Ghost Book of the Week - Ghosts in the House!

I was in the Japanese bookstore several weeks ago, killing time as I am wont to do when I chanced upon the most charming ghost book called Ghosts in the House! I was captivated by the cute cover illustration and the fact that it was about ghosts. The book cast a magical spell over me, such that once I read the first page, I couldn't stop until I had read the whole book. Unbelievable is right, a whole book in one standing!

Ghosts in the House! is a charming book about a young girl and her cat who move into a house only to find that it is haunted. But she is no ordinary girl, so she makes the best of what could be a bad situation and ... well, you really should read it. The story is fun and not at all scary, and the book is full of wonderfully conceived illustration by Kazuno Kohara in an art style reminiscent of block printing.

I enjoyed the book so much that I bought it to read to my niece, but so far I've only read it to myself, multiple times. It never gets tiresome and always cheers me up. If you're looking for an excellent read about ghosts, then check out Ghosts in the House!

Ghosts in the House!
Kazuno Kohara
Roaring Book Press: 32pp., $12.95

Yokai of the Week Special Edition – Yokai Book of the Week

Another book you say? And about yokai no less? Well, this book is special to me, since I worked on it. While working at company B, there was one title I really looked forward to working on, and it wasn't the one where the half-vampire, half-werewolf guy turns into a girl during a full moon (Suck on that Twihards). No, it was a manga called Kon Kon Kokon, and it is about a young boy who is a yokai otaku.

The book features an original story and cutesy artwork by Koge-Donbo. And it also features yokai, oodles and oodles of yokai. In fact, many of the yokai I've highlighted can be found in Kon Kon Kokon.

The story follows Ren, a young boy from the boonies, who transfers to a school in the city. It is there that he hopes to reinvent himself as one of the cool kids and impress his crush, Himeka. But Ren hides a dark secret—well, maybe not so dark—he loves yokai. As luck would have it, along comes Kokon, a mysterious young girl who claims that she has returned to Ren to make good on her promise. But what is that promise? Go find a copy of the book and check it out.

But be forewarned: the book is out of print, and there is only the one volume available. Sadly the powers that be shut down company B, and Koge-Donbo has been busy with other projects. I hope she returns to the series at some point. since I would like to read more about Ren and his yokai adventures. If anyone is interested in reading Kon Kon Kokon, I snagged several copies before company B closed. And if you're lucky, I just might autograph it for you.

Kon Kon Kokon
Koge-Donbo
Broccoli Books: 224pp., $10
Out of print

こんこんここん
こげどんぼ
Comi Digi + Comics: 196pp., ¥590

Yokai of the Week Special Edition – Yokai Book of the Week

Something quite remarkable happened this morning: I actually finished a book—not a serious book, like Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind or Leo Tolsoy’s War and Peace, as that would be some sort of miracle—but a book nonetheless.

Sister C recently went up to San Francisco to visit brother G, and she bought me this wonderful book about yokai titled Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide. It is written by a husband and wife duo by the names of Matt Alt and Hiroko Yoda, and published by Kodansha International. The book contains illustrations by manga artist Tatsuya Morino accompanied by detailed descriptions of more than 40 different yokai, including a few of my favorites.

The book isn’t a definitive resource for yokai information, nor does it purport itself to be. What it is, though, is a well researched overview of some of the most popular yokai in Japan today. The authors draw from a number of famous yokai resources, including several of 18th century artist/satirist Sekien Toriyama’s researched works, the writings of Lafcadio Hearn, and other centuries-old firsthand accounts. The book offers physical descriptions of each yokai in addition to their powers (if they have any), habitats, weaknesses, and history.

Aside from being informative, Yokai Attack! is meant to be practical as well, offering various ways to survive encounters with each of the yokai listed in the book. For instance, should you run into a kappa, you can bow deeply forcing the kappa to return the favor thereby draining the water, and strength, from its head-dish. Or you can toss it a cucumber, granted you have one, as they love cucumbers. This information alone makes the book invaluable, should you ever take a trip to Japan.

I highly recommend Yokai Attack! to yokai fans new and old. It is rare enough to find books on yokai in English, and Yokai Attack! offers a very solid overview of yokai and makes a great introduction to yokai and Japanese culture.

Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide
Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt
Illustrations by Tatsuya Morino
Kodansha International: 192pp., $15