In a sad turn of events, Kazuo Umezu, one of the biggest legends in the manga industry, passed away at the age of 88. Umezu was a famous name in the horror and macabre genres, and his work influenced many other manga creators, including Junji Ito, the creator of many prominent horror works like Uzumaki, Tomie, Gyo, etc.
Umezu is considered the “god of horror manga,” thanks to his major works like The Drifting Classroom, Cat Eyed Boy, Orochi, etc.
His death comes as a big shock to Junji Ito, who has been a fan of Umezu since he was a child. In fact, Umezu was the one who motivated Ito to take over the horror genre and create some of its greatest works.
Umezu’s family and close friends held a private funeral for the manga creator on the day of his death. His company also issued a formal statement regarding his passing and the message he wanted to portray through his works.
Horror Manga Legend Kazuo Umezu is No More
According to reports, Umezu passed away last week on October 28. The family kept silent for a few days until the rituals were done and then announced his death officially. Anime News Network revealed that Umezu’s company UMEZZ issued an official statement regarding the sad event of his death.
The statement read:
Umezu wanted to spread his work throughout the world, to be read by all forever. He believed in the intrinsic artistic value of his work. May that aspiration rest forever in the hearts of all.
Even the popular Japanese publishing company, Shogakukan, which released most of Umezu’s work commented on the death of the mangaka. Shogakukan stated that Umezu left his legacy behind in the form of Kazuo Umezz: The Great Art Exhibition.
This exhibition focuses on Umezu’s work which included more than just manga series based on the horror genre. Thus, even though Umezu has left the world, his works still continue to inspire others and will maintain his legacy forever.
Junji Ito Was a Big Kazuo Umezu Fan
Umezu’s legacy is also reflected in the fact that one of the greatest horror manga creators of the current generation, Junji Ito is his biggest fan.
During a recent interview with Retro Futurista, Ito confessed to the fact that Umezu was the one who inspired him to join the manga industry and focus on the dark thrilling genres like horror, dark fantasy, supernatural thriller, etc.
He stated:
The first manga I read as a child was a horror manga by Kazuo Umezu. Since then, I’ve been drawn to horror manga. It wasn’t just manga; I’ve also been interested in scary stories and films from an early age. I believe the reason behind this interest was Kazuo Umezu’s influence, along with scary TV shows and my older sisters, who also liked these things.
Uzemu’s horror works influenced Ito a lot but it was not the only aspect that inspired him. The mangaka also loved scary TV shows and even his older sisters influenced him as well.
Regardless, Ito credits Umezu for helping him get interested in a dark and bleak genre like horror. And just like Ito, many other manga creators have been and will be influenced by Umezu and his thrilling works.
