Edogawa Ranpo Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 26 (1980) award
Motohiko Izawa
いざわ もとひこ
Izawa Motohiko
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1954-02-01 （Nagoya, Aichi, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Nagoya (birthplace) → Tokyo (residence / base of activities)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Mystery writer, Former reporter, Commentator
- Active Years
- 1980-
- Affiliations
- Mystery Writers of Japan, Japan SF Writers Club, Shuchiin University (Visiting Professor)
- Memberships
- Mystery Writers of Japan, Japan SF Writers Club
- Influenced By
- Edogawa Rampo, Ryotaro Shiba (influence from historical novels)
- Influenced
- Writers of popular history and historical commentary
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waseda University, Faculty of Law | Faculty of Law | — | — | 1973-1977 | Japan |
Waseda University, Faculty of Law
Faculty of Law
Period:
1973-1977
Year of Graduation:
1977
Country:
Japan
Joined TBS after university (1977)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Edogawa Rampo Prize | Sarumaru Genshi-kō | — | Edogawa Rampo Prize Selection Committee | winner |
Edogawa Rampo Prize
1980
Work:
Sarumaru Genshi-kō
Organization:
Edogawa Rampo Prize Selection Committee
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Sarumaru Genshi-kō
1980 Mystery novelA debut historical mystery blending contemporary crime with ancient enigmas. Won the Edogawa Rampo Prize.
historydetective puzzlemystery
Gyaku-setsu no Nihonshi (Contrarian History of Japan)
1992 Popular history / Historical commentaryA long-running series (since 1992) presenting alternative interpretations of Japanese history; widely read by the general public.
historical reexaminationvengeful-spirits viewkotodama (word-spirit theory)
Bibliography
- Sarumaru Genshi-kō (1980)
- Gyaku-setsu no Nihonshi (series began 1992)
- Kotodama (2 vols., 1991-1997)
- Chushingura: The 15th Year of Genroku's Revolt (1988)
- The Legend of Himiko: Gods Descended to Earth (1991)
Adaptations
- Runin (film, 2006)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Combines historical evidence with detective-style reasoningExpository and often polemical toneAccessible prose aimed at general readers
- Recurring Motifs
- vengeful spiritskotodama (power of words)historical mysteries / counterfactuals
Legacy
Well known for popular historical reinterpretations and historical mysteries, he is a controversial figure criticized by academic historians. He has a wide readership and active presence on television and online media.
Academic Societies
- Mystery Writers of Japan
- Japan SF Writers Club
In Popular Culture
- Appearances as commentator on TV discussion programs
- YouTube channel "Izawa Motohiko's Gyakusetsu Channel"
Quotes
-
He speaks of the Japanese sense of kotodama — the belief that words carry spiritual power.
Source: Kotodama no Kuni (1998) (1998)
Trivia
- Former TBS news reporter; joined TBS in 1977.
- Debuted as a novelist after winning the 26th Edogawa Rampo Prize (1980) for Sarumaru Genshi-kō.
- Known for the long-running series Gyaku-setsu no Nihonshi.
- Active as a commentator on TV and via a YouTube channel.