Kaoru Kurimoto
Encyclopedia
was the pen name of , an award-winning Japan
ese novelist. Imaoka also used the pen name
to write criticism. She was known for her record-breaking 126-volume Guin Saga
series, which has been translated into English, German, French, Italian and Russian. Her style has been described as being part of the New Wave
science fiction movement.
, graduating in 1975. Still in her twenties, she won the Gunzo
Prize for New Writers (Criticism), as Azusa Nakajima, in 1977, and the Edogawa Rampo Award
in 1978 for "Our Era". This spectacular introduction to the literary world drew a lot of attention, especially as she was the youngest ever winner of the Edogawa Rampo Award. Her use of two pen names was also discussed, and shortly after she won the Rampo prize, Heibon Panchi magazine featured a conversation between the "two" writers.
Kurimoto is known for having written nearly 400 books since she began her career. She wrote in several genres, including science fiction
, fantasy
, horror
, mystery
, yaoi
and Japanese-style historical romance.
Her writing shows the influence of Mori Mari
, with a number of her works featuring homosexual love, and her 1979 novel, Mayonaka no Tenshi (真夜中の天使; Midnight Angel) played an important part in the creation of the shonen-ai/yaoi genres, "pioneering interest" in them before they became widely popular. She has also supported yaoi in her work as Nakajima. She was also heavily involved with the first issue of the yaoi magazine June
in 1978, contributing stories and criticism as Kaoru Kurimoto and Azusa Nakajima, as well as using a number of other pseudonyms.
She died on May 26, 2009, aged 56, in a Tokyo hospital, from pancreatic cancer, which was diagnosed in 2007. She had been writing the 130th volume of the Guin Saga up until May 23, 2009. Kurimoto was given a special award posthumously by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan
association.
Shobō.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese novelist. Imaoka also used the pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
to write criticism. She was known for her record-breaking 126-volume Guin Saga
Guin Saga
is the title of a best-selling heroic fantasy novel series by the Japanese author Kaoru Kurimoto, in continuous publication since 1979. A record 100 volumes were originally planned, but the final total stands at 130 volumes, the last four published posthumously, with 21 side-story novels...
series, which has been translated into English, German, French, Italian and Russian. Her style has been described as being part of the New Wave
New Wave (science fiction)
New Wave is a term applied to science fiction produced in the 1960s and 1970s and characterized by a high degree of experimentation, both in form and in content, a "literary" or artistic sensibility, and a focus on "soft" as opposed to hard science. The term "New Wave" is borrowed from the French...
science fiction movement.
Biography
Kurimoto was born in Tokyo and studied literature at Waseda UniversityWaseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
, graduating in 1975. Still in her twenties, she won the Gunzo
Gunzo (magazine)
is a Japanese monthly literary magazine published by Kodansha. It was launched in October 1946 as oriented publication. The past contributors for the magazine include: Kenzaburō Ōe, Haruki Murakami and Yoriko Shono...
Prize for New Writers (Criticism), as Azusa Nakajima, in 1977, and the Edogawa Rampo Award
Edogawa Rampo Award
The , named after Edogawa Rampo, is a Japanese literary award which has been presented every year by the Mystery Writers of Japan since 1955.Though its name is similar to the Edgar Allan Poe Awards, which has been presented by Mystery Writers of America, the Edogawa Rampo award is not a counterpart...
in 1978 for "Our Era". This spectacular introduction to the literary world drew a lot of attention, especially as she was the youngest ever winner of the Edogawa Rampo Award. Her use of two pen names was also discussed, and shortly after she won the Rampo prize, Heibon Panchi magazine featured a conversation between the "two" writers.
Kurimoto is known for having written nearly 400 books since she began her career. She wrote in several genres, including science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
, mystery
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
, yaoi
Yaoi
In careful Japanese enunciation, all three vowels are pronounced separately, for a three-mora word, . The English equivalent is . also known as Boys' Love, is a Japanese popular term for female-oriented fictional media that focus on homoerotic or homoromantic male relationships, usually created by...
and Japanese-style historical romance.
Her writing shows the influence of Mori Mari
Mori Mari
was a Japanese author and daughter of famed novelist Mori Ōgai. Born in Hongō, Tokyo, she began a movement of writing about male homosexual passion in 1961 with A Lovers' Forest, , and later I Don't Go on Sundays and The Bed of Dead Leaves...
, with a number of her works featuring homosexual love, and her 1979 novel, Mayonaka no Tenshi (真夜中の天使; Midnight Angel) played an important part in the creation of the shonen-ai/yaoi genres, "pioneering interest" in them before they became widely popular. She has also supported yaoi in her work as Nakajima. She was also heavily involved with the first issue of the yaoi magazine June
June (manga magazine)
was the earliest yaoi magazine, which began in 1978 as a response to the success of commercially published manga such as the works of female artists Keiko Takemiya, Moto Hagio and Yumiko Ōshima. Other factors that influenced the founding of June were the rising popularity of depictions of...
in 1978, contributing stories and criticism as Kaoru Kurimoto and Azusa Nakajima, as well as using a number of other pseudonyms.
She died on May 26, 2009, aged 56, in a Tokyo hospital, from pancreatic cancer, which was diagnosed in 2007. She had been writing the 130th volume of the Guin Saga up until May 23, 2009. Kurimoto was given a special award posthumously by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan
Nihon SF Taisho Award
Nihon SF Taishō Award is a Japanese science fiction award. It has been compared to the Nebula Award as it is given by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan or SFWJ...
association.
As Azusa Nakajima
- The outlines of literature 文学の輪郭 Bungaku no rinkaku - won the Gunzo Prize for New Writers with this work in 1977.
- Nakajima, Azusa. 1987. Bishōnen Nyūgakumon. Tōkyō: Shūeisha
- Nakajima, Azusa. 2005. Tanatosu no kodomo tachi – Kajōtekiō no seitaigaku. Tōkyō: Chikuma
Shobō.
As Kaoru Kurimoto
- Bokura no Jidai ぼくらの時代 "Our Era" - her debut novel, in 1978.
- Mayonaka no Tenshi 真夜中の天使 "Midnight Angel", 1979, a novel with "shonen-ai mono" themes.
- Guin SagaGuin Sagais the title of a best-selling heroic fantasy novel series by the Japanese author Kaoru Kurimoto, in continuous publication since 1979. A record 100 volumes were originally planned, but the final total stands at 130 volumes, the last four published posthumously, with 21 side-story novels...
, 1979 onwards - a "heroic fantasy" epic about a warrior cursed with a leopard head mask. - Makai Sui Koten 魔界水滸伝 - regarded as an important work in the Japanese Cthulhu MythosCthulhu MythosThe Cthulhu Mythos is a shared fictional universe, based on the work of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft.The term was first coined by August Derleth, a contemporary correspondent of Lovecraft, who used the name of the creature Cthulhu - a central figure in Lovecraft literature and the focus...
, tells the story of a war between the Elder Gods and Japanese gods. It is a retelling of The Water Margin, a Chinese classical novel. - Makyou Yuugeki Tai - a work bridging the Guin Saga and the Cthulu Mythos, with a male protagonist named after the author.
- The Sword of ParosThe Sword of Parosis a 1986 yuri historical fantasy manga composed of three volumes written by Kaoru Kurimoto, a science fiction author best known for Guin Saga, and illustrated by Yumiko Igarashi, best known for Candy Candy...
, a 1986 manga illustrated by Yumiko IgarashiYumiko Igarashiis a female Japanese manga artist and artist. She is a resident of Sapporo, Hokkaido. She is also the cousin of fellow manga artist Satsuki Igarashi; a member of Clamp....
.