Junji Ito’s In Old Records becomes vinyl-exclusive audio drama

Junji Ito’s 1997 short "In Old Records," from the House of the Marionettes collection, centers on a haunting melody pressed to an unmarked vinyl that drives listeners toward madness. The story has been adapted as a vinyl-exclusive audio drama titled In Old Records, produced via a Kickstarter by Zero Zero Enterprises and featuring performances by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Poppy and voice actor Shoko Nakagawa.

Writer Ryan Cady adapted Ito’s evocative panels into audio; Cady has written for Marvel and DC and previously collaborated with Poppy on the graphic novel Genesis 1. Japanese artist Acky Bright created the vinyl jacket, and Ito participated in the collaborative process — one available edition even includes the mangaka’s bloody handprint on the cover.

Poppy performs the English version, applying a distinctive voice shaped by work in bubblegum pop, industrial metal, and experimental rock, while Nakagawa performs the Japanese rendition.

Japan

junji ito, old records, vinyl, audio drama, poppy, shoko nakagawa, ryan cady, kickstarter, acky bright, bloody handprint