About Kazuo Umezu

Kazuo Umezu in his natural environment

Born: Aug. 3 1936

Debut: 1955

Kazuo Umezu (Or Umezz) is an odd and very humorous man. His stories are often horrifying, but there is always a touch of humor in them. Some of his stories have more humor than horror, like his Makoto-chan series. He as an obsession with red and white vertical stripes. Even his house is painted in this pattern!

His stories usually are about monsters, inspired by the bedtime stories his father would tell him at night. The horrors of mankind is also a re-occurring theme.  His Drifting Classroom series demonstrates the blending of both themes. He is not afraid to show children in peril or being killed in his manga.

My favorite stories by Kazuo Umezu are the ones about The Cat-Eyed Boy. The Cat-Eyed Boy is the son of a nekomata, but he was abandoned because of his human-like appearance. The boy is  not accepted by the monster world or the human world. His adventures usually involve him being stuck in between, often as a sort of mediator.

Above: A nekomata

Below: The Cat-Eyed Boy

In 1995 he had to retire from comics because of his acute tendinitis. He is still contributing to the creative world, though. He is now involved in television, film, architecture, and even a haunted house.

A commercial for his haunted house that opened in 1995. I would like to visit it!

Information gathered from http://umezz.com/