Life and career

Isaka was born in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. After graduating from the law school of Tohoku University he went on to work as a systems engineer. He wrote short stories in his free time which he submitted to literary competitions. In 2000 he won the Shincho Mystery Club Prize with debut work Audubon’s prayer, after which he became a professional author.

In 2002 Isaka's novel Lush Life began to garner critical attention, but it was his Naoki Prize nominated 2003 work Gravity Clown (Juryoku Piero, filmed in 2009 starring Ryō Kase) which led to him becoming widely known amongst regular readers. His following work The Foreign Duck, the Native Duck and God in a Coin Locker went on to win the 25th Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for New Writers.

Isaka is often referred to as a mystery writer, however he does not allow himself to be constrained by this definition, attracting many fans amongst the younger generation.

2003's Gravity Clown, 2004's Children and Grasshopper, 2005's The Precision of the Agent of Death and 2006's Desert were all nominated for the Naoki Prize. In addition Isaka is the only author to have been nominated for the first 4 years of the Honya Taisho, finally winning the 5th in 2008 with Remote Control (original title: Golden Slumber). The same work also won the 21st Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize and led to Isaka being selected for the Naoki Prize. Isaka turned down the nomination citing his desire to focus on writing his novel Maoh has turned manga.

Works available in English

Novel

• Remote Control (or Golden Slumber) (original title: Gōruden Surambā), trans. Stephen Snyder (Kodansha USA, 2011) ISBN 9784770031082

Short story

• The Precision of the Agent of Death (original title: Shinigami no Seido), trans. Beth Cary
  • Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, July 2006
  • Passport to Crime: Finest Mystery Stories from International Crime Writers, Running Press, 2007 ISBN 978-0-7867-1916-7

Awards

Japanese awards

• 1996 - 13th Suntory Mystery Prize honourable mention: Yōkina Gyangu ga Chikyū o Mawasu
• 2000 - 5th Shincho Mystery Club Prize: Ōdyubon no Inori
• 2004 - 25th Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for New Writers: Ahiru to Kamo no Koin Rokkā (The Foreign Duck, the Native Duck and God in a Coin Locker)
• 2004 - 57th Mystery Writers of Japan Award for Best Short Story: The Precision of the Agent of Death
• 2008 - 5th Japan Booksellers Award (Hon'ya Taishō): Remote Control
• 2008 - 21st Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize: Remote Control
• 2009 - The Best Japanese Crime Fiction of the Year (Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 2009): Remote Control

French awards

• 2012 - Prix Masterton (fr): Ōdyubon no Inori (French title: La Prière d'Audubon)
• 2012 - Prix Zoom Japon: Ōdyubon no Inori (French title: La Prière d'Audubon)

Bibliography

Novels

• Ōdyubon no Inori (オーデュボンの祈り), 2000 (French translation: La Prière d'Audubon, Philippe Picquier Publishing, 2011)
• Rasshu Raifu (Lush Life) (ラッシュライフ), 2002
• Yōkina Gyangu ga Chikyū o Mawasu (陽気なギャングが地球を回す), 2003
• Jūryoku Piero (重力ピエロ), 2003 (French translation: Pierrot-la-gravité, Philippe Picquier Publishing, 2012)
• Ahiru to Kamo no Koin Rokkā (アヒルと鴨のコインロッカー), 2003
• Gurasuhoppā (Grasshopper) (グラスホッパー), 2004
• Sabaku (砂漠), 2005
• Yōkina Gyangu no Nichijō to Shūgeki (陽気なギャングの日常と襲撃), 2006
• Gōruden Surambā (Golden Slumber) (ゴールデンスランバー), 2007 (English translation: Remote Control, Kodansha USA, 2011)
• Modan Taimusu (Modern Times) (モダンタイムス), 2008
• Aru Kingu (あるキング), 2009
• Esu Ō Esu no Saru (SOSの猿), 2009
• Ō! Fāzā (Oh! Father) (オー! ファーザー), 2010
• Baibai, Burakkubādo (Bye Bye, Blackbird) (バイバイ、ブラックバード), 2010
• Mariabītoru (Mariabeetle) (マリアビートル), 2010
• Yoru no Kuni no Kūpā (夜の国のクーパー), 2012
• Gasorin Seikatsu (ガソリン生活), 2013
• Shinigami no Furyoku (死神の浮力), 2013

Short story collections

• Chirudoren (Children) (チルドレン), 2004
• Shinigami no Seido (死神の精度), 2005
• Maō (魔王), 2005
• Shūmatsu no Fūru (終末のフール), 2006
• Fisshu Sutōrī (Fish Story) (フィッシュストーリー), 2007
• Pīkē (PK), 2012
• Nokori Zembu Bakēshon (残り全部バケーション), 2012

Film adaptations

• A Cheerful Gang Turns the Earth (2006) (Yōkina Gyangu ga Chikyū o Mawasu)
• Children (2006)
• The Foreign Duck, the Native Duck and God in a Coin Locker (2007)
• Sweet Rain (2008) based on The Precision of the Agent of Death
• Fish Story (2009)
• Jūryoku Piero (2009)
• Lush Life (2009)
• Golden Slumber (2010)
• Potechi (2012)
• Oh!Father (2014)
• Grasshopper (2015)
• Golden Slumber (2018)
• Bullet Train (2021)

Manga adaptations

• Maoh: Juvenile Remix

References

External links

• Official Website
• Kotaro Isaka at J'Lit Books from Japan (in English)