Akatarou Kidan

The year is Showa 35. In a desolate District A (A地区) on the outskirts of Tokyo, dotted with rice paddies and fields, a series of random attacks targeting women returning home at night is taking place. All the victims claim that a bizarre toddler sucked their fresh blood...

This is the story of Akatarou, a monstrous child who, burdened by past karma, possesses the mind of a toddler within the body of a 16-year-old and survives by feeding on human blood. Known as a legendary, controversial work, the number of extant original copies is extremely low, making it extremely difficult to read. Surprisingly, that character also makes an appearance.

The market price for the original is the highest ever recorded in the Kaiki Kashihon Kidan series. Also included is the equally bizarre work Jigoku no Eshi, the story of a man obsessed with creating hellish paintings.

(Source: Mandarake, translated)