"Ibitsu" by Haruto Ryo

OVERVIEW:

“Would you have a little sister?”

Big brother Onii-Chan takes the trash out one night, only to be spooked by a demented, bedraggled “Lolita” lookalike nightmare come to life. With a defunct simper, the waif asks, “Would you have a little sister?” Thinking of his little sister Haroko at home and confused by the she-ghoul’s sudden appearance amongst the refuse, he answers the unexpected query, in the affirmative… sealing his fate. With this invitation to enter his household, the Lolita begins harassing him, appearing in his bedroom at night, crunching on his sister’s makeup, and force-feeding putrid meals to her beloved Onii-Chan. Realizing that she poses as a threat to his own little sister, Onii-Chan seeks the help of his schoolmates to push out this determined and damaged fiend ….With her tattered wagasa and bloodthirsty leer, her one purpose is to make Onii-Chan her own.

REVIEW:

While this was a new author for me, I was initially intrigued by the cover, which features a straggly-haired girl with a sinister smile. The plot did not disappoint the promise of horror conveyed by the cover. This fast-paced manga kept me going with its aggressive developments from page to page, teasing its audience with the occasional alternate storyline. I would liken this supernatural, bogeyman tale to the realm of urban mythology of the ilk of Ito and Umezz, leaving me putting away my glasses deep into the night and praying this Lolita doesn’t haunt my dreams; and for the love of God, if anyone lurking in the corner of your garbage pile ever asks you “Would you have a little sister,” take a page out of this book and say no!