The Maker Speaks
Gokumon Island
Can See Kindaichi Kosuke on the Top of J-whodunits
Can See Kindaichi Kosuke on the Top of J-whodunits
From the most famous detective; Sherlock Holmes down, we have seen great detectives appear and act well in fiction all over the world, including Japan. Then, what Japanese fictional detective is the most well-known in Japan? Yes, it must be Kindaichi Kosuke; a fictional private detective created by Yokomizo Seishi, a late novelist.
His family name, Kindaichi, has quite a lot of impact and is from Kindaichi Kyosuke; a Japanese linguist. And his outward appearance also gives us an impact, too. He always wear wrinkled kimono with disheveled hair and with a poor build as he has an inferiority complex about. His rough appearance puts others off their guard and he can easily act a detective.
His family name, Kindaichi, has quite a lot of impact and is from Kindaichi Kyosuke; a Japanese linguist. And his outward appearance also gives us an impact, too. He always wear wrinkled kimono with disheveled hair and with a poor build as he has an inferiority complex about. His rough appearance puts others off their guard and he can easily act a detective.
|
|
By Kadokawa Shoten Publishing |
His first stage is The Murder in the Honjin; the first long mystery novel of Yokomizo Seishi. As Yokomizo had said that story was just a prototype, it hardly describes charm of Kindaichi Kosuke. His second stage published in 1947, Gokumon Island, is what made him the greatest fictional detective in Japan. The author had said his first confident mystery novel was Gokumon Island, himself.
WW2 ended in 1945 and next year, Kindaichi Kosuke was just heading for an island in Seto Inland Sea, in order to send a letter of his late comrade to the bereaved family. The name of the island was Gokumon Island, goku means the hell and mon means a gate in Japanese. What you have felt from the name is almost right. Kindaichi was being involved in the murder as hideous as the island name.
Including its storytelling, you will know the mystery of Japanese language enough on reading Gokumon Island. A lot of Japanese whodunit fans still affirm it is the greatest crime story like the Top 100 Mystery Novels of the East and the West has selected Gokumon Island as the top in East in both 1985 and 2012. Moreover, the woman Kindaichi Kosuke had loved all his life appears in the novel. So you can never get Kindaichi Kosuke without reading that.
WW2 ended in 1945 and next year, Kindaichi Kosuke was just heading for an island in Seto Inland Sea, in order to send a letter of his late comrade to the bereaved family. The name of the island was Gokumon Island, goku means the hell and mon means a gate in Japanese. What you have felt from the name is almost right. Kindaichi was being involved in the murder as hideous as the island name.
Including its storytelling, you will know the mystery of Japanese language enough on reading Gokumon Island. A lot of Japanese whodunit fans still affirm it is the greatest crime story like the Top 100 Mystery Novels of the East and the West has selected Gokumon Island as the top in East in both 1985 and 2012. Moreover, the woman Kindaichi Kosuke had loved all his life appears in the novel. So you can never get Kindaichi Kosuke without reading that.
about Gokumon Island
・Written by Yokomizo Seishi
・Published by Iwatani Shoten (1947 - 1948)
・The Top 100 Mystery Novels of the East and the West (Wikipedia)
Takekurabe
Beautiful Changes of Hearts Written by Higuchi Ichiyō
No Longer Human
The Sad but Great Swan Song Sung by Dazai Osamu
