Manga Corps is a book by Gabber Eleganza (artist and dj Alberto Guerrini) that provides a journey into the parallel circuits of Japan's rave scene. A visual collection documenting over a decade of flyers and artifacts from Japan's hardcore techno scene, it spans the 1990s to the early 2000s and is arguably the first of its kind.
Exploring an alternative aesthetic born of cyberpunk, otaku culture, and the visual impact of manga, Manga Corps covers DIY styles, improbable illustrations, eerie mascots and chaotic designs that blend together to tell the story of an underground scene that danced to its own beat, far off the radar of the West. From Osaka's first hardcore raves to Tokyo’s explosion of the genre, the influence of gaming culture, and collaborations that defied expectations, this collection showcases the grit and creativity of a movement that carved its own path. The frenetic energy and experimental aesthetics of Japan's hardcore techno scene laid the groundwork for some of today's most radical musical and cultural phenomena. From hyperpop to breakcore, from the collision of video games and music to the rise of glitch art, the influence of this underground movement continues to shape modern genres and aesthetics.
This is a graphic world fashioned by distortion, speedcore and earth-shaking bass, one that the outside world, especially beyond Japan, has rarely seen.
Never Sleeps, 196pp, 25cm x 16cm, illustrated paperback, 2025
