Nothing can surpass the terror of the human psyche. Mine has been a life of much shame. I can’t even guess myself what it must be to live the life of a human being. Plagued by a maddening anxiety, the terrible disconnect between his own concept of happiness and the joy of the rest of the world, Yozo Oba plays the clown in his dissolute life, holding up a mask for those around him as he spirals ever downward, locked arm-in-arm with death. Osamu Dazai’s immortal—and supposedly autobiographical—work of Japanese literature, is perfectly adapted here into a manga by Junji Ito. The imagery wrenches open the text of the novel one line at a time to sublimate Yozo’s mental landscape into something even more delicate and grotesque. This is the ultimate in art by Ito, proof that nothing can surpass the terror of the human psyche.
Junji Ito
Junji Ito is a Japanese horror manga artist known for his intricate and unsettling works. He is most famous for his manga series "Uzumaki," which follows a town plagued by a supernatural curse involving spirals. Ito's works often feature disturbing and surreal imagery, exploring themes of body horror and psychological terror. His detailed artwork and unique storytelling style have made him a prominent figure in the horror genre. Ito's contributions to literature have been praised for their originality and ability to evoke a sense of unease in readers.