Edogawa Rampo, already known as a successful detective and horror writer, gained an assignment writing for Shōnen Club, a magazine aimed at young children.
Government regulations and societal norms meant that many of Rampo's normal plot elements were off the table, such as putting the protagonist children in direct danger.
He makes his first appearance in The Fiend with Twenty Faces published in 1936, the first installment of Rampo's "The Boy Detectives Club" series.
The Fiend with Twenty Faces has appeared in other media and served as inspiration for other works, including the two novels Kaijin Nijū Mensō Den (怪人二十面相・伝) by Sō Kitamura and its film adaptation, the manga series Man of Many Faces by Clamp and Nijū Mensō no Musume by Shinji Ohara,[2] and anime Trickster in which he was voiced by Japanese singer-songwriter Gackt.
[3] In March 2021 it was announced that a new adaptation, produced in a dramatic reading format with a modern noir twist, would be performed at the Shinagawa Prince Theater and star Yabana Rei of the J-pop boyband 7 Men Samurai in the role of protagonist Akechi.