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Ryo Ueno

うえの りょう

Ueno Ryo

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1928-08-16 （Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan）
Died
2002-01-27 （Japan (died of cholangiocarcinoma)） age 73
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
children's literature writer, novelist, critic, translator, language teacher, university professor
Active Years
1950-2002
Affiliations
Heian High School (former language teacher), Nara Saho Women's Junior College (former professor), Doshisha Women's College (former professor)
Memberships
Children's Literature Experimental Group, Society for the Study of the Science of Thought
Influenced By
Kyochi Imae, Kenjiro Haitani, Toru Shinmura
Nominations
3rd Yamamoto Shugoro Prize candidate (Alice no Ana no Naka de)

Education

Ritsumeikan Senmon Gakko (Ritsumeikan)
Country: Japan
Doshisha University
Faculty of Letters / Cultural Studies
Year of Graduation: 1952
Country: Japan
Began publishing童話 (children's stories) while enrolled

Awards

23rd Japan Children's Literature Association Prize
1983
Work: Hige yo, Saraba
Organization: Japan Children's Literature Association
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Hige yo, Saraba

1982 children's literature (hard-boiled style)

A children's story styled like a hard-boiled tale featuring a cat as a character. It attracted attention on publication and won the Japan Children's Literature Association Prize.

lonelinesslossadult world vs child's perspective
Adaptations
  • [puppet show] Hige yo Saraba (NHK puppet show)

Robinson on the Sand

1987 general novel

A general-audience novel that was adapted into film, stage, and television and received critical acclaim.

human relationshipsisolationrebirth
Adaptations
  • [film, stage, television] Robinson on the Sand (film/stage/TV adaptations)

Hello, This Is the Wolf

1980 children's literature

A children's work containing humor and satire, later published in paperback.

anthropomorphismsocial satire

Brothers of the Guerrilla Unit

1959 children's literature

One of his early children's books, depicting postwar society and youths' perspectives.

war and its effectscoming of age

Bibliography

  • Brothers of the Guerrilla Unit
  • The Sky Was Deep and Dark
  • Chonmage Temari Uta
  • Mekoboshi Utakoboshi
  • Japan Treasure Island
  • Hello, This Is the Lion
  • Hello, This Is the Wolf
  • Hige yo, Saraba
  • Farewell, Old Man
  • Its Name Is Happappa
  • Its Name Is Alien
  • Gufugufugufu
  • Hello, This Is the Glasses Hospital
  • Robinson on the Sand
  • Alice in the Hole
  • The Third Dracula
  • Postwar Children's Literature Theory
  • A Slightly Strange Theory of Life

Adaptations

  • Hige yo Saraba (NHK puppet show)
  • Robinson on the Sand (film/stage/TV adaptations)
  • Sangenme no Yuuwaku (TV adaptation)

Translations by Author

  • Orly Airport 22:30 (Paul Berna)
  • Puss in Boots (Charles Perrault)
  • The Insect World (Jean-Henri Fabre)
  • Marmalade Jim's Adventures (Alan Sillitoe)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
direct, terse prosea style that brings adult darkness into children's literaturehumorous and satirical voice
Recurring Motifs
anthropomorphized animals (especially cats)lonely protagonistswar and postwar effectschildren standing at the boundary of worlds

Health

  • cholangiocarcinoma
    2001-2002
    Died of cholangiocarcinoma on January 27, 2002 after an illness. Literary activity declined in his final years.

Legacy

Ryo Ueno is regarded for bringing darker, adult perspectives into children's literature. He also contributed as a critic and educator, influencing postwar children's literature studies. Several works were adapted for screen and stage, leaving a notable popular legacy.

Academic Societies

  • Japan Children's Literature Association

Archives

  • National Diet Library (holds related materials)
  • Doshisha Women's College Child Culture Research Office (materials and pamphlets)

In Popular Culture

  • Hige yo, Saraba adapted into an NHK puppet show
  • The poem 'Kyokun Sono Ichi' was adapted into Kagawa Ryo's protest song 'Kyokun 1' and became a hit

Trivia

  • His son Kosuke Ueno is an illustrator (noted in sources as a redlinked page).
  • The poem 'Kyokun Sono Ichi' was adapted into a hit song, leading to later rights/credit issues.
  • He worked in both children's literature and general fiction; 'Robinson on the Sand' was adapted to film, stage and TV.