Amidst Desire and Disability: A Posthumanist Study of Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa

Abstract

This article investigates the portrayal of disabled character Shaka Isawa in Saou Ichikawa’s Hunchback (2025) through posthumanist lens. The content analysis technique of Berelson (1952) has been used to further deconstruct the meaning especially centering on the protagonist, a woman with a congenital disorder, the study explores how technological mediation enables expressions of sexual desire that challenge ableist norms. Shaka’s use of assistive devices positions her as a posthuman subject, getting mental and bodily autonomy beyond conventional frameworks. Drawing on posthumanism stances, the paper concludes that the posthuman discourses redefine female body by situating disability and desire not in opposition, but in complex, empowering relation.