Kazuo Umezu
Kazuo Umezu or Kazuo Umezz (楳図 かずお, Umezu Kazuo, birth name 楳図一雄; born September 3, 1936) is a Japanese manga artist, musician and actor. Starting his career in the 1950s, he is among the most famous artists of horror manga and has been vital for its development, considered the "god of horror manga". In 1960s shōjo manga like Reptilia, he broke the industry's conventions by combining the aesthetics of the commercial manga industry with gruesome visual imagery inspired by Japanese folktales, which created a boom of horror manga and influenced manga artists of following generations. He created successful manga series such as The Drifting Classroom, Makoto-chan and My Name Is Shingo, until he retired from drawing manga in the mid 1990s. He is also a public figure in Japan, known for wearing red-and-white-striped shirts and doing his signature "Gwash" hand gesture.
Acting
Movie
Tokyo Zombie
as Akiyama / Prince
2005
Movie
Why Horror?
as Self
2014
Movie
The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch
as Taxi Driver
1968
Movie
The Drifting Classroom
as Policeman C (special guest)
1987
Movie
Gu Gu, the Cat
as Umezu
2008
Movie
God's Left Hand, Devil's Right Hand
2006
Movie
Monster Heaven: Ghost Hero
1990
Movie
Yaji & Kita: The Midnight Pilgrims
as Old Man
2005
Movie
Hoodlum Soldier
1965
TV
吉祥寺だけが住みたい街ですか？
as Kazuo Umezu
2016
TV
Gaki no Tsukai No Laughing Batsu Game
as Guest
2003
Movie
Makoto-chan
1980
Movie
Monster Heaven
1986
Movie
Kazuo Umezu's Terror Zone: Horror!
1993
Movie
Kaidan. Strange Stories of Japanese Ghosts
as Himself
2023
Movie
Gozamareji
2003
Movie
Umezu Kazuo no Gyaru 10 Island
as Himself
1983
Movie
月曜ドラマランド 悪魔くん
1986
Crew
Movie
The Curse of Kazuo Umezu
Original Story
1990
Movie
The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch
Original Story
1968
Movie
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Present
Writer
2005
Movie
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: House of Bugs
Original Story
2005
Movie
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: The Wish
Original Story
2005
Movie
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Death Make
Original Story
2005
Movie
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Diet
Original Story
2005
Movie
Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater: Snake Girl
Original Story
2005
Movie
The Drifting Classroom
Novel
1987
Movie
Orochi - Blood
Comic Book
2008
Movie
God's Left Hand, Devil's Right Hand
Novel
2006
TV
Long Love Letter
Novel
2002