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Lafcadio Hearn's "The Faceless Ghost" and Other Macabre Tales from Japan: A Graphic Novel
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About Lafcadio Hearn's "The Faceless Ghost" And Other
Product Description Eerie traditional Japanese ghost stories retold in a graphic novel format. Nominated for the prestigious EISNER BOOK AWARD, 2016 2016 YALSA 'Great Graphic Novels for Teens' Recommendation Bronze Prize in the 2016 Independent Publishers Book Awards. Over one hundred years ago, the writer Lafcadio Hearn gathered and translated into English a selection of traditional Japanese ghost/mystery stories. They were published as Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things. In this new graphic novel, acclaimed manga creator Sean Michael Wilson retells six of these stories. All of them are very well known in Japan, where ghosts and demons are often called yokai, meaning "the mysterious and weird." Today these stories find expression mostly in movies and manga, but they remain rooted in the traditional ghost stories of the Edo era known as kaidan, which means "recited narrative of strange, mysterious, rare, or bewitching apparitions." The book includes an afterword by the author, Sean Michael Wilson, who puts the stories into historical and personal context. From School Library Journal Gr 8 Up-A well-done graphic novel featuring new interpretations of traditional Japanese tales of terror. With six stories of vengeful spirits, mischievous men, and wayward journeys, this graphic novel offers a beautifully drawn interpretation of Lafcadio Hearn's famous renditions of Japanese tales of suspense. Fans can find these selections in various collections, but this work cleverly compiles an interesting group of stories that offer an introduction to Japanese horror folklore. Wilson closely mirrors traditional methods of translation as he reimagines each piece for a graphic modern adventure. While this method creates a mood akin to that felt when reading a more traditional story format, it may prevent immersion from some readers not used to this type of "subtle scare" in their horror. On the other hand, illustrator Morikawa's depictions perfectly capture the essence of each adventure with captivating character models and adept landscapes. With audiences with a high interest in Japanese horror, this graphic novel may circulate well. Tighter collections may want to pick graphic titles from Edogawa Ranpo or Junji Ito. VERDICT Purchase for collections with fans of Japanese folklore.-DeHanza Kwong, Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, NCα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. About the Author SEAN MICHAEL WILSON is a comic book writer from Scotland, living in Japan. He has had many books published with a variety of US, UK, and Japanese publishers, such as The Book of Five Rings, and edited the critically acclaimed AX: alternative manga ( Publishers Weekly’s “Best Books of 2010” in comics). In 2016, his book Lafcadio Hearn’s “The Faceless Ghost” and Other Macabre Tales from Japan was nominated for the prestigious Eisner Award. And in 2017, his book Secrets of the Ninja won an International Manga Award from the Japanese Government. MICHIRU MORIKAWA is a Japanese illustrator and manga artist and winner of the 2005 International Manga and Anime Award. With Sean Michael Wilson, she has created four graphic novels: Buskers, Yakuza Moon, The Demon's Sermon on the Martial Arts, and Musashi.
