Death Agony / The Cursed Descendant / Raigoro-chan

This commemorative anthology marks the twentieth installment of the Daimansai Kidan series, returning to its origins with Shouji Hashimoto, the author behind the inaugural volume. The collection opens with the title story "Danmatsuma" by Saburou Tsuyuki, featuring cover art by Shigeru Mizuki. Originally compiled in the volume "Kiseijin," this relentless tale follows a deranged criminal psychologist and is permeated with agonizing screams from beginning to end. It remains one of the most elusive and quintessential publications in Togetsu Shobou's catalog. The anthology continues with "Norowareta Shison," a timeless revenge drama by Hashimoto. Previously hidden under his real name and the pseudonym Kiyoshi Tanigawa within the "Kaidan Ishikozume" collection, this piece stands as a compelling narrative of retribution. Concluding the volume are three short-to-medium-length stories centered on Raigoro-chan, Hashimoto’s eccentric reinterpretation of the classic Momotaro legend. In these tales, Goro-chan, a boy born of thunder, delivers punishment to the wicked. While not strictly classified as horror, these uniquely unconventional stories showcase an extraordinary approach to folklore that defies traditional genre boundaries.