Description
Book SynopsisThis book presents a selection of Edo monster comics in English for the first time, introducing readers to a captivating, humorous, and eye-opening genre of popular fiction.
Trade ReviewAdam Kabat’s
The River Imp and the Stinky Jewel and Other Tales is a fantastic book (pun intended). A tour de force of beautifully chosen supernatural images, fine translation, and excellent analysis, the book documents the extraordinary variety of Japanese fantasy creatures. A pleasure to read with its wonderful, creepy and imaginative range of illustrations. -- Susan Napier, author of
Miyazakiworld: A Life in ArtThe River Imp and the Stinky Jewel and Other Tales is a monstrously fine volume. Featuring annotated translations of five playfully illustrated comic classics, it brings to life the riotously fantastic world of the Japanese popular imagination. Adam Kabat is the foremost English-speaking authority on early-modern Japanese monster culture, and his work here is sure to delight students, specialists, and general readers alike. -- Keller Kimbrough, coeditor of
Monsters, Animals, and Other Worlds: A Collection of Short Medieval Japanese TalesKabat’s playful, masterful translation, complete with beautifully reproduced illustrations, offers the best possible introduction to the wondrous world of early modern Japanese monster comics. From tofu boy to demon girl and cat monster, curious, strange creatures fill these short stories, delights for both the eye and the mind. -- Satoko Shimazaki, author of
Edo Kabuki in Transition: From the Worlds of the Samurai to the Vengeful Female GhostA fascinating and accessible introduction to
kibyōshi and to the weird, witty world of Edo-period monsters. Each story is impeccably translated, and Kabat’s expert commentaries elucidate the rich word play, topical references, and historical contexts. This is great literary scholarship, and a fun, humorous—and often ribald—reading experience! -- Michael Dylan Foster, author of
The Book of Yōkai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese FolkloreAn excellent English-language collection of late 18th century Japanese-monster
kibyoshi picture stories disseminated originally in Japanese in booklet form. It acts as a thorough primer on a great many of these monster characters like the famous cucumber-loving
kappa to the proto-uncanny valley
tofu boy. * Metropolis Japan *
Great fun, and surprisingly informative, Kabat’s work is recommended for anyone with an interest in Japanese monster culture. -- Tony Malone * Tony's Reading List *
Valuable for its interesting treatment of a relatively untouched subject. * Choice Reviews *
This collection makes its now-ancient subject matter seem fresh, in part through the insight of its assembler. Yet, the stories themselves present an interesting context for the way that monsters have evolved with time, not only as entities to inspire dread but as figures now embedded in popular culture. -- Sara Century * The Brooklyn Rail *
Kabat’s translations alone are welcome additions to the literary and cultural scholarship on early modern Japan. His accompanying expert analysis makes them even more so. . . . This is a book that should be of interest to historians and literary scholars, and could also be used easily within a classroom. -- Terrence Jackson * H-Japan, H-Net Reviews *
An excellent and engaging introduction to the world of kibyōshi . . . It would be as at home on a coffee table, where its evocative art would be a terrific conversation piece, as it would be in a classroom or library, where it would stand as a fantastic reference [for] scholars wishing to study monster comics in greater depth. -- J.T. Aris * Journal of Anime and Manga Studies *
Table of ContentsContents
Introduction
1. A Monster Catalogue, Author unknown; illustrated by Kitao Masayoshi
2. Monsters to the Rescue, Written and illustrated by Jippensha Ikku
3. The Monster Takes a Bride, Written by Jippensha Ikku; illustrated by Katsukawa Shun’ei
4. The River Imp and the Stinky Jewel, Written and illustrated by Jippensha Ikku
5. The Demon Girl Comes to Edo, Author unknown
Notes
Bibliography
Index
