Ryū Mitsuse (光瀬龍Mitsuse Ryū, March 18, 1928 - July 7, 1999) was a Japanese novelist, science fiction writer, alternate history writer, historical novelist, and essayist. Mitsuse is the author of Hyakuoku no Hiru to Sen'oku no Yoru. Among his various works, this SF novel is considered as his representative work.[1] Mitsuse is a founder member and was a member of the SFWJ (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan). In the West he might be best known for manga-related works and the story The Sunset, 2217 A.D. which appeared in Frederik Pohl's "Best Science Fiction for 1972".
Biography
Birth and Age of student
Mitsuse was born at Minami-Senju, Kita-Toshima District, Tokyo Prefecture in 1928. His birth name was Kimio Chiba (千葉 喜美雄). The eldest son of Kizō Chiba and Kiyo. There were three elder sisters.[2]
In around June, 1945, he evacuated to Iwate prefecture, which was his parents' homeland, from Tokyo. He transferred to kyūsei Ichinose middle school.[3] In 1948, he graduated from this middle school and entered the Toyo University in Tokyo. But he dropped out, and entered the Meiji University. But he again dropped out in short period. He transferred to Kawamura high school and graduated from this school. In 1949, Mitsuse entered the department of Agriculture of the Tokyo University of Education. In 1950, he transferred to the department of Science, zoology course, and graduated from this university in 1953.[1][2]
In 1954, Mitsuse again entered the department of literature, philosophy course, in Tokyo University of Education, which he did not graduate from. During this period in Tokyo, he was engaging in literary coterie activities.[2]
Marriage
In 1955, Mitsuse proposed marriage to Chitose Iizuka, but her father opposed this proposal and rejected their marriage. Mitsuse could not marry.[4] In 1957, Mitsuse became a tutor of Koganai high school of Tokyo prefecture. And next year, he obtained a stable job as a high school teacher of biology and earth science.[2]
In 1959, Mitsuse again proposed marriage. He talked to the father of Chitose that he would take the "surname Iizuka". Thus he was allowed to marry with Chitose, and Mitsuse became Kimio Iizuka (飯塚 喜美雄).[5][6]
Becoming a novelist
Before his marriage, Mitsuse joined "Kagaku Sōsaku Club" where Takumi Shibano was operating as a publisher and an editor of the coterie magazine "Uchū-jin" in 1957. He started publishing various short novels in Uchū-jin (宇宙塵) under the pen-name Mitsuse Ryū. He published first long novel "Hakengun Kaeru" in Uchūjin.[2](continued)
As an SF novelist, he created the Space Chronicles series. His early long SF novel Tasogare ni Kaeru (黄昏に還る) belongs to this series. Most of his short SF stories constitute this series. Rakuyō 2217 nen (落陽2217年, The Sunset, 2217 A.D.) is one of these stories.
Works
In Japanese science fiction he might be better known for the novel Ten Billion Days and One Hundred Billion Nights (百億の昼と千億の夜), which combines interest in technology and the Buddha. It was ranked the top of the Japanese SF novels in a 2006 poll by the SF Magazine.[7] Ten Billion Days and a Hundred Billion Nights was adapted into a manga by Moto Hagio in the late 1970s.[1]
Long Novels
Tasogare ni Kaeru (たそがれに還る) 1964, Hayakawa Publishing
Hyakuoku no Hiru to Sen'oku no Yoru (百億の昼と千億の夜) 1967, Hayakawa Publishing
English translation: Ten Billion Days and One Hundred Billion Nights, 2011, Haikasoru.
Kan'ei Mumyōken (寛永無明剣) 1969, Rippu Shobo
Ushinawareta Toshi no Kiroku (喪われた都市の記録) 1972, Hayakawa Publishing
"Yume wo nomi - Nihon SF no Kinjitō, Mitsuse Ryū" (Only the Dream - Ryū Mitsuse, the Monument of Japanese SF) was originally published in S-F magazine from February 2012 to October 2013 issues. Having been additionally written and compiled by Yukari Tachikawa, the Biography was published in 2017.
