Ryū Mitsuse ( 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.Nihon Gensō Sakka Jiten pp. 667-668 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 (). The eldest son of Kizō Chiba and Kiyo. There were three elder sisters.Yume wo nomi pp. 594-606

In around June, 1945, he evacuated to Iwate prefecture, which was his parents' homeland, from Tokyo. He transferred to kyūsei Ichinose middle school.Ichinose pre-World War II middle school (). Now Iwate prefecrure Ichinose Dai-ichi Kōtōgakkō ( JA) 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.

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.

Marriage In 1955, Mitsuse proposed marriage to Chitose Iizuka, but her father opposed this proposal and rejected their marriage. Mitsuse could not marry.Yume wo nomi pp.180-182 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.

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 ().Yume wo nomi pp. 183-185Father of Chitose required fulfillment of the two conditions: 1) Stable occupation. 2) Taking wife's surname. Mitsuse satisfied these conditions.

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 under the pen-name Mitsuse Ryū. He published first long novel "Hakengun Kaeru" in Uchūjin. (continued)

As an SF novelist, he created the Space Chronicles series. His early long SF novel Tasogare ni Kaeru () belongs to this series. Most of his short SF stories constitute this series. Rakuyō 2217 nen (, The Sunset, 2217 A.D.) is one of these stories.

Works In Japanese science fiction he might be better known for the novel , 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. Ten Billion Days and a Hundred Billion Nights was adapted into a manga by Moto Hagio in the late 1970s.

Long Novels Tasogare ni Kaeru () 1964, Hayakawa Publishing Hyakuoku no Hiru to Sen'oku no Yoru () 1967, Hayakawa Publishing English translation: Ten Billion Days and One Hundred Billion Nights, 2011, Haikasoru. Kan'ei Mumyōken () 1969, Rippu Shobo Ushinawareta Toshi no Kiroku () 1972, Hayakawa Publishing Seitō Totoku-fu () 1975, Hayakawa Publishing Hiden Miyamoto Musashi () 1976, Yomiuri Shinbunsha Higashi Canal Bunsho () 1977, Hayakawa Publishing Karera, Atlantis yori () 1979, Rippu Shobo Uchū Kōro () 1980, Kiso Tengaisha Gen'ei no Ballad () 1980, Tokuma Shoten Karera Seiun yori () 1981, Tokuma Shoten Shin Miyamoto Musashi () 1981, Tokuma Shoten Tokoro wa Izuko, Suishi-ei () 1983, Kadokawa Shoten Heike Monogatari () 1983 - 1988, Kadokawa Shoten Fubuki no Niji () 1984, Shueisha Aurora no Kienu Ma ni () 1984, Hayakawa Publishing New York, Yōsoro () 1984, Kadokawa Shoten Sabita Ginga () 1987, Hayakawa Publishing Miyamoto Musashi Kessen-Roku () 1992, Kofusha Shuppan Yamiichi no Shinkirō () 1993, Jitsugyo no Nihonsha Hidedyoshi to Nobunaga - Shisetsu Shinchō-kō-Ki () 1996, Kofusha Shuppan Ihon Saiyūki () 1999, Kadokawa Haruki Jimusho

Space Chronicle series Short novels City 0 nen () Solomon 1942 nen () Hare no Umi 1979 nen () Bohimei 2007 nen () Hyōmu 2015 nen () Okhotsk 2017 nen () Pilot Farm 2029 nen () Kansen Suiro 2061 nen () Uchū Kyūjotai 2180 nen () Hyōi-Sei 2197 nen () Junshisen 2205 nen () Ryūsa 2210 nen () Rakuyō 2217 nen () City 2220 nen () Senjō 2241 nen () Soula 2291 nen () Erutria 2411 nen () Sincia Yūsuichi 2450 nen () Ryūsei 2505 nen () Nishi Canal-Shi 2703 nen () Renpou 3812 nen () Cabilia 4016 nen () Canan 5100 nen () Henkyō 5320 nen ()

Long novels The following long novels belong to "the Space Chronicle series" Tasogare ni Kaeru () 1964, Hayakawa Publishing Ushinawareta Toshi no Kiroku () 1972, Hayakawa Publishing Higashi Canal Bunsho () 1977, Hayakawa Publishing Sabita Ginga () 1987, Hayakawa Publishing

Young adult fictions Yūbae Sakusen () 1967, Seikosha Asu e no Tsuiseki () Hokuhoku-tō wo Keikaiseyo () 1969, Asahi Sonorama Akatsuki wa tada Gin-iro () 1970, Asahi Sonorama Sono Hana wo Miruna! () 1970, Mainichi Shinbunsha Sakusen NACL () 1971, Iwasaki Shoten SOS Time Patrol () 1972, Asahi Sonorama Tachidomareba Shi () 1978, Asahi Sonorama Kieta Machi () 1978, Tsuru Shobo Ijigen Kaikyō () 1979, Asahi Sonorama

Essays Ron Sensei no Mushimegane () 1976, Hayakawa Publishing Ron Sensei no Mushimegane, Part 2 () 1982, Tokuma Shoten Ron Sensei no Mushimegane, Part 3 () 1983, Tokuma Shoten Kotori ga Sukininaru Hon () illustration: Masayuki Yabu'uchi 1985, Nature Island sha/ Seiunsha Mushi no ii, Mushi no Hanashi () Dialogues with Daisaburō Okumoto 1986, Liyonsha Rekishi Sozoro Aruki () 1989, Tairiku Shobo Ushinawareta Bunmei no Kioku () 1996, Seishun Shuppansha Ushinawareta Jikūkan no Nazo () 1998, Seishun Shuppansha

Stories adapted into manga Uchū 2007 nen () manga by Kyūta Ishikawa (:ja:石川球太) Maboroshi no Yamato () manga by Takeshi Koshiro (:ja:古城武司) Hyakuoku no Hiru to Sen'oku no Yoru () manga by Moto Hagio (:ja:萩尾望都) Ron Sensei no Mushimegane () manga by Tadashi Katō (:ja:加藤唯史) Andromeda Stories () author: Ryū Mitsuse, manga by Keiko Takemiya (:ja:竹宮惠子)

Notes and references

References Yume wo nomi, (2017) "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. 東雅夫＆石堂藍国書刊行会（2009） The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction page 641

External links