Tokyo Sogensha
Founded |
February 1948 (spin-off) July 16, 1954 (formal) |
---|---|
Country of origin | Japan |
Headquarters location | Iidabashi, Tokyo, Japan |
Publication types | Books |
Fiction genres | Mystery, Science fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Social science |
Number of employees | 34 (as of February 2011) |
Official website |
www |
Tokyo Sogensha Co., Ltd. (東京創元社 Tokyo Sōgensha) is a Japanese publisher of mystery fiction, science fiction, fantasy, literary fiction and social science, based in Tokyo. It began as the Tokyo branch of a publisher called Sōgensha of Osaka in 1925 and spun off in 1948.
Its imprint, Sōgen Suiri Bunko (Sogen Mystery Bunko), started in 1959, is one of the leading Bunkobon (small-format paperback) labels focusing on mystery, science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Originally the label specialized in translation and entered the field of Japanese works in 1984.
Science Fiction
As a science fiction publisher, it began with the translation of Fredric Brown's works as a division of Sōgen Suiri Bunko in 1963. The division and its continuation, which was renamed as Sōgen SF Bunko in 1991, are Japan's oldest existing Sci-Fi bunkobon label, publishing over 600 books until April 2013 including the works of Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, Ray Bradbury, J. G. Ballard, Philip K. Dick, Lois McMaster Bujold, Vernor Vinge, James P. Hogan, Kim Stanley Robinson, Robert Charles Wilson, and Greg Egan.[1] It scored early success in the post-war period with the Barsoom books of Edgar Rice Burroughs and the words of E. E. Smith.[2]
Recognition
The company has won the Seiun Award for the Best Translated Novel for 16 works out of 45 times (as of 2014).[3]
Prizes
Tokyo Sogensha awards three prizes to recruit new writers of specific genres.
- Ayukawa Tetsuya Award (鮎川哲也賞 Ayukawa Tetsuya Shō) (1990-): An annual contest for mystery fiction, named after Tetsuya Ayukawa, a notable novelist of the genre.[4]
- Mysteries! Prize for New Writers (ミステリーズ!新人賞 Misuteriizu! Shinjin Shō) (2004-): The short story counterpart of the Tetsuya Ayukawa Prize, named after the bimonthly magazine the company has published. It was the continuation of the Sogen Suiri Prize for New Writers (1994-2003).
- Sogen SF Short Story Prize (創元SF短編賞 Sōgen SF Tanpen Shō) (2010-): An annual contest for science fiction, fantasy, and horror short stories.
References
- ↑ "創元SF50周年|東京創元社 (Sogen SF 50th anniversary)".
- ↑ "Japan: Science Fiction Encyclopedia". Retrieved 16 April 2013.
- ↑ "星雲賞受賞作一覧 (Winners list of Seiun Awards)". Retrieved 4 December 2014.
- ↑ "Mystery writer Tetsuya Ayukawa dies at 83.". Kyodo. 26 September 2002. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
External links
- Official website (Japanese)