Japanese Literary Awards

← Back to Home

Shogo Mitsuba

みつば しょうご

Mitsuba Shōgo

Pen Names: Iruma Hyōgo（Pen name used at debut (credited for the work "Hana-zura ni Kitsui no wo Ippatsu")）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1968 （Okayama Prefecture, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Writer
Active Years
2002-
Nominations
Ensei Flavor (Yoshikawa Eiji Award nominee), JUNK (Yoshikawa Eiji Award nominee)

Education

Kansai High School
Country: Japan
Okayama Shoka University
Country: Japan

Awards

Shosetsu Shincho Long Novel Newcomer Award (8th)
2002
Work: Hana-zura ni Kitsui no wo Ippatsu (retitled: Taiyō ga Ippai Ippai)
Organization: Shosetsu Shincho (Shinchosha)
Result: winner
Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Newcomer Award (nominee)
2006
Work: Ensei Flavor
Organization: Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Newcomer Award
Result: nominee
Sakenomi Bookstore Staff Award (5th)
2009
Work: Taiyō ga Ippai Ippai
Organization: Sakenomi Bookstore Staff Award
Result: winner
Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Newcomer Award (nominee)
2012
Work: JUNK
Organization: Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Newcomer Award
Result: nominee
Kyoto Minazuki Prize (7th)
2014
Work: Let's Meet in the Park.
Organization: Kyoto Minazuki Prize
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Taiyō ga Ippai Ippai

2002 Novel / Coming-of-age

Debut novel portraying youth and urban life. Originally published under the title "Hana-zura ni Kitsui no wo Ippatsu" and later retitled.

youthurban lifefriendship

Ensei Flavor

2005 Novel

A novel that depicts social attitudes and human relationships with humor and cynicism.

pessimismhuman drama

NEET NEET NEET

2010 Social novel

A multi-character novel about NEET youths; later adapted into a film.

youth issuessocial isolation
Adaptations
  • [Film] NEET NEET NEET / 宮野ケイジ (2018)

JUNK: Small-time Crooks of the Backstreets

2011 Hard-boiled / Crime

A crime-flavored novel portraying small-time crooks living in backstreets.

crimeunderworldfriendship

Let's Meet in the Park.

2008 Romance

A novel focused on relationships and encounters; winner of the Kyoto Minazuki Prize.

encounterslossrenewal

Good Morning Show

2016 Media / Social novel

An original novel based on the film concept; deals with broadcasting and media.

mediaresponsibilityensemble drama

Thief Actor (novelization)

2017 Novelization

The novelization of the film "Dorobō Yakusha" tied to the film's original script.

deceptionhuman drama

Keiji no Ketsugi (retitled: Keiji no Ihin)

2018 Mystery / Police novel

A police novel focusing on detectives; elements of hard-boiled fiction.

justicefamilypast ties

Bibliography

  • Taiyō ga Ippai Ippai (2002)
  • Ensei Flavor (2005)
  • Irregular (2006)
  • Tachikogi (2008)
  • Let's Meet in the Park. (2008)
  • NEET NEET NEET (2010)
  • Back Alley Building (2010)
  • JUNK: Small-time Crooks of the Backstreets (2011)
  • The Person Beside (2012)
  • Y.M.G.A. (2016)
  • Good Morning Show (2016)
  • Hedappu! (2016)
  • Thief Actor (2017)
  • Keiji no Ketsugi (2018)
  • Journey in Progress (2020)
  • Our Daily Lives Lack a Batting Center (2021)
  • Accomplices (2021)
  • Stories with My Lying Boyfriend (2024)

Adaptations

  • NEET NEET NEET (film adaptation, 2018)
  • Thief Actor (film novelization)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
dialogue-driven narrationcynical humorrealistic depiction of urban life
Recurring Motifs
youthbackstreets/working-class neighborhoodsloss and renewal

Legacy

A writer known for depicting urban youth and the underbelly of society. He has received awards and had works adapted for film; his blend of entertainment and social observation has been recognized.

In Popular Culture

  • "NEET NEET NEET" was adapted into a film in 2018
  • He has worked on novelizations and original novels related to films, connecting his work with mass media

Trivia

  • He previously worked at an advertising agency before debuting as a writer
  • His debut work was originally published under the pen name Iruma Hyōgo