Nerd Horror Artist Spotlight: Bisuko Ezaki
by Bo Levenstein
Bisuko Ezaki is an illustrator and fashion influencer from Japan who is best known for their creation of Menhera-chan. The character Menhera-chan was first featured in Bisuko’s satire manga series Wrist-Cut Transformation Subculture✡Menhera in 2014, but later grew in popularity for her contrasting creepiness and cuteness. This eventually made Menhera-chan the main inspiration for the fashion subculture and term yamikawaii, which means just that: creepy cute. Bisuko paved the way for this aesthetic by incorporating a variety of themes into their art, such as medical imagery and hospitals, religious symbols, and mental health struggles like self-harm and suicide.
The art of Bisuko Ezaki provides a new perspective on the horror genre. When done well, the juxtaposition of a cute character in a creepy setting—or a cute character engaging in creepy behaviors—has the potential to be very unsettling. In addition, Bisuko’s illustrations unashamedly depict self-harm and objects used in acts of suicide, which can be especially jarring. It’s also important to note how the appearance of such cheerful, bright characters in the context of horror and poor mental health forces viewers to reconsider their perception of even the most chipper people around them.
Check out the carousel of Ezaki’s art below:
