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Kanako Nishi (author)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kanako Nishi
Native name
西にし 加奈子かなこ
Born (1977-05-07) May 7, 1977 (age 47)
Tehran, Iran
OccupationNovelist, essayist, artist
LanguageJapanese
Alma materKansai University
GenreFiction
Notable works
  • Tsūtenkaku (通天閣つうてんかく)
  • Fukuwarai (ふくわらい)
  • Saraba! (サラバ!)
Notable awards
Website
Kanako Nishi Official Website

Kanako Nishi (西にし 加奈子かなこ, Nishi Kanako, born May 7, 1977) is a Japanese writer and artist. She has won the Oda Sakunosuke Prize, the Kawai Hayao Literary Prize, and the Naoki Prize, and several of her books have been adapted for film.

Early life and education

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Kanako Nishi was born in Tehran, Iran on May 7, 1977.[1] Her family moved back to Japan at age 2, but her father's job took them away from Japan again to Cairo, Egypt when she was 7 years old.[2] The Nishi family stayed in Cairo for four years, then returned to Izumi, Osaka. She later drew on this experience in creating the main character in her bestselling novel Saraba![3] Nishi attended junior high and high school in Izumi municipal schools.[4] After high school, she attended Kansai University in Osaka.[1]

Career

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At age 26, Nishi lied to her parents about getting a job in Tokyo, and left Osaka to pursue her dream of writing professionally.[5] Her first book, the short story collection Aoi (「あおい」, "Blue"), was published in 2004. She has since published over 20 books, including novels, essay collections, short story collections, and illustrated children's books.

In 2006, Nishi's novel Tsūtenkaku (「通天閣つうてんかく」, lit. "Tower to heaven") won the Oda Sakunosuke Prize, which is named for the Buraiha writer Sakunosuke Oda.[6] That same year Kanako's novel Kiiroi zou (「きいろいゾウ」, lit. "Yellow Elephant"), a story about a long-married couple who receive a mysterious letter that leads them to revisit the history of their relationship, was published by Shogakukan. It was later adapted into the 2013 film Kiiroi Zou, starring Aoi Miyazaki and Osamu Mukai.[7] In 2011 her novel Entaku (「円卓えんたく」, lit. "Round table"), about the daily life of an elementary school girl who prefers to be alone, was published by Bungeishunjū. It was later adapted into a 2014 Isao Yukisada film starring Mana Ashida and Ryuhei Maruyama.[8] Nishi's 2012 novel Fukuwarai (lit. "Funny Face"), about the relationships between an eccentric editor and the people around her, won the inaugural Kawai Hayao story prize, drawing praise from prize judge and novelist Nahoko Uehashi.[9]

Nishi won the 152nd Naoki Prize in 2015 for her novel Saraba! (「サラバ！」, lit. "Farewell!"), which drew heavily on her childhood experiences in its portrayal of a male protagonist born in Iran who overcomes hardships while moving between Egypt and Japan.[10] Saraba! drew particular praise from the committee members for its unorthodox style and language.[11] Later that year Vogue Japan named Nishi one of its 2015 Women of the Year.[12] In 2016 her novel Makuko (「まく子こ」), about an elementary school boy whose friendship with a new transfer student leads to his discovery of a big secret, was published by Fukuinkan Shoten. The novel was adapted into a 2019 film for Nikkatsu by screenwriter and director Keiko Tsuruoka, with Hikaru Yamazaki and Ninon in the lead roles.[13]

In 2020, Kanako's previously published stories "Sam no Koto" (lit. "Sam") and "Saru ni Au" (lit. "Meet the Monkey") were adapted into a two-part television series for subscription channel dTV, with the main characters played by fourth generation members of idol group Nogizaka46.[14] A new volume containing the adapted stories was scheduled for publication by Shogakukan in March 2020, prior to the show's premiere.[15] That same year, director Hitoshi Yazaki adapted Nishi's novel Sakura, which had sold more than 500,000 copies since its publication in 2005, into a film starring Nana Komatsu, Takumi Kitamura, and Ryo Yoshizawa.[16]

Writing style

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Nishi's characters frequently use Osaka-ben, the distinctive Japanese dialect common in Osaka and surrounding cities. She often writes words in hiragana rather than kanji to allow multiple interpretations, and for aesthetic effect.[17] Her English translator, Allison Markin Powell, has said that Nishi's writing is "deceptively simple yet beautiful", and that it "establishes an immediate intimacy with her characters."[18] Her work addresses issues in "religion, individualism, and society", especially during times of upheaval and disaster.[19]

Personal life

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Nishi started reading The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison as a first-year high school student and has preferred reading foreign authors ever since. Her favorite author is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.[17] Nishi is a fan of professional wrestling, particularly New Japan Pro-Wrestling.[20]

Recognition

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  • 2006: Oda Sakunosuke Prize for Tsūtenkaku (「通天閣つうてんかく」, lit. "Tower to heaven")[6]
  • 2012: Kawai Hayao Literary Prize for Fukuwarai (「ふくわらい」, lit. "Funny face")[21]
  • 2015: 152nd Naoki Prize (2014下か) for Saraba! (「サラバ！」, lit. "Farewell!")[10]

Adaptations

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Film

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Television

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  • Sam no Koto/Saru ni Au, dTV, 2020[14]

Works

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Books in Japanese

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Fiction

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  • Aoi, Shogakukan, 2004, ISBN 9784093861373
  • Sakura, Shogakukan, 2005, ISBN 9784093861472
  • Kiiroi zou, Shogakukan, 2006, ISBN 9784093861625
  • Tsūtenkaku, Chikuma Shobo, 2006, ISBN 9784480803993
  • Shizuku, Kobunsha, 2007, ISBN 9784334925444
  • Koufuku midori no, Shogakukan, 2008, ISBN 9784093862066
  • Mado no sakana, Shinchosha, 2008, ISBN 9784103070412
  • Utsukushii hito, Gentosha, 2009, ISBN 9784344016347
  • Kiriko ni tsuite, Kadokawa, 2009, ISBN 9784048739313
  • Enjō suru kimi, Kadokawa, 2010, ISBN 9784048740579
  • Shiroi shirushi, Shinchosha, 2010, ISBN 9784103070429
  • Entaku, Bungeishunju, 2011, ISBN 9784163299808
  • Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko, Gentosha, 2011, ISBN 9784344020498
  • Chika no hato, Bungeishunju, 2011, ISBN 9784163810607
  • Fukuwarai, Asahi Shimbun, 2012, ISBN 9784022509987
  • Furu, Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 2012, ISBN 9784309021485
  • Butai, Kodansha, 2014, ISBN 9784062187084
  • Saraba!, Shogakukan, 2014, ISBN 9784093863926 (vol. 1) ISBN 9784093863933 (vol. 2)
  • Makuko, Fukuinkan Shoten, 2016, ISBN 9784834082388
  • i, Popurasha, 2016, ISBN 9784591153093
  • Omajinai, Chikuma Shobo, 2018, ISBN 9784480804778
  • Sam no Koto, Saru ni Au, Shogakukan, 2020, ISBN 9784094067552

Illustrated books

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Nonfiction

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Selected work in translation

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  • "Merry Christmas," English trans. Allison Markin Powell, fiftystorms.org[25]
  • "Fear of Manners," English trans. Allison Markin Powell, Words Without Borders, May 2017 issue.[26]
  • "Burn," English trans. Allison Markin Powell, Freeman's: Power, Fall 2018 issue.

References

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  1. ^ a b 文藝ぶんげい年鑑ねんかん2008年ねん (Literary Yearbook 2008) (in Japanese). Shinchosha. 2008. ISBN 9784107500342.
  2. ^ Nishi, Kanako (November 16, 2015). "パリ (Paris)". Fifty Storms (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  3. ^ "Authors: Kanako Nishi". Books from Japan. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  4. ^ 野里のざと, 和宏かずひろ (March 1, 2015). "和泉いずみ市立しりつ光明台こうみょうだい中学校ちゅうがっこう 野里のざと 和宏かずひろ校長こうちょう先生せんせい" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on July 7, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  5. ^ "超ちょう保守ほしゅ的てきな生いき方かたを、小説しょうせつがポイした". Senka (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 5, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  6. ^ a b "織田おだ作之助さくのすけ賞しょう受賞じゅしょう". Osaka Literature Promotion Institute (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 12, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  7. ^ "宮崎みやざきあおいと向井むかい理りが夫婦ふうふ役やくで初はつ共演きょうえん、西にし加奈子かなこ原作げんさくの映画えいが『きいろいゾウ』". Cinra.net (in Japanese). October 10, 2012. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  8. ^ "西にし加奈子かなこ×行こう定てい勲くん『円卓えんたく』で芦田あしだ愛菜あいなが関西かんさい弁べんの偏屈へんくつヒロインに、共演きょうえんに関せきジャニ丸山まるやまら". Cinra.net (in Japanese). May 22, 2014. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  9. ^ 雨野あまの, 裾すそ (November 12, 2017). "「物語ものがたりとしてしか命いのちを持もちえない作品さくひん」――エキセントリックな女性じょせい編集へんしゅう者しゃが「恋こい」と「世界せかい」を知しる。読よみ手てを選えらぶ異色いしょく作さく!? 西にし加奈子かなこ『ふくわらい』". Da Vinci News (in Japanese). Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  10. ^ a b "Ono wins Akutagawa literary award; Nishi wins Naoki Prize". The Japan Times. January 16, 2015. Archived from the original on June 16, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  11. ^ "作家さっか・林はやし真理子まりこさん「読後どくごに青空あおぞらが広ひろがる小説しょうせつ」". Sankei News (in Japanese). January 15, 2015. Archived from the original on August 5, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  12. ^ "ピース又吉またきちと西にし加奈子かなこの相思相愛そうしそうあいぶりに綾部あやべ困こまる「私わたしは何なにをすれば」". Natalie (in Japanese). November 26, 2015. Archived from the original on April 1, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  13. ^ a b "草くさ彅剛が父親ちちおや役やく、西にし加奈子かなこ原作げんさく『まく子こ』実写じっしゃ映画えいが化か　主演しゅえんは14歳さいの山崎やまざき光ひかり". Cinra.net (in Japanese). May 16, 2018. Archived from the original on August 5, 2018. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  14. ^ a b "乃木坂のぎざか46の4期生きせい、ドラマ初はつ出演しゅつえん！西にし加奈子かなこの青春せいしゅん小説しょうせつ2作品さくひんが実写じっしゃ化か". Natalie (in Japanese). February 22, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  15. ^ "サムのこと　猿さるに会あう". Shogakukan (in Japanese). Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  16. ^ a b "北村きたむら匠たくみ海うみ×小松こまつ菜奈なな×吉沢よしざわ亮あきらがきょうだい　西にし加奈子かなこ原作げんさく『さくら』劇げき中ちゅう写真しゃしん". Cinra.net (in Japanese). February 21, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  17. ^ a b Komai, Aiko (February 7, 2013). "Multiple Meanings: Author Kanako Nishi Talks about Her Novels and the Stories Behind Them". The Daily Yomiuri.
  18. ^ Bartholomew, Reid (August 22, 2017). "Reflecting the Possibilities in Translation: A Conversation with Allison Markin Powell". World Literature Today. Archived from the original on June 30, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  19. ^ Markin Powell, Allison (November 10, 2016). "10 Japanese Books by Women We'd Love to See in English". Literary Hub. Archived from the original on June 16, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  20. ^ "西にし加奈子かなこさん「プロレスからむちゃくちゃ勇気ゆうきをいただいてます」". Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). January 16, 2015. Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  21. ^ "第だい1回かい河合かわい隼雄はやお物語ものがたり賞しょうの授賞じゅしょう式しきが行おこなわれました". Kawai Hayao Foundation (in Japanese). July 5, 2013. Archived from the original on February 26, 2019. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  22. ^ "きいろいゾウ". 映画えいが.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 16, 2017. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  23. ^ "円卓えんたく　こっこ、ひと夏なつのイマジン". 映画えいが.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  24. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (January 1, 2021). "Studio 4°C Reveals Gyokō no Nikuko-chan Anime Film". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  25. ^ "Tumblr". Tumblr (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2019-02-27. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  26. ^ Nishi, Kanako (May 1, 2017). "Fear of Manners". Translated by Markin Powell, Allison. Archived from the original on December 13, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
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