Kazuo Umezu
Writing
1936-09-03 · Kōya, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan
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.
Filmography
Kaidan. Strange Stories of Japanese Ghosts
2023 · Movie
My Name is Shingo
2016 · Movie
吉祥寺だけが住みたい街ですか？
2016 · Series
Tales of the Bizarre 25th Anniversary Spring Special: Popular Manga Artist Competition
2015 · Movie
Why Horror?
2014 · Movie
Mother
2014 · Movie
Orochi - Blood
2008 · Movie
Gu Gu, the Cat
2008 · Movie
Tamami: The Baby's Curse
2008 · Movie
Cat-Eyed Boy
2006 · Movie
God's Left Hand, Devil's Right Hand
2006 · Movie
Tokyo Zombie
2005 · Movie
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Snake Girl
2005 · Movie
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Death Make
2005 · Movie
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Present
2005 · Movie
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: The Wish
2005 · Movie
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Diet
2005 · Movie
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: House of Bugs
2005 · Movie
Yaji & Kita: The Midnight Pilgrims
2005 · Movie
Gaki no Tsukai No Laughing Batsu Game
2003 · Series
Gozamareji
2003 · Movie
Long Love Letter
2002 · Series
Baptism of Blood
1996 · Movie
Drifting School
1995 · Movie
Kazuo Umezu's Terror Zone: Horror!
1993 · Movie
Monster Heaven: Ghost Hero
1990 · Movie
The Curse of Kazuo Umezu
1990 · Movie
The Drifting Classroom
1987 · Movie
Monster Heaven
1986 · Movie
Monday Drama Land: Akuma-kun
1986 · Movie
Evil Heart
1985 · Movie
Gal 10 Island
1983 · Movie
Makoto-chan
1980 · Movie
Cat-Eyed Boy
1976 · Series
A Remodeled Beauty
1975 · Movie
The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch
1968 · Movie
Hoodlum Soldier
1965 · Movie