Shintaro Kago (駕籠 真太郎 ) is a guro manga artist. He debuted in 1988 on the magazine COMIC BOX.

Transmission 007: Interview with Shintaro Kago

• Master of the Grotesque: Shintaro Kago is a pioneer of the “ero-guro” genre, using extreme body horror and surrealism to explore human nature and societal taboos.
• Experimental Narrative: Beyond shocking imagery, Kago is celebrated for “experimenting with cartoon expression,” often breaking the fourth wall and dismantling traditional manga panel structures.
• Global Cultural Impact: From his 1988 debut to his 2014 collaboration with Flying Lotus, Kago has transitioned from a niche underground artist to an international icon of “fashionable paranoia.”

He illustrated both a cover and numerous articles under the title Kagomaniacs for VICE magazine. In 2014, he was contacted by Flying Lotus to create illustrations for the album You’re Dead! The cover, as well as original artwork for each song on the album, was created by Shintaro Kago. Additional illustrations were used in the accompanying live show.

His style is marked by a limitless drive for experimentation. In his stories, he addresses extreme themes while developing his own visual language. He adds elements of strangeness, self-reflection, and formal experimentation, creating surreal and distorted visual sequences. His work combines horror and satire, featuring vivid colors and dark undertones, often focusing on societal anxiety—always with a touch of humor.

In addition to his short experimental and surreal manga, he has also written science fiction stories, including Super-Conductive Brains Parataxis, serialized in Weekly Young Jump magazine. His broad range of activity also includes involvement in independent cinema, toy design, and illustration.

Official site | Instagram | Interview with Shintaro Kago in Japanese

What were the biggest challenges you faced at the beginning of your career?

I made my debut in 1988, but for about a decade, my comics weren’t read by many people. My first book, which was published around 1999, finally gained a large number of readers.

What do you like most about your job? What are the greatest satisfactions?

My greatest satisfaction is a 16-page manga called The Creation of the People. Abroad, the manga is called Abstraction.

I would always find myself laughing at things that were taboo to laugh at” – Shintaro Kago

How do you keep your creativity and inspiration alive?

Mainly by watching movies, reading comics and books, listening to music, having conversations with people, following the news, and more.

What is the most difficult part when you start a new graphic composition? How do you deal with it, and how do you overcome possible creative blockages?

For example, the most difficult part is when I have to work on album artwork. It is very difficult to respond to these kinds of requests precisely.

Eroticism and decadence, grotesque, dark, and absurd surrealism coexist simultaneously with originality.

Besides passion and determination, what are the main and most important qualities that helped you move forward in your career? What kept you inspired and motivated all this time?

The content of my manga is particular and not accepted in the mainstream. At first, I struggled with how to bring my work to readers. However, once my manga became somewhat accepted, I wanted to develop it further in new directions—for example, making independent films or organizing exhibitions.

Images train us to think: to see many different points of reality, to break it down and reassemble it. What life difficulties and lessons has your job taught you so far? What do you hope your audience understands from your works?

I often draw erotic and grotesque themes, which are often not accepted by the public. Many people believe that grotesque or violent content can influence viewers and lead to real incidents (e.g., murders, etc.). Because of this, expressions in comics are sometimes restricted. This has happened to my manga projects as well, some of which were stopped.

Monty Python’s films and series have had a strong influence and have been a point of inspiration in bringing about the coexistence of humor, quirky horror, and bizarre eroticism.

You are considered an “ero-guro” and “kisou mangaka” artist. Do you think these definitions fit your creative identity, or do they limit your artistic ideas and potential?

I think the most important thing is the concept. “Experimenting with the cartoon expression” is one of them. Eroticism is also an important form of expression. I like it, but it is only one of many “strange thoughts” or fantasies.

Do you think the new generations overcome prejudices and taboos more easily than those of the past? What do you think has changed since you started? What are the advantages or limitations?

Compared to decades ago, the taboos and prejudices that were once common seem to be fading. Of course, there are taboos and prejudices that won’t disappear easily. And even if the old ones vanish, new taboos and prejudices will eventually emerge.

Shintaro Kago manipulates his narrative to show and tell his story the way he wants the reader to see it. He controls what he wants to be seen and what is left to the public’s imagination.

In the age of social media, do you think that world cultural differences have leveled off?

In the age of social media, I think it is necessary to find new ways to express ourselves.
But on the other hand, analog media (e.g., paper publications, not digital ones) will remain unchanged.

He has also written Sci-Fi non-guro manga, most notably Super-Conductive Brains Parataxis (超伝脳パラタクシスChoutennou Paratakushisu) for Weekly Young Jump.

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you have given to the young yourself?

I don’t have any advice.

Illustration & Artwork courtesy of Shintaro Kago

Dominique Musorrafiti

Ciao! My name is Dominique. I’m Italian and I’m proud to be a mix. My father was an Italian chemical engineer and high school teacher, with Greek and Polish heritage. My mother is Haitian, she was high school language teacher, with Dominican, Spanish, French, Portuguese, African and Native American heritage. Being a mix makes me appreciate to want to understand different cultures and lifestyles. I grew up in Italy, lived few years in Haiti, travel around main European capitals, lived many years in China, in Spain and UK. Traveling makes me feel that we can learn something from every situation in every part of the world.