Ryunosuke Akutagawa's Hell Screen

Ryunosuke Akutagawa (1892-1927) is regarded as the father of the Japanese short story and Japan's most prestigious literary prize, the Akutagawa Prize, is named after him. He wrote over 150 short stories, the most famous of which are Rashomon, In a Grove, Kappa and Hell Screen. He was a great fan of Natsume Soseki, and it was Soseki's praise for his story The Nose that first brought Akutagawa to fame. In 1921, Akutagawa went to China as a newspaper reporter, a stressful experience that damaged his physical and mental health. Although he continued to write after his return to Japan, his health did not improve. He committed suicide at the age of thirty-five.Mihiro (Manga Adaptor) is a is a Japan-based manga artist who specializes in the scary and the offbeat. More of Mihiro's work can be seen on Instagram: @mihiro5884

"Manga artist Mihoro's adaptation is faithful to the text and the author's voice, but the visuals further enhance the storytelling, illustrating the main protagonists' inner conflicts and immersing the reader in the Heian world of the action. Perennial themes of near-demonic sacrifice to a life dedicated to art, and self-preserving and self-serving deception, remain thought-provoking long after the short tale has ended." —Kyoto Journal