Shinchosha Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 11 (1964) nominee
Takehiko Fukunaga
ふくなが たけひこ
Fukunaga Takehiko
Aliases:
加田 伶太郎 / 船田 学
Pen Names:
Kada Reitaro（Pen name used for detective/mystery fiction）,
Funada Manabu（Pen name used for science fiction works）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1918-03-19 （Oaza Futsukaichi 835, Futsukaichi Town (now Futsukaichi, Chikushino), Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan）
- Died
- 1979-08-13 （Saku General Hospital, Usuda (now Saku), Minamisaku District, Nagano Prefecture, Japan） age 61
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Religion
- Anglican Church in Japan (Nippon Sei Ko Kai)
- Residence History
- Futsukaichi, Chikushino (formerly Futsukaichi Town), Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan → Tokyo, Japan → Kobe, Japan → Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan → Kiyose (Tokyo Sanatorium stay), Japan → Saku, Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Poet, Scholar of French literature, Translator, University professor
- Active Years
- 1948-1979
- Affiliations
- NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), International Bureau — Asia Division (employment), Gakushuin University, Faculty of Letters (professor)
- Influenced By
- Natsume Sōseki, Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, Kafū Nagai, Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, Tatsuo Hori, Charles Baudelaire
- Influenced
- Natsuki Ikezawa
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Imperial University (now University of Tokyo) | Faculty of Letters | Department of French Literature | 文学士 | 1938-1941 | Japan |
| First Higher School (Dai-ichi Kōtōgakkō) | — | — | — | 1934-1937 | Japan |
Tokyo Imperial University (now University of Tokyo)
Faculty of Letters
/ Department of French Literature
Degree:
文学士
Period:
1938-1941
Year of Graduation:
1941
Country:
Japan
Wrote film criticism and essays while a student
First Higher School (Dai-ichi Kōtōgakkō)
Period:
1934-1937
Year of Graduation:
1937
Country:
Japan
Attended the old First Higher School
Awards & Nominations
Noma Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 24 (1971) nominee
Japan Literary Grand Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 4 (1972) award
Works
Major Works
A novel portraying youth during wartime; notable for its exploration of love, solitude and deep psychological portrayal.
youthlovesolitudememory
A novel about urban decay and human isolation.
citylossisolationmemory
Adaptations
- [Film] / 大林宣彦 (1983)
A novel that thematically follows the flow of oblivion and memory, exploring psychological depths.
oblivionmemoryhuman psychology
One of his novels exploring beauty and love.
beautyloveillusion
A substantial novel themed on myth and art.
deathmythart
A story revolving around family and memory.
familymemorytime
Adaptations
- [Film] / 高山由紀子 (1996)
Bibliography
Adaptations
Translations by Author
- Henri Troyat, 'The Spider' (translation)
- Julien Green, 'The Man Who Chased Illusions' (co-translation)
- Charles Baudelaire, 'Paris Spleen' (translation)
- Modern-language translations/editions of Kojiki, Nihon Shoki, Konjaku Monogatari
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- lyricaldeep psychological portraituredetailed descriptive stylemodernist influences
- Recurring Motifs
- lovebeautylossmemorydeath
Health
-
Paroxysmal tachycardia (anxiety-related symptoms)1942頃Led to avoidance of conscription and affected life/career choices
-
Pulmonary tuberculosis1946頃（療養・入院）Required sanatorium care and hospitalization, affecting literary activity and family life
-
Testicular tuberculosis (with intestinal and pharyngeal tuberculosis)1949Required prolonged treatment/surgery and significantly impacted personal life
-
Gastric ulcer (worsened)1979（悪化・手術・死去）Worsened in 1979; underwent surgery and condition rapidly deteriorated, resulting in death
Legacy
He established his reputation with 'Kusa no Hana' and left important works exploring psychological depth and the pursuit of beauty in postwar Japanese literature. His translations, criticism and modern-language renderings of classics are also recognized.
In Popular Culture
- Involved in the novelization related to the SF film 'Mothra' ('The Glow Fairy and Mothra')
Trivia
- Used pen names Kada Reitaro and Funada Manabu for detective fiction and science fiction respectively.
- Natsuki Ikezawa is his son. His granddaughter is voice actor Haruna Ikezawa (they never met during his lifetime).
- Served as a professor at Gakushuin University, Faculty of Letters.
- His mother was a missionary in the Nippon Sei Ko Kai (Anglican Church in Japan).
- 'Kusa no Hana' established his reputation as a novelist.