À l'intérieur des yokai

À l'intérieur des yokai — Inside the Yokai

Published by Éditions Cornélius in April 2018, À l'intérieur des yokai collects approximately 85 anatomical cross-section drawings that Shigeru Mizuki produced in the 1960s. The premise is precise and deadpan: if yōkai are real, they require internal organs adapted to their particular capacities. Each drawing renders those organs with the same draftsmanly attention Mizuki brought to his manga backgrounds — detailed, systematic, and entirely straight-faced.

The subjects range across Japanese folklore. Fukurosagé, a tanuki from Nagano Prefecture, is shown to possess a stomach capable of converting food directly into sake. Mannendaké — a bamboo said to be ten thousand years old — uses finger-like appendages resembling syringes to extract the souls of travelers who stray too close. The accompanying texts, written by Mizuki and adapted into French by Jean-Louis Capron for this edition, maintain the same tone as the drawings: matter-of-fact, quasi-scientific, and quietly absurd.

The book belongs to the Collection Solange series and is printed in black and Pantone orange — a restrained palette that suits both the folkloric subject matter and the clinical register of the anatomical format. The binding is hardcover with a cloth spine (couverture cartonnée avec dos toilé), giving the volume a physical weight appropriate to its reference-book posture.

For buyers already familiar with Mizuki's yōkai universe, the related title Mononoke is also available. Those exploring the broader field of artist publications and illustrated books may find further titles in the Artbooks collection.