Joh Sasaki
Joh Sasaki | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 16, 1950 Yubari, Hokkaido |
| Occupation | Writer, novelist, journalist |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Period | 1979 – |
| Genre | Historical fiction, crime fiction, adventure, mystery, suspense, young adult fiction |
| Notable works | Etorofu hatsu kinkyūden (1989) Keikan no chi(2007) |
| Notable awards | Naoki Prize(2009) |
| Website | |
| www | |
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.[1]
Biography[edit]
Joh Sasaki was born in Yubari, Hokkaido, Japan.[2][3] He spent his early youth in Nakashibetsu City and later ventured to Sapporo where Sasaki attended Tsukisamu High School. He released his first novel, Tekkihei, tonda (鉄騎兵、跳んだ), in 1979.[4][5] Sasaki quickly established himself as a writer after winning the All Yomimono New Writers Prize for Tekkihei, tonda which was also later adapted for the big screen.[6] Today Sasaki is known as a household author with numerous works in genres stretching from historical fiction, young adult fiction to police crime fiction, and even various TV Crime Drama adaptations.[7][8]
In 2009, Sasaki won Japan's number one literary award, the Naoki Prize, for his work ja:廃墟に乞う Haikyo ni kou, and also holds many other literary awards.[9] [10] [11] [12] These days Sasaki is actively developing his stories for the stage in addition to directing a Children's e-picture book project called Joh's Picture Book Project.[13]
Literary style[edit]
Joh Sasaki is well known in Japan as a social entertainment writer.[citation needed] In his novel ja:真夜中の遠い彼方 Mayonaka no tooi kanata (later re-titled to ja:新宿のありふれた夜 Shinjuku no arifureta yoru), he depicts the underground lifestyles of the Japanese mafia, boat people, and illegal alien workers. In ja:夜にその名を呼べば Yoru ni sono na o yobeba, Sasaki portrays a chilling Cold War scene in a mystery set in Otaru, Hokkaido and Berlin, Germany. His police mystery thriller, ja:歌う警官 Utau keikan (later re-titled to ja:笑う警官 Warau keikan) was adapted for the big screen and provides an early setting for his later internationally acclaimed roman-fleuve novel ja:警官の血 Keikan no chi which was eventually adapted for television. Sasaki's ja:ベルリン飛行指令 Berlin hikō shimei (English title: Zero Over Berlin) garnered critical acclaim for telling a World War II story from the other side about a fly-by-night mission involving a Type Zero Fighter (Mitsubishi A6M Zero) secretly making its way from Japan all the way to Berlin at the request of the Luftwaffe.[14][15][16][17] Zero Over Berlin is presently Sasaki's only novel translated into English.[18]
Works in English translation[edit]
- Zero Over Berlin (original title: Berlin Hikō Shirei): Vertical., 2004 (Translated by Hiroko Yoda with Matt Alt).
Awards[edit]
- 1979 ja:鉄騎兵、跳んだ Tekkihei, tonda: debut novel winning the All Yomimono New Writers Prize.
- 1989 ja:エトロフ発緊急電 Etorofu hatsu kinkyūden: novel winning the Mystery Writers of Japan Award, Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize and Japan Adventure Fiction Association Prize.
- 1994 ja:ストックホルムの密使 Stockholm no misshi: novel winning the Japan Adventure Fiction Association Prize.
- 2002 ja:武揚伝 Buyōden: novel winning the Nitta Jirō Prize for Literature.
- 2008 ja:警官の血 Keikan no chi (The Policeman's Lineage[19]): novel winning the first place in the "Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 2008" and the Japan Adventure Fiction Association Prize.
- 2009 ja:廃墟に乞う Haikyo ni kou (Prayer in the Ruins[20]): novel winning the nationally acclaimed literary award Naoki Prize.
Bibliography[edit]
Adventure novels[edit]
World War II[edit]
- World War II Trilogy Series
- ja:ベルリン飛行指令 Berlin Hikō Shirei (Shincho Bunko, 1988., Shincho Bunko, 1993)
- Manga adaptation by ja:望月三起也 Mochitzuki Mikiya
- ja:エトロフ発緊急電 Etorofu Hatsu Kinkyūden (Shincho Bunko, 1989., Shincho Bunko, 1994., Futabasa, 2004)
- TV drama adaptation: ja:エトロフ遥かなり Etorofu Harukanari
- ja:ストックホルムの密使 Stockholm no Misshi (Shincho Bunko, 1994., Shincho Bunko, 1997)
- ja:ベルリン飛行指令 Berlin Hikō Shirei (Shincho Bunko, 1988., Shincho Bunko, 1993)
- ja:ワシントン封印工作 Washington Fūin Kōsaku (Shincho Bunko, 1997., Shincho Bunko, 2000., Bunshu bunko, 2010)
Historical fiction novels[edit]
- Ezochi (Hokkaido) Trilogy Series
- Bakumatsu Trilogy Series
- ja:駿女 Shunme (Chuokoron-Shinsha, Inc., 2005., Nakakou Bunko, 2008)
Current works[edit]
Police crime fiction[edit]
- ja:道警シリーズ Dōkei Series
- ja:うたう警官 Warau Keikan (Kadokawashunki Jimusho, 2004)
- ja:警察庁から来た男 Keisatsuchō kara Kita Otoko Kadokawashunki Jimusho, 2006., Haruki bunko, 2008)
- ja:警官の紋章 Keikan no Monshō (Kadokawashunki Jimusho., 2008., Haruki Bunko, 2010)
- ja:巡査の休日 Junsa no Kyūjitsu (Kadokawashunki Jimusho., 2009., Haruki Bunko, 2011)
- TV drama adaptation: ja:巡査の休日 Junsa no Kyūjitsu: (2011)
- ja:密売人 Mitsubainin (Kadokawashunki Jimusho., 2011)
- ja:駐在警官・川久保篤シリーズ Chūzai Keikan Series
- ja:警官の血 Keikan no Chi (Shinchō Bunko, 2007., Shinchō Bunko, 2010)
- TV drama adaptation: ja:警官の血 Keikan no Chi (2009)
- ja:廃墟に乞う Haikyo ni Kou (Bungeishunju Ltd., 2009)
Suspense novels[edit]
- ja:真夜中の遠い彼方 Mayonaka no Tooi Kanata (Daiwa shobō, 1984., Shūeisha Bunko, 1987., Tenzan bunko., 1992).
- Revised: ja:新宿のありふれた夜 Shinjuku no Arifureta Yoru (Sukora Noberuzu, 1996., Kadokawa bunko, 1997）
- Movie title: Ware ni Utsu Yōi Ari Ready to Shoot (Fusosha Publishing, 1990)
Young adult fiction and other novels[edit]
- ja:鉄騎兵、跳んだ Tekkihei, Tonda (Bungeishunju Ltd., 1980,. Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co., Ltd., 1986,. Bunshun Bunko, 2010)
- Movie title: ja:鉄騎兵、跳んだ Tekkihei, Tonda (starring Junichi Ishida)
- ja:いつか風が見ていた Itsuka Kaze ga Miteita (CBS Sony, 1985)
- Revised: ja:タイム・アタック Taimu Atakku (Shūeisha Bunko, 1988)
- ja:マンハッタンの美徳 Manhattan no Bitoku (Shūeisha Bunko, 1989)
- ja:サンクスギビング・ママ Sankusugibingu Mama (Switch Publishing Co., Ltd., 1992,. Shinchosha, 1995., Fusosha Bunko, 2008)
- ja:きょうも舗道にすれちがう Kyō mo Hodō ni Surechigau (Chuokoron-Shinsha, Inc., 1994,. Nakakou bunko, 2000)
Horror novels[edit]
- ja:死の色の封印 Shi no Iro no Fūin (Tokumanoberuzsu, 1984., Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co., Ltd., 1989)
- ja:白い殺戮者 Shiroi Sakurikusha (Tokumanoberusu, 1986., Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co., Ltd., 1991)
- ja:牙のある時間 Kiba no Aru Jikan (Magajinhausu, 1998., Haruki Bunko, 2000)
Other novels[edit]
- ja:ユニット Yunitto (Bungeishunju Ltd., 2003., Bunshu Bunko, 2005)
- TV drama adaptation: ja:ユニット Yunitto (2006)
- ja:カウントダウン Countdown (Mainichi Shinbunsha, 2010)
- ja:地層捜査 Chisō Shinsa (Bungeishunju, 2012)
Non-fiction[edit]
- ja:冒険者カストロ Bōkensha kasutoro (Shūeisha Bunko, 2002., Shūeisha Bunko, 2005)
- ja:幕臣たちと技術立国 Bakushintachi to Gijutsu Rikkoku (Shūeisha Shinsho, 2006)
- ja:わが夕張 わがエトロフ Wa ga Yūbari waga Etorofu (Hokkaido Shinbunsha, 2008)
References[edit]
- ^ "Joh Sasaki 佐々木譲". J'lit Books from Japan. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ "夕張 ふたたび". Yomiuri Shimbun. November 2007. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ Hideaki Nakamura (November 2011). "嗜好と文化：Vol. 7 佐々木譲「うそをつくのは楽しいし、書くうえでのモチベーションになっている」". Mainichi Shimbun. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ Bungeishunjū.(August 1980).ASIN B000J86570.
- ^ Tokuma Shoten.(May 1986).ISBN 978-4195980750.
- ^ "特集Interview". Bookservice.jp. March 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ Joh Sasaki (August 1993). "エトロフ遥かなり". BSオリジナルドラマ. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ Joh Sasaki. "Joh Sasaki's TV Drama series". NHK, BS Japan, EX, HBC. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ Kyodo News (January 2010). "Writers Shiraishi, Sasaki win 142nd Naoki Prize". The Japan Times Online. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ "ANNOUNCEMENT: 142nd Naoki Prize Winners Selected". Japanese Writer's House. February 2010. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ "『廃墟に乞う』で直木賞 佐々木譲 冒険を恐れず 転機を拒まず". Asahi Shimbun. January 2010. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ "2 novelists share Naoki Prize for literature". Iran Book News Agency. January 2010. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ "Joh's Picture Book Project". December 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ Shinchosha.(August 1988).ISBN 4-10-602703-8.
- ^ Shinchoshabunko.(January,1993).ISBN 4-10-122311-4.
- ^ Joh Sasaki (June 2004). "Zero Over Berlin". Publishers Weekly. Translated by Hiroko Yoda with Matt Alt. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ "ZERO OVER BERLIN READING GUIDE". Vertical, Inc. June 2004. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ Jonah Morgan (2004). "ANS Exclusive Interview: Author Joh Sasaki – Zero Over Berlin". ANS. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- ^ J'Lit | Publications : The Policeman's Lineage | Books from Japan
- ^ J'Lit | Publications : Prayer in the Ruins | Books from Japan
External links[edit]
- Official website (in English)
- Official blog (in Japanese)
- J'Lit | Authors : Joh Sasaki | Books from Japan (in English)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
- 1950 births
- Living people
- Japanese journalists
- 20th-century Japanese novelists
- 21st-century Japanese novelists
- Japanese male short story writers
- Japanese crime fiction writers
- Mystery Writers of Japan Award winners
- Writers from Hokkaido
- Magic realism writers
- Postmodern writers
- 20th-century Japanese short story writers
- 21st-century Japanese short story writers
- 20th-century Japanese male writers
- 21st-century male writers