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Hirai Kazumasa

ひらい かずまさ

Hirai Kazumasa

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1938-05-13 （Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan）
Died
2015-01-17 （Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan） age 76
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Manga original author, Screenwriter
Active Years
1962-2015
Influenced By
Raymond Chandler, Shūgorō Yamamoto, Haruhiko Oyabu, Yasutaka Tsutsui, Keiko Takahashi (religious leader), Rumiko Takahashi, Izumi Matsumoto, Carlos Castaneda
Influenced
Masaki Tsuji, Rumiko Takahashi, Kenichi Sakemi, Nobuaki Aikawa, Kazuhiro Fujita, Yasuhiro Nightow, Norio Nukui

Education

Chuo University
Faculty of Law
Period: 1958-1962
Year of Graduation: 1962
Country: Japan
Graduated from Chuo University, Faculty of Law. Active in writing during university.

Awards

Hayakawa SF Contest Encouragement Prize
1961
Work: Murder Zone
Organization: Hayakawa Publishing (S-F Magazine)
Result: 受賞
Japan SF Award (Merit)
2014
Category: 功績賞
Organization: Japan SF Award
Result: 受賞
Retro Seiun Award
2016
Organization: Retro Seiun Award Committee
Result: 受賞（追贈）

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Leonora

1962 Science fiction

A short story first published in a doujinshi and reprinted in S-F Magazine; marked his commercial debut.

robotshuman naturefuture society

The Tiger of Megalopolis

1968 Science fiction

His first full-length novel; underwent multiple major revisions before publication.

urbanityviolencenear-future

Android Oyuki

1969 Science fiction

His second novel; well received and revived his standing as a novelist.

androidsidentity

Cyborg Blues

1971 Science fiction

A representative cyborg-themed work in Japanese science fiction.

cyborgscivilizational critique

The Wolf's Crest (Wolf Guy)

1971 SF / Action

Novelization of the manga 'Wolf Guy'; a flagship work of the popular series.

werewolvesrevengeidentity
Adaptations
  • [Film] Wolf Guy (film) / 不明 (1973)

Great Demon War (Gumma/Ten of Fantasia series)

1979 Fantasy / Science fiction

A monumental long-running series declared as his life’s work; blends religious ideas and kotodama (word-spirit) themes in an expansive worldview.

mythic warkotodama (word-spirit)religious themes
Adaptations
  • [Film (animated)] Himala/Great Demon War (film) (1983)

Bohemian Glass Street

1995 Romantic SF / General fiction

A long novel born from the author's long-held desire to write a great love story.

loverebirtheveryday & extraordinary

Bibliography

  • Leonora
  • The Tiger of Megalopolis
  • Android Oyuki
  • Cyborg Blues
  • The Wolf's Crest
  • Great Demon War series
  • Bohemian Glass Street

Adaptations

  • 8マン (TV anime)
  • Himala/Great Demon War (animated film)
  • Wolf Guy (live-action film)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Highly entertaining SF, blending novelistic and manga-like expressions, varied prose often with hard-boiled elements
Recurring Motifs
werewolveskotodama and religious motifscataclysmic warstransformation and identity

Health

  • Acute heart failure
    2015-01
    Died of acute heart failure in January 2015.
  • Severe hand pain (unable to hold a pen)
    1980年代初頭
    Severe pain made him unable to hold a pen; he switched to a word processor and continued writing.

Legacy

Hirai Kazumasa had a major impact on Japanese SF and popular fiction; series such as 'Wolf Guy' and the 'Great Demon War' influenced many later writers. He was also a pioneer in electronic and online publishing.

Quotes

  • Kotodama user ("word-spirit user")
    Source: Commentary by Azusa Nakajima; later adopted by Hirai himself (1978)

Trivia

  • As a youth he wrote his first novel in a school notebook and circulated it among classmates.
  • He adopted the thumb-shift OASYS word processor early and was an early practitioner of electronic publication.
  • He founded his own publishing imprint (Lunatec) and pursued self-publishing and digital distribution.