Mephisto Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 32 (2005) award
Yukiko Mari
まり ゆきこ
Mari Yukiko
Pen Names:
Yukiko Mari（Pen name derived from The Tigers' debut song 'Boku no Marie'）
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1964 （Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan → Tokyo, Japan
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Mystery writer, Technical writer
- Active Years
- 2005-
- Nominations
- 28th Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize nominee (for 'Jinsei Sōdan.')
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tama Art School (now Tama Art University) | Film Department | Film | — | ～1987 | Japan |
Tama Art School (now Tama Art University)
Film Department
/ Film
Period:
～1987
Year of Graduation:
1987
Country:
Japan
A vocational school later reorganized into Tama Art University.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Mephisto Prize | — | — | Kodansha (Mephisto editorial department) | Winner |
Mephisto Prize
2005
Organization:
Kodansha (Mephisto editorial department)
Result:
Winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Kochushō
2005 MysteryDebut work; winner of the 32nd Mephisto Prize. An early novel depicting closed-off psyches and distorted human relationships.
LonelinessPsychological conflictDistorted relationships
Fujiko the Murderer's Impulse
2008 Mystery / Psychological ThrillerA novel that digs into the violent impulses hidden within a woman's psyche. After publication it became a bestseller with over 500,000 copies sold and is one of the author's signature works.
ViolenceFemale psychologyObsession
Adaptations
- [Stage play] Fujiko the Murderer's Impulse (stage) (2013)
- [Stage play] Fujiko the Murderer's Impulse (stage revival) (2015)
- [Streaming drama] Fujiko (2015)
Five Junko
2014 Mystery / DramaAn ensemble mystery about several women named Junko whose lives intersect. Adapted into a drama series on WOWOW.
Female charactersIdentitySecrets
Adaptations
- [TV drama] Five Junko (TV) (2015)
Jinsei Sōdan.
2014 Mystery / Short storiesA collection themed around life consultations; it was nominated for the 28th Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize.
Human relationshipsAdvice / consultationContemporary society
Marimo Diary
2021 EssayAn essay collection chronicling life with her cat 'Marimo', including daily observations and writerly notes.
CatsEveryday lifeLife as a writer
Red Roof on the Hill
2019 Dark mysteryA novel depicting the darkness of a community and its people. Adapted into a TV drama on WOWOW.
Community darknessSecretsViolence
Adaptations
- [TV drama] Red Roof on the Hill (TV) (2024)
Bibliography
- Kochushō (2005)
- Enji-iro Shinjū (2005)
- Onna Tomodachi (2006)
- Deeply, Deeply, Buried in Sand (2007)
- Kuroku, Nure! (2008)
- Fujiko the Murderer's Impulse (2008)
- Futari Gurui (2009)
- Kōnenki Shōjo (2010)
- Seichi Junrei (2011)
- Paris Apocalypse 1768: The Murder of Jeanne Testart (2011)
- Private Fiction (2012)
- Room 4012 (2012)
- Interview in Cell: The Truth of Fujiko the Murderer (2012)
- The Tragedy of Ōmuro (2013)
- Jinsei Sōdan. (2014)
- Five Junko (2014)
- Moving House (2015)
- Artemis's Command (2015)
- June 31st Reunion (2016)
- Why I Failed (2016)
- Iyamisu Short Stories (2016)
- Countdown (2017)
- Shūgen-jima (2017)
- If You Wish, From Cradle to Grave (2018)
- Yōko on the Other Side (2018)
- Tsukimatō: Metropolitan Police Stalker Unit Zero (2018)
- Single-author Writer Finally Gets a Cat (2019)
- Looking for First Love (2019)
- Three Little Pigs (2019)
- Red Roof on the Hill (2019)
- Jōmon (2020)
- Saint or Villainess? (2020)
- Fushigi (2021)
- Marimo Diary (2021)
- 1961 Tokyo House (2021)
- Share (2022)
- Why Did Sacchan Die? (2022)
- April 1st My Home (2023)
- Nostradamus Age (2023)
- How to Make a Cult Leader (2024)
- Ubasute (2024)
- Ten Rules of Fujiko (2025)
Adaptations
- Fujiko the Murderer's Impulse (stage & streaming drama adaptations)
- Five Junko (WOWOW TV adaptation)
- Red Roof on the Hill (WOWOW TV adaptation)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Iyamisu (unpleasant-aftertaste mysteries)Mockumentary-like techniquesSharp psychological描写
- Recurring Motifs
- Jealousy and obsession among womenDarkness beneath everyday lifeSecrets of family and community
Legacy
One of contemporary Japan's leading iyamisu writers. Widely known after the bestseller 'Fujiko the Murderer's Impulse' and multiple screen adaptations; praised for works that probe female psychology and the breakdowns hidden in everyday life.
In Popular Culture
- Stage and streaming-drama adaptations of 'Fujiko the Murderer's Impulse'
- TV adaptations on WOWOW (e.g. 'Five Junko', 'Red Roof on the Hill')
Quotes
-
To deceive readers, first deceive yourself.
Source: BOOKAsahi.com (interview) (2014) -
I aim to write works that readers don't want to see but can't help reading on.
Source: Reviews / interviews (2012)
Trivia
- Her pen name is derived from The Tigers' song 'Boku no Marie'.
- She studied film at university and made a documentary as a graduation project.
- 'Fujiko the Murderer's Impulse' became a bestseller with over 500,000 copies sold.
- She keeps a cat named Marimo (British Shorthair).
- Her motto is 'To deceive readers, first deceive yourself.'