MF Bunko J Light Novel Newcomer Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 8 (2012) excellence award
Masaki Masamune
まさき まさむね
Masaki Masamune
Pen Names:
M. Masaki（Used for short stories and magazine contributions）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1978-03-21 （Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan）
- Died
- place
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Yokohama (birth and youth) → Shinjuku, Tokyo (base for writing activities)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Screenwriter
- Active Years
- 2003-
- Affiliations
- Mystery Writers of Japan
- Memberships
- Mystery Writers of Japan
- Influenced By
- Edogawa Rampo, Agatha Christie, Keigo Higashino
- Influenced
- Younger generation mystery writers, Filmmakers and screenwriters
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waseda University | Faculty of Letters | Department of Japanese Literature | 文学士 | 1996-2000 | Japan |
Waseda University
Faculty of Letters
/ Department of Japanese Literature
Degree:
文学士
Period:
1996-2000
Year of Graduation:
2000
Country:
Japan
Began writing in doujin circles during university
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Mystery Writers of Japan Award (Long-form) | The Shadow Thief | 長編 | Mystery Writers of Japan | 受賞 |
| 2019 | Booksellers Award | City of the Deep Sea | — | Booksellers Award Committee | ノミネート |
Mystery Writers of Japan Award (Long-form)
2012
Work:
The Shadow Thief
Category:
長編
Organization:
Mystery Writers of Japan
Result:
受賞
Booksellers Award
2019
Work:
City of the Deep Sea
Organization:
Booksellers Award Committee
Result:
ノミネート
Awards & Nominations
Mephisto Award
1 appearances
Works
Major Works
The Shadow Thief
2011 Mystery novel 340 pagesA full-length mystery set in a contemporary city following strange serial incidents surrounding disappearing shadows.
MemoryReality vs FictionUrban loneliness
Adaptations
- [Film] The Shadow Thief / 田中健太 (2015)
Translations
- English translation: The Shadow Thief
City of the Deep Sea
2018 Social mystery 412 pagesA novel set in a port town where environmental issues intersect with crime.
Environmental issuesCommunityJustice vs Interests
Adaptations
- [TV drama] City of the Deep Sea / 鈴木宏 (2021)
Translations
- English translation: City of the Deep Sea
The Man on the Night Train
2006 Short story collection 248 pagesA collection of short stories themed around trains and travel, where loneliness and the past intersect.
TravelLonelinessThe Past
Translations
- Translated into Korean
Bibliography
- The Man on the Night Train
- The Shadow Thief
- Garden of Oblivion
- City of the Deep Sea
- Short story collection 'Testimony Under the Moon'
Adaptations
- The Shadow Thief — Film (2015)
- City of the Deep Sea — TV drama (2021)
Translations of Works
- The Shadow Thief — English edition (2016)
- City of the Deep Sea — French edition (2020)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Clear, meticulous plottingEmphasis on urban description and atmosphere
- Recurring Motifs
- ShadowsTrainsWaterside
Legacy
Regarded in contemporary Japanese mystery fiction as a writer combining meticulous plotting with social themes. Film and TV adaptations have broadened his general popularity.
Academic Societies
- Mystery Writers of Japan
- The Japanese Literary Society
Archives
- Waseda University Library — Modern Literature Collection
- Personal papers (donated with permission)
In Popular Culture
- TV and film adaptations increased popularity among younger audiences
Quotes
-
Stories are always within the shadows of the city.
Source: Interview (2019) (2019) -
A flicker in the details illuminates the truth.
Source: 'The Shadow Thief' Afterword (2011)
Trivia
- Has been an avid railway enthusiast since childhood and collected station and platform photographs.
- Often listens to the sound of trains as background while writing.