is a Japanese

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living wage, living writing novels and other fiction, while other ...

from

Fukui Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Fukui Prefecture has a population of 737,229 (1 January 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,190 Square kilometre, km2 (1,617 sq mi). Fukui Prefecture border ...

. Winner of the 19th

Mephisto Prize The is a Japanese literary award for unpublished genre fiction novels, mainly for mystery novels. It was established in 1996 by the editors of ''Mephisto'' magazine and is awarded on an irregular basis. The winning work is published by Kodansha a ...

for ''Smoke, Soil, or Sacrifices'', and the 16th Mishima Yukio Prize for ''Asura Girl''. His short story, "Drill Hole in the Brain" was translated into English as part of Del Rey's ''

Faust Faust ( , ) is the protagonist of a classic German folklore, German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust (). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a deal with the Devil at a ...

'' anthology, and described by the Anime News Network as the "crowning glory" of the anthology.

Style

Many of Maijō's novels are set in Fukui and make extensive use of that dialect. He is known for an aggressive, colloquial writing style. His early works were mystery novels, but he has branched out into literary magazines. He illustrates much of his own work, and has contributed several brief manga to ''

''.

Works in English translation

;Novel *'' Asura Girl'', trans. Stephen Snyder ( Haikasoru, 2014) ;Short story *"Drill Hole in the Brain" (''

1''. Del Rey, 2008. )

Awards and nominations

* 2001 –

: ''Kemuri ka Tsuchi ka Kuimono'' (''Smoke, Soil or Sacrifices'') (Novel) * 2003 – Mishima Yukio Prize: ''Asura Girl'' (Novel) * 2003 – Nominee for

Mystery Writers of Japan Award The are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of Japan. They honor the best in crime fiction and critical/biographical work published in the previous year. MWJ Award for Best Novel winners (1948–1951, 1976–present) MWJ Award for Be ...

for Best Short Story: "Pikōn!" * 2004 – Nominee for

Akutagawa Prize The is a Japanese literary award presented biannually. Because of its prestige and the considerable attention the winner receives from the media, it is, along with the Naoki Prize, one of Japan's most sought after literary prizes. History Th ...

: ''Suki Suki Daisuki Cho Ai shiteru'' (''Love Love Love You, I Love You'') (Novella) * 2009 – Nominee for

: ''Bitch Magnet'' (Novella) * 2012 – Nominee for

: ''Tanpen Gobosei'' (''Short-Story Pentagram'') (Five short stories) * 2013 – Nominee for

: "Oishii Shawa Heddo" (''Dainty Shower Head'') (Short story)

Works

Novels

* ''Smoke, Soil or Sacrifices'' (Kemuri ka Tsuchi ka Kuimono) 2001 (Kodansha novels), 2004 (bunko) * ''The Childish Darkness'' (Kurayami no Naka de Kodomo) 2001 (Kodansha novels) * ''The World is Made Out of Closed Rooms'' (Sekai wa Misshitsu de Dekiteiru) 2001 (Kodansha novels), 2005 (bunko) * '' an Asura-Girl in Love'' (Ashura Gāru), 2003 (Shinchosha), 2005 (bunko) ** "Kawa wo Oyoide Wataru Hebi" (short story, appeared in Shincho Magazine 2003, appeared only in the bunko edition of an Asura-Girl in Love) * ''Tsukumo Juku'', 2005 (Kodansha novels), 2007 (bunko) ** Set in the world of Ryusui Seiryoin's JDC novels * ''Yama n Naka no Shimitomo Naruo'', 2003 (Kodansha), 2005 (Kodansha novels), 2007 (bunko) ** Originally appeared in Gunzou, July 2003 * ''Love Love Love You I Love You!'' (Suki Suki Daisuki Cho Ai shiteru) 2004 (Kodansha), 2006 (Kodansha novels) ** ''Suki Suki Daisuki Cho Ai Shiteru'' (Gunzou, January 2004) ** "Drill Hole in My Brain" (

), 2003 vol. 1 * ''Speedboy'', (

Kodansha Box is the name of a book label published since November 2006 and a division of the major Japanese publishing house, Kodansha. The label published not only novels but also manga and critical review books, advocating a "hybrid label." The label was ...

, 2006) * ''Disco Detective Wednesday'' (2008) * ''Bitch Magnet'' (2009) * ''Kemono no Ki'' (2010) * ''NECK'' (2010) * ''Makai Tantei Meiosei O: Dead Doll no Double D'' (2010) * '' JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Jorge Joestar'', (

Shueisha is a Japanese publishing company headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. Shueisha is the largest publishing company in Japan. It was established in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The ...

, 2012)

Short story collections

* ''Kuma no Basho'' (short story collection; 2004 (Kodansha novels), 2006 (bunko) ** Kuma no Basho (appeared in Gunzou magazine, September 2001) ** Bat Otoko (Gunzou, February 2002) ** Pikōn! (later adapted into a manga by

Kei Aoyama was a Japanese manga artist. He graduated from the Department of Visual Communication Design at Musashino Art University. He made his professional debut in 2003 with the one-shot "", winning ''Monthly Ikki'' magazine's Ikiman award for rookie ...

) * ''Minna Genki'', 2004 (Shinchosha), 2007 (bunko - in two volumes, Minna Genki and School Attack Syndrome) ** Minna Genki, (Shincho, September 2004) ** Dead for Good ** Wagaya no Totoro (Shincho, June 2003) ** Ya wo Tomeru Gowa no Kuchinashidori (Shincho, June 2004) ** School Attack Syndrome (Shincho, January 2004) * ''Ikiru Kisu'' (2010) * ''Tanpen Gobosei'' (2012) * ''Kimitopia'' (2013)

Translations

Thom Jones Thomas Douglas Jones (January 26, 1945 – October 14, 2016) was an American writer, primarily of short stories. Biography Jones was raised in Aurora, Illinois, where he went to public schools. He went to college at the University of Hawaii, wher ...

–''Cold Snap'' (short story collection)

Manga

*''PICCCCCOHHHNNN!'' (Illustrated by Kei Aoyama, 2007) *''Biorg Trinity'' (Illustrated by

Oh! Great , known professionally as Oh! great, is a Japanese manga artist best known for his manga series '' Tenjho Tenge'' (1997–2010) and '' Air Gear'' (2002–2012). In 2006, ''Air Gear'' earned him the Kodansha Manga Award in the '' shōnen'' categ ...

, 2012-2017) *''Spotless Love: This Love Cannot Be Any More Beautiful.'' (Illustrated by Arata Momose, 2019-2020) *''ID: INVADED #BRAKE BROKEN'' (Illustrated by Yūki Kodama, 2019-2020)

Anime

* ''

Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo is a 2012 Japanese ''kaiju'' short film directed by Shinji Higuchi. A live-action prequel and spin-off of Hayao Miyazaki's 1984 anime film ''Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'', the film is a co-production between Studio Ghibli, Special Eff ...

'' (Co-Written with

Hideaki Anno is a Anime, Japanese animator, filmmaker, Film producer, producer, and voice actor. His most celebrated creation, the Neon Genesis Evangelion (franchise), ''Evangelion'' franchise, has had a significant influence on the anime television industr ...

) * ''

The Dragon Dentist is an 8-minute-long original net animation written and directed by Ōtarō Maijō that was released as the first part of Hideaki Anno's weekly series ''Japan Animator Expo''. The story follows a girl who is tasked with becoming a dentist for ...

'' * '' HammerHead'' * '' ID: Invaded'' * ''

Special Kid Factory is a Japanese animation studio located in Musashino, Tokyo. It animated the first season of '' Hamatora'', as well as adapting Nitro+chiral's visual novel A visual novel (VN) is a form of digital interactive fiction. Visual novels are often ...

Real Coffee

Currently, Otaro Maijo is part of th
Real Coffee Project
which, according to their website, is attempting to inspire new and better Japanese movies. Maijo has written and illustrated a number of flash movies, which are hosted on the website.

References

External links

Otaro Maijo
at J'Lit Books from Japan

at JLPP (Japanese Literature Publishing Project) {{DEFAULTSORT:Maijo, Otaro 20th-century Japanese novelists 21st-century Japanese novelists Japanese male short story writers Japanese mystery writers Yukio Mishima Prize winners 21st-century Japanese translators English–Japanese translators Living people 1973 births 20th-century Japanese short story writers 21st-century Japanese short story writers 20th-century Japanese male writers 21st-century Japanese male writers