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A journey into the carefree, today-centric generation of Japan's economic boom years (70s and 80s), as they pursue pleasure, fashion, and the recognition of their peers, forging new senses of identity through brand-name goods and music, yet remaining aloof from serious involvement, isolated from the interactions and demands of Japanese society.
A selection of outstanding works of fantasy and science fiction from Japan, published here in English for the first time to reveal new and very different slices of the Japanese imagination. Following the success of the first Speculative Japan book, Volume 2 explores the visions of best-selling authors across a range of genres, from the heart-warming fantasy of Awa Naoko to the cold, lonely outer spaces of Tani Koshu. Explore the Japanese view of speculative fiction, and discover the similarities and differences that make cross-cultural literature so satisfying.
The time is long overdue to present the work of Japanese science fiction and fantasy writers to the world in English. The first book in a planned series, Speculative Japan presents a selection of outstanding works of Japanese science fiction and fantasy in English translation... and a glimpse into new worlds of the imagination. Drawing on the talents of some of the most famous and respected fiction writers of Japan, this anthology will guide you to new dimensions of wonder. First released at Nippon 2007, the 65th World Science Fiction Convention in Yokohama, Japan, it is now available worldwide.
Edogawa Rampo (pseudonym of Hirai Taro, 1894-1965) is the acknowledged grand master of Japan's golden age of crime and mystery fiction. He is also a major writer in the tradition of Japanese Modernism, and exerts a massive influence on the popular and literary culture of today's Japan. The Edogawa Rampo Reader presents a selection of outstanding examples of his short fiction, and a selection of his non-fiction prose. Together, they present a full and accurate picture of Rampo as a major contributor to the Japanese literary scene, helping to clarify his achievements to the English-speaking world. All the content of the Rampo Reader is brand-new to English. His non-fiction work has never been translated into English before. This is the only place to find a comprehensive one-volume introduction to the world of Edogawa Rampo.
Can an ace detective outwit a thief with many faces? They call him ‘Gold Mask’: a fiendishly clever master of disguise whose crime spree has shocked Tokyo. The dogged detective Akechi Kogoro is on the trail, and soon the two become locked in a frenzied battle of wits as his seemingly superhuman nemesis leads a chase across Japan, gleefully tricking the police at every turn. Will this ingenious villain’s true identity be revealed – and will he, eventually, make a mistake?
A unique mash-up blending two of America's favorite literary genres-the western and the Cthulhu Mythos-with a dash of Japanese ninja for added zest, brought to life with humor and bold imagination.
Lonely people trapped in webs of their own design, seeking hope, love, forgiveness, validation... Five stories reveal the innermost hopes and fears of ordinary women, and men, facing the demands of others and of themselves in cool marriage and cold betrayal, exploring new avenues through new encounters. Mukōda, renowned for her piercing depictions of loneliness, family, and inner turmoil, examines the roles of women and the 'man of the house, ' whether husband, father, or even daughter. Her work explores the pain lurking in unmet expectations of family and love, and the resilience of women and men in finding purpose where none is forthcoming.
Japan has a long history of weird and supernatural literature, but it has been introduced into English only haphazardly until now. The first volume of a 3-volume anthology covering over two centuries of kaiki literature, including both short stories and manga, from Ueda Akinari's Ugetsu Monogatari of 1776 to Kyogoku Natsuhiko's modern interpretations of popular tales. Selected and with commentary by Higashi Masao, a recognized researcher and author in the field, the series systemizes and introduces the scope of the field and helps establish it as a genre of its own. This first volume presents a variety of work focusing on pre-modern Japan, and includes one manga.
Presenting a new collection of stories exploring the perennial themes of Miyamoto Teru's fiction, narrative sketches of the world-class world of the Osaka-Kobe region of his childhood employing memory to reveal a story in layered frames of time with consummate skill. His work examines the mutual proximity--or even the identity--of life and death, often touching on such grim topics with a touch of humor. Stories of personal triumph and hope are often set in situations involving death, illness, or loss, but what might be the stuff of tragedy in the hands of some writers turns into stepping stones for his characters to climb upward and onward. Miyamoto's considerable and devoted following in Ja...
When 1930s Tokyo is threatened by a master thief who can disguise himself to look like anyone, and laughs at the law, the people of the city have nowhere else to turn but Japan's greatest detective, Akechi Kogoro. Unfortunately for Tokyo, however, Akechi Kogoro is off on overseas business, so it becomes the job of his 12-year old assistant, Kobayashi Yoshio, to track down the thief and desperately keep him at bay until his mentor returns. In the spirit of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Baker Street Irregulars, a classic thriller by Edogawa Rampo, grand master of Japan's Golden Age of crime and mystery fiction. Filled with disguises, tricks, "A-ha!" moments, and spiced with a unique Japanese flair, it is sure to delight readers of all ages. Will Kobayashi's intrepid band of young detectives be able to outwit the nefarious fiend, or will Tokyo be forever at the mercy of the face-swapping phantom?