Issei is referred to in the song 'Too Much Blood' by The Rolling
Stones.
The musical group Human Factors Lab released "Dinner with Renée" in 2004, inspired by the supper of Issei Sagawa and Renée Hartevelt (1955-1981).
Issei Sagawa's story inspired the the English rock band The Stranglers song "La Folie" (1981).
In 1997 Issei Sagawa published a commentary book "Shonen A" about the Kobe Child Murders executed by Shinichirou Azuma.
The playwright Angélica Liddell quoted many of his book excerpts in her ¿Qué haré yo con esta espada? (2016) play presented in Avignon fest as Que ferai-je, moi, de cette épée ? (Approche de la Loi et du problème de la Beauté).