Japanese detective fiction

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Japanese detective fiction is a popular genre of Japanese literature. Generally called 推理小説 (suirishousetsu), it is closely related to genres such as detective fiction, mystery fiction, crime fiction, and also related to historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy.

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[edit] History

Edogawa Rampo is the first Japanese modern mystery writer and the founder of the Detective Story Club in Japan. Rampo was an admirer of western mystery writers. He gained his fame in early 1920s, when he began to bring to the genre many bizarre, erotic and even fantastic elements. This is partly because of the social tension before World War II.[1](Gonda, 160)

In 1957, Matsumoto Seicho received the Mystery Writers of Japan Prize for his short story The Face (顔 kao?). The Face and Matsumoto's subsequent works began the "social school" (社会派 sya kai ha?) within the genre, which emphasized social realism, described crimes in an ordinary setting and sets motives within a wider context of social injustice and political corruption.[1](Gonda, 159-162)

Since the 1980s, a "new orthodox school" (新本格派 shin honkaku ha?) has surfaced. It demands restoration of the classic rules of detective fiction and the use of more self reflective elements. Famous authors of this school include Shimada Soji (島田莊司), Ayatsuji Yukito (綾辻行人), Arisugawa Arisu (有栖川有栖), and Norizuki Rintaro (法月綸太郎).

[edit] Quotation

[I] want to take detective novels outside the "haunted house".

Matsumoto Seichō. Zuihitsu Kuroi Techyō (Essays on the Mystery Novel). 1961. pp.25.

Ellery, the slim handsome young man says: "To me, detective fiction is a kind of intellectual game. A logical game that gives readers sensations about detectives or authors. These are not to be ranked high or low. So I don't want the once popular "social school" realism. Female employee murdered in a deluxe suite room; criminal police's tireless investigation eventually brings in the murdering boss-cum-boyfriend--All cliché. Political scandals of corruption and ineptness; tragedies of distortion of modern society; these are also out of date. The most appropriate materials for detective fiction, whether accused untimely or not, are famous detectives, grand mansions, suspicious residents, bloody murders, puzzling situation, earth-shattering scheme . . . . Made up things are even better. The point is to enjoy the pleasure in the world of reasoning. But intellectual prerequisites must be completely met."

Ayatsuji Yukito. 十角館の殺人. 1991. pp.1.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Gonda, Manji (Apr 1993). "Crime fiction with a social consciousness". Japan Quarterly 40 (2): 157–163. Tokyo. ISSN 00214590.