Novelist Keiichiro Hirano

Dear modern people, how should we live in these turbulent times?

Novelist Keiichiro Hirano

■ Profile
Born in Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture, in 1975, and originally from Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at Kyoto University. While still a student, he won the 120th Akutagawa Prize in 1999 for his novel "Eclipse," which he submitted to the literary magazine "Shincho." Since then, he has published numerous works in a diverse style that changes with each work, and these works have been translated and introduced around the world. His major works include novels such as "At the End of the Matinee," "A Certain Man," and "True Feelings," as well as essays such as "What is Me? From 'Individual' to 'Divided'" and "A Study of Yukio Mishima." In 2024, he will publish his latest collection of short stories, "Mount Fuji," his first in 10 years.

Hirano Keiichiro made his debut as a novelist when his novel "Eclipse," which he wrote while he was a university student, won the Akutagawa Prize. His style of writing touches on the multifaceted nature of human beings while incorporating social issues and ethics, and it strikes a particularly strong chord with modern people struggling to survive. We spoke to Hirano about how he creates stories that resonate so strongly with readers, and how he sees the modern world.

When I entered university, I actually wanted to get away from being a "literature kid." I had been reading Iwanami Bunko books and foreign literature since junior high and high school, but I wanted to become a more practical person. I worked part-time as a bartender, played electric guitar in four bands, and so on. However, when I went to a bookstore to buy textbooks for my classes, I was captivated by the vastly larger selection of books than in my hometown. For better or worse, I found myself immersed in the world of literature once again. I was also influenced by the passionate political history classes taught by my mentor, Professor Ono Noriaki.

■Now I'm finally a "novelist"

I made my debut as a novelist in my fifth year of university. While everyone around me was job hunting, I was writing "Eclipse," which was published in the literary magazine "Shincho." I'd been writing novels since high school, but at the time, I couldn't see myself becoming a novelist. However, when I read a book, I often found myself thinking, "If it were me, I would write it more like this." Even in my childhood book reports, I wrote about the discomfort I felt rather than genuine impressions (laughs). Whenever I had free time, I wanted to read, and when I read, I wanted to write. This continued through university, and I eventually became strongly aware that I wanted to become a novelist. However, I felt like I would be ridiculed if I said I was writing a novel, so I never confided in anyone. However, when "Shincho" gave me objective feedback, I was happy, thinking, "Now I can finally tell people around me." "Eclipse" would later win the Akutagawa Prize, but despite the criticism, at the time, I felt great joy at having my work recognized for the first time.

■ Entrusting thoughts to the "vocals" of the work

Basically, I try to express what I want to write. If I just write "somehow" or my thoughts one-sidedly, readers won't follow. That's why I think about which characters I should entrust what I want to say to and how. The protagonist is particularly important, so I hold "internal auditions." The protagonist of a work is like the lead singer of a band. Just as the audience absorbs the band's worldview through the vocalist's voice, readers absorb the world of the story through the protagonist. I have protagonists with high thinking abilities talk about deep content, and if not, I fill in the gaps by introducing characters with high thinking abilities in supporting roles.
I can come up with an unlimited number of story ideas. However, whether those ideas are "usable" is another matter. Unusable seeds gradually disappear, while good seeds are polished and grow like a snowball. And if I can imagine a climax at the end of that, then I can "write it." From there, I often write by working backwards to that climax and expressing the story in between.

■ "1 in 40 people network" to the whole world

Rather than writing to "readers," I write for "modern people who share modern society." It may be difficult to say that what an author wants to write will necessarily resonate with everyone. However, the suffering and joys we experience as people living in the same social system surely have a lot in common. With that in mind, I believe that thinking about "what kind of era am I living in now, what do I suffer from, and what brings me joy" will lead to finding a way to empathize with readers.
Ever since I was a child, I was in the minority, outnumbered 39 to 1 in a class of 40. Even when I thought I was right, it was hard for others to understand, and I sometimes felt lonely, thinking, "It would be fun to be part of that group." However, in the world of literature, there are surprisingly many writers and readers who have the same "1 in 40" experience as me. This small world amounts to about 25 people out of 1000, which is quite large in Japan and the world. Even if I feel isolated, I would be very happy as an artist if I could write a work that makes readers empathize and feel moved, making them realize they're not alone.

■Even in these turbulent times, love is a human quality

I intend to continue my style of "considering themes from within social structure." However, society has changed extremely rapidly since the 2000s. Living in turbulent times has become a theme in itself, and writing about what will happen 10 or 20 years from now will likely be outdated by then. That's why I believe it's important to focus on the present. And even amid change, the fundamental human qualities of joy and love that we embrace in life remain unchanged. I want to portray both the parts of humanity that are at the mercy of change and the parts that remain unchanged through it all. In the world of literature, they say a work is a bestseller if it sells 10 copies, but even if that's true during the author's lifetime, sometimes a work slowly gains popularity afterward. I feel that the way literature should be is to preserve the society of the time and the author's way of thinking.

■Message to university students　

I want you to take a hard look at "what the problem is" in society and in your own current situation. Once you enter the workforce, you'll have many opportunities to think about why things aren't going well and how to deal with them, and people with their own opinions are valued at such times. To do this, you must first take an interest in society. You won't only get useful information, so I want you to read not just superficial information but also books that are challenging and develop your thinking skills. When things aren't going well, try to think, "This me wasn't good enough, but there are different versions of me in other communities." Rather than investing all your energy in one area, I want you to face challenges while spreading your energy out.

Student Newspaper Online January 20, 2025 Sophia University 3rd year student Minami Yoshikawa

Waseda University 4th year Nishimura Natsu / Toyo University 2nd year Koshiyama Rinno / Sophia University 3rd year Yoshikawa Minami / Nihon University 4th year Suzuki Junki