The Cover Art of No Longer Human


            Designed by New York-based graphic designer Rodrigo Corral, this cover art to Osamu Dazai’s 1948 novel, No Longer Human, is simplistic yet alluring. The cover art features an eye-catchingly bright pink background that is almost offensive, with a globular black mass resembling the silhouette of a person. The figure possesses no distinct features of a human, other than what seems to be a head and a torso. It has no face, no defining characteristics, it exists only as a featureless blob, projecting a semitransparent shadow upon the background. Knowing the plot of the story, this figure likely represents the main character’s view of himself: a vaguely human form, faceless, casting a metaphorical “shadow” on the world around him. The character (both the protagonist and the figure) deems itself unworthy of a face, something to be identified and recognized by. It wants to be forgotten. However, in its desperate attempt to remain unnoticeable, it becomes something which you cannot take your eyes off. This cover art beautifully represents the story, both visually and symbolically.

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