Manta Aisora (Japanese: 逢空万太) (3 October 1981 in Sapporo) is a Japanese writer. He is best known for the series…Manta Aisora (Japanese: 逢空万太) (3 October 1981 in Sapporo) is a Japanese writer. He is best known for the series Haiyore! Nyaruko-san which was adapted into anime. In 2012 he was awarded the 1st Prize awarded by GA Bunko for Yumemiru mama ni machi itari (夢見 る ま ま に 待 ち い た り) for one of the novels in the Haiyore! Nyaruko-san series.
Yuya Sato (佐藤友哉, Satō Yūya; born 1980) is a Japanese novelist from Hokkaido Prefecture. He won the 21st Mephisto Prize…Yuya Sato (佐藤友哉, Satō Yūya; born 1980) is a Japanese novelist from Hokkaido Prefecture. He won the 21st Mephisto Prize for Flicker Style, and the 20th Yukio Mishima Prize for 1000 Novels and Backbeard. His works have been translated into English, Chinese and Korean. Sato's short story "Same As Always" was translated for The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories (2018), and has been described as "an acerbic meditation on the complex interplay of gender and nurturing in post-Fukushima Japan." Kenzaburō Ōe, Kenji Nakagami and especially J. D. Salinger affected Sato's style.
Akane Chihaya (千早 茜, Chihaya Akane; born August 2, 1979) is a Japanese writer. She has won the Shōsetsu Subaru New…Akane Chihaya (千早 茜, Chihaya Akane; born August 2, 1979) is a Japanese writer. She has won the Shōsetsu Subaru New Writer Award, the Izumi Kyōka Prize for Literature, the Shimase Award for Love Stories, and the Naoki Prize.
Tatsuhiko Takimoto (滝本 竜彦, Takimoto Tatsuhiko; born September 20, 1978) is a Japanese author best known for his novel…Tatsuhiko Takimoto (滝本 竜彦, Takimoto Tatsuhiko; born September 20, 1978) is a Japanese author best known for his novel Welcome to the N.H.K.
Shigeyuki Totsugi (戸次 重幸, Totsugi Shigeyuki; born November 7, 1973) is a Japanese actor, TV personality, voice actor…Shigeyuki Totsugi (戸次 重幸, Totsugi Shigeyuki; born November 7, 1973) is a Japanese actor, TV personality, voice actor, screenwriter, theatre director, and singer. His real name and former stage name is Shigeyuki Sato (佐藤 重幸, Sato Shigeyuki). He was born in Teine-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido. He is a member of the TEAM NACS. He graduated from Hokkaido Sapporo Teine High School and, Hokkai Gakuen University. His wife is actress Yui Ichikawa.
Yo Oizumi (大泉 洋, Ōizumi Yō; born April 3, 1973) is a Japanese actor, comedian, television personality and voice actor.…Yo Oizumi (大泉 洋, Ōizumi Yō; born April 3, 1973) is a Japanese actor, comedian, television personality and voice actor. He is a member of the theatrical and musical unit Team Nacs, and is represented by Creative Office Cue. His wife Kumiko Nakajima is a drama producer at Fuji TV. His senior brother Jun Oizumi is 10th public elected Mayor of Hakodate. In 1995, while still in university, Oizumi debuted as an entertainer on the late-night program Mosaic nights aired in Hokkaidō. He first gained popularity on the television series How Do You Like Wednesday?, and has since expanded to various fields of entertainment, such as television dramas, films, voice acting and music.
Toh EnJoe (Japanese: 円城 塔, Hepburn: Enjō Tō; pen name, also written as En Joe Toh) (born September 15, 1972) is a…Toh EnJoe (Japanese: 円城 塔, Hepburn: Enjō Tō; pen name, also written as En Joe Toh) (born September 15, 1972) is a Japanese author and television writer. Most of his works are literary fiction or speculative fiction.
Toshihito Bandō (坂東 齢人; born February 18, 1965), known by his pen name Hase Seishū (馳 星周), is a Japanese novelist known…Toshihito Bandō (坂東 齢人; born February 18, 1965), known by his pen name Hase Seishū (馳 星周), is a Japanese novelist known for his Yakuza crime novels. His pen name is based on the Chinese name of Hong Kong filmmaker Stephen Chow, Chow Sing-chi (周星馳), written backwards and rendered in Japanese.
Natsuhiko Kyogoku (京極 夏彦, Kyōgoku Natsuhiko; born March 26, 1963) is a Japanese mystery writer, who is a member of…Natsuhiko Kyogoku (京極 夏彦, Kyōgoku Natsuhiko; born March 26, 1963) is a Japanese mystery writer, who is a member of Ōsawa Office. He is a member of the Mystery Writers of Japan and the Honkaku Mystery Writers Club of Japan. Three of his novels have been turned into feature films; Mōryō no Hako, which won the 1996 Mystery Writers of Japan Award, was also made into an anime television series, as was Kosetsu Hyaku Monogatari, and his book Loups=Garous was adapted into an anime feature film. Vertical have published his debut novel as The Summer of the Ubume.
Tadashi Kawamata (川俣正, Kawamata Tadashi, born July 24, 1953) is a Japanese installation artist. After first studying…Tadashi Kawamata (川俣正, Kawamata Tadashi, born July 24, 1953) is a Japanese installation artist. After first studying painting at Tokyo University of the Arts, Kawamata discovered his interest in the practice of installation. Using recuperated construction materials, like wood planks, he began building rudimentary partitions in gallery spaces and apartments to explore the perception of space. Kawamata's fascination for Tokyo's urban landscape and its constant transformation soon led to the development of larger-scale installations in situ in cities in Japan and abroad. After having participated in the Venice Biennale in 1982 at only 28 years old, Kawamata's subsequent projects led him to work across Europe, North America, and South America. These ephemeral installations raise questions about architecture and its permanence, and have drawn attention to social realities, such as the stark class difference apparent in large cities. Since the 2000s, the artist's installations have taken on an increasingly ecological charge, confronting environmental disasters, such as the accumulation of waste or the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. He has lived and worked between Paris and Tokyo since 2006.
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.
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.
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.
Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (Japanese: 安彦 良和, Hepburn: Yasuhiko Yoshikazu; born December 9, 1947) is a Japanese animator, manga…Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (Japanese: 安彦 良和, Hepburn: Yasuhiko Yoshikazu; born December 9, 1947) is a Japanese animator, manga artist, and anime director. He is best known for being the character designer and animation director of the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime, which began in 1979. That same year, he began working as a manga artist, which had been his dream since childhood. His manga have been critically acclaimed and have won numerous awards.
Natsuki Ikezawa (池澤 夏樹, Ikezawa Natsuki; born July 7, 1945 in Obihiro, Hokkaido) is a Japanese novelist, poet…Natsuki Ikezawa (池澤 夏樹, Ikezawa Natsuki; born July 7, 1945 in Obihiro, Hokkaido) is a Japanese novelist, poet, essayist, and translator. His literary work frequently explores themes concerning the relationship between civilization and nature. As a translator, Ikezawa has translated a diverse range of literature into Japanese, spanning contemporary Greek poetry, modern world fiction, and American literature. He is the father of voice actress Haruna Ikezawa.
Keizaburō Tejima (手島 圭三郎, Tejima Keizaburō) (born 1935) is a Japanese artist and children's picture book author. He is…Keizaburō Tejima (手島 圭三郎, Tejima Keizaburō) (born 1935) is a Japanese artist and children's picture book author. He is known for his books and their illustrations. Tejima's illustrative technique is woodblock. Books he has written and illustrated include Fox's Dream, Owl Lake, Swan Sky and The Bear's Autumn.
Yasuko Uetake (Japanese: 上武やす子, née Yasuko Muromura; 26 November 1934 – 16 March 2024) was an embroidery artist and…Yasuko Uetake (Japanese: 上武やす子, née Yasuko Muromura; 26 November 1934 – 16 March 2024) was an embroidery artist and Ainu cultural activist from Japan. Born in Muroran, Hokkaido, she was a prominent figure in the preservation and promotion of the Ainu culture in Noboribetsu. She was active in the Noboribetsu Branch of the Hokkaido Utari Association, the Club for Talking about Mashiho Chiri, and the Women's Society for Learning and Inheriting the Ainu Culture. A self-taught but accomplished Ainu embroidery artist, she created various works in traditional Ainu clothing, trained younger artists in embroidery seminars, and taught other Ainu cultural traditions, including dancing.
Kōichirō Uno (宇能鴻一郎, Uno Kōichirō; b. July 25, 1934) is a Japanese author of erotic novels. His works have often been…Kōichirō Uno (宇能鴻一郎, Uno Kōichirō; b. July 25, 1934) is a Japanese author of erotic novels. His works have often been filmed, most notably by Nikkatsu studio in a prolific series of Roman Pornos giving the author's name in the title. He also won the Akutagawa Prize for Kujiragami (鯨神).
Yoshio Aramaki (荒巻義雄, Aramaki Yoshio, born 12 April 1933) is a Japanese science fiction and mystery writer, critic and…Yoshio Aramaki (荒巻義雄, Aramaki Yoshio, born 12 April 1933) is a Japanese science fiction and mystery writer, critic and art collector. His original given name was Kunio Aramaki (荒巻邦夫, Aramaki Kunio). He has changed his name to Yoshimasa Aramaki (荒巻義雅). Aramaki is well known by his so-called "Meta-SF" works which are characterized by their speculative and fantastic themes and depictions. He is also famous for his various series of "imaginary battle" novels and alternate history novels such as Konpeki no Kantai series. He is a member of the Japan Writers’ Association, and of the SFWJ (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan), and of the Contemporary Haiku Association. He was also a professor in the Seishū Women's University (now, Sapporo International University) from 1993 to 1997.
Kiyohiro Miura (三浦清宏, Miura Kiyohiro; born 1930 in Muroran, Hokkaido) is a Japanese writer. After attending the…Kiyohiro Miura (三浦清宏, Miura Kiyohiro; born 1930 in Muroran, Hokkaido) is a Japanese writer. After attending the University of Tokyo he went to the United States for further education. He received his B.A. from San Jose State University in 1955 and his MFA from University of Iowa in 1958. His novel Chōnan no shukke (長男の出家) or My Young Son Becomes a Zen Monk won the Akutagawa Prize in 1988.
Tsutomu "Ben" Goto (五島 勉, Gotō Ben, 17 November 1929 – 16 June 2020) was a Japanese journalist and writer best known…Tsutomu "Ben" Goto (五島 勉, Gotō Ben, 17 November 1929 – 16 June 2020) was a Japanese journalist and writer best known for his books on Nostradamus.
Yoshiko Shigekane (重兼 芳子, Shigekane Yoshiko; March 7, 1927 – August 22, 1993) was a Japanese writer from Hokkaido. She…Yoshiko Shigekane (重兼 芳子, Shigekane Yoshiko; March 7, 1927 – August 22, 1993) was a Japanese writer from Hokkaido. She won the Akutagawa Prize in 1979, and her work has been adapted for film.
Ayako Miura (三浦綾子, Miura Ayako; 25 April 1922 – 12 October 1999) was a Japanese novelist. She published over eighty…Ayako Miura (三浦綾子, Miura Ayako; 25 April 1922 – 12 October 1999) was a Japanese novelist. She published over eighty works of both fiction and non-fiction. Many of her works are considered best-sellers, and a number have been remade as feature-length films. Her debut novel, Hyōten (氷点, "Freezing Point"), was published in 1964, and won the Asahi Shimbun's Ten Million Yen Award that same year.
Kōhan Kawauchi (川内 康範, Kawauchi Kōhan); February 26, 1920 – April 6, 2008), also known as Yasunori Kawauchi, was a…Kōhan Kawauchi (川内 康範, Kawauchi Kōhan); February 26, 1920 – April 6, 2008), also known as Yasunori Kawauchi, was a Japanese screenwriter who created various tokusatsu series, including the first, Moonlight Mask, in 1958. He was originally from Hakodate, Hokkaido. His series Warrior of Love Rainbowman (1972) is considered to be an inspiration for Go Nagai's Cutie Honey. Other tokusatsu shows he created include Seven Color Mask (1959) and Messenger of Allah (1960). He also wrote the screenplay for Seijun Suzuki's Tokyo Drifter.
Moritake Kimura (Japanese: 木村 盛武, Hepburn: Kimura Moritake; 1920 – September 6, 2019) was a Japanese non-fiction…Moritake Kimura (Japanese: 木村 盛武, Hepburn: Kimura Moritake; 1920 – September 6, 2019) was a Japanese non-fiction writer. He is best known for his investigation of the Sankebetsu brown bear incident, which caused the greatest damage in the history of Japanese animal damage.
Yoshinori Yagi (八木 義徳, Yagi Yoshinori; October 21, 1911 – November 9, 1999) was a noted Japanese author. Yagi was born…Yoshinori Yagi (八木 義徳, Yagi Yoshinori; October 21, 1911 – November 9, 1999) was a noted Japanese author. Yagi was born in Muroran, Hokkaidō, and graduated from Waseda University in 1938 with a degree in French literature. In 1944 he became employed in the chemical industry in Manchuria. As a writer, he was a devotee of Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Takeo Arishima, and received the 1944 Akutagawa Prize for 劉廣福 Ryūkanbu and the 1976 Yomiuri Prize for Kazamatsuri. Some of his materials are now exhibited in Muroran's Literature Museum. His Dharma name was Keiunin Zuishin Gitoku Koji (景雲院随心義徳居士).
Yoshie Wada (和田 芳恵, Wada Yoshie; April 6, 1906 - October 5, 1977) was a Japanese novelist and critic. Wada was born in…Yoshie Wada (和田 芳恵, Wada Yoshie; April 6, 1906 - October 5, 1977) was a Japanese novelist and critic. Wada was born in Oshamambe, Hokkaidō, and graduated from Chuo University with a law degree. In addition to his novels in the naturalist tradition, he edited the diaries of Ichiyō Higuchi and Fumiko Hayashi. He received one of the 13th Japan Art Academy Prizes (1956) for Diary of Ichiyō Higuchi (一葉の日記, Ichiyō no nikki), the 50th Naoki Prize (1963下) for Chiri no Naka (塵の中), and the 26th Yomiuri Prize (1974) for Tsugiki no dai (接木の台).
Sei Itō (伊藤 整, Itō Sei; 16 January 1905 – 15 November 1969), born Hitoshi Itō (伊藤 整, Itō Hitoshi), was a Japanese…Sei Itō (伊藤 整, Itō Sei; 16 January 1905 – 15 November 1969), born Hitoshi Itō (伊藤 整, Itō Hitoshi), was a Japanese Modernist writer of poetry, prose and essays, and a translator.
Hidemi Kon (今 日出海, Kon Hidemi; 6 November 1903 – 30 July 1984) was a literary critic and essayist active in Japan…Hidemi Kon (今 日出海, Kon Hidemi; 6 November 1903 – 30 July 1984) was a literary critic and essayist active in Japan during the Shōwa period.
Kensaku Shimaki (島木 健作, Shimaki Kensaku; 7 September 1903 – 17 August 1945) was the pen name of Asakura Kikuo (朝倉 菊雄)…Kensaku Shimaki (島木 健作, Shimaki Kensaku; 7 September 1903 – 17 August 1945) was the pen name of Asakura Kikuo (朝倉 菊雄), a Japanese author active during the Shōwa period in Japan. He had an interest in leftist ideology and was arrested in 1928 due to his ties to the Japanese Communist Party. Throughout his literary career, Shimaki wrote multiple novels and stories with a common theme being proletariat life. Some of his works were published by magazines and journals. He associated with Nobel laureate Kawabata Yasunari.
On Watanabe (渡辺 温, Watanabe On; 26 August 1902 – 10 February 1930) was a Japanese mystery writer and fantasy novelist.…On Watanabe (渡辺 温, Watanabe On; 26 August 1902 – 10 February 1930) was a Japanese mystery writer and fantasy novelist. Despite his early death aged 27, he was an inspiration for later Japanese authors.
Jūran Hisao (久生 十蘭, Hisao Jūran; 6 April 1902 – 6 October 1957) was the pen-name of a Japanese author of popular…Jūran Hisao (久生 十蘭, Hisao Jūran; 6 April 1902 – 6 October 1957) was the pen-name of a Japanese author of popular fiction in Shōwa period Japan. Hisao Jūran was a pioneer in the use of black humor in Japanese literature. His works reflect his extensive knowledge of a wide range of subjects, and displayed extraordinary skills, and range from mystery tales to humor, and both historical and contemporary settings. His real name was Masao Abe (阿部 正雄, Abe Masao).
Hideo Oguma (小熊秀雄, Oguma Hideo; 9 September 1901 – 20 November 1940) was a Japanese poet for the Proletarian literature…Hideo Oguma (小熊秀雄, Oguma Hideo; 9 September 1901 – 20 November 1940) was a Japanese poet for the Proletarian literature movement and was noted for writing children's stories, comic books and literary criticism. A Hideo Oguma poetry prize is awarded for new poetry writers.
Tama Morita (森田 たま, Morita Tama; 19 December 1894 - 31 October 1970) was a Japanese essayist whose books were quite…Tama Morita (森田 たま, Morita Tama; 19 December 1894 - 31 October 1970) was a Japanese essayist whose books were quite popular in Japan around World War II. She later served as a member of the House of Councillors in 1962.
Kan Shimozawa (子母澤 寛, Shimozawa Kan; sometimes spelled Shimosawa; February 1, 1892 – July 19, 1968) was a Japanese…Kan Shimozawa (子母澤 寛, Shimozawa Kan; sometimes spelled Shimosawa; February 1, 1892 – July 19, 1968) was a Japanese novelist and historical writer best known for originating the character Zatoichi. He was awarded the Kikuchi Kan Prize in 1962 for a series of works set at the end of the Tokugawa period and the Meiji era.
Kyōko Nakano (Japanese: 中野京子) is a Japanese scholar of German literature, Western cultural historian, and translator.…Kyōko Nakano (Japanese: 中野京子) is a Japanese scholar of German literature, Western cultural historian, and translator. Nakano grew up in Hokkaido, Japan, and completed her master's degree at Waseda University in Shinjuku, Tokyo. In 2007, she published Scary Pictures, that would be the first of a series of art books on the theme of fear in painting (kowai-e). Volumes 2, 3, 4 and 5 were published in 2008, 2009, 2016 and 2017, respectively, and the best-selling series led to an exhibition in 2017 and a stage adaptation in 2022.
Ao Jūmonji (十文字青, Jūmonji Ao) is a Japanese light novelist. He is from Hokuto, Hokkaidō Prefecture and graduated from…Ao Jūmonji (十文字青, Jūmonji Ao) is a Japanese light novelist. He is from Hokuto, Hokkaidō Prefecture and graduated from Hokkaido University.