Japan Fantasy Novel Grand Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 15 (2003) excellence award
Kyu Watanabe
わたなべ きゅう
Watanabe Kyu
Aliases:
渡邊健
Pen Names:
Kyu Watanabe（Pen name used for fiction (real name: Watanabe Ken)）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1967-12-23 （Nagareyama, Chiba, Japan）
- Nationality
- Japan
- Languages
- Japanese
- Residence History
- Nagareyama, Chiba → Tokyo (place of work)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Company employee
- Active Years
- 2003-
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gakushuin University | Faculty of Law | Department of Law | 学士（法学） | 1987-1991 | Japan |
Gakushuin University
Faculty of Law
/ Department of Law
Degree:
学士（法学）
Period:
1987-1991
Year of Graduation:
1991
Country:
Japan
Graduated from the Faculty of Law in 1991
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Japan Fantasy Novel Award (15th) | The City Where Elephants Live | — | — | 優秀賞 |
| 2011 | Sake-Drinking Bookseller Award (7th) | Our Treasure Island | — | — | 受賞 |
Japan Fantasy Novel Award (15th)
2003
Work:
The City Where Elephants Live
Result:
優秀賞
Sake-Drinking Bookseller Award (7th)
2011
Work:
Our Treasure Island
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Sakenomi Shoten-in Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 7 (2011) award
Works
Major Works
The City Where Elephants Live
2003 FantasyA fantastical novel set in a city inhabited by elephants. The story blends reality and fantasy.
fantasycommunitymemory
Our Treasure Island
2006 Novel (adventure elements)A novel about youth adventure and bonds, mixing humor with human drama.
friendshipadventurecoming-of-age
Beronashi
2007 NovelA shorter novel told in a distinctive voice, noted for satire and human observation.
satirehuman relationships
Predation
2011 NovelA work that portrays human relationships and desires with tense depiction.
desirehuman relationshipsviolence
Those Who Serve (short story)
2018 Short storyShort story included in the anthology 'Bansho', exploring roles and hierarchies among people.
master-servant relationshipsociety
Run of Lanterns (short story)
2021 Short storyA short piece that connects recollections and fragmented memories. Included in the anthology 'Bansho Futatabi'.
memoryrecollection
Bibliography
- The City Where Elephants Live (2003)
- Our Treasure Island (2006)
- Beronashi (2007)
- Predation (2011)
- Those Who Serve (in 'Bansho', 2018)
- Run of Lanterns (in 'Bansho Futatabi', 2021)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- fantastical imageryhumorous narrative toneinterplay of the mundane and the uncanny
- Recurring Motifs
- animals (especially elephants)memory and nostalgiacommunity and bonds
Legacy
Since the 2000s, he has been regarded as a writer combining fantastical elements with human depiction in contemporary Japanese literature. His awards have established him as a mid-career author.
Trivia
- Real name is Watanabe Ken.
- Previously worked for Tokyo Marine System Development Co., Ltd.
- 'The City Where Elephants Live' won the Excellence Award at the 15th Japan Fantasy Novel Award, which led to recognition.