-
Edition 1 (1976) honorable mention
Fumio Tanaka
たなか ふみお
Tanaka Fumio
Aliases:
滝原満 / 草薙圭一郎
Pen Names:
Takihara Mitsuru（Pen name used mainly for short mystery fiction）,
Kusanagi Keiichiro（Pen name used for alternate-history/war novels and period fiction）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1941-09-22 （Tokyo, Japan）
- Died
- 2009-04-12 age 67
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
Career
- Occupations
- film producer, novelist
- Active Years
- 1963-2009
- Affiliations
- Japan Broadcasting Writers Association, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan (SF Writers Club), Film and Television Producers Association, Mystery Writers of Japan
- Memberships
- Japan Broadcasting Writers Association, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan (SF Writers Club), Film and Television Producers Association, Mystery Writers of Japan
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waseda University | Faculty of Political Science and Economics | — | — | 1960-1964 | Japan |
Waseda University
Faculty of Political Science and Economics
Period:
1960-1964
Year of Graduation:
1964
Country:
Japan
Member of Waseda Mystery Club during studies; had a short story published in 1963.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Hayakawa SF Three Great Contests (SF Magazine contest, fiction division) | Natsu no Tabibito (Summer Traveler) | — | Hayakawa Publishing (SF Magazine) | 佳作（入選） |
| 1976 | Genei-sho Newcomer Award | Sasurai (as Takihara Mitsuru) | — | Genei-sho (magazine) | 佳作（入選） |
Hayakawa SF Three Great Contests (SF Magazine contest, fiction division)
1974
Work:
Natsu no Tabibito (Summer Traveler)
Organization:
Hayakawa Publishing (SF Magazine)
Result:
佳作（入選）
Genei-sho Newcomer Award
1976
Work:
Sasurai (as Takihara Mitsuru)
Organization:
Genei-sho (magazine)
Result:
佳作（入選）
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Ryujin Warriors: Hannibal
1981 heroic fantasyFirst volume of the 'Great Demon Realm' series, an epic heroic fantasy featuring battles and mythic settings.
heroismmagicadventure
Summer Traveler
1974 science fictionA short SF story that won an honorable mention in an SF Magazine contest.
journeylonelinessvisions of the future
Lord of the Death Tower Jima Dingo
1986 fantasy / horrorA volume in the Great Demon Realm series mixing horror elements with fantasy.
undeadsorceryterror
Bibliography
- Ryujin Warriors: Hannibal (1981)
- Summer Traveler (short story, SF Magazine)
- White Lotus City Nepherta (1984)
- Lord of the Death Tower Jima Dingo (1986)
- Drifting Battleship Navigale (1989)
- Nezumimai (2008)
Adaptations
- The Resurrection of the Beast (producer)
- Farewell, Jupiter (producer)
- Godzilla (1984 film, production involvement)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- a style rich in horror imageryaction-oriented, entertainment-focused prosestrong emphasis on worldbuilding
- Recurring Motifs
- monsters and grotesquesancient civilizations and sorcerymilitary and alternate-history elements
Health
-
cerebral hemorrhage2009Died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 2009, ending his late-career literary activity.
Legacy
As a Toho film producer he contributed to tokusatsu and horror cinema, and as an author he produced a large body of fantasy, horror and alternate-history works. Through contributions to anthology series and writings under multiple pen names, he left a broad influence on genre literature.
Academic Societies
- Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan (SF Writers Club)
- Mystery Writers of Japan
In Popular Culture
- Known for production participation in Toho's tokusatsu and Godzilla series
- Beloved by genre readers for horror short stories in anthology series such as the Ikei Collection
Trivia
- Used pen names Takihara Mitsuru and Kusanagi Keiichiro in his writing career.
- Worked as a Toho producer on films such as The Resurrection of the Beast and Farewell, Jupiter.
- Died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 2009 at age 67.