Overview

"In Edo-period Japan, readers relished works known as kibyōshi that combined text and illustration on the same page, much like comic books and manga. Monsters often took center stage in these stories. This book presents a selection of Edo monster comics in English for the first time, introducing readers to a captivating, humorous, and eye-opening genre of popular fiction. The River Imp and the Stinky Jewel and Other Tales collects five kibyōshi published between 1778 and 1807, chosen for both entertainment value and stylistic variety. Their authors reinvent traditional Japanese monsters as contemporary characters who mirror the foibles of the human world. They tell stories such as: The lover of the long-necked rokuro-kubi makes a ridiculous attempt to rescue her from her human captor. A mischievous river creature steals a jewel lodged deep inside a boy's buttocks, setting off a curious chain of events involving a historical samurai and a real-life ""fart man."" A demon girl from hell is sent to the world of the living in order to destroy a sacred Buddhist statue-but things don't go quite as she plans. Exploring the grotesque, comic, bumbling, salacious, and charming world of these creatures, the stories also provide a glimpse into the society and culture of Edo-period Japan through the monsters' distorted lens. The kibyōshi are reproduced in their entirety, conveying the feel of the original comics and allowing readers to experience the full visual impact of the monsters."

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9780231209724

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Reviews

Adam Kabat’s The River Imp and the Stinky Jewel and Other Tales is a fantastic book (pun intended). A tour de force of beautifully chosen supernatural images, fine translation, and excellent analysis, the book documents the extraordinary variety of Japanese fantasy creatures. A pleasure to read with its wonderful, creepy and imaginative range of illustrations. -- Susan Napier, author of <i>Miyazakiworld: A Life in Art</i> The River Imp and the Stinky Jewel and Other Tales is a monstrously fine volume. Featuring annotated translations of five playfully illustrated comic classics, it brings to life the riotously fantastic world of the Japanese popular imagination. Adam Kabat is the foremost English-speaking authority on early-modern Japanese monster culture, and his work here is sure to delight students, specialists, and general readers alike. -- Keller Kimbrough, coeditor of <i>Monsters, Animals, and Other Worlds: A Collection of Short Medieval Japanese Tales</i> Kabat’s playful, masterful translation, complete with beautifully reproduced illustrations, offers the best possible introduction to the wondrous world of early modern Japanese monster comics. From tofu boy to demon girl and cat monster, curious, strange creatures fill these short stories, delights for both the eye and the mind. -- Satoko Shimazaki, author of <i>Edo Kabuki in Transition: From the Worlds of the Samurai to the Vengeful Female Ghost</i> A fascinating and accessible introduction to kibyōshi and to the weird, witty world of Edo-period monsters. Each story is impeccably translated, and Kabat’s expert commentaries elucidate the rich word play, topical references, and historical contexts. This is great literary scholarship, and a fun, humorous—and often ribald—reading experience! -- Michael Dylan Foster, author of <i>The Book of Yōkai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore</i> An excellent English-language collection of late 18th century Japanese-monster kibyoshi picture stories disseminated originally in Japanese in booklet form. It acts as a thorough primer on a great many of these monster characters like the famous cucumber-loving kappa to the proto-uncanny valley tofu boy. * Metropolis Japan * Great fun, and surprisingly informative, Kabat’s work is recommended for anyone with an interest in Japanese monster culture. -- Tony Malone * Tony's Reading List * Valuable for its interesting treatment of a relatively untouched subject. * Choice Reviews *

The River Imp and the Stinky Jewel and Other Tales is a monstrously fine volume. Featuring annotated translations of five playfully illustrated comic classics, it brings to life the riotously fantastic world of the Japanese popular imagination. Adam Kabat is the foremost English-speaking authority on early-modern Japanese monster culture, and his work here is sure to delight students, specialists, and general readers alike. -- Keller Kimbrough, coeditor of <i>Monsters, Animals, and Other Worlds: A Collection of Short Medieval Japanese Tales</i>

Author Information

Adam Kabat is professor emeritus of Japanese literature at Musashi University. He is the author of numerous books in Japanese on monsters in kibyōshi.

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