Missing (2023)

Missing is a light novel series authored by Gakuto Kouda and illustrated by saitom, originally published by MediaWorks under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. Emerging during a period of resurgence for Japanese supernatural horror in the early 2000s, the series follows high school student Tomoya Utsumi and his involvement with the mysterious and eccentric Akuma Kyoko. The narrative is heavily influenced by folklore, urban legends, and a distinct atmosphere of melancholic dread that set it apart from the more typical high-fantasy or school-life tropes prevalent in light novels at the time.

The series is noted for its evocative prose and the stark, atmospheric character designs by saitom, which balance traditional school aesthetics with more unsettling, supernatural elements. Upon its release, the series garnered a dedicated cult following, particularly among readers who appreciated the darker, psychological turn the author took with the source material. It remains a hallmark of the early 2000s Dengeki Bunko catalog, representing a brief but significant experimental era for the publisher's darker horror titles.