Japanese Literary Awards

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Japan Entertainment Novel Grand Award にほんエンタメしょうせつたいしょう

Edition 1 (2012)

NovelEntertainment

Winners

4 people
中得一美 なかとく かずみ grand prize

A period novel about a woman burdened by insecurity over her appearance and body as she confronts marriage, family, and social constraint. The heroine's life unfolds with humor and persistence as she searches for a place of her own within unfair values.

In an age when marriage defines a woman's worth, an unconventional heroine cuts open her own life.

253 pages
period fictionmarriage into a familyself-acceptance
初瀬礼 はつせ れい excellence award

A suspense novel that begins with a knife attack reminiscent of Akihabara and follows the crossing paths of the offender's family and the victim's bereaved family. Drawing on the Albanian custom of blood revenge, it depicts guilt, family, and retaliatory violence from the fear of those being hunted.

The question of whether revenge extends to the culprit's family slowly closes in on everyday life.

347 pages
revengeoffender's familysuspense
紺野理々 こんの りり excellence award

The award-title Toro-bako kara, Hero wa Umarenai was retitled Nishino ni Sekai wa Muri daro for publication. It is described as an ensemble story of people who have stumbled and try to stand again through boxing, emphasizing ordinary restarts rather than special talent.

The award-title was changed for publication into the boxing ensemble novel Nishino ni Sekai wa Muri daro.

retitled publicationboxingstarting over
Shinichi Shiroyama しろやま しんいち final selection work

An entertainment novel centered on Senju Yosuke, a figure with the resourcefulness of a confidence man under a title that evokes court-appointed defense. Using law, deception, and life's back roads, it follows characters who cannot be reduced to simple righteousness.

On the border between justice and deception, Senju Yosuke moves through human weakness and gaps in the system.

448 pages
legal marginsconfidence manpicaresque