Kotaro Tanaka was a literary giant and the adaptation of Gama no Chi is a masterpiece. However Kotaro Tanakas legacy is relatively unknown in the Western world. There is no Wikipedia page about him the only available biography is in Czech on a remote webpage. The gripping and ghastly tales by Tanaka considered by many literary experts as the Godfather of Japanese ghost stories can only be accessed in Czech and Italian languages. Gama no Chi also known as The Toads Blood is just one of many haunting horror tales based on folklore written by Tanaka 1880 1941. He initially worked as an assistant teacher and journalist before moving to Tokyo at the beginning of the 20th century. There he authored a part of his work in the Meiji Hanshin Day 1912 which focused on the rebellious lords of the Meiji period. He was wellversed in Chinese and he translated from Chinese and wrote biographies of famous individuals. Additionally he had a separate column in the literary magazine Chuo Koron where he collected ghostly and mysterious kaidan stories and ancient legends. These stories were later published in several collections such as Kaidan zenshu 1928 and Shina kaidan zenshu 1931. His novel Sempu jidai 192933 delved into the behindthescenes politics of the former Tosa clan of southern Shikoku during the Meiji Restoration period. He was known for his unique style in popular literature taishu bungaku which was influenced by the restraint of Chinese literature and the elegance of haiku poetry. In 1940 he was honoured with the Kikuchi Kan Prize for his lifes work. Source: legie.info I read Gama no Chis original story which is collected into Kuroameshu and can be legally read for free in Japanese on various platforms. Such a literary giant could not be ignored by Kondou Youko a mangaka known for literary adaptations and original work. Her recent work Takaoka Shinnou Koukaiki was nominated for the 26th Tezuka Award and is an adaptation of a story by the late Shibusawa Tatsuhiko. Kondousenseis style draws from Josei and Gekiga old style reminiscent of Lady Snowblood or Sasori. Her style which made Gama no chi more gripping is essentially an ode to the 70s. After an evening of drinking Mishima Yuzuru leaves his seniors house to go home. While on his way to catch the train he remembers and agonizes over reuniting with a beautiful and mysterious lady he met a few days prior who is staying at his apartment. He wants her to be his bride. However a woman hidden in an alley stops him and forces him to help her beginning a claustrophobic tale of terror. The constant tension as a reader is palpable and we feel the inescapable route that Mishima is on. When Mishima is brought to the house of the lady seeking help a labyrinthine game of terror starts and we along with Mishima feel desperate. What is the secret behind the house? Will Mishima be able to escape it? Kondou Senseis panelling and use of shadows give the sense of claustrophobia we feel trapped like underwater in a small submarine unable to find a way out. All this while agonizing over our future bride. But who was this bride? Gama no Chi is a gem in both literary and manga forms. Unfortunately both the manga and the original writer are somewhat overlooked by Western publishers. Hopefully someone will translate it into English one day as it deserves nothing but praise. As for Tanaka Kotarou there are various fan translations available online. Additionally if you speak multiple languages like me you can find a collection in Czech and Italian. Once there was an English collection by him called: Lantern: Japanese Ghost Storieshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33258537lantern but is nowhere to be found. Dont miss out on this.