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Takahisa Igarashi

いがらし たかひさ

Igarashi Takahisa

Pen Names: Takahisa Igarashi（Pen name taken from a character name in the detective drama 'Oretachi no Kunshō'.）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1961-12-14 （Tokyo, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Mystery writer
Active Years
2002-
Memberships
Mystery Writers of Japan
Influenced By
Films (e.g., Die Hard), Experience working as an editor (employed at Fusosha)
Nominations
"Aibou" — Candidate for the 14th Nakayama Yoshihide Literary Award (2008), "Sound of Silence" — Candidate for the 28th Tsubota Jōji Literary Award (2011)

Education

Seikei University
Faculty of Letters
Degree: 学士（文学）
Country: Japan

Awards

Suntory Mystery Award (18th) — Excellence Prize
2001
Work: TVJ
Category: 優秀作品賞
Organization: Suntory Mystery Award Committee
Result: 受賞
Horror Suspense Award (2nd)
2001
Work: Rika
Organization: Horror Suspense Award Committee
Result: 受賞
Japan Sherlock Holmes Award (30th)
2007
Work: Sherlock Holmes and the Philosopher's Stone
Organization: Japan Sherlock Holmes Club
Result: 受賞
Nakayama Yoshihide Literary Award (14th)
2008
Work: Aibou
Organization: Nakayama Yoshihide Literary Award Committee
Result: 候補
Tsubota Jōji Literary Award (28th)
2011
Work: Sound of Silence
Organization: Tsubota Jōji Literary Award Committee
Result: 候補

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Rika

2002 Psycho-suspense / Horror

A psychological thriller revolving around Rika, an obsessive woman; the novel centers on psychological portraits and escalating madness.

obsessionmadnessidentitycrime
Adaptations
  • [TV drama] Rika (2003 TV drama) (2003)
  • [TV drama] Rika (2019 TV drama) (2019)
  • [Film] Rika: Self-proclaimed 28-year-old Pure-Love Monster / 松木創 (2021)

Negotiator

2003 Suspense

A suspense novel centered on negotiation, crisis management and human drama; one of his representative works adapted for screen.

negotiationcrisis managementhuman relations
Adaptations
  • [TV drama] Negotiator (WOWOW DramaW) (2003)
  • [TV drama] Negotiator (TV special) (2005)

TVJ

2005 Suspense / Action

An action-oriented suspense novel with cinematic influences — the author cites 'Die Hard' as inspiration; part of the story is set in the media industry.

cinematic stagingactionindustry-set fiction

The Miracle of 1985

2003 Youth novel

A coming-of-age novel about friendship, setbacks and renewal; part of a trilogy of youth novels.

friendshipgrowthyouth

Papa and Daughter: 7 Days

2006 Family drama

A human drama focusing on the relationship between a father and daughter; adapted into a popular TV drama.

familyintergenerational conflictbonds
Adaptations
  • [TV drama] Papa and Daughter: 7 Days (TBS, 2007) (2007)
  • [TV drama] Papa and Daughter: 7 Days (Remake, 2022) (2022)

Bibliography

  • Rika
  • Return
  • Reverse
  • Rehearsal
  • Remember
  • Refrain
  • Reset
  • Revenge
  • Reborn
  • Negotiator
  • TVJ
  • The Miracle of 1985
  • 2005 Rocket Boys
  • 1995: Smoke on the Water
  • Papa and Daughter: 7 Days
  • A Younger Boy
  • Kidnapping
  • Atonement
  • Fake
  • Sound of Silence
  • Our Alley-Oop
  • Editor Girl!
  • Resuscitation
  • Kesennuma Miracle Girl
  • Stand Up!
  • PIT: Special Psychological Investigation Unit – Minazuki Rei
  • Wedding Planner
  • Murder House
  • Answer Game
  • Crossroads
  • Super Strategic! A Writer's Debut Manual

Adaptations

  • Rika — TV drama (2003), TV drama (2019), Film (2021)
  • Negotiator — WOWOW 'DramaW' (2003), TV special (2005)
  • 2005 Rocket Boys — TV drama (2006)
  • Papa and Daughter: 7 Days — TBS (2007), Remake (2022)
  • Kidnapping — TV adaptation (2009)
  • Bakumatsu Aibou-den — NHK (New Year period drama, 2022)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Cinematic description and structureEntertainment-oriented proseBrisk dialogue and scene transitions
Recurring Motifs
suspense and psychologyyouth and renewalcrime and human dramadepictions of professional worlds (editing, broadcasting)

Legacy

Since his literary debut in 2002, Takahisa Igarashi has published broadly in horror, suspense, youth and period fiction, emphasizing entertainment value; many works have been adapted for TV and film. 'Rika' became a bestseller and reached a wide general audience.

Academic Societies

  • Mystery Writers of Japan

Archives

  • National Diet Library (authority file)
  • VIAF (Virtual International Authority File)

In Popular Culture

  • A number of works well known through TV dramas and films (e.g., Rika, Negotiator, Papa and Daughter: 7 Days)

Quotes

  • I am strongly influenced by the world of film; it's rare for my work not to be inspired by a movie.
    Source: Interview in Yurindo magazine (source: Wikipedia citations)
  • I did not set out to write horror.
    Source: Web interview (source: Wikipedia citations)

Trivia

  • The pen name 'Takahisa Igarashi' was taken from a detective character in the drama 'Oretachi no Kunshō' played by Masatoshi Nakamura.
  • Debut novel 'Rika' became a bestseller, selling over 300,000 copies.
  • After graduating from Seikei University, he worked at Fusosha as an editor — an experience that influenced his writing career.
  • He has said his early novel 'TVJ' was inspired by the film 'Die Hard.'
  • Although he debuted with a horror prize-winning work, he has stated that he did not intend to become a horror writer and declined horror offers.