Kuchisake-Onna: the horror of motherhood and gender embodiment

ABSTRACT

Am I pretty? A simple question that epitomises both beauty and vulgarity in its monstrous representation of feminine embodiment. In this work, I look at the 2007 Japanese Horror film Carved: The Slit Mouth Woman directed by Koji Shiraishi and its relation to the way in which it the monster Kuchisake-Onna presents the idealised role of motherhood in Japan today. Through this critical examination of the film, we see how communities establish social order and gender scripts of the feminine within the media, perpetuating hegemonic normalised roles through the monstrous feminine. This work looks at the Japanese urban legend of Kuchisake-Onna and compares it with the movie monster Carved as it projects forms of femininity and motherhood. By cross-referencing the telling of the legend with popular cinema we can see how media influence takes on a broader context towards the gendering of woman. In both the legend and the film, we see how women seek the approval of self and sovereignty, which is demonised, by revealing herself through sexual autonomy.

KEYWORDS:

• Abject
• gender
• folk horror
• motherhood
• Kuchisake-Onna

Acknowledgments

Melody Blackmore

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. ジャパニジホラjapanizu hora.

2. 毒女物語.

3. 口裂け女.

4. ‘ … was first documented in the Gifu Prefecture in December 1978; by June of 1979 there were reports in every prefecture’ (Foster, 2007)

5. 私綺麗？.

6. これでも？ An alternative translation could be ‘Even like this?’.

7. It is important to note here that the origin of Kuchisake-Onna in the original urban legend differs depending on which version is being told, however, the common theme is that she was abused by her husband and was childless.

8. あまえ.

9. Taeko Matsuzaki was Kuchisake-Onna’s human name in the movie. According to the movie’s lore, after suffering a mental break down due to her husband’s abandonment and killing two of her children, Taeko was murdered by her eldest son and later came back as the spirit of Kuchisake-Onna.

10. Within Japanese social norms it is common a practice to have distinct and separate roles for men (husbands/fathers) and women (wives/mothers). Men perform within the public sphere taking on the role of financial provider (salarymen[サラリーマン]) and women proforma within the domestic sphere and care for the home.

11. 私の切り落.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Leigh A. Wynn

Leigh A. Wynn recently graduated with a Masters in folklore. Her research interests include, folk horror, gender and sexuality, globalization, legends and beliefs and Japanese culture and art. Much of her past work has looked at representation of the “othered” or “marginalized” groups and the way culture and folklore have shaped the world today. When not focusing on her work she spends time with her four fur-babies and indulging her sweet tooth.