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Nagaru Tanigawa

たにがわ ながる

Tanigawa Nagaru

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1970-12-19 （Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Manga original author
Active Years
2003-
Influenced By
Mamoru Oshii, Hideyuki Kikuchi, Baku Yumemakura, Isaac Asimov, Ellery Queen, S. S. Van Dine

Education

Kwansei Gakuin University
Faculty of Law
Country: Japan
Graduated from Faculty of Law

Awards

8th Sneaker Award
2003
Work: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Organization: Kadokawa Shoten (Sneaker Award)
Result: Winner
Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! #1 (Works category)
2005
Work: Haruhi Suzumiya series
Organization: Takarajimasha (Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!)
Result: Ranked #1

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (series)

2003 Light novel / Science fiction

A school-based SF comedy series centered on Haruhi Suzumiya, a girl seeking the extraordinary, and the boys and girls drawn into her orbit. Many episodes explore time, reality and mysterious phenomena.

schoolscience fictiontimemysteryyouthromantic comedy
Adaptations
  • [TV anime] The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006)
  • [Animated film] The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (film) (2010)

Escape from The School

2003 Light novel

A youth-oriented light novel set in a school environment, published by Dengeki Bunko.

schoolyouthcomedy

The One Who Protects My World

2005 Light novel

A light novel series focusing on themes of protecting one's personal world and values.

youthprotectionfantasy elements

Dengeki!! Aegis 5

2003 Light novel / SF

One of his debut works, a light novel with science fiction elements.

science fictionadventure

Bibliography

  • The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (series)
  • Escape from The School
  • The One Who Protects My World
  • Dengeki!! Aegis 5
  • Zetsubou-kei (retitled)

Adaptations

  • The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TV anime adaptation)
  • The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (animated film)

Translations of Works

  • The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (English translations)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Light-novel style: accessible, brisk proseSF-driven premises and constructions
Recurring Motifs
school settingtime and world mysteriesinvasion of the extraordinaryplayful manipulation of narrative

Legacy

Best known for the Haruhi Suzumiya series, Tanigawa had a major impact on 2000s light novel and media-mix culture. The series sold millions of copies domestically and internationally and spawned anime, manga and other media, exerting significant influence on popular culture.

Archives

  • National Diet Library holdings
  • Kadokawa publishing archives

In Popular Culture

  • Anime adaptations, manga adaptations, drama CDs, related merchandise

Quotes

  • Even now I don't really know whether I'm a writer or what I am.
    Source: Interview by Chiko Ishii (Yahoo! Books, 2006) (2006)

Trivia

  • Uses a thumb-shift keyboard layout for typing
  • Survived the Great Hanshin–Awaji earthquake
  • Hobbies include mahjong and motorcycles
  • Ran a mystery-book review website before debut