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Home , Dark fantasy, Miyuki Miyabe, Project Itoh, Yukikaze (novel)

THE FUTURE IS JAPANESE

CAT BANDIT sets a course for Haikasoru, a US-based publishing imprint that unleashes the most insane (and typically Japanese) futurism in readables today. tradebooks editor NICK MAMATAS gives her warp speed. ooks “, dark , and “Masumi Washington, Editor- hard science” screams their in-Chief of Haikasoru, reads website’s chief obsessions, widely and will commission but there’s one other clause sample translations of a few in Haikasoru’s self-signed chapters of some books,” says contract that make them Nick Mamatas, VIZ Media’s one of the most intriguing tradebooks editor. Half his publishers in sci-fi (and job is editing Haikasoru’s beyond) right now. Long titles (which is an imprint of defined by their dedication to VIZ), working closely with “bringing Japanese science translators, writing cover fiction to America and copy, and developing cover beyond,” if ain’t from the land concepts. He also puts that eye of the rising sun, it ain’t no fun. to good use for Studio Ghibli HAIKASORA B

42 43 and the occasional ROBOT BUDDHA VS. CYBER novel tie-in. “We’ll go over JESUS >> If Haikasoru have them and make offers based no particular caveats in terms on what we like and think we of how far their words are can sell. What we like hasn’t prepared to go, they certainly changed much – high-concept have none when it comes material that’s intelligent and to choosing the writers who well-written – but what we go those distances – just so think can sell has changed a long as they bring some kind bit over the years. Personally, of crazy with them. This is I look for a clever point of an important point, because view, a recognisable subgenre women in sci-fi are rare. Yet (hard SF, fantasy, even magical one of Haikasoru’s best books realism), and that indescribable (says me), The Cage of Zeus, something that will really add was penned by an XX chromo to Anglophone understanding gal. of Japan.” “I’m so glad you liked The Said “something” has Cage of Zeus,” Nick beams. resulted in Haikasoru putting “Sayuri Ueda’s future is one out books about bi-gendered of my favorites. It’s neither aliens (The Cage of Zeus) and dystopian nor utopian, but invincible cyborg prostitutes does show that we as a species (Mardock Scramble), not can improve somewhat. She to mention Self-Reference was our first female hard SF ENGINE – a Lynchian head writer, and I hope to bring implosion so complex it comes over more one day. For cosmic Q&A: Toh EnJoe with a map. If this is how scope,” Nick continues, “you Meet the author of Haikasoru’s strangest book the West is to understand can’t go wrong with Ryu (that’s quite the feat), Self-Reference ENGINE. Japan, it is at the very least an Mitsuse’s Ten Billion Days and understanding that is not at all One Hundred Billion Nights. You are a qualified physicist and have a PhD in ‘mathematical surprising. To actually achieve Robot Buddha and Cyber physical study on the natural languages.’ How has this influenced that understanding, though, Jesus fight as galaxies collide!” your writing? is to have your head explode Ten Billion Days and One My work as a writer is a direct extension of the things I thought about when I was a researcher. Or it could be that I have not yet into a flock of doves. Haikasoru Hundred Billion Nights is a learned any other way of thinking. For example, I believe it is put no limits on the concepts special case among a raft possible to think of consciousness, and even love, purely as a they are willing to endorse and of special cases. Inside and property of material reality. That said, I recognise that research and publish. outside of Japanese sci-fi and fiction are two different things. Once upon a time, if I wanted to “Nope!” Nick confirms even literature circles, it is know the secret of language, I did some research. Now, if I want happily. “Really, the quirkiest regarded as one of the greatest to know something, I do some writing. It’s just another route up Nick just mentioned would book I’ve seen has been and most enduring future yarns the same mountain. So, in that sense, you could say that my past make for an awesome movie. Toh EnJoe’s Self-Reference ever spun. High praise seeing research has no impact whatsoever on my work as a writer. Ever the creative vacuum, ENGINE, and we snapped it as it was originally published Hollywood has been quick Critics have called your books “indigestible,” “sleep-inducing,” right up. We even included a in 1967. and “reader-unfriendly.” How do you respond? Maybe your work to realise this. Speaking of map of the table of contents, “I think the cosmic scale and is just too smart. strange creatures, upcoming called A Map Mapping Maps, the combination of religious You’re probably right about that. I think there will be improvement Tom Cruise vehicle Edge to help make the book’s cosmologies and scientific in the future. We just have to wait. Of course, I would like to make of Tomorrow was originally puzzle structure more understanding of infinity and my work easier to read. called All You Need Is Kill – the comprehensible.” eternity is what makes the As far as “sleep-inducing” is concerned, I’m happy if my readers exact same title as the Hiroshi Their newest arrival is Noble book work – it’s mind-blowing,” are reading my work as a means of helping them sleep. Actually, I Sakurazaka book it’s based on, V: Greylancer, written by a guy Nick says. “It’s definitely along understand why not many people enjoy this kind of story. But those and Haikasoru’s prodigal son. fans of VHS-era (i.e. the lines of classics by Arthur few are the people I am writing for. Some of my acquaintances say “My involvement was limited The best anime) will recognise C. Clarke. at its there is “something lacking,” but to them I say, “Knock it off. What if I were to sell even fewer copies, what would you do then?” instantly: Hideyuki Kikuchi. best can simultaneously remind The truth of the matter is, there are many things I do not Whenever I’d get a new Kikuchi is the fevered mind readers of the universe’s understand. For example, if the phrase ‘Dow-Jones stock index’ behind the light novels both vastness and humanity’s turns up in a book, my eyes glaze over, but I understand there are chapter from the translator Wicked City and the seeming uniqueness, and people who like that sort of thing. If there are people who want Hunter D films are based on. Mitsuse’s book does that very to read a book about étale cohomology, what are they supposed I’d crack up because literally “He’s an interesting fellow,” well. Not a lot of science fiction to do? says Nick. “He’s incredibly can manage cosmic scales in every scene got crazier prolific and has been for years. both time and space. I also Self-Reference ENGINE has been described to me as both great and ooks He doesn’t quite write a book love Housuke Nojiri’s Usurper awful. Wow. Where did this novel come from inside your head? It’s to being a part of meetings a month anymore, but Kikuchi of the Sun – a great hard like some kind of anti-book. with our VIZ Productions Thank you. I am grateful for that acknowledgment of the book’s is still very busy. His raw pulp SF look at first contact and duality. Self-Reference ENGINE was the first book I ever wrote. I people about the books we sensibility works very well for interstellar travel,” he adds. “I’m wrote it not knowing if anybody would ever read it. In that sense, were bringing over, writing American audiences as well. a huge fan of MM9 by Hiroshi it is something I wrote for my own pleasure. I wanted to write the little summaries of books Noble V: Greylancer is a spin- Yamamoto as well, which looks kind of book I wanted to read that did not exist yet. If such a book including Kill, and generally off of the very popular Vampire at the of Japan had existed, I would not have had to write it. Therefore, this is the offering support – answering Hunter D series and is just as – (‘strange creature’) book that emerged from the environment of my life at that time: questions, taking phone calls, wild as those books. Whenever – from pulp, hard science, and isolation, hunger, laughter, everyday jokes, stuff like that. doing a little brainstorming, I’d get a new chapter from the metaphysical physical points of that sort of thing,” Nick says. translator I’d crack up because view all at once.” Toh EnJoe, what makes a great story? “All You Need Is Kill is very literally every scene got crazier Here’s where Haikasoru’s One must remain sane. Even to write about craziness, one must filmable—it’s ‘high concept’ in remain sane, but sanity is easy to let go of. How wonderful it is to be and crazier.” wares go from being niche to able to write about anything and everything and remain sane! that it is about an armoured being international: everything warrior who is trapped in a HAIKASORA B

44 45 time-loop and has to refight he wrote the Guns novel. It and learn from, the battle wasn’t ‘hack work’; he loved TEN OF HAIKASORU'S BEST in which he dies day after the property and understood day. The film, however, is it intimately ( Nick runs down my top ten Haikasoru faves. quite different than Hiroshi Solid: Peacewalker is even Sakurazaka’s book. Instead of a dedicated to his memory), and young Japanese man, the it shows in the story. The same is a middle-aged American is so of Miyuki Miyabe, who played by Tom Cruise. So wrote ICO. She has several many adjustments have been books available in English, made to the storyline for the including the Haikasoru titles film adaptation. The hype and and The Book promotion around the film is of Heroes. She’s also a huge bringing a new audience to the consumer of video games. book, and that is great. Lots of ICO is a cult classic video popular novels in Japan get the game – anime and manga treatment,” called it ‘a masterpiece’ – so Nick notes. “I’ve seen the the combination of Miyabe and Mardock Scramble manga and ICO was irresistible.” anime, and they did a good job If Haikasoru were one of of capturing the events of the their own books, they would novels. We’re currently turning be The Future Is Japanese. The Future Is All You Need Is Kill into a It’s a collection of 13 futurist Mardock Japanese Virus: The comic, too – this is an that envision Scramble Various Day of adaptation of the novel, mind everything from North Korea Tow Ubukata Ten Billion “I love short stories, Resurrection you, not the film script – and nuking Tokyo to a self-aware “A wild, crazy Days and and I was thrilled to Sakyo Komatsu there are lots of challenges. web browser intent on ruling adventure, One Hundred be able to co-edit this “Lots of end-of-the- A lot of material necessarily the world and back again. and audacious as well – Billion Nights book of Japanese and world stories involve needs to be left out, while the Not only is it pointy with all Ubukata spends almost All You Need Ryu Mitsuse Western stories with viruses, but there are visual aspects also allow for three prongs of their mission a third of the book Is Kill “The world will end Japanese themes. Four always way too many pages of information to be statement, it also willingly on casino/gambling Hiroshi Sakurazaka some time. So will the different stories from plucky survivors for presented in a single panel.” subverts tradition so that strategies. Also, it “This was our first book. solar system, the galaxy, the book have been my tastes. Not in this Tom Cruise isn’t quite done mission might continue to involves a little yellow Awesome military SF the universe. What can selected for reprinting one. All nations and with Haikasoru, though. succeed. It is progress within mouse.” that doesn’t simply all our philosophies and in four different year’s all peoples succumb “In April it was announced the progressive, notable valourise blowing stuff mythologies do in the best annual collections, to a mix of natural that Tom Cruise is attached for being the first book on up, it’s by turns maudlin, face of the inevitable and the book itself and human-made to Ch hei Kambayashi’s Good Haikasoru’s roster to feature hilarious, and just plain heat-death of the was nominated for the catastrophes, and Luck, . Of course, non-Japanese authors. While thrilling. You may be universe? This book for best there is almost no an attached star doesn’t indicative of Haikasoru’s own lining up to see the seeks to answer that anthology. Project Itoh’s hope for the future... guarantee anything, but it’s industrial revolution, they movie next summer, question.” ‘The Indifference Engine’ except for a handful of a good sign. Personally, I’d insist they won’t be swapping but don’t think that the is nominated for the scientists in Antarctica. love to see a Rocket Girls out their Japan-made phasers movie is like the book. Shirley Jackson award Almost every page is movie – funny, cute, teen girls for Western-made ones This deserves its own and Ken Liu’s ‘Mono No heartwrenching.” learning real science and doing anytime soon. careful read.” Aware’ is nominated for space missions,” Nick laughs. “Starting with our anthology the Hugo.” “Housuke Nojiri is excellent The Future Is Japanese last at making hard SF concepts year, we started working with easily understandable. Rocket non-Japanese authors,” says Girls is already an anime, Nick. “The anthology includes but a live-action picture for work by authors including Ken Western audiences would be Liu and Bruce Sterling – Liu’s great, I think. Virus: The Day story ‘Mono No Aware’ has of Resurrection by Sakyo even been nominated for the Belka, Why Komatsu was a film back . In July 2013, Don’t You in 1980 – I’d love to see a we released The Melancholy Bark? contemporary remake of that!” of Mechagirl, a collection Hideo Furukawa of short stories and poems “I love this one. It’s an JACKING IN >> Conversely, with Japanese themes by unusual type of SF; the Haikasoru aren’t averse to US author Catherynne M. secret history. More The Stories of taking inspiration from other Valente. We also have a specifically, it’s the Ibis ooks mediums either, but there’s couple of other non-Japanese history of the Cold War, Hiroshi Yamamoto one medium above all that books in the works. Of but as experienced by “A great novel-in-stories Loups-Garous really fits their bill: videogames. course, everything we do generations of dogs, Metal Gear by about the rise of Natsuhiko Kyogoku So far they have released has Japanese themes,” he including those famous Solid: Guns of artificial intelligence. The Cage “Great, creepy mix of two somewhat unlikely stresses, before explaining: dogs who were shot the Patriots It’s also a great book of Zeus horror and near-future novelisations of Metal Gear “As far as why the future into space. I’m pleased Project Itoh for anyone interested in Sayuri Ueda SF where the internet Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is Japanese, Japan is the to announce that it is a “A great look at the the history of science “Gender-bending and and mobile technology and ICO (published as ICO: world’s third-largest economy nominee for the Science fourth Metal Gear Solid fiction and the internet: terrorism in a hard SF so dominate everyday Castle in the Mist). and an open society with a Fiction and Fantasy game, by an expert and everything from early framework. If we can life that even teen girls “We chose those two books vibrant and capacious popular Translation Award super-fan. We also have VRs to Star Trek fan-fic change our environment need special training to because of the quality of the culture. It has a huge influence this year – yes, we got an afterword from MGS to professional wrestling and escape Earth, why make eye contact and work and the authors,” Nick on the rest of the world, and nominations for both creator is covered in this epic. would we keep our have conversations. And explains. “The late Project Itoh that won’t be changing any novel and short fiction. I about his relationship And it’s touching, bodies the same? Of then someone starts was a huge fan of MGS and time soon.” hope it wins!” with author Project Itoh.” beautiful.” course we wouldn’t.” killing young people...” HAIKASORA B

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