Japanese Literary Awards

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Kentaro Yasui

やすい けんたろう

Yasui Kentarou

Pen Names: Kentaro Yasui（Pen name used for published light novels; same as the author's credited name.）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Light novel author
Active Years
1998-

Awards

Sneaker Awards (3rd)
1998
Work: «Twilight of the Gods» Ragnarok (later published as Ragnarok: Kuroki Kemono)
Category: 大賞
Organization: Kadokawa Shoten (Sneaker Bunko)
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Ragnarok

1998 Light novel

A fantasy novel series known for its strong action scenes and distinctive first-person narrator voice. Originally published under Kadokawa's Sneaker Bunko imprint; the main story was left incomplete under that imprint but later saw attempts at re-release.

fantasyactionmythic motifs

Devil May Cry 4 (novelization, story contributor)

2008 Novelization

Participated as a story contributor for the novelization of the game Devil May Cry 4. Official author credit is given to others, while Yasui contributed to the story.

actiondark fantasy

Ark IX

2013 Light novel

A series published by Kodansha's Ranobe Bunko imprint marking a re-debut; illustrated by Takeshi Ogata.

fantasyadventure

Ragnarok:Re

2018 Light novel

A reworked and retitled re-release of Ragnarok published by Overlap Bunko, issued alongside web serialization.

fantasyreconstruction

Kamikari

Light novel

A series published by Overlap Bunko (illustrated by kakao). The series has a limited number of volumes.

fantasy

Bibliography

  • Ragnarok (Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko) / Ragnarok:Re (Overlap Bunko)
  • Devil May Cry 4 (novelization, story contributor)
  • Twelve Gods World Stories (serialized in The Sneaker; unfinished)
  • Ark IX (Kodansha Ranobe Bunko)
  • Kamikari (Overlap Bunko)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
first-person narrator voicefast-paced action descriptionlight-novel conversational, brisk narration
Recurring Motifs
mythic elementsfate and destinysymbols of darkness and beasts

Legacy

Debuted after winning the Sneaker Award in 1998 and became one of Sneaker Bunko's notable authors. Despite interruptions in serialization and a public estrangement from the editorial department, his narrative voice and action writing have been recognized in the light novel community; subsequent re-debuts and web serializations have kept his works in circulation and reassessment.

Trivia

  • Debuted in 1998 after winning the 3rd Sneaker Award (Grand Prize).
  • Served as a judge for the Sneaker Awards from 2006 to 2011.
  • In 2012 he began using X (formerly Twitter) and publicly announced an estrangement from the Sneaker Bunko editorial department.
  • Re-debuted with Kodansha Ranobe Bunko in 2013; from 2017 onward he has published via web serialization and with Overlap Bunko.