Like most manga artists, prolific Japanese author Rensuke Oshikiri is pleased whenever his works are adapted into other forms of media. His horror manga, Misumiso, was turned into a 2018 live-action movie of the same name, while Hi Score Girl, a romantic comedy series based around arcade games, became a well-known anime series. However, Oshikiri recently expressed his frustrations regarding the 2024 live-action film adaptation of another one of his horror stories, Sayuri, particularly with the limited influence he had on the project, considering he is both the source material’s creator and was an investor of the movie.
In an interview with Encount, Oshikiri explained how he wanted to play a bigger part in the film’s creative process from the get-go:
“In film, the original creator is usually the least involved in production. They just provide the source material, without having had any intention of adapting it into a visual work in the first place. That’s why I felt a strong desire to actually contribute to the creation of the movie.”
To this end, Oshikiri put up some of his own money to fund the movie on the condition that the producers would let him join the production committee. Given how rare it is for manga artists to be on the production committees for adaptations of their work, he figured that his monetary investment would give him a voice and allow him to contribute to the film creatively.
Unfortunately, this was not the case, as Oshikiri’s vision did not align with the final product. While the original manga focused more on exorcising the poltergeist Sayuri, the movie adds in concepts like child abuse, dividing the audience’s attention between the film’s supernatural and human aspects. There is also a humorous tone to the movie, which is a stark contrast to the manga’s dark and gritty nature. Oshikiri was not happy with these changes, and he says he “complained like crazy” during production, but it doesn’t seem like his voice was heard.
Despite this, Oshikiri does not bear any resentment towards the film’s director or other staff. While he still has doubts about the adaptation, he gradually came to accept it “as a work of its own” after it became a box office hit. “If the film made so many people happy, then perhaps that’s fine too. But it really made me think deeply about what entertainment truly means.”
On the bright side, Oshikiri’s minimal involvement in the Sayuri film adaptation prompted him to take on more directing roles. He had already directed the 2020 original net animation (ONA) The House Spirit Tatami-chan, and is now hard at work directing his own indie film set to release this year.
Outside of being a manga artist and director, Oshikiri is also a horse YouTuber and a band member. According to him, his drive for creating manga isn’t as strong as it once was, as his and others’ interests shift over time.
“Entertainment, especially video content, is just too massive these days. So even if I draw a new manga, I can’t be sure my fans will read it right away. How many people wake up on a Sunday morning thinking, ‘Hey, let’s read some manga!’? On the other hand, there are people who start their day playing videos as soon as soon as they wake up. Facing that reality, I guess my drive for manga has kind of diminished. I just can’t feel that same ‘I’ll draw like crazy and get it out into the world!’ passion as I used to.”
