40°Good Morning
Uketsu, a Japanese YouTuber and horror author poses at his...

Uketsu, a Japanese YouTuber and horror author poses at his media conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Tokyo. Credit: AP/Eugene Hoshiko

TOKYO — He wears a black bodysuit and a white mask, speaks in an electronically altered squeaky voice and makes creepiness his signature mode of art.

Uketsu, whose name literally translates to “rain hole,” both words that he loves, is Japan’s latest YouTube star and million-selling mystery writer.

And he is about to take on the global stage.

His knack for making everyone “feel uneasy” is the reason for his success, he told foereign journalists in Tokyo on Thursday.

His debut book “Strange Pictures” is coming out in 30 nations, including in English in the U.S. this week. It’s sold 1.5 million copies globally, according to the publisher.

Uketsu’s storytelling combines images and diagrams with text to draw readers into a horrific puzzle that they witness gradually getting solved, piece by piece. The pictures serve as whodunit clues to chillingly gruesome happenings.

That likely helped Uketsu resonate with the younger generation, more used to manga comics, video games and social networking than literature. Some children here dressed up as him for Halloween.

Uketsu, a Japanese YouTuber and horror author holds his books...

Uketsu, a Japanese YouTuber and horror author holds his books at his media conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Tokyo. Credit: AP/Eugene Hoshiko

Uketsu, who credits the great Japanese mystery writer Ranpo Edogawa as his inspiration, said he merely wants to make his works accessible, even for people who don’t like to read.

He has leveraged his online presence to attract an audience. Uketsu has 1.7 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, drawing more than 190 million views.

His first YouTube hit, “The Strange House,” is about a home with a weird floor plan, including a prison-like room. It became a movie last year, making more than 5 billion yen ($32 million) at the Japanese box office.

“My stories are just really scary,” said Uketsu, sounding demure and serious despite his odd appearance.

Uketsu, a Japanese YouTuber and horror author arrives at the...

Uketsu, a Japanese YouTuber and horror author arrives at the venue of his media conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Tokyo. Credit: AP/Eugene Hoshiko

He swears he looks quite regular behind his mask. If he were to take it off, no one would recognize him.

But he acknowledged that adding his image on his books helps sell copies, while stopping short of dismissing it as a gimmick.

Uketsu is working on his next book and has a song out, according to Takuji Watanabe, vice director at Futabasha Publishers, which puts out Uketsu’s works.

Watanabe won’t disclose how much money Uketsu has generated but swears that he is a “once-in-a-century star” of Japanese horror.

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      LI property managers accused of collusion ... Latest on Trump ... State rebate checks Credit: Newsday

      Man accused of trying to lure girl ... New license plate readers in Jericho ... State rebate checks ... LI Works: Chocolatier

      Video Player is loading.
      Current Time 0:00
      Duration 0:00
      Loaded: 0%
      Stream Type LIVE
      Remaining Time 0:00
       
      1x
        • Chapters
        • descriptions off, selected
        • captions off, selected
          LI property managers accused of collusion ... Latest on Trump ... State rebate checks Credit: Newsday

          Man accused of trying to lure girl ... New license plate readers in Jericho ... State rebate checks ... LI Works: Chocolatier

          SUBSCRIBE

          Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months

          ACT NOWSALE ENDS SOON | CANCEL ANYTIME