The 169th Akutagawa and Naoki Prizes have been announced. The Akutagawa Prize went to “Hunchback” by Sao Ichikawa, while the Naoki Prize went to “Kibikicho no yakkatsu” by Sayako Nagai and “Gokuraku seiyo daishogun” by Ryosuke Kakine.
Hunchback” is about Shuka Izawa, a woman with a curved spine due to a congenital hereditary muscle disease, who uses an electric wheelchair and a ventilator and lives in a group home her wealthy parents left behind, rarely venturing outside. The author of this work, Sao Ichikawa, is a graduate of Waseda University’s School of Human Sciences. She herself was born with scoliosis caused by congenital myopathy, a muscle disorder that results in muscle weakness and breathing problems, and she also uses a ventilator and an electric wheelchair. He won the Akutagawa Prize for his debut novel, “Kibikicho no Hakebitachi” (The Hateful Revenge of Kibikicho).
Kibikicho no yakuwari” is a historical novel set in the Edo period (1603-1868). The story revolves around a revenge attack that takes place near a playhouse on a snowy night. The author, Sayako Nagai, is a historical novelist from Kanagawa Prefecture who made her debut as an author in 2010. Together with the 35th Shugoro Yamamoto Award, she is the third author in history to win the double award.
Gokuraku Seibi Taishogun” is a historical ensemble drama that unravels the secrets of Ashikaga Takauji, the first shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, but a man shrouded in mystery. The author, Ryosuke Kakine, a native of Nagasaki Prefecture, made his debut in 2000 with “The Rooster of Three A.M.,” which won both the 17th Suntory Mystery Grand Prize and the Readers’ Prize.