Kenji Terada (寺田 憲史, Terada Kenji; born 11 July 1952) is a Japanese scenario writer, anime director, series organizer…
Kenji Terada (寺田 憲史, Terada Kenji; born 11 July 1952) is a Japanese scenario writer, anime director, series organizer and novelist. His more notable works include writing the first three games of the Final Fantasy series. He also worked on Batman: Dark Tomorrow, created the concept for the Sega CD game Dark Wizard, and was the series organizer and main script writer for the Kimagure Orange Road series among other things.
Japanese people database × places of origin
Famous Japanese People: Writer・Novelist
Writer・Novelist: 974 people
Masashi Sada (さだ まさし, Sada Masashi; born 10 April 1952) is a Japanese singer, lyricist, and composer. Sada formed the…
Masashi Sada (さだ まさし, Sada Masashi; born 10 April 1952) is a Japanese singer, lyricist, and composer. Sada formed the folk duo Grape with Masami Yoshida in 1972, and they made their debut as recording artists a year afterward. The pair rose to fame owing to the hit song "Shourou Nagashi" (精霊流し) composed by Sada, which peaked at the number-two position on the Japanese Oricon chart in 1974. They broke up in 1976, after producing some hit singles including "En-kiri Dera" (縁切寺) and "Muen Zaka" (無縁坂). Sada released his first solo album entitled Kikyorai shortly after Grape's dissolution. Following the commercial success of the number-one hit single "Amayadori" (雨やどり, Shelter from the rain) in 1977, he enjoyed a recording career as one of the most popular Japanese male artists during the late 1970s and the first half of the 1980s. Throughout his career as a musician, Sada released over 35 solo albums and 70 singles, and multiple live albums or compilations. Since the release of Shourou Nagashi, published in 2001, Sada has also worked as a novelist.
Ramo Nakajima (中島らも, Nakajima Ramo; April 3, 1952 – July 26, 2004) was a Japanese cult novelist, essayist, and…
Ramo Nakajima (中島らも, Nakajima Ramo; April 3, 1952 – July 26, 2004) was a Japanese cult novelist, essayist, and copywriter. He also appeared frequently on Japanese TV as an actor. He was born in Amagasaki City, Hyōgo Prefecture. He received eighth place in his entrance exam to the prestigious Nada High School, and continued to the Osaka University of Arts, where he graduated from the school of broadcasting. He then worked for a publishing company for five years, where he became famous for his catchy advertisements and commercials. He was given his own advice column in Asahi Shimbun, called the "Lighthearted Worry Column", which highlighted his strange and unique sense of humor and made him a household name. He began to work as a freelance copywriter in 1987, and in his free time, wrote the novels that would give him his cult following in Japan, as well as a variety of rakugo, essays, scripts and short stories. His best-known works include the novels Tonight, from Every Bar in Town (13th Eiji Yoshikawa New Author Prize), The Pigs of Gadara (Mystery Writers of Japan Award), and The Night of Human Models (Naoki Prize). After his success in novels, he then expanded into theater, producing Laugh-to-Death Lilliput Army, as well as creating his own rock band, PISS, of which he was the lead singer and guitar player. After the band dissolved, he then formed Ramo and the Mother's Boys, where he played rhythm guitar and sang. Nakajima was known for his wild lifestyle and his constant use of drugs and alcohol. His appearances on television in the late 1990s and early 2000s were always an audience draw because of his slurred speech—probably from years of alcohol and drug abuse—and humorous personality. He was arrested and convicted of marijuana possession in 2003; he was sentenced to five years incarceration. He was put into a mental hospital for a brief period, and then served his 10-month sentence, with a suspended sentence of five years. He then released an essay about his trials in prison called "The Prison Diet". After his release, he plunged back into alcoholism. On July 15, 2004, after drinking late at a bar, he fell down a staircase and suffered serious head injuries. He never recovered, dying on July 26, 2004.
🎓 Osaka University of Arts🏫 Nada High School📅 Born April 3🎂 Born 1952📍 From Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture💼 Writer・Novelist💼 Playwright💼 Essayist💼 Planner💼 Broadcast Writer💼 Radio Personality💼 Musician
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗
Ryū Murakami (村上 龍, Murakami Ryū; born February 19, 1952) is a Japanese novelist, essayist and filmmaker. His novels…
Ryū Murakami (村上 龍, Murakami Ryū; born February 19, 1952) is a Japanese novelist, essayist and filmmaker. His novels explore human nature through themes of disillusion, drug use, surrealism, murder and war, set against the dark backdrop of Japan. His best known novels are Almost Transparent Blue, Audition, Coin Locker Babies, and In the Miso Soup.
🎓 Musashino Art University🏫 Sasebo Kita High School📅 Born February 19🎂 Born 1952📍 From Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture💼 Writer・Novelist💼 Film Director💼 Screenwriter
Isao Yamada (山田 勇男, Yamada Isao; born 1952 in Hokkaido) is a Japanese film director, graphic artist, and manga author.
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗
Kōjirō Iwato (岩戸 康次郎, Iwato Kōjirō; born December 13, 1951), known by his pen name Jirō Asada (浅田 次郎, Asada Jirō), is a…
Kōjirō Iwato (岩戸 康次郎, Iwato Kōjirō; born December 13, 1951), known by his pen name Jirō Asada (浅田 次郎, Asada Jirō), is a Japanese writer. In 1991, his novel Torarete tamaruka! (とられてたまるか!) started his literary career. After writing several picaresque novels, his novel Metro ni notte (地下鉄に乗って) was awarded the Eiji Yoshikawa Prize for New Writers and made into a 2006 film; a short story collection The Stationmaster and other stories (Poppoya (鉄道員)) was also awarded the Naoki Prize. He writes also historical and Chinese historical novels such as The Firmament of the Pleiades (Sōkyū no subaru, 蒼穹の昴). He writes in the traditional style of Japanese popular fiction.
🎓 Chuo University🏫 Komaba Toho High School📅 Born December 13🎂 Born 1951📍 From Nakano, Tokyo💼 Writer・Novelist
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Natsuo Kirino (桐野 夏生, Kirino Natsuo) (born October 7, 1951, in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture) is the pen name of Mariko…
Natsuo Kirino (桐野 夏生, Kirino Natsuo) (born October 7, 1951, in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture) is the pen name of Mariko Hashioka, a Japanese novelist and a leading figure in the recent boom of female writers of Japanese detective fiction.
🎓 Seikei University🏫 Toho Girls' High School📅 Born October 7🎂 Born 1951📍 From Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture💼 Writer・Novelist
Mamoru Oshii (押井 守, Oshii Mamoru; born 8 August 1951) is a Japanese filmmaker, television director and writer. Famous…
Mamoru Oshii (押井 守, Oshii Mamoru; born 8 August 1951) is a Japanese filmmaker, television director and writer. Famous for his philosophy-oriented storytelling, Oshii has directed a number of acclaimed anime films, including Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer (1984), Angel's Egg (1985), Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993), and Ghost in the Shell (1995). He also holds the distinction of directing the first ever OVA, Dallos (1983). As a writer, Oshii has worked as a screenwriter, and occasionally as a manga writer and novelist. His most notable works as a writer include the manga Kerberos Panzer Cop (1988–2000) and its feature film adaptation Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade (1999). For his work, Oshii has received and been nominated for numerous awards, including the Palme d'Or and Leone d'Oro (Golden Lion). He has also attracted praise from many directors, including James Cameron, Steven Spielberg and The Wachowskis, especially for his work on Ghost in the Shell.
🎓 Tokyo Gakugei University🏫 Koyamadai High School📅 Born August 8🎂 Born 1951💼 Film Director💼 Anime💼 Writer・Novelist💼 Screenwriter💼 Manga Artist💼 Playwright💼 Creator
Kōshū Tani (谷 甲州, Tani Kōshū; born March 30, 1951 in Itami, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese science fiction…
Kōshū Tani (谷 甲州, Tani Kōshū; born March 30, 1951 in Itami, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese science fiction writer. He graduated from the Osaka Institute of Technology, and worked as a volunteer in Nepal and the Philippines. He made his professional debut with the story 137th Mobile Brigade in 1979 while still in Nepal. He is known mostly for his hard science fiction works, for which he won the Seiun Award three times (twice for Best Novel, and once for Best Short Story), and the Nitta Jirō Culture Award once. He is a member of the Mystery Writers of Japan, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan, the Space Authors Club, and an associate member of the Hard SF Laboratory. Tani currently lives in Komatsu in Ishikawa Prefecture.
Toshihide Isamu Iguchi (井口俊英) (1951–2019) was an Executive VP and U.S. Government Bond trader at Daiwa Bank's New York…
Toshihide Isamu Iguchi (井口俊英) (1951–2019) was an Executive VP and U.S. Government Bond trader at Daiwa Bank's New York Branch, who was responsible for $1.1 billion in unauthorized trading losses accumulated over a period of 12 years beginning in 1983.
Baku Yumemakura (夢枕 獏, Yumemakura Baku; born 1951 in Odawara, Kanagawa) (real name: Yoneyama Mineo (米山峰夫)) is a…
Baku Yumemakura (夢枕 獏, Yumemakura Baku; born 1951 in Odawara, Kanagawa) (real name: Yoneyama Mineo (米山峰夫)) is a Japanese science fiction and adventure writer whose penname translates to Dream Pillow (Yumemakura) Tapir (Baku). His works have sold more than 20 million copies in Japan spread across more than 280 titles and adapted into a variety of formats including feature films, television shows, movies and comic books. His works are influenced by outdoor interests such as fishing, particularly Ayu fishing, mountain climbing, canoeing as well as manga, photography, pottery, art, calligraphy, martial arts. He has published a number of photo collections of his journeys through Nepalese mountains. He is best known for writing Jōgen no Tsuki wo Taberu Shishi (The Lion that Ate the Crescent Moon), which won both the Seiun Award and the Nihon SF Taisho Award. He also has written film scripts, including the one to Onmyōji. One of his popular martial arts serials that has been adapted into manga is Garōden (餓狼伝), which has also been adapted to two video games and a movie. His novel series Majūgari (also known as Demon Hunters) has been adapted into an anime OVA Psycho Diver: Soul Siren and three manga series. He's been nicknamed "the artisan of violence" due to one of his popular martial arts novel series, Shishi no Mon (獅子の門, Gate of Fierce Lions). As of 2014, he has been working on the scripts for the manga series Shin Garōden with renowned manga artist Masami Nobe. He is also a past president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan organization.
🎓 Tokai University🏫 Yamakita High School📅 Born January 1🎂 Born 1951📍 From Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture💼 Writer・Novelist💼 Essayist・Essay Writer💼 Photographer
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗Chinese (zh) ↗Italian (it) ↗French (fr) ↗Russian (ru) ↗Ukrainian (uk) ↗
Genichiro Takahashi (高橋 源一郎, Takahashi Gen'ichirō; born 1 January 1951) is a Japanese novelist.
Minae Mizumura (水村 美苗, Mizumura Minae; born 1951) is a Japanese novelist. Among other literary awards, she has won the…
Minae Mizumura (水村 美苗, Mizumura Minae; born 1951) is a Japanese novelist. Among other literary awards, she has won the Noma Literary New Face Prize and the Yomiuri Prize.
Keiko Itoh is a Japanese writer and historian in the United Kingdom.
🏫 Kobayashi Seishin Girls' Gakuin High School📅 Born November 19🎂 Born 1950📍 From Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture💼 Writer・Novelist
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗
Mitsuru Sugaya (すがやみつる, Sugaya Mitsuru; originally 菅谷 充, born September 20, 1950) is a Japanese manga artist, novelist…
Mitsuru Sugaya (すがやみつる, Sugaya Mitsuru; originally 菅谷 充, born September 20, 1950) is a Japanese manga artist, novelist, an author of instructional comics, and a racing writer. Sugaya wrote and illustrated Game Center Arashi, a manga series based on video games. He also drew a manga tied to the Japanese Spider-Man television series from the 1970s and also drew the manga adaptations of all Kamen Rider series from Ichigo to Stronger.
🎓 Waseda University🏫 Fuji High School📅 Born September 20🎂 Born 1950📍 From Fuji, Shizuoka💼 Manga Artist💼 Writer・Novelist
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗
Mari Yonehara (米原 万里, Yonehara Mari; 29 April 1950 – 25 May 2006) was a Japanese translator, essayist, non-fiction…
Mari Yonehara (米原 万里, Yonehara Mari; 29 April 1950 – 25 May 2006) was a Japanese translator, essayist, non-fiction writer, novelist, and simultaneous interpreter between Russian and Japanese, best known in Japan for simultaneous interpretation in the 1980s and 1990s and writing in 2000s.
Tetsuhisa Matsuzaki (松崎 哲久, Matsuzaki Tetsuhisa; born 14 April 1950 in Tokyo) is a former Japanese politician of the…
Tetsuhisa Matsuzaki (松崎 哲久, Matsuzaki Tetsuhisa; born 14 April 1950 in Tokyo) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature), representing the Saitama No. 10 District. Matsuzaki studied law at the University of Tokyo and received an MA from Harvard University in the USA. He was elected for the first time in 2003.
🎓 University of Tokyo🏫 Hibiya High School📅 Born April 14🎂 Born 1950📍 From Tokyo💼 Politician・Legislator💼 Writer・Novelist
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗
Yoshinaga Fujita (藤田 宜永, Fujita Yoshinaga; 12 April 1950 – 30 January 2020) was a Japanese novelist and screenwriter.…
Yoshinaga Fujita (藤田 宜永, Fujita Yoshinaga; 12 April 1950 – 30 January 2020) was a Japanese novelist and screenwriter. He was known for his works in the crime novel, adventure novel and romance novel genres.
Shin'ichi Abe (Japanese: 安部 慎一 Abe Shin'ichi; 7 April 1950 – 4 September 2026) was a Japanese mangaka. Abe joined the…
Shin'ichi Abe (Japanese: 安部 慎一 Abe Shin'ichi; 7 April 1950 – 4 September 2026) was a Japanese mangaka. Abe joined the magazine Garo when he was 20 years old and had his works extend to the European sphere in the 2000s. Abe died from mandibular gland cancer on 4 September 2026, at the age of 76.
Miyoko Kudo (工藤 美代子, Kudō Miyoko; born March 27, 1950) is a Japanese non-fiction writer and a member of the Japan…
Miyoko Kudo (工藤 美代子, Kudō Miyoko; born March 27, 1950) is a Japanese non-fiction writer and a member of the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals. Her father, Tsuneo Ikeda, was a sports journalist and businessman who started Baseball Magazine (BBM) and his mother’s family founded Kudō Shashin-kan in Ryōgoku. Because her parents divorced, she took the family name of Kudō. Her older sister Akiko was the wife of Chiharu Igaya and her younger brother Tetsuo Ikeda is president of Baseball Magazine (BBM).
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗
Joh Sasaki (佐々木 譲, Sasaki Jō; born March 16, 1950) is a Japanese writer and journalist, chiefly known for his…
Joh Sasaki (佐々木 譲, Sasaki Jō; born March 16, 1950) is a Japanese writer and journalist, chiefly known for his historical fiction and mystery novels.
🎓 Tokyo University of Agriculture🏫 Sapporo Tsukisamu High School📅 Born March 16🎂 Born 1950📍 From Yūbari, Hokkaido💼 Writer・Novelist
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗
Mayumi Inaba (稲葉 真弓, Inaba Mayumi; 8 March 1950 – 30 August 2014) was a Japanese writer and poet. She won the Tanizaki…
Mayumi Inaba (稲葉 真弓, Inaba Mayumi; 8 March 1950 – 30 August 2014) was a Japanese writer and poet. She won the Tanizaki Prize in 2011 for her memoir To the Peninsula (半島へ). Her short story Asa ga nido kuru (朝が二度くる, Morning Comes Twice a Day) was translated into English by Lawrence Rogers for the collection Tokyo Stories: A Literary Stroll.
Tadaki Nishiyama (Japanese: 西山 忠来; 9 February 1950 – 24 November 2023), better known under the pen names Shizuka Ijūin…
Tadaki Nishiyama (Japanese: 西山 忠来; 9 February 1950 – 24 November 2023), better known under the pen names Shizuka Ijūin (Japanese: 伊集院静) and Ayumi Date (Japanese: 伊達 歩), was a Japanese writer and lyricist.
Masaki Yamada (山田 正紀, Yamada Masaki; born January 16, 1950 in Nagoya) is a Japanese crime and science fiction author.…
Masaki Yamada (山田 正紀, Yamada Masaki; born January 16, 1950 in Nagoya) is a Japanese crime and science fiction author. He has won the Nihon SF Taisho Award, the Seiun Award three times, and an award for mystery fiction. His first story was published in 1974. His novel Aphrodite was translated into English in 2004. He also wrote After the Long Goodbye, a Ghost in the Shell-related novel.
🎓 Meiji University🏫 Showa High School📅 Born January 16🎂 Born 1950📍 From Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture💼 Writer・Novelist
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗Chinese (zh) ↗French (fr) ↗Russian (ru) ↗Ukrainian (uk) ↗
Kaoru Kitamura (北村 薫, Kitamura Kaoru) (born December 28, 1949) is the pen name of Kazuo Miyamoto (宮本 和男, Miyamoto…
Kaoru Kitamura (北村 薫, Kitamura Kaoru) (born December 28, 1949) is the pen name of Kazuo Miyamoto (宮本 和男, Miyamoto Kazuo), a popular contemporary Japanese writer, mainly of short stories.
Teruo Ito (伊藤 輝夫, Itō Teruo; born December 27, 1949, in Tsukiji, Chūō, Tokyo, Japan), better known as Terry Ito (テリー…
Teruo Ito (伊藤 輝夫, Itō Teruo; born December 27, 1949, in Tsukiji, Chūō, Tokyo, Japan), better known as Terry Ito (テリー 伊藤, Terī Itō), is a Japanese director, television producer, critic, and writer. His name "Terry" comes from his first name, "Teruo". His ancestral home is in Yokoshibahikari, Sanbu District, Chiba Prefecture. Ito served as the president of the television program production company, Locomotion. Ito, in conjunction with Toyota, helped design a limited edition pink S210 Toyota Crown called Toyota Reborn Pink Crown Athlete. The Crown featured a bright pink exterior and pink trim pieces in the interior. Toyota sold 650 units of the limited vehicle.
🏫 Waseda Jitsugyo High School📅 Born December 27🎂 Born 1949📍 From Chūō, Tokyo💼 Stage Director💼 Producer💼 TV Personality💼 Critic💼 Writer・Novelist
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗
Kyoko Mizuki (水木 杏子, Mizuki Kyōko) is one of the pen names of Keiko Nagita (名木田 恵子, Nagita Keiko; born November 28…
Kyoko Mizuki (水木 杏子, Mizuki Kyōko) is one of the pen names of Keiko Nagita (名木田 恵子, Nagita Keiko; born November 28, 1949), a Japanese writer who is best known for being the author of the manga and anime series Candy Candy. Kyoko Mizuki won the Kodansha Manga Award for Best Shōjo Manga for Candy Candy in 1977 with Yumiko Igarashi. Keiko Nagita won the Japan Juvenile Writers Association Prize for Rainette, Kin Iro no Ringo (Rainette - The Golden Apples) in 2007. Her short story Akai Mi Haziketa is printed in Japanese Primary School Textbook for 6th grade (Mitsumura Tosho Publishing Co., Ltd.). Her picture book Shampoo Ōji series (art by Makoto Kubota) was adapted into an anime television series in October 2007.
Hideyuki Kikuchi (菊地 秀行, Kikuchi Hideyuki; born September 25, 1949) is a Japanese author known for his horror novels.…
Hideyuki Kikuchi (菊地 秀行, Kikuchi Hideyuki; born September 25, 1949) is a Japanese author known for his horror novels. His most famous works include the Vampire Hunter D series, Darkside Blues and Wicked City.
🎓 Aoyama Gakuin University🏫 Choshi High School📅 Born September 25🎂 Born 1949📍 From Chōshi, Chiba Prefecture💼 Writer・Novelist
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗Chinese (zh) ↗Portuguese (pt) ↗Italian (it) ↗German (de) ↗Russian (ru) ↗Ukrainian (uk) ↗
Izumi Suzuki (鈴木いづみ, Suzuki Izumi; July 10, 1949 – February 17, 1986) was a Japanese writer and actress, known for her…
Izumi Suzuki (鈴木いづみ, Suzuki Izumi; July 10, 1949 – February 17, 1986) was a Japanese writer and actress, known for her science fiction stories and essays on Japanese pop culture. Married to avant-garde saxophonist Kaoru Abe from 1973 to 1977, she is also known for her association with photographer Nobuyoshi Araki.
Tetsuo Takashima (高嶋 哲夫 Takashima Tetsuo, born July 7, 1949) is a contemporary Japanese author active in a number of…
Tetsuo Takashima (高嶋 哲夫 Takashima Tetsuo, born July 7, 1949) is a contemporary Japanese author active in a number of genres that include science fiction, mystery fiction, historical fiction, social commentary, and juvenile fiction.
🎓 Keio University🏫 Tamano High School📅 Born July 7🎂 Born 1949📍 From Tamano, Okayama Prefecture💼 Writer・Novelist
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗
Issei Sagawa (佐川 一政, Sagawa Issei; 26 April 1949 – 24 November 2022) also known as Pang or the Kobe Cannibal, was a…
Issei Sagawa (佐川 一政, Sagawa Issei; 26 April 1949 – 24 November 2022) also known as Pang or the Kobe Cannibal, was a Japanese lust murderer, cannibal, and necrophiliac known for the killing of Renée Hartevelt in Paris in 1981. He murdered Hartevelt and then mutilated, cannibalized, and performed necrophilia on her corpse over several days. In France, Sagawa was judged to be legally insane and ordered to be held indefinitely in a mental institution. After a few years, he was deported to Japan, where psychologists from Matsuzawa Hospital examined him and unanimously concluded that he was sane. He therefore had to be released from the hospital in 1986. Since the criminal case in France had been closed and the court records were not made available to the Japanese authorities, Sagawa was not again put on trial and spent the rest of his life a free man. While this was widely criticized as an example of obstruction of justice, he became a minor celebrity in Japan and made a living through the public's interest in his crime.
🎓 Wako University🏫 Kamakura High School📅 Born April 26🎂 Born 1949📍 From Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture💼 Writer・Novelist
Shizuko Tōdō (藤堂志津子; born March 14, 1949) is a Japanese novelist and essayist. She is best known for writing the novel…
Shizuko Tōdō (藤堂志津子; born March 14, 1949) is a Japanese novelist and essayist. She is best known for writing the novel Ureteyuku Natsu (熟れてゆく夏), which won the 1988 Naoki Prize.
Haruki Murakami (村上 春樹, Murakami Haruki; born January 12 1949) is a Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short…
Haruki Murakami (村上 春樹, Murakami Haruki; born January 12 1949) is a Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short stories have been best-sellers in Japan and internationally, with his work translated into 50 languages and having sold millions of copies outside Japan. He received numerous awards for his work, including the Gunzo Prize for New Writers, the World Fantasy Award, the Tanizaki Prize, Yomiuri Prize for Literature, the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award, the Noma Literary Prize, the Franz Kafka Prize, the Kiriyama Prize for Fiction, the Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Fiction, the Jerusalem Prize, and the Princess of Asturias Awards. Growing up in Ashiya, near Kobe, before moving to Tokyo to attend Waseda University, he published his first novel Hear the Wind Sing (1979) after owning a small jazz bar for seven years. His notable works include the novels Norwegian Wood (1987), The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1994–95), Kafka on the Shore (2002) and 1Q84 (2009–10); the last was ranked as the best work of Japan's Heisei era (1989–2019) by the national newspaper Asahi Shimbun's survey of literary experts. His work spans genres including science fiction, fantasy, and crime fiction, and has become known for his use of magical realist elements. His official website cites Raymond Chandler, Kurt Vonnegut, and Richard Brautigan as key inspirations to his work, while Murakami himself has named Kazuo Ishiguro, Cormac McCarthy, and Dag Solstad as his favorite contemporary writers. Murakami has also published five short story collections, including First Person Singular (2020), and non-fiction works including Underground (1997), an oral history of the Tokyo subway sarin attack, and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (2007), a memoir about his experience as a long-distance runner. His fiction has polarized literary critics and the reading public. He has sometimes been characterized by Japan's literary establishment as un-Japanese, leading to Murakami's recalling that he was a "black sheep in the Japanese literary world". Meanwhile, Murakami has been described by Gary Fisketjon, the editor of Murakami's collection The Elephant Vanishes (1993), as a "truly extraordinary writer", while Steven Poole of The Guardian praised Murakami as "among the world's greatest living novelists" for his oeuvre.
🎓 Waseda University🏫 Hyogo Prefectural Kobe High School📅 Born January 12🎂 Born 1949📍 From Ashiya, Hyōgo💼 Writer・Novelist💼 Translator
Chiaki Kawamata (川又千秋, Kawamata Chiaki; born December 4, 1948 in Otaru, Hokkaidō, Japan) is a Japanese science fiction…
Chiaki Kawamata (川又千秋, Kawamata Chiaki; born December 4, 1948 in Otaru, Hokkaidō, Japan) is a Japanese science fiction writer and critic. He has won both the Seiun Award and the Nihon SF Taisho Award. Kawamata is also noted for writing the story of the manga Emblem of Roto.
Masuda Mizuko (増田 みず子, Masuda Mizuko; born 13 November 1948, in Tokyo) is a Japanese writer. Masuda attended the Tokyo…
Masuda Mizuko (増田 みず子, Masuda Mizuko; born 13 November 1948, in Tokyo) is a Japanese writer. Masuda attended the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, where she obtained a diploma in plant immunology in 1973. She taught at the Department of Biochemistry at the Faculty of Medicine at Nihon University until 1980. Masuda's first story "Shigo No Kankei" was nominated for the new writer's prize in Shincho magazine. In 1983, she was nominated six times for the Akutagawa Prize. She also won the Noma Award for "Jiyū jikan" (1985), the Kyōka Izumi Prize for "Shinguru Seru" (1986) and the Sei Itō Prize for "Tsukuyomi" (2001).
Jūgatsu Toi (戸井 十月, Toi Jūgatsu; 12 October 1948 – 28 July 2013) was a Japanese travel writer and visual producer. He…
Jūgatsu Toi (戸井 十月, Toi Jūgatsu; 12 October 1948 – 28 July 2013) was a Japanese travel writer and visual producer. He became a travel writer after his activity as an illustrator and reporter.
Soji Shimada (島田 荘司, Shimada Sōji; born October 12, 1948) is a Japanese mystery writer. He was born in Fukuyama City…
Soji Shimada (島田 荘司, Shimada Sōji; born October 12, 1948) is a Japanese mystery writer. He was born in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.
🎓 Musashino Art University🏫 Fukuyama Seishikan High School📅 Born October 12🎂 Born 1948📍 From Fukuyama, Hiroshima💼 Writer・Novelist
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗Chinese (zh) ↗Korean (ko) ↗Italian (it) ↗French (fr) ↗Russian (ru) ↗
Chinatsu Nakayama (中山千夏; born July 13, 1948) is a Japanese voice actress, writer, and politician.
🎓 Sophia University🏫 Kojimachi Gakuen Girls' High School📅 Born July 13🎂 Born 1948📍 From Yamaga, Kumamoto💼 Writer・Novelist
🌐 Wikipedia in other languages:Japanese (ja) ↗
Shinzō Shimao (島尾伸三, Shimao Shinzō; born July 7, 1948 in Kobe) is a Japanese photographer. He is a student of…
Shinzō Shimao (島尾伸三, Shimao Shinzō; born July 7, 1948 in Kobe) is a Japanese photographer. He is a student of photographer Ōtsuji Kiyoji, and husband to Tokuko Ushioda.
Minoru Kamata (鎌田 實 Kamata Minoru, born June 28, 1948) is a Japanese physician, writer, and humanitarian. Throughout…
Minoru Kamata (鎌田 實 Kamata Minoru, born June 28, 1948) is a Japanese physician, writer, and humanitarian. Throughout his medical career he has been an advocate of patient-centered care, and he has also been actively involved in international medical and humanitarian aid. As a founding member of the Japan Chernobyl Foundation, Kamata has been particularly active in promoting medical aid programs for victims of the Chernobyl disaster, and subsequently for victims of other international and domestic disasters and conflicts. His book Gambaranai, which became a best seller in Japan in 2000, was dramatized for Japanese television. Kamata has been the recipient of numerous awards for his contributions to medicine, publishing and broadcasting, as well as for his overseas aid work and peace efforts.
🎓 Tokyo Medical and Dental University🏫 Nishi High School📅 Born June 28🎂 Born 1948💼 Physician・Doctor💼 Writer・Novelist💼 Activist
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Nejime Shōichi (ねじめ 正一, 祢寝 正一; born June 16, 1948) is a Japanese poet and novelist born on June 16, 1948. He dropped…
Nejime Shōichi (ねじめ 正一, 祢寝 正一; born June 16, 1948) is a Japanese poet and novelist born on June 16, 1948. He dropped out of Aoyama Gakuin University while he was majoring in economics.
Kōhei Tsuka (つか こうへい, Tsuka Kōhei; 24 April 1948 – 10 July 2010) was a Korean-Japanese playwright, theater director…
Kōhei Tsuka (つか こうへい, Tsuka Kōhei; 24 April 1948 – 10 July 2010) was a Korean-Japanese playwright, theater director, and screenwriter. He was one of Japan's most influential theater figures, to the extent that recent Japanese theatrical history has been divided into pre-Tsuka and post-Tsuka periods. He died of lung cancer in Kamogawa, Chiba Prefecture at age 62.
Takao Koyama (Japanese: 小山 高生, Hepburn: Koyama Takao; born April 21, 1948, in Akishima, Tokyo) is a Japanese…
Takao Koyama (Japanese: 小山 高生, Hepburn: Koyama Takao; born April 21, 1948, in Akishima, Tokyo) is a Japanese screenwriter and novelist focusing on anime productions. His name was written as 小山 高男 until 1987.
Sukehiro Tomita (Japanese: 富田 祐弘, Hepburn: Tomita Sukehiro; born April 14, 1948) is a Japanese anime screenwriter. He…
Sukehiro Tomita (Japanese: 富田 祐弘, Hepburn: Tomita Sukehiro; born April 14, 1948) is a Japanese anime screenwriter. He is known for his work on Sailor Moon, Wedding Peach, Phantom Thief Jeanne, Digimon Frontier, Gall Force and Macross II. At the 2024 Tokyo Anime Award Festival, Tomita won the Lifetime Achievement Award in the scriptwriter category.
Jirō Akagawa (赤川 次郎, Akagawa Jirō; born February 29, 1948) is a Japanese novelist born in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture…
Jirō Akagawa (赤川 次郎, Akagawa Jirō; born February 29, 1948) is a Japanese novelist born in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.
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Hiroshi Sugimoto (杉本博司, Sugimoto Hiroshi; born 23 February 1948) is a Japanese photographer and architect. He leads the…
Hiroshi Sugimoto (杉本博司, Sugimoto Hiroshi; born 23 February 1948) is a Japanese photographer and architect. He leads the Tokyo-based architectural firm New Material Research Laboratory.
🎓 Rikkyo University🏫 Rikkyo Niiza Junior and Senior High School📅 Born February 23🎂 Born 1948💼 Photographer💼 Writer・Novelist💼 Architect・Architectural Scholar💼 Stage Director
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Musashi Kanbe (かんべむさし; born January 16, 1948, in Ishikawa Prefecture) is a Seiun Award winning author for the novel…
Musashi Kanbe (かんべむさし; born January 16, 1948, in Ishikawa Prefecture) is a Seiun Award winning author for the novel Saikoro Tokkōtai. Kanbe was also chair of honor at Daicon III in 1981.
Mikihiko Renjō (連城 三紀彦, Renjō Mikihiko; real name: Jingo Katō; January 11, 1948 – October 19, 2013) was a Japanese…
Mikihiko Renjō (連城 三紀彦, Renjō Mikihiko; real name: Jingo Katō; January 11, 1948 – October 19, 2013) was a Japanese writer, winner of the Naoki Prize. He was also an ordained priest within the Ōtani-ha branch of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism.
Shinji Kajio (梶尾 真治, Kajio Shinji; born 24 December 1947 in Kumamoto Prefecture) is a Japanese author of science…
Shinji Kajio (梶尾 真治, Kajio Shinji; born 24 December 1947 in Kumamoto Prefecture) is a Japanese author of science fiction and fantasy. The film Yomigaeri is based on Kajio's novel of the same name and he also co-wrote the manga series Memories of Emanon (おもいでエマノン, Omoide Emanon) (2008) with Kenji Tsuruta (who additionally illustrated the series), which was serialized in Monthly Comic Ryu. The manga is based on his 1983 short story of the same title and became the beginning of his long-running series of "Emanon" short stories, about a mysterious girl born 3 billion years ago (and whose name is "No name" backwards). In 1971, he made his pro debut after his book, Pearls for Mia (美亜へ贈る真珠, Mia e Okuru Shinju) was published by Hayakawa Publishing Company (早川書房, Hayakawa Shoboo). He won the 1991 Nihon SF Taisho Award.
Wahei Tatematsu (立松 和平, Tatematsu Wahei; December 15, 1947 – February 8, 2010) was a Japanese novelist. He wrote…
Wahei Tatematsu (立松 和平, Tatematsu Wahei; December 15, 1947 – February 8, 2010) was a Japanese novelist. He wrote several novels including Enrai and Dogen-Zenji, about the devout Buddhist who founded the Soto Sect of Zen Buddhism in 1227. He was also known for his environmental work. In 1995 he founded the Ashio Green Growing Association, a non-profit organization that helps plant trees at the abandoned Ashio Copper Mine.