Born in 1949, Sagawa began his career as a manga artist in the 1970s, initially producing work that was relatively tame and conventional. However, his experiences and interests soon took a dark turn. In 1980, Sagawa was involved in a highly publicized and disturbing incident in which he killed and dismembered a female acquaintance. Although he was arrested and charged, Sagawa was ultimately deemed unfit to stand trial due to mental health concerns and was institutionalized.