Graphic Novel Review: ONINBO & the BUGS from HELL by Hideshi Hino

Nothing says horror like Hideshi Hino who has produced over 150 graphic novels in the horror genre of which Oninbo & the Bugs From Hell is but one (this volume has been reprinted as part of the Hino Horror Collection volume 3). The series concerns the childlike demon Oninbo who feeds off the bugs of Hell which are created when people who have experienced something traumatic in their life allow that trauma to overtake them and drive them to the brink of insanity.

When Oninbo senses someone has one of these bugs from Hell growing inside them, he waits and watches as the bug grows and grows eating and tearing apart the inflicted from the inside out. When the time is right Oninbo sneaks into the person and discovers just what trauma the inflicted is suffering and when the bug from Hell is fully grown (and the inflicted has been drawn completely crazy) he comes in to release the bug from the victim in order to eat it. This all sounds actually beneficial for the victim except that Oninbo has complete disregard for the victim. He is only searching out for his next meal.

Each of the stories in this volume start off the same way in which Oninbo searches out his next potential meal and when he comes upon it he waits until the bug from Hell is fully grown before discovering what ails the victim and then releases the bug and eats it. Things only get interesting when Oninbo encounters another demon like him that feasts upon the bugs from Hell and then the two must battle each other over the fate of the bug.

Hino does work that I like and some that I don't. When you're reading his stuff it's always a mixed bag Hino's childlike visual style goes extremely well with the childlike demon Oninbo. Much of Hino's work deals with the youth and younger generations which is why his style is so effective and it comes off as a Japanese version of Grimm's Fairy Tales, which is why he has had such an influence on modern horror manga. If you can stomach Grimm's work then you can stomach Hino's work.