Junji Ito’s Classic Horror Short Adapted into Vinyl-Exclusive Audio Drama 29 Years Later

Image: Viz Media

In 1997, the undisputed master of horror manga, Junji Ito, released House of the Marionettes, a disturbing anthology centered on the macabre. One of its standout tales, “In Old Records,” follows the psychological unraveling of those who listen to a sinister, unmarked vinyl record. This legendary short story has now been reimagined as a vinyl-exclusive audio drama titled In Old Records, featuring the vocal talents of Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Poppy and the prolific Japanese voice actress Shoko Nakagawa. This Kickstarter endeavor, spearheaded by Zero Zero Enterprises, transmutes the visceral dread of Ito’s illustrations into a tactile, auditory nightmare.

Ito’s haunting aesthetic has been adapted for this new medium by acclaimed horror and comics scribe Ryan Cady, whose credits include Marvel hits like Venom and The Punisher, as well as DC’s Green Lantern. Cady previously joined forces with Poppy for the graphic novel Genesis 1, establishing a creative synergy that continues here. The physical release features jacket art by Acky Bright, a renowned illustrator with a portfolio spanning Netflix and Hasbro. Ito himself played an integral role in the production; notably, one limited variant of the record features the artist’s own crimson handprint on the sleeve.

Image: Kickstarter

Poppy, who transitioned from a viral YouTube enigma to a force in industrial and experimental music, lends her ethereal voice to the English production. Her distinct cadence provides an appropriately unsettling atmosphere for the story. Shoko Nakagawa—famed for her Gurren Lagann theme and roles in legendary franchises like Pokémon and Sailor Moon—delivers the Japanese performance. Both artists portray Nakayama, a protagonist whose fixation on a mysterious record leads toward an inevitable, dark obsession.

The Kickstarter campaign is currently seeking a $20,000 goal to bring the project to fruition. In addition to the standard and early-bird editions, backers can secure specialized variants such as “Blood Splatter,” “Ghostly Blue,” and “Glow in the Dark.” Premium tiers even offer editions personally signed by both Junji Ito and Poppy.

Source: Polygon