PART 4 of 52 ONESHOTS in 52 WEEKS
出水ぽすか×白井カイウの『心霊写真師鴻野三郎』 “Shinrei Shashinshi Kouno Saburou” by DEMIZU Posuka & SHIRAI Kaiu
Artist Posuka Demizu and writer Kaiu Shirai are a well known mangaka duo, most recognised for their shounen series The Promised Neverland, which began in 2016 and concluded in 2020, spanning a total of 20 volumes. Rather infamously, the manga received a two season anime adaptation, the first of which was hailed as one of the best anime series of the year, and the second of which was regarded as one of the worst, with many fans decrying it for skipping arcs and altering the original plot.
The authors have yet to debut a much anticipated new series, but continue to collaborate on oneshots, six of which are collected in an anthology titled Beyond The Promised Neverland. Originally released in Japan in 2021, this collection has since been printed in several languages, including in English last year. It brings together a two-part tale about a toaster turned robot boy, two oneshots related to The Promised Neverland, an action-packed sci-fi story about a genius middle-school girl, and a mystery horror titled Shinrei Shashinshi Kouno Saburou, which I’ll be looking at today.
Sota Koganei is a dejected young student, often found skipping school. Left alone at home with his mother working long hours, Sota passes the time playing video games, but his interest is piqued when he hears a new tenant moving into the apartment next door. The neighbouring home is supposedly haunted, with all previous occupants fleeing the scene after encountering a ghost. Just as Sota begins to wonder how long the new tenant will last, his new neighbour knocks at his door. The tall man with a sinister smile introduces himself as Saburo Kono; a photographer who purposely rented the apartment, hoping to capture a snap of the ghost. Sota is roped into helping the man, who says the ghost hasn’t shown up, but Sota quickly realises he may have been led into a trap.
Spirit Photographer Saburo Kano, as it is known in English, is a tale of two halves — the first is an eerie and mysterious scenario that evokes a similar feeling to the 1990s TV series Goosebumps, growing ever ominous toward what seems a haunting climax, with the indomitable Saburo Kano an exciting and frightening presence. But it swaps tact half way through, with a twist that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise if you’ve read enough manga. Trading horror for drama, the story ventures down an emotional route, with the young Sota revealing his experiences with bullying and loneliness.
At around 45 pages in length, the plot comes together in a way that is worthwhile enough, with an uplifting and wholesome ending, but it develops some generic traits and doesn’t diverge far from any other ‘spirit put to rest’ manga. When it comes to character, Sota is a bit of a conundrum; at the beginning he’s a rather scatty and hard to read person, who is revealed to be harbouring some deep trauma as part of the ‘twist’ half way through. The resolution to this more pensive and mournful side of him is fairly straightforward, and resultantly his disposition and characterisation feel somewhat clunky. While some effort is made to portray complex and nuanced themes, unfortunately they are nonetheless oversimplified. I can’t help but wonder at how much more creative and well-rounded the alternative horror story would have been, had the oneshot stuck to its initial impression.
On the other end, dressed like a possessed Inspector Gadget, with a gnawing smile and thick dreadlocks, it is Saburo Kano’s character that is the biggest draw. While most of the oneshot is sadly forgettable, Kano’s character, in both personality and design, affords it a lasting magnetism; he’s an enigma who keeps the reader guessing, sporting a creepy and excitable impression. Kaiu Shirai had initially submitted the oneshot for publication alone, but reveals in Beyond The Promised Neverland that it wasn’t accepted because his art was “too shaky.” Posuka Demizu’s lines, in comparison, are thick and assured, coming together to form some remarkable spreads and distinct panels. All-in-all the oneshot ends as a bit of a missed opportunity, with an electrifying first half that I wish had developed into the haunting tale teased on the title page.
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Morning, Roo 