Tokyo, Japan – Rokakoen, the acclaimed author of the “Festival of Heresies” light novel series, will see their novel Ganka wa Kurai Keiōsen Desu (Below is the Dark Keio Line) adapted into a manga. The manga adaptation, featuring art by tomto, is set to debut on October 17 on Futabasha’s Web Action platform.
A Dive into Emotional Horror
The Ganka wa Kurai Keiōsen Desu novel, which first debuted in August 2024, is an emotional horror series. It centers on a young girl who finds herself attracting a peculiar phenomenon and a young man who is actively seeking out supernatural occurrences. This premise suggests a narrative rich in mystery, suspense, and perhaps psychological depth, characteristic of Rokakoen’s previous works.
The Creator Behind the Story: Rokakoen
Rokakoen is known for their distinctive storytelling, particularly within the horror and supernatural genres. Their “Festival of Heresies” light novel series has garnered international attention, with Yen Press publishing the English translation. The “Festival of Heresies” introduces Emi Shimamoto, a young woman unable to differentiate between the living and the dead, leading her into a world of cults, family secrets, and the paranormal. This established track record indicates that Ganka wa Kurai Keiōsen Desu is likely to offer a similarly compelling and unsettling experience.
Rokakoen’s Web Novel Origins
Before its publication as a compiled book volume by Kadokawa in May 2021, Rokakoen initially launched the “Festival of Heresies” series as a web novel on the Kakuyomu platform in March 2021. This background highlights the author’s journey from web publication to traditional publishing and now, further expansion into the manga medium.
The Manga Adaptation and Release
The upcoming manga adaptation will be illustrated by tomto. The announcement was made in the October 7 issue of Futabasha’s Manga Action magazine. Fans can look forward to the manga’s debut on October 17, accessible via the Web Action platform. This new adaptation offers a fresh visual interpretation of Rokakoen’s unique horror narrative, allowing both existing fans and new readers to experience the story in a different format.
The move to manga for Ganka wa Kurai Keiōsen Desu underscores the growing trend of successful novels transitioning into comic form, appealing to a broader audience and demonstrating the versatility of storytelling across different mediums.
