Published on March 9th, 2023
The world of horror manga is often filled with terrifying monsters, gruesome deaths, and unthinkable acts of violence. But even within this genre, there are certain taboos that are rarely breached. One such taboo is cannibalism. It’s not something you see every day, and for a good reason. Cannibalism is an act so heinous and unthinkable that it strikes fear into the hearts of even the bravest horror fans.
Today, we’ll explore a horror manga that’s not for the faint of heart. Although it’s not widely known, those who have read or heard of it have been left deeply disturbed. Join us as we take a closer look at this spine-chilling work. However, we must give a final warning to those who are easily scared.
Sydsnap, a popular Japanese YouTuber, recently shared with her fans about a manga series called “Sagawa”. This manga is written by a man named Issei Sagawa, who unfortunately committed a horrible real-life crime.
The story of Sagawa manga is about Issei Sagawa’s experience when he went to France for higher education and met a Dutch student named Renee Hartevelt, who was interested in him because of his voice (his French accent). Issei became obsessed with her and eventually invited her over to his home, where he tragically killed her.
Issei Sagawa was interested in Renee Hartevelt from the beginning and invited her over to his home one day. However, instead of sharing his poem with her as he had done before, Issei had a terrible plan in mind. He unexpectedly shot Renee from behind with his rifle while she was sipping her tea.
After Issei Sagawa ki**ed Renee, he committed a horrifying act of c*nnibalism by consuming parts of her body. He even wrote and drew a manga series describing the taste and texture of the different parts he ate. Additionally, he violated her body after her passing and was taken aback when he heard what appeared to be a breath emanating from her. He cut and stored the body in the fridge after one day to prevent the body from spoiling.
After the incident, Issei Sagawa consumed parts of Renee’s body for several days. He prepared the body parts in various ways and wrote about the taste and texture of each part in his manga. He kept eating Renee’s body parts for the next few days by cooking them in different seasonings.
Many other details are also mentioned in the manga, but they are too gruesome to be even mentioned. The manga hasn’t been published in English, and the Japanese volumes are in minute quantity, which can be bought online for hundreds of dollars. You can find some panels of this manga online.
Also Read: 15 Anime That Are Banned In Different Countries
What Happened when Issei Sagawa was caught?
When the French Police caught him, he was deemed legally insane and was sent back to Japan to stay in a psychological institute for the rest of his life. But because he had a father who was a bureaucrat, he didn’t serve his time in the psychological ward and was freed as soon as he left Japan. Crazy, right?
After that, he became famous as a minor celebrity featured in many Japanese Television shows where he bragged about his experience with c*nnibalism. He was featured in the show (Unfaithful Wife: Shameful Torture) where his occupational background was revealed as a nude painter.
He died in November 2022 due to pneumonia, and now, only his literature remains, which consists of this manga and many other books.
The reaction of Anime Fans
Anime and Manga fans were horrified to learn even about the existence of a manga like this. Sydsnap YouTube video generate quite a few interesting comments like:
- “It is probably the most revolting thing I’ve ever read.”
- “I stopped reading after just 4 seconds.”
- “This person should have been punished.”
- “What is wrong with this person?”
- “Light Yagami was right,” referencing the character from Death Note who wanted to eliminate criminals without detection.
It is important to be aware of the content we consume and consider its impact on our mental health and well-being. While some may find this manga intriguing or fascinating, it is essential to remember the horrific and traumatic nature of the crime that it is based on.