Ryu Murakami, the Japanese writer of sex and violence, dies

BarcelonaThe Japanese writer Ryu Murakami, known for his works on sex, drugs, and violence translated all over the world, has died at 74, as announced this Friday by his publisher, Gentosha. A master of the psychothriller, among his most notable titles is Miso Soup, which the Madrid-based publisher Malas Tierras reissued last year. Murakami debuted in 1976 with Almost Transparent Blue (1974), a novel about juvenile depravity that he wrote while studying Fine Arts at Musabi University in Japan. The book became a bestseller (only in Japan a million copies were sold) and earned him the Akutagawa Prize, one of the most prestigious literary awards in Japan.

Among his most recognized works is also Coin Locker Babies (1980), about children abandoned in lockers. With Miso Soup (1997), set in the red-light districts of Tokyo, Murakami solidified his literary career. He was also the author of Piercing (1994) –the only novel available in Catalan, translated by Albert Nolla and reissued by Gata Maula with a prologue by Jordi Nopca–. In parallel to his literary career, Murakami also dedicated himself to cinema as a director and screenwriter. One of the most relevant titles in his filmography is Tokyo Decadence (1992), which featured music and a soundtrack by Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Over the course of two decades, Murakami also served as a presenter on the popular television program Cambrian Palace on TV Tokyo Corp. Through this role, he gained even more popularity in the Japanese country. The writer and filmmaker has been a reference for creators in various artistic fields. Among them is the video game creator Hideo Kojima, who has bid farewell to Murakami through a message on the X network.