In recent years, one genre of horror that has been gaining attention is "fake documentary." Unlike the true ghost stories that I specialize in, this is a production technique that tells fictional events in documentary format, as the name suggests, and the story is constructed based on "fictional sources" such as newspaper articles, videotapes, and internet posts. Although it is fundamentally fictional, when it is told in documentary format, the audience feels that "it really happened." The "realistic feel" that is not available in most fictional horror is probably at the heart of this boom.

We often hear about the "horror boom," but isn't horror popular in every era? For some reason, humans love horror.

As you say, there probably won't be a time in human history when there is no horror at all. However, there are many different types of horror, and the genres that attract attention change with the times. There are times when original and profound horror stories like those by Stephen King (※2) are popular, and there are times when people want realism like true ghost stories. Fake documentaries themselves are not actually new, and were established in the 1980s. As a horror work in this genre, the film "Jaganrei" is a pioneering work.

What is the significance of enjoying something that seems real rather than the real thing? Is there something about true ghost stories that doesn't satisfy you?

While there is a sense that "it can only be enjoyed if it is something that actually happened," there is also a sense that "it can be enjoyed safely because it is a fiction that looks like it actually happened." Furthermore, the current situation in which it is becoming more difficult to distinguish between "real" and "fake" in the real world must also have had a significant impact on the boom.

Social media has a big influence. Now that we can collect the voices of many different people, the information we receive is a mixture of real and fake.

People see things differently. By changing your perspective, real and fake can be reversed. Now that the line between real and fake has become blurred, this exquisite combination is gaining popularity.

There are some spooky episodes. For example, the story about the Romanian painter Brauner's "Self-Portrait" is a true ghost story.

The painting is painted with a realistic touch, and one eye appears to be gouged out and bleeding. Apparently, he expressed it this way because he felt that a "normal self-portrait would be boring," but what is noteworthy is the tragedy that occurred seven years later. Brownel happened to be present at a fight between friends, and a shard of flying glass pierced his left eye, forcing him to have the eye removed. In other words, the self-portrait that was supposed to be fiction became reality.

It's a scary story. Speaking of "ghost stories related to paintings," The Crying Boy from the UK in the 1980s is famous. It was a mass-produced painting that was displayed in many homes in the UK, but in a certain area where fires were frequent, rumors spread that the painting always survived the fire when the fire brigade rushed to the scene. When the tabloid magazine "The Sun" picked up on the story, rumors spread that it was a "cursed painting," and a large number of "Crying Boys" were sent back to the manufacturer, who burned them down... This is what happened. When you hear this story, the work certainly seems creepy, but the artist himself did not paint it as a scary painting. There is a mystery to be found in this kind of thing.

Among the paintings introduced in "Scary Paintings," Brownell's "Self-Portrait" is a curveball. Many of his other works do not depict any frightening elements at first glance. The concept of this book is that by digging deeper, you will realize that they are "actually scary."

The interesting thing about this work is that the horror is not obvious at first glance. Edgar Degas's "Etoile, or Dancer on the Stage" doesn't look scary at first glance.

It looks like a beautiful painting of a dancer.

However, if you look closely, you will notice a man in a black evening gown standing behind her. This man is actually the patron of the Etoile. We modern people tend to think that "ballerinas become famous through talent," but back then, patrons had a lot of influence.

When you understand the historical background, the meaning of the man and the expression of the dancer take on a completely different appearance.

It must have been obvious to people at the time. But it is incomprehensible to us today. This gap in the historical context is what makes it so scary. And that fear is also one of the attractions of art appreciation.

The appeal of "Scary Paintings" is that you look at the picture, read the explanation, and then look at the picture again, and you still feel "scary." The greatest pleasure is that it is just one picture. Because the story is so condensed, great dynamism is born when the way it looks changes.

"Infant murder" is a theme depicted in myths around the world. In Greek and Roman mythology, Saturn (Cronos) kills his father Uranus, who leaves a prophecy in his final moments that "you too will be killed by your own children." Terrified, Saturn swallows each child born afterwards, one by one. In the end, he is killed by his sixth child, Jupiter (Zeus). The theme of Saturn, "a parent eating his child," has been depicted by many artists in later generations.

The pattern of fathers being killed for banishing their children is seen all over the world, reflecting the underlying fears of fathers.

The root of this fear may be the change of power. When the eldest son of a king grows into a capable adult, the father feels that his "status is threatened." This real-world psychology is likely expressed in mythology. On the other hand, there is also the pattern of a mother killing her child. This is rooted in the psychology of an era before contraception, when women felt they "couldn't raise a child." There is something sad about this, and the nature of the fear is different.

Even in Japan, before the Edo period, infanticide of newborns was not considered as serious a crime as it is today. It was probably seen as a form of birth control that was unavoidable in order to make a living. However, since it involves killing babies immediately after birth, when they should be protected, it is naturally something that should be avoided. This subtle feeling seems like a ghost story to modern people who believe that "infanticide is an absolute evil." Personally, I also think that infanticide is the greatest fear in the modern world. The social values of each era probably also affect how scary it is.

Speaking of fears unique to the West, the most representative one is probably the "Devil." In the West, where the dualism of good and evil is widespread, there is an extreme fear of "giving in to the temptation of the Devil." If you give in to temptation, you yourself will become evil. Those who fall into evil will have their souls taken away after death. That's the way of thinking.

This is quite a different feeling from Japan, where people are afraid of ghosts and vengeful spirits.

Religious views are also different. Even within Christianity, there have been conflicts between Catholics and Protestants that have escalated into war. The fear that is unique to monotheism is difficult for Japanese people, who are accustomed to polytheistic values, to understand.

As we get closer to modern times, I think religious piety is fading. However, when you watch Hollywood movies, you can still feel that the Christian spirit is deeply rooted in the culture.

The scary thing about Japan is the idea of "karma." Vengeful spirits have an aspect of being a tool to tell the past, and have played an important role throughout history. In the Nara period, Nagayanoou, who committed suicide as a result of a conspiracy by the Fujiwara clan, is said to have become an epidemic that ravaged the world, and Sugawarano Michizane, who was demoted to Dazaifu, became a god of thunder and attacked the Imperial Court. Someone must have wondered if their political decisions were to blame, and began to fear this phenomenon as a curse. Then, by worshiping them, people hoped that they would protect themselves and their country. The object of fear is not a god, but a real living person, but this idea would not come from Western monotheism.

Is the fear of karma still present in the present day?

Ghost stories about karma were prominent until the beginning of the Meiji era. For example, there are many modern Japanese who would not accept a ghost story that says, "Something bad happened to me. It's because I did something bad in my previous life."

That's true (laughs).

Many modern people do not believe much in the concept of reincarnation itself, and do not find their identity in it. In modern Japan, ties to ancestors and communities have become weaker, and concepts of self and individuality have developed. And when ties to the community and kinship are no longer a part of identity, the only thing people can rely on is parents and children. This may be the background to why child murder is still such a big fear today...

I think it's because of a certain romanticism. It could be the hope that "there may actually be an 'other side' to the world we live in," or a longing for "somewhere other than here." I don't know if that is the afterlife or another dimension. But I think that behind the desire for ghost stories lies a psychological desire to experience another world.

I think people want to experience something "out of the ordinary." Get away from your everyday life for just a little while and experience something out of the ordinary. Then, when you come back, you'll feel like you're back, and your everyday life will feel even stronger. That kind of content will be in demand in any era. On the other hand, there are people who flatly deny horror and occult phenomena, saying that they're all "misunderstandings," but there's nothing romantic about that in itself (laughs).

People like that are actually very sensitive to fear. They have more fear than most people, so they can't do it unless they shut themselves down. I don't have any psychic powers, and I only approach ghosts from a distance, like I'd like to see them if I could. But maybe that's why I'm able to work as an expert.

Truth itself is something that is perceived differently by the viewer. Because each person has their own perspective, the way we perceive fear is diverse and interesting. This is also why we can enjoy the horror of different regions and eras.

I also find it interesting that ghost stories and paintings can be viewed differently depending on your prior knowledge. Even events that may seem innocuous at first glance may actually be frightening. Why not try looking at familiar events and artworks from various angles?