192 pages Edited by Never Sleep Text(s) by Boris Postma & Yuma Umegatani Designed by Gabber Eleganza 24 x 17 cm Language: English Paperback Publisher: Never Sleep Second edition 2025
An archive of Japanese hardcore, gabba and otaku rave artifacts, from the early 1990s to the dawn of the new millennium.
Through distorted visuals, ear-shattering bass, and DIY aesthetics, Gabber Eleganza captures the raw energy of Osaka’s earliest hardcore raves and Tokyo’s rise as the genre’s epicenter. Cyberpunk, manga, otaku culture, and gaming collide in improbable mascots, chaotic designs, and graphic explosions that define the Japanese hardcore spirit.
Manga Corps is more than a history book, it’s a portal into a world where sound and image fuse into a frenetic, experimental culture that continues to influence hyperpop, breakcore, glitch art, and beyond. For the first time, the pioneers of J-core are given their due, revealing the labor, passion, and vision that made Japan’s hardcore scene possible.
