Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, born in London in 1797, is the author of the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. As the original creator of the Frankenstein story, Shelley is credited as the source material author for numerous subsequent adaptations, including a significant number of anime and manga works that reimagine her gothic tale. Her background as a novelist, short story writer, essayist, and travel writer established the foundation for what would become a foundational text in both science fiction and horror, a legacy that extends into Japanese popular culture.

In the realm of anime, Shelley is the original creator of the 1981 television special Kyōfu Densetsu: Kaiki! Frankenstein. Produced by Toei Animation, this animated film is a direct adaptation of her novel and stands as a notable example of her work being interpreted for a Japanese audience. Within the manga medium, Shelley is frequently credited as the original creator for works based on her intellectual property. The manga Frankenstein, My Friend, created by Shinji Wada and published in the early 1970s, lists Shelley as the uncredited original creator. Similarly, the horror manga collection Frankenstein: Junji Ito Story Collection, published by VIZ Media in 2018, adapts Shelley's original novel and explicitly credits her as the source material author. Another notable manga, Embalming - The Another Tale of Frankenstein, created by Nobuhiro Watsuki, is a series that reinterprets elements of Shelley's novel, with her work serving as the foundational inspiration.

The recurring thematic identity found in these anime and manga adaptations is a direct reflection of Shelley's original artistic concerns. Central to her novel are themes of unchecked scientific ambition, the ethical responsibilities of a creator toward their creation, the nature of monstrosity versus humanity, and the profound consequences of social rejection and isolation. These themes are consistently explored across the various Japanese adaptations, from the more faithful 1981 anime special to the stylized, action-oriented narratives of manga series like Embalming.

Mary Shelley’s significance to the anime and manga industry is foundational, though indirect. Her novel is one of the most adapted public domain works in the world, and her creation of the iconic mad scientist and his tragic monster has provided a durable narrative framework that Japanese creators have continually revisited and reinvented. Her authorship provides the original literary blueprint from which these diverse anime and manga works are derived, cementing her role as the essential original creator for a significant branch of gothic and horror-inspired Japanese sequential art.