Kazuo Umezu or Kazuo Umezz (楳図 かずお, Umezu Kazuo, birth name 楳図一雄), (born September 3, 1936 in Kōya, Wakayama Prefecture, raised in Gojō , Nara Prefecture) is an author of Japanese horror and other manga, as well as a musician and actor.
He had his first book of manga published while still in high school and made manga his career immediately upon graduation. After moving to Tokyo in 1962 he developed his detailed horror manga style and has since published his comics in every genre from horror fiction to science fiction to humour. He won the 20th Shogakukan Manga Award in 1974 for The Drifting Classroom.
Bibliography
| Title | English | Start | End | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romansu no Kusuri (ロマンスの薬) | 1962 | |||
| Benigumo (紅グモ) | 1965 | 1966 | ||
| Hangyojin (半魚人) | 1965 | |||
| Hibiware Ningen (ひびわれ人間) | 1966 | |||
| Hebi Onna (へび女) | Reptilia | 1966 | ||
| Urutoraman (ウルトラマン) | Ultraman | 1966 | 1967 | |
| Nekome Kozō (猫目小僧) | Cat Eyed Boy | 1967 | 1976 | |
| Akanbo Shōjo (赤んぼ少女) | 1967 | |||
| SF Ishoku Tampenshū (SF異色短編集) | 1968 | 1969 | ||
| Kage (映像) | 1968 | |||
| Chō no Haka (蝶の墓) | 1968 | |||
| Osore (おそれ) | 1969 | |||
| Shisha no Kōshin (死者の行進) | ||||
| Orochi (おろち) | Orochi: Blood | 1969 | 1970 | |
| Iara (イアラ) | 1970 | |||
| Kaijū Gyō (怪獣ギョー) | 1971 | |||
| Agein (アゲイン) | Again | 1971 | 1972 | Comedy |
| Hyōryū Kyōshitsu (漂流教室) | The Drifting Classroom | 1972 | 1974 | |
| Senrei (洗礼) | Baptism | 1974 | 1976 | |
| Makoto chan (まことちゃん) | Makoto-chan | 1976 | 1981 | Comedy |
| Watashi wa Shingo (わたしは真悟) | My Name is Shingo | 1982 | 1986 | Science Fiction |
| Kami no Hidarite Akuma no Migite (神の左手悪魔の右手) | God’s Left Hand, Devil’s Right Hand | 1986 | 1988 | |
| Fōtīn (14歳) | Fourteen | 1990 | 1995 | Science fiction |
Filmography
- Nekome Kozo (anime television series)
- Drifting Classroom (movie)
- Blood Baptism (movie)
- Long Love Letter: Drifting Classroom (TV drama)
- Kazuo Umezu’s Horror Theater (6-part TV anthology)
- Snake Girl and the Silver Haired Witch (“Hebimusume to hakuhatsuma”, 蛇娘と白髪魔) (1968) (Daiei/Kadokawa Pictures)
- Mother (film) (director)
Musicals
In 2016, his manga My Name is Shingo was adapted into a musical. It stars Mitsuki Takahata and Mugi Kadowaki as the lead characters and is directed and choreographed by Philippe Decouflé.
