News
Horror Manga Artist Junji Ito to Adapt Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human
posted on by Karen Ressler
This year's third issue of Shogakukan's Big Comic Original magazine announced on Friday that Junji Ito will begin a manga adaptation of Osamu Dazai's classic novel No Longer Human (Ningen Shikkaku) in the 10th issue on May 2.
Dazai's original Ningen Shikkaku novel follows a young man's deepening alienation from the rest of the world, despite his attempts to maintain a cheery facade. The story was adapted into a four-episode segment of the Aoi Bungaku television anime in 2009, and an anime film version of this segment was green-lit soon after. The anime version features original character designs by Death Note artist Takeshi Obata.
Vertical published a three-volume manga adaptation (pictured right) by Usamaru Furuya (Lychee Light Club) in North America. The now-defunct digital manga platform JManga previously offered East Press' manga adaptation.
Ito's Uzumaki and Tomie manga have inspired inspired live-action adaptations, and his GYO manga inspired an OVA. Viz Media has published these three titles, as well as Ito's Fragments of Horror manga in English. ComicsOne has published his Flesh Colored Horror manga, Dark Horse Comics has published his Museum of Terror manga, and Kodansha Comics has published his Junji Ito's Cat Diary: Yon & Mu manga.
Big Comic Original also announced six more new manga titles that will launch this year:
- Hiroshi Kurogane's tentatively titled Sakura no Kuni no Wasuremono (Something Forgotten in the Country of Cherry Blossoms) — Beginning in the fifth issue on February 20
- Junichi Nojo's Shōwa Tennō Monogatari (Showa Emperor Tale), based on Kazutoshi Kandō's Shōwashi (History of the Showa Period), with a script by Issei Eifuku and editorial supervision by Shūji Shiwa — Beginning in the ninth issue on April 20
- Osamu Yamamoto's tentatively titled Aka Hollywood (Red Hollywood) — Beginning in the 11th issue on May 20
- Writer Midori Natsu and artist Kiyoshi Chikuyama's tentatively titled Shippo no Wakusei (Tail Planet), with collaboration by Aya Sugimoto — Beginning in the 12th issue on June 5
- Writer Masahito Kagawa and artist Shigeyuki Iwashita's tentatively titled Zenkasha (Ex-Convict) — Beginning this fall or winter
- Original creator Nanami Shiono, scriptwriter Takashi Nagasaki, artist Mariko Nakamura, and historical researcher Antonio Scimone's Julius Caesar Seishun-hen (Julius Ceasar: Youth Story) — Beginning this fall or winter
