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Yū Uemura

うえむら ゆう

Uemura Yū

Aliases: 小林 研（本名） / Kobayashi Ken (real name)
Pen Names: Uemura Ken（Name used (上村研) when handling matters related to Ayukawa Nobuo, including memorial activities; appears on some related publications.）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1956 （Tokyo, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Resident in Tokyo, Japan

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Copywriter, Game creator, Career consultant
Active Years
2007-

Education

Kokugakuin University
Faculty of Letters
Country: Japan
Dropped out

Awards

Japan Love Story Award
Work: Guardian Angel
Organization: Japan Love Story Award
Result: 大賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Guardian Angel

2007 Romance novel

Debut novel that won the Grand Prize at the 2nd Japan Love Story Award. A romance-centered human drama exploring family, relationships and love.

familyloverenewal
Adaptations
  • [Film] Guardian Angel / 佐藤祐市 (2009)

Seigi no Chikara (The Power of Justice)

2009 Romance novel

A novel that weaves themes of justice and conviction into interpersonal relationships.

justiceconvictionlove

Papa wa Rokudenashi (Good-for-nothing Dad)

2009 Romance novel

A story centered on fatherhood that explores family and redemption.

father-child relationshipredemptionfamily

My Only Hero (formerly: 9 Promises Between Father and Son)

2012 Romance / Family

A human drama about bonds and promises between parent and child.

parent-childpromiseslove

Bibliography

  • Guardian Angel (hardcover, 2007, Takarajimasha)
  • Guardian Angel (pbk., 2008, Takarajimasha)
  • Seigi no Chikara (2009, Takarajimasha)
  • Papa wa Rokudenashi (2009, Takarajimasha)
  • Seigi no Chikara (pbk., 2010, Takarajimasha)
  • Abused Children Rescuer: Dr. Panda Goes (pbk., 2011, Takarajimasha)
  • Guardian Angel: Everyone's Bonds (pbk., 2011, Takarajimasha)
  • Seigi no Chikara: Psychic Guardian (pbk., 2012)
  • My Only Hero (pbk., 2012, Takarajimasha)
  • Five-Minute Station Stories series and other short works (2012–2013)

Adaptations

  • Film 'Guardian Angel' (dir. Yuichi Sato, 2009; DVD 2010)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Accessible proseEmotional character-driven writing
Recurring Motifs
familyrenewallove and forgiveness

Legacy

Debuted by winning the 2nd Japan Love Story Award and has published many accessible romance novels. As the nephew of poet Ayukawa Nobuo (Uemura Ryuichi), he inherited the rights to Ayukawa's works and has been involved in related stewardship.

Archives

  • National Diet Library (catalogue entry)
  • VIAF (authority file)

In Popular Culture

  • Film adaptation 'Guardian Angel' (2009)

Trivia

  • Real name is Ken Kobayashi.
  • His uncle was the poet Ayukawa Nobuo (real name: Uemura Ryuichi).
  • 'Guardian Angel' won the Grand Prize at the 2nd Japan Love Story Award, marking his debut.
  • He inherited the copyrights to Ayukawa's works (as of 2015).