Serialized for 20 years & over 400 issues! Horror? Gag? Interview with author Kouji Matsumoto on where the manga “Higanjima” is headed

A one-of-a-kind worldview…what kind of person is the author?

There are some manga that evoke images of the work by the items themselves, without the characters, such as the sword in “Blade of Demon”, the straw in “One Piece”, and the glasses and bow tie in “Detective Conan”.

Then, when you think of “logs,” do you think of ……?　I think there are more people than you might think who immediately answer “Higanjima”.

Higanjima” is a horror manga by Koji Matsumoto that has been serialized in “Weekly Young Magazine” since 2002. Set on the island of Higanjima, the main character Akira Miyamoto and his brother Atsushi battle against the vampire forces led by the master vampire Masashi.

In 2010, “Higanjima: The Last 47 Days” was followed by “Higanjima: 48 Days Later” in 2002, which continues to this day as “Higanjima: 48 Days Later…”.

The “log,” by the way, has become an internet sensation, with the famous line “You all got the log! It is a useful and powerful item that symbolizes “Higanjima” and appears frequently in the film, such as wielding it with one hand, holding onto it, or attaching it to the end of a light truck with a sharp point.

In addition to the “log,” there are many other symbols that are easily recognizable as “Higanjima,” such as the handwritten “hahaha” and the round glasses, mask, and hoodie of Atsushi, the older brother.

Why is it so original and so full of characters? How did this grotesque horror story with a mysterious worldview that is at the same time a gag, become a long-running series that has continued for more than 20 years? What kind of person is the author?

We decided to interview the author, Koji Matsumoto, and found him to be surprisingly honest, pure, and charming.

I was hoping for 10 volumes or so.” …… “Higanjima” birth story

When I originally finished the previous story (“Coup Club”), I had an assistant who loved zombie movies, and we talked about zombies all the time, so I wanted to draw something like that,” said Kouji Matsumoto about the origin of “Higanjima.

However, he says that he did not have an epic story in mind, and that he “never dreamed that it would become a long-term serialization,” and that he was ” grateful if it could be published in 10 volumes or so.

Although the story’s art and content had a strong impact right from the start, it was not very popular at first, and it was not until the main character’s older brother Atsushi appeared on Higanjima that the response began to reach people’s ears,” Matsumoto said.

The main character’s older brother, Atsushi, is the strongest character and symbol of the film. As mentioned above, his round glasses, mask, and hoodie are also characteristic of him. ……

I didn’t think too much about it. I drew it almost exactly as it appeared in the first book, “Saori,” and I wanted to use it in the right way. I also chose the older brother because I have an older brother myself, so I thought it would be easy to portray him as an older brother.