Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! Grand Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 5 (2006) excellence award
Toshinari Masuda
ますだ としなり
Toshinari Masuda
Pen Names:
Masuda Kōtarō（Pen name used when submitting to the 'This Mystery Is Amazing!' Award）,
Masuda Toshinari (former pen name)（Pen name used until late 2008 (later changed to Toshinari Masuda)）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1965-11-08 （Aichi Prefecture, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Aichi Prefecture, Japan → Hokkaido, Japan → Nagoya (guest professor at Nagoya University of Arts)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Non-fiction writer, Journalist, Visiting professor
- Active Years
- 2006-
- Affiliations
- Nagoya University of Arts (Visiting Professor)
- Influenced By
- Gabriel García Márquez, Milan Kundera, Shiono Nanami, Yasutaka Tsutsui, Robert B. Parker, Kurt Vonnegut, Truman Capote, Ernest Hemingway, Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Nominations
- Yamada Fūtarō Award — Finalist (for 'Shichitei Jūdōki')
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hokkaido University, Faculty of Fisheries | Faculty of Fisheries | — | — | — | Japan |
Hokkaido University, Faculty of Fisheries
Faculty of Fisheries
Country:
Japan
Entered but later dropped out after participating in judo club
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 'This Mystery Is Amazing!' Award — Excellence Prize | Shatoun: The Brown Bear Forest | — | Takarajimasha | Winner |
| 2012 | Ōya Sōichi Nonfiction Prize | Why Didn't Masahiko Kimura Kill Rikidōzan? | — | Ōya Sōichi Nonfiction Prize Committee | Winner |
| 2012 | Shinchō Document Prize | Why Didn't Masahiko Kimura Kill Rikidōzan? | — | Shinchōsha | Winner |
| 2017 | Hokkaido-Related Book Award | The Hokkai Times Story | — | Hokkaido-Related Book Award Committee | Winner |
'This Mystery Is Amazing!' Award — Excellence Prize
2006
Work:
Shatoun: The Brown Bear Forest
Organization:
Takarajimasha
Result:
Winner
Ōya Sōichi Nonfiction Prize
2012
Work:
Why Didn't Masahiko Kimura Kill Rikidōzan?
Organization:
Ōya Sōichi Nonfiction Prize Committee
Result:
Winner
Shinchō Document Prize
2012
Work:
Why Didn't Masahiko Kimura Kill Rikidōzan?
Organization:
Shinchōsha
Result:
Winner
Hokkaido-Related Book Award
2017
Work:
The Hokkai Times Story
Organization:
Hokkaido-Related Book Award Committee
Result:
Winner
Awards & Nominations
Oya Soichi Nonfiction Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 43 (2012) award
Shincho Document Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 11 (2012) award
Yamada Futaro Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 4 (2013) nominee
Hokkaido Yukari-no-Hon Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 2 (2017) literary book category grand prize
Works
Major Works
Shatoun: The Brown Bear Forest
2007 NovelA debut novel rooted in the author's university-era environmental activism, depicting relationships between brown bears and humans and anger at environmental destruction. Strong entertainment elements; adapted into a manga.
natureenvironmental protectionhuman-animal relationships
Adaptations
- [Manga] Shatoun: The Brown Bear Forest (manga)
Why Didn't Masahiko Kimura Kill Rikidōzan?
2011 Non-fictionA large-scale non-fiction work using a technique where the author inserts himself strongly into the story, portraying his admiration for Masahiko Kimura. The book drew mixed responses, won multiple prizes, and was adapted into manga.
martial artsbiographyinvestigative narrative
Adaptations
- [Manga] KIMURA (manga)
Shichitei Judo Chronicles
2013 Novel (autobiographical)An autobiographical novel based on the author's experience in the Hokkaido University judo club, weaving real and fictional characters; written in part as a requiem for friends who died young.
youthjudoloss and requiem
Adaptations
- [Radio drama / Manga] Shichitei Judo Chronicles (radio drama / manga) (2016)
The Hokkai Times Story
2017 Non-fiction / ReportageA non-fiction work based on the author's experience as a reporter, depicting the history of the regional paper The Hokkai Times and its reporters; won the Hokkaido-Related Book Award.
reportingregional historyjournalism
Adaptations
- [Radio drama] The Hokkai Times Story (NHK-FM radio drama) (2019)
Bibliography
- Shatoun: The Brown Bear Forest
- Why Didn't Masahiko Kimura Kill Rikidōzan?
- Shichitei Judo Chronicles
- The Hokkai Times Story
- Monkeys and Men
- The Policeman's Heart
Adaptations
- Shatoun: The Brown Bear Forest (manga adaptation)
- KIMURA (manga adaptation of 'Why Didn't Masahiko Kimura...')
- Shichitei Judo Chronicles (NHK-FM radio drama)
- The Hokkai Times Story (NHK-FM radio drama)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Realism that crosses the boundary between non-fiction and fictionNon-fiction technique that inserts the author into the narrativeCombination of entertainment and literary qualities
- Recurring Motifs
- judo and martial artsnature and wildernessadmiration and conflict toward subjectsnostalgia
Legacy
Known for investigative non-fiction rooted in journalism and novels themed on nature and martial arts. Many works have been adapted into manga and radio dramas, influencing a wide readership.
In Popular Culture
- Works have been referenced in other media such as the manga 'Gintama', showing influence beyond literary circles
- Adaptations into manga and radio dramas have broadened audience reach
Quotes
-
I want to remain a novelist who writes with blood in the words (a writer with humane, heartfelt prose).
Source: Gunzō magazine (2011) (2011)
Trivia
- Former member of Hokkaido University judo club and writes frequently about martial arts
- Used the pen name Masuda Kōtarō when submitting to the 2006 'This Mystery Is Amazing!' Award
- Has a cat named Thomas (named after 'Tom and Jerry')
- Owns two Suzuki Jimnys
- Runs a YouTube channel 'Toshinari Masuda Studio'