Luigi Riccio's 'Ovologio' Blends Digimon, Fairy Tales, and Poetry

Poet Luigi Riccio, born in 2000 in Naples, published his collection 'Ovologio' in 2026 with Mar dei Sargassi. The book, long anticipated in literary circles, draws on childhood entertainment like Digimon and Tamagotchi, as well as anime Evangelion, to explore themes of identity, choice, and imposed narratives. Riccio, a PhD candidate in Philology and Criticism at the University of Siena, researches the poetry book as a diorama. He has collaborated since 2022 with the University of Naples' Observatory on the Contemporary Novel and contributed to the manual 'Osservazioni sul romanzo contemporaneo' (Tab edizioni, 2025). Since 2024 he is editor of 'Inverso – Giornale di poesia', and since 2025 writes for 'Vallecchi Poesia'. He is included in the anthology 'Napoli mille colori' (Mondadori, 2026). In the interview, Riccio explains that 'Ovologio' combines the literal meaning of 'egg clock' (translation of Tamagotchi) with a reflection on seminal, biological identity formation. The book is designed as a closed, impenetrable object that gradually reveals its themes, inviting rereading. Riccio cites artist Roberta Durante and references Peter Pan, The Sims, and the concept of the 'chosen child' from Digimon creator Akiyoshi Hongo. He emphasizes that his poetry emerges from images and phrases rather than premeditated themes, and that collaboration with peers through Inverso has been crucial to his development.