From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kan Shimozawa
(
子母澤 ?
,
Shimozawa Kan
, sometimes spelled
Shimosawa
; February 1, 1892 - July 19, 1968)
was a Japanese novelist and historical writer best known for originating the character
Zatoichi
. He was awarded the
Kikuchi Kan Prize
in 1962 for a series of works set at the end of the
Tokugawa period
and the
Meiji era
.
Biography
[
edit
]
Kan Shimozawa was born
Umetani Matsutaro
[1]
in
Atsuta, Hokkaido
on February 1, 1892. He was the half-brother of painter
Migishi K?tar?
.
He graduated from the law school of
Meiji University
in 1914 and initially returned to his hometown where he worked for a lumber company. He moved back to Tokyo in 1918 to work for an electric company, and in 1919 joined the newspaper
Yomiuri Shimbun
as a reporter. He would move to the newspaper
Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun
in 1926.
While working as a reporter, he collected interviews with former
Shinsengumi
under the guidance of jurist
Takeshi Osatake
. These interviews served as the basis for the novel
Shinsengumi Shimetsuki
published in 1928 and adapted into a film in 1962. He would write two sequels,
Shinsengumi Ibun
(1929) and
Shinsengumi Monogatari
(1931), later collected together as the Shinsengumi Trilogy.
His most famous character, the blind swordsman
Zatoichi
, first appeared in the 1948 essay "Zatoichi Monogatari" (座頭市物語), part of Shimozawa's "Futokoro Tech?" serials in the magazine
Sh?setsu to Yomimono
. Originally a minor character, Zatoichi was dramatically altered by
Daiei Film
and actor
Shintaro Katsu
for the 1962 film
The Tale of Zatoichi
and further developed in 25 sequels to become one of Japan's longest-running film series.
Shimozawa died of a
heart attack
on July 19, 1968 in Tokyo.
[2]
Works
[
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]
He is the creator of several fictional works, including:
- Shinsengumi Shimetsuki
(1928), adapted into film in 1962
- Shinsengumi Ibun
(1929)
- Shinsengumi Monogatari
(1931)
- Yataragasa Shunyodo
(1932), basis of TV series
Tabito Izaburo
- Kaito Yakuza
(1933)
- Katsu Kaishu
(1946)
- "Zatoichi Monogatari" (1948), basis of the
Zatoichi
TV series and films
- Oyakodaka
(1955-1956), adapted into a film in 1956 and TV dramas in 1961, 1964, 1972, and 1994
- Otokodaka
(1960-1961)
Historical figures
[
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]
He has written several historical figures into his works, including:
References
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]
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