Kazuo Umezu
- Known for
- Writing
- Born
- September 3, 1936
- Died
- October 28, 2024 (aged 88)
- Birthplace
- Kōya, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan
Biography
Kazuo Umezu or Kazuo Umezz (楳図 かずお, Umezu Kazuo, birth name 楳図一雄; born September 3, 1936) is a Japanese manga artist, musician and actor. Starting his career in the 1950s, he is among the most famous artists of horror manga and has been vital for its development, considered the "god of horror manga". In 1960s shōjo manga like Reptilia, he broke the industry's conventions by combining the aesthetics of the commercial manga industry with gruesome visual imagery inspired by Japanese folktales, which created a boom of horror manga and influenced manga artists of following generations. He created successful manga series such as The Drifting Classroom, Makoto-chan and My Name Is Shingo, until he retired from drawing manga in the mid 1990s. He is also a public figure in Japan, known for wearing red-and-white-striped shirts and doing his signature "Gwash" hand gesture.
Known For
Tokyo Zombie
The Curse of Kazuo Umezu
Why Horror?
The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Present
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: House of Bugs
The Drifting Classroom
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Death Make
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Diet
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: The Wish
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Snake Girl
Gu Gu, the Cat
Filmography
My Name is Shingo
Movie · Original Story
Tales of the Bizarre 25th Anniversary Spring Special: Popular Manga Artist Competition
Movie · Comic Book
Mother
Movie · Screenplay
Orochi - Blood
Movie · Comic Book, Story
Tamami: The Baby's Curse
Movie · Comic Book
God's Left Hand, Devil's Right Hand
Movie · Novel
Cat-Eyed Boy
Movie · Comic Book
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: House of Bugs
Movie · Original Story
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Death Make
Movie · Original Story
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Diet
Movie · Original Story
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: The Wish
Movie · Original Story
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Snake Girl
Movie · Original Story
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Present
Movie · Writer, Original Story
Long Love Letter
TV · Novel · 11 eps
Baptism of Blood
Movie · Original Story
Drifting School
Movie · Author
Kazuo Umezu's Terror Zone: Horror!
Movie · Comic Book
The Curse of Kazuo Umezu
Movie · Original Story
The Drifting Classroom
Movie · Novel, Comic Book
Evil Heart
Movie · Writer
Gal 10 Island
Movie · Writer
Makoto-chan
Movie · Comic Book
Cat-Eyed Boy
TV · Writer, Comic Book · 25 eps
A Remodeled Beauty
Movie · Original Story
The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch
Movie · Original Story