Japanese Literary Awards

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Takuya Abe

あべ たくや

Abe Takuya

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1978-07-05 （Kitakami, Iwate, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Kitakami, Iwate, Japan → Tokyo, Japan → Aichi Prefecture (based at Aichi Shukutoku University) → Paris, France (Visiting researcher, Centre Pompidou / IRI)

Career

Occupations
Designer, Researcher, Associate Professor, Author, Design Historian
Active Years
2000-
Affiliations
Aichi Shukutoku University (Associate Professor, Faculty of Creative Expression, Media Produce), Centre Pompidou / IRI (Visiting Researcher), The University of Tokyo (Adjunct / Special Lecturer, former)
Memberships
Japan Association for Semiotics, The Society for University Education, Japan Society for Digital Studies, Digital Archive Society (Japan)
Influenced By
Kohei Sugiura

Education

Iwate Prefectural Kurosawajiri Kita High School
Country: Japan
Musashino Art University
Faculty of Art and Design / Department of Basic Design
Degree: 学士
Country: Japan
Worked on design for Kamen Rider Kuuga while a student
Graduate School / Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies, The University of Tokyo
Graduate School / Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies
Degree: 博士（学際情報学）
Country: Japan
Completed master's program and later awarded a PhD (Interdisciplinary Information Studies) after doctoral coursework

Awards

Takeo Award — Excellence Prize (Design History Research Paper Category)
2005
Category: デザイン史研究論文部門
Organization: Takeo Co., Ltd.
Result: 優秀賞
Ritsumeikan Shirakawa Shizuka Memorial Oriental Character Culture Award — Education and Outreach Prize
2021
Category: 教育普及賞
Organization: Ritsumeikan University
Result: 受賞
Suntory Cultural Award — Society & Customs category
2023
Work: Kohei Sugiura and the Era of Phototypesetting: Optical Technology and the Design of Japanese
Category: 社会・風俗部門
Organization: Suntory Foundation for the Arts
Result: 受賞
Mainichi Publishing Culture Award — Special Prize
2023
Work: Kohei Sugiura and the Era of Phototypesetting: Optical Technology and the Design of Japanese
Category: 特別賞
Organization: Mainichi Newspapers
Result: 受賞
Tokyo TDC Award — Editorial/Book Design (Selected)
2024
Work: Kohei Sugiura and the Era of Phototypesetting: Optical Technology and the Design of Japanese
Category: Editorial/Book Design
Organization: Tokyo Type Directors Club
Result: 入選
Japan Society for Publishing Studies Award (45th)
2024
Work: Kohei Sugiura and the Era of Phototypesetting: Optical Technology and the Design of Japanese
Organization: Japan Society for Publishing Studies
Result: 受賞
New Creators Competition — Curator category
2009
Category: キュレーター部門
Result: 受賞
Iwate Prefecture Outdoor Advertising Contest — Governor's Prize
Organization: Iwate Prefecture
Result: 受賞
Library Convention Poster Session — Grand Prize
Result: 最優秀賞
Science and Technology Film Festival — Education/Culture Category Excellence Prize
Category: 教育・教養部門
Result: 優秀賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Kohei Sugiura and the Era of Phototypesetting: Optical Technology and the Design of Japanese

2023 Research book; Design history

A research book that examines Kōhei Sugiura's work and the era of phototypesetting in Japan, offering historical and theoretical analysis of optical technologies and Japanese typography. It compiles research on the history of phototypesetting machines and changes in typographic practice from a design-historical perspective.

TypographyPhototypesettingDesign historyMedia theoryHistory of technology

Kamen Rider Kuuga (character designs)

2000 TV series character design

A project worked on while a student at Musashino Art University. Responsible for designing the Grongi monsters and the Rint script characters among other creature and world design elements.

Monster/creature designTokusatsu (special effects)Character design

Kamen Rider Hibiki (literary cooperation)

2005 Literary / creative cooperation for TV

Credited with literary/creative cooperation on Kamen Rider Hibiki (credited for volumes/episodes noted in production credits).

Cross-media design collaborationTokusatsu

Iwate Asahi Television mascot "Goety" design

2005 Mascot design

Designed the mascot character "Goety" for Iwate Asahi Television.

Character designLocal media

Bibliography

  • Kohei Sugiura and the Era of Phototypesetting: Optical Technology and the Design of Japanese (Keio University Press, March 2023)
  • Hybrid Reading: New Reading and Philology (editor, Shinyo-sha, Aug 2016)
  • Archive Genealogies in the Digital Age (co-author, Misuzu Shobo, Dec 2022)
  • Media Remix: Unraveling the "Now" of Digital Culture (co-author, Minerva Shobo, Nov 2023)

Adaptations

  • Kamen Rider Kuuga (TV series, 2000) — character design contributions

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Scholarly and critical prose grounded in academic argumentA style that moves between practical design work and theoretical reflection
Recurring Motifs
Phototypesetting and typographyHistory of media technologiesDesign and society

Legacy

A researcher who bridges practical design work with design history and media theory. Highly regarded for research on phototypesetting and typography, his books and essays have influenced academic and publishing circles. He has also left a mark on popular culture through character design work such as for Kamen Rider Kuuga.

Academic Societies

  • Japan Association for Semiotics
  • The Society for University Education
  • Japan Society for Digital Studies
  • Digital Archive Society (Japan)

Archives

  • Aichi Shukutoku University Research Repository (faculty publications)
  • researchmap (Takuya Abe profile)
  • J-GLOBAL (Takuya Abe profile)

In Popular Culture

  • Known among tokusatsu fans for designing the Grongi monsters and the Rint script for Kamen Rider Kuuga
  • Has designed local-media mascots such as "Goety" for Iwate Asahi Television

Trivia

  • While a student at Musashino Art University, he worked on Kamen Rider Kuuga, designing the Grongi monsters and the Rint script.
  • Has served as a visiting researcher at the Centre Pompidou / IRI and as an adjunct / special lecturer at the University of Tokyo.
  • His book "Kohei Sugiura and the Era of Phototypesetting" has won multiple awards, including the Suntory Cultural Award.