Latest news with #HiromiKawakami
Japan Times
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Akutagawa and Naoki award decision marks rare absence of literary prizewinners
The selection committee for the Akutagawa and Naoki literary awards announced Wednesday that no works would receive the awards this time — for the first time in 27 years. Awarded biannually in January and July, the Akutagawa and Naoki prizes are Japan's most prestigious literary honors. The committee's decision marks the sixth time since their inception, in 1935, that both prizes have had no winners. The last instance was in January 1998. 'Out of the four nominated works, Gregory Khezrnejat's 'Trajectory' and Koreko Hibino's 'Taemanai Hikari no Tashizan' (literally translated as 'The Constant Addition of Light') were discussed further after the first round of voting,' selection committee member Hiromi Kawakami said regarding the Akutagawa Prize decision. 'However, as neither received a majority vote in the second round, unfortunately, there is no recipient this time.' She added, 'Some members of the selection committee expressed that the Akutagawa Prize should reward works that try something new or bring about new perspectives. It's not that the nominated works lacked new viewpoints — there were, in fact, many experimental elements — but we felt they needed to go one step further. ... As a member of the committee, I'm disappointed that we couldn't choose a winning work.' Selection committee member Natsuhiko Kyogoku said about the lack of awardees, 'Even though no winners were selected, it's undeniable that the nominated works have moved many readers. I encourage readers to visit bookstores and buy all the nominated books — they're worth reading.' The Akutagawa Prize is given to up-and-coming writers for short- to medium-length works of literary fiction published in a newspaper or magazine, while the Naoki Prize goes to an early or mid-career author for a work of pop or genre fiction. Including this round, the Akutagawa Prize has gone unawarded 33 times, and the Naoki Prize 30 times.
The Mainichi
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
No wins in 2 prestigious Japanese literary awards, 1st in 27 yrs
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The organizer of two prestigious Japanese literary awards on Wednesday announced there were no winners among the nominations this year for the first time since 1998. The awards often produce popular works representative of the era. The event is hosted by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature. "There was something about each work that drew us in, but there was still something lacking," said Hiromi Kawakami, author and Akutagawa Prize selection committee member. "We as a committee find it extremely regrettable that we were unable to award the prize." The Akutagawa Prize was established in 1935 in memory of the Japanese novelist Ryunosuke Akutagawa. The Naoki Prize, created the same year, was named after author Sanjugo Naoki. Awarded authors typically receive 1 million yen ($6,700) in prize money.
Straits Times
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Book review: Hiromi Kawakami's Under The Eye Of The Big Bird asks what being human really means
Hiromi Kawakami is the author of Under The Eye Of The Big Bird. PHOTO: COURTESY OF HIROMI KAWAKAMI
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
Japanese Author Kawakami Misses Out on Int'l Booker Prize
News from Japan Culture May 21, 2025 15:17 (JST) London, May 21 (Jiji Press)--Japanese author Hiromi Kawakami has missed out on the International Booker Prize, a prestigious British award for translated fiction. The Booker Prize Foundation announced Indian author Banu Mushtaq's "Heart Lamp" as this year's winner of the prize in London on Tuesday night. Kawakami's work "Under the Eye of the Big Bird" was one of the six books shortlisted for the award. Japanese authors Yoko Ogawa and Mieko Kawakami had their works shortlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2020 and 2022, respectively, but both missed out on the prize. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
review under the eye of the big bird hiromi kawakami
We plunge headfirst into this science fictional tale via the thoughts of Kyle, a troubled schoolgirl. Details are in short supply. We know that the girl is young, but have no idea where she lives or in which century. She appears to be rebellious and wants to run away, but it isn't clear why. Then she attacks a fellow student who, according to her, hates her. The scene shifts to other characters and other timelines. In this way, the novel slides across people, centuries and continents in what appears to be a chaotic manner. The narrative voice changes constantly. Some characters have names such as Rien and Noah. Others have numbers instead of names. Still others are known simply as 'mothers' and have no names. Initially, we are told that the mothers are benign and powerful beings. Then it turns out they are not human at all. Indeed, the story is about the whole of humanity, not any particular people. The prose is textured to suggest that it may have been written by an intelligent machine, not a person. The narrative turns into a meditation upon AI (Artificial Intelligence) and the way in which we, who created it, will allow it to supplant us altogether. Era of smart robots Science fiction has routinely explored the theme of machines taking over. What makes this novel unusual is not the theme but the fact that it no longer feels fictional. We are living today in an era of smart robots and super computers. Siri-voices guide us through our streets. Video games have seduced millions of young children. The first phase of the takeover has actually begun. So yes, the novel is highly effective, in a spare and dismal way. The author Hiromi Kawakami is a young Japanese woman and a rising literary star, but the robotic tone of the writing is deeply unsatisfying to read. It provides such a horrid preview of the future that one can only hope we will never get to know it. The reviewer is an author, playwright, artist and cartoonist. Under The Eye Of The Big Bird Hiromi Kawakami, trs Asa Yoneda Granta ₹799
