Project Type
Oral Presentation
Publication Date
Spring 4-19-2026
Department or Program
Art and Art History
College
College of Arts & Sciences
Faculty Mentor #1
Dr. Suzie Kim
Abstract
A noticeable uptick in depictions of cannibalism has appearing in the last few years in Japanese manga. It has appeared across several genres of the medium and has given rise to questions over its inclusion. Previous research connected the inclusion to the Japanese oni, a creature originating in Buddhist art, as early as the 8th century in Japan. This article argues that the connection goes beyond simply the oni and also derives inspiration from real cannibals of the 20th century in Japan and theory on monsters. The visual similarities between the historical representations and those of contemporary Japanese manga demonstrates the culture understanding of cannibalism in Japan.