From the brilliant and twisted mind of manga artist Shintaro Kago, a new collection of short stories rife with skin-crawling suspense, visceral body horror, and pitch-dark humor.
In 2018, manga artist Shintaro Kago made his English debut with Dementia 21, a collection of absurdist manga short stories. Readers found themselves delighted and disgusted by his penchant for body horror, black comedy, and the surreal, paired with his emphatic, kinetic art style. Kago returns at the height of his powers with Brain Damage, where he dials the gore and absurdity to 11 and beyond.

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.
Brain Damage is available to preorder from Fantagraphics’ website here. (Available July 15th)
More Film Reviews
Mean Spirited (2022) Film Review – Yes Today Satan
Andy, A wannabe YouTuber decides to head out and visit an old friend Bryce in an attempt to find out why he abandoned their prank channel, “Mean Spirited”, when he…
Let the Wrong One In (2021) Film Review – Goofy Vampires Don’t Sparkle Either
Horror comedy is such a subjective film genre. Hell, comedy in general is tough enough because what’s funny to me might be completely boring to you. So how do you…
Raging Grace (2023) Film Review – Horror and Social Commentary in Unsettling Harmony [FrightFest]
Raging Grace outlines the exploitation and fetishisation of undocumented immigrants whilst simultaneously celebrating distinctive Filipino traditions and cultural heritage. Paris Zarcilla’s incisive directorial debut follows single mother Joy as she…
Island of Death (1976) Film Review – Horror on Mykonos Island
Island of Death (Ta Paidia Tou Diavolou) is a 1976 exploitation horror film written and directed by Nico Mastorakis. Most notable as the founder and owner of independent film studio…
The Transparent Woman (2015) Film Review – Modern Day Giallo
The Transparent Woman is a 2015 Italian Giallo mystery, written and directed by Domiziano Christpharo, with additional writing from Andrea Cavaletto, Jay Disney, Elio Mancuso, and Francesco Massaccesi. No stranger…
Haxan (1922) Film Review – The First Witchcraft Documentary
Perhaps you’re looking for something different in a horror film, tired of jump scares and remakes. Perhaps you’re passionate about obscure cinema, revelling in the discovery of something unexpected. Or…
