapers of above picutures from official site.

http://www.ntv.co.jp/oni/wallpaper/index.html

In the end, I put a YouTube video. Pictures are from Ima's drawing and music is from TV drama's opening tune. Both are beautiful.

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