Uketsu
Uketsu | |
|---|---|
| 雨穴 | |
 Uketsu in 2026 | |
| Occupations |
|
| YouTube information | |
| Channel | |
| Years active | 2018–present |
| Genre | Surreal |
| Subscribers | 2.01 million |
| Views | 267 million |
| Last updated: July 4, 2026 | |
| Writing career | |
| Period | 2020s–present |
| Genre |
|
| Notable works | |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Japan |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 2026–present |
| Labels | |
Uketsu (Japanese: 雨穴) is a Japanese YouTuber, writer, and singer of unknown identity. He creates surreal short films and writes mystery and horror fiction.[1][2]
Uketsu's novels and short stories incorporate diagrams and images as integral elements of the narrative. In 2024, three of his books were on the list of Japan's top ten fiction bestsellers.[3][1]
Professional career
[edit]Uketsu first gained notoriety through a series of unusual, often unsettling short videos posted to his YouTube channel, in which everyday objects or scenes are presented with minor distortions or surreal alterations.
In addition to uploading narrative short films, Uketsu has participated in public events and media appearances while maintaining his masked persona, including a press conference in Tokyo that was covered by both international and Japanese media.
Uketsu's fiction blends conventional prose with visual elements (drawings, diagrams, and floor plans) that are presented as clues within the text. His 2022 novel Strange Pictures sold over 1.2 million copies in Japan and 2 million copies worldwide. In France, it was named Fnac's Book of the Month, and in Germany it topped the May 2025 Krimibestenliste as the best crime novel of the month.[4] In the UK, the novel was shortlisted for the 2026 CWA Dagger for Crime Fiction in Translation.[5]
In July 2026, Uketsu signed an artist contract with Echoes and released his debut single "Norowashite ne?" on July 5, serving as an ending theme for the 2026 anime series Let's Go Kaikigumi.[6]
Identity
[edit]Uketsu appears in public wearing a white papier-mâché mask and a black bodysuit and uses a voice changer to conceal his identity.[2] Little is known about his life, except that he is a man, lives in Kanagawa Prefecture southwest of Tokyo, and he lived in Surrey, United Kingdom, during his childhood. His parents divorced when he was young.[1]
He has stated in an interview that he keeps rabbits as pets, and making music is one of his major hobbies. He plays the guitar, the piano, and the drums.[2] He has also stated that only around 30 people know his identity, including his family, publisher, and colleagues.[1]
Bibliography
[edit]Novels
[edit]| Original publication | English publication[7] | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Year | Title | Year |
| Hen na Ie (変な家) | 2021 | Strange Houses | 2025 |
| Hen na E (変な絵) | 2022 | Strange Pictures | 2025 |
| Hen na Ie 2 (変な家2) | 2023 | Strange Buildings | 2026 |
| Hen na Chizu (変な地図) | 2025 | lit. 'Strange Maps' | N/a |
Discography
[edit]Singles
[edit]| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Norowashite ne?" | 2026 | Non-album single |
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 Creamer, Ella (2025-01-27). "'Am I a Cyclopian monster?' How masked writer Uketsu went from asparagus videos to literary sensation". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
- 1 2 3 Kerridge, Jake (2025-01-14). "Is the man behind this terrifying mask Japan's answer to Richard Osman?". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
- ↑ Ha, Thu-huong (2025-02-07). "'Uketsu': The internet phantom haunting Japan's bestseller lists". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
- ↑ Japan, Billboard (2025-11-18). "Uketsu's 'Strange Pictures' Shortlisted for Waterstones' 2025 Book of the Year". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
- ↑ Dagger for Crime Fiction in Translation, Crime Writers' Association, retrieved 2026-05-28
- ↑ "覆面ホラー作家・雨穴、ソニー・ミュージックのEchoesよりTVアニメ『レッツゴー怪奇組』EDテーマ「呪わしてね？」にてアーティストデビュー決定". Barks (in Japanese). July 4, 2026. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
- ↑ Rion, Jim (2025-11-14). "Strange Translations". Jim Rion - Translator & Writer. Retrieved 2026-07-18.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
