IV: TSUKIKO

Fourth in my "Women of Japanese Horror" series.

Okay, so David Mack's "KABUKI" comic series doesn't exactly belong in the "horror" catgory, but if you've read the series carefully, you can definetly find a lot of the classic Japanese ghost story elements in the story of Kabuki's Ainu mother, Tsukiko. Tsukiko a.) was subjected to a sorrowful ordeal, b.) had a chance at happiness, c.) was then raped and died in childbirth as a result, and d.) came back (at least partially) in the form of her daughter in order to exact revenge upon her attacker. There's also several in-context referrences to the tales of Oiwa and Tsuyu, two very classic ghost stories.

*ahem* Anyway, enough rambling. This is of Tsukiko, her eyes torn out of her head by her rapist, pregnant with Ukiko (aka Kabuki), with the imperial flag and the Circle of Blood in the background, as well as her homeland of Hokkaido. On her sleeve is the vision Kabuki has of er mother standing under the moon in a wheat field.

The moon represents Tsukiko as a mother, as well as reflects her name, "Moon Child".

Art © Carrie-ko
Tsukiko © David Mack and Image Comics