Japanese Literary Awards

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Mayoto Tokomaru

とこまる まよと

Tokomaru Mayoto

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Children's fiction writer, Author
Active Years
2013-

Awards

Kadokawa Tsubasa Bunko Novel Award
2013
Work: Fourth Grade Spirit Class: Scary-Things Division
Category: 一般部門大賞
Organization: Kadokawa Tsubasa Bunko
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Fourth Grade Spirit Class: Scary-Things Division

2013 Children's literature / Mystery

Debut novel written while the author was a company employee to read to his daughter. A school-set children's mystery that became a series.

school lifeghosts and the supernaturalfriendshipcourage

Kowai Mono Gakari (Scary-Things Division) series

2013 Children's literature / Mild horror

A series centered on 'Fourth Grade Spirit Class'. By 2017 the series had over 600,000 cumulative copies sold.

adventures of childrenstrange phenomenacoming of age

Kimitto Sora e (To the Sky with You) series

Children's literature / Fantasy

A children's series published by Kadokawa Tsubasa Bunko, illustrated by Hetchima.

adventurespacecompanionship

Shugo☆Rei Detective series

Children's literature / Mystery

A children's mystery series with supernatural elements, illustrated by Amemiya Moe.

puzzle-solvingfriendshipschool

Bibliography

  • Fourth Grade Spirit Class: Scary-Things Division
  • Fifth Grade Spirit Class (1): Tomoka, a Classmate with the Grim Reaper
  • Fifth Grade Spirit Class (2): Tomoka Stares Down a Demon
  • Fifth Grade Spirit Class (3): Spring, Confrontation with the Spirit-Class Members
  • Fifth Grade Spirit Class (4): Spring Loses a Mirror
  • Fifth Grade Spirit Class (5): Spring Goes to the Mirror World
  • Fifth Grade Spirit Class (6): Yoshino Makes a Dash to Escape
  • Fifth Grade Spirit Class (7): Yoshino Faces a Bakeneko
  • Fifth Grade Spirit Class (8): Yoshino Encounters Another Self
  • Fifth Grade Spirit Class (9): Six Members Gather in the Spirit Class
  • Fifth Grade Spirit Class (10): Six Members Challenge the Black Hole
  • Fifth Grade Spirit Class (11): Six Members Promise with Daidarabotchi
  • Fifth Grade Spirit Class (12): Yoshino Bewildered by a Prophecy of Doom
  • Fifth Grade Spirit Class (13): Forty-Six Thoughts Soar to the Heavens
  • Kimitto Sora e (1): The Gluttonous Princess's Bodyguard
  • Kimitto Sora e (2): A Punch Born of Stress-Eating!
  • Kimitto Sora e (3): The Sixth Upside-Down Crew Member
  • Kimitto Sora e (4): Nana and Roro's Triple Cooking
  • Kimitto Sora e (5): The Galaxy's Top Girl's Casebook
  • Kimitto Sora e (6): The Mysterious Classroom of Earth
  • Kimitto Sora e (7): A Proposal at Thirteen
  • Shugo☆Rei Detective (1): We'll Solve the Strange Case Together!
  • Shugo☆Rei Detective (2): The Two's Secret Revealed!?

Style & Themes

Literary Style
accessible, easy-to-read narrationmild horror elements suited for childrenpacing with brisk dialogue
Recurring Motifs
school settingsghosts and yokaifriendship and coming-of-agethe overlap of fear and everyday life

Legacy

Known for the 'Kowai Mono Gakari' series published by Kadokawa Tsubasa Bunko. By 2017 the series had sold over 600,000 copies and is regarded as a notable children's mystery series that incorporates mild horror elements.

Trivia

  • His debut work was written while he worked as a company employee for his fifth-grade daughter; it took about one and a half years to complete.
  • He won the Kadokawa Tsubasa Bunko Novel Award (General Division Grand Prize) in 2013 and left his job to become a full-time writer.
  • The 'Kowai Mono Gakari' series had sold over 600,000 copies by 2017.