The is an annual literary prize awarded by Japanese literary magazine Gunzo, published by Kodansha. It was established in 1958 with two categories, one for novels and one for commentary. Starting in 2015, the criticism category was separated out and renamed the Gunzo Prize for New Criticism (群像新人評論賞).
According to submission rules, novels submitted must be between 250 and 500 pages, while commentary must be no more than 100 pages (raised from 50 pages in 2003). The winning writer receives a prize of 500,000 yen, with the winning work being published in the June edition of Gunzo.
List of winners
Novels YearAuthorJapanese titleRōmajiEnglish1958No winner selected1959No winner selected1960Tamako Koga魔笛MatekiThe Magic Flute1961No winner selected 1962Kei Nishihara日蝕NisshokuSolar Eclipse1963Ryūichi Fumisawa重い車Omoi Kuruma 1964Michiko MiyoshiどくだみDokudamiChameleon plant1965Tōru Kurobe砂の関係Sunano Kankei 1966No winner selected 1967Hirotoshi Kondō骨 Hone1968Minako Ōba三匹の蟹Sanpiki no KaniThree Crabs1969Lee Hoesungまたふたたびの道Mata Futatabi no MichiThe Same Road Again1970Kōsuke Katsuki出発の周辺Shuppatsu no Shuuhen1971Miyoko Kobayashi髪の花Kami no HanaHair FlowersYoshitaka HirokawaチョークChōkuChalk1972No winner selected1973No winner selected1974Akira Iida迪子とその夫Michiko to sono ottoHitoshi Morimoto或る回復Aru KaifukuRecoveryMichitsuna Takahashi退屈しのぎTaikutsushinosugiKilling Time1975Kyōko Hayashi祭りの場Matsuri no baFestival Site1976Ryū Murakami限りなく透明に近いブルーKagirinaku Tōmeini Chikai BurūAlmost Transparent Blue1977No winner selected 1978Ryōsuke Obata永遠に一日Eien ni IchinichiForever One DayKei Nakazawa海を感じる時Umi wo Kanjiru TokiWhen You Feel The Sea1979Haruki Murakami風の歌を聴けKaze no Utawo KikeHear the Wind Sing 1980Taku Hasegawa昼と夜Hiru to YoruDay and Night1981Yoriko Shōno極楽 GokurakuParadise 1982No winner selected 1983Naoyuki Ii草のかんむりKusa no KanmuriA Crown of Grass1984Fumiko Hanagiダミアンズ、私の獲物Damianzu, Watashi no EmonoDamiens, My Prey1985李起昇ゼロはんZerohanHaruhiko YoshimekiジパングJipanguCipangu1986Chihiro Arai復活祭のためのレクイエムFukkatsusai no Tame no RekuiemuRequiem for Easter 1987Yōko Shimoiあなたについて わたしについてAnata ni tsuite Watashi ni tsuiteAbout You, About MeTakayuki Suzukiポートレイト・イン・ナンバーPōtoreito In NanbāPortrait in Number1988石田邦男アルチュール・エリソンの素描Aruchūru Erison no SobyōArthur Ellison's Drawings1989No winner selected 1990Wataru Takanoコンビニエンスロゴス Konbiniensu RogosuConvenience Logos1991Yoko Tawadaかかとを失くしてKakato wo NakushiteLosing My Heel1992No winner selected 1993No winner selected 1994Kazushige Abe生ける屍の夜Ikeru Shikabane no YoruNight of the Living Dead 1995No winner selected 1996No winner selectedExcellence Mention Sonoe Dōgaki足下の土Ashimoto no TsuchiThe Earth Under Your Feet1997Yoshihisa Okazaki秒速 10 センチの越冬 Byōsoku Jū Senchi no EttōPassing the Winter at 10 Centimetres per Second1998No winner selectedExcellence Mention Tetsuya Kamada水のはじまりMizu no HajimariThe Start of the Water1999No winner selected 2000Hajime Yokota(世界記録)(Sekai Kiroku)(World Record)Excellence Mention Yūji Nakaiフリースタイルのいろんな話Furīstairu no Ironna HanashiVarious Freestyle Chats2001Tōru Hagiwara蚤の心臓ファンクラブNomi no Shinzō FankurabuFlea Heart Fan ClubExcellence Mention Rio ShimamotoシルエットShiruettoSilhouette2002Tomoki Teramura死せる魂の幻想、Shiseru Tamashī no GensōVisions of Dead SoulsDaisuke Hayakawaジャイロ！ Jairo!Gyro! 2003Ken Mori火薬と愛の星 Kayaku to Ai no HoshiGunpowder and the Star of LoveExcellence Mention Sayaka Murata授乳JunyūBreastfeedingExcellence Mention Aya Wakisaka鼠と肋骨 Nezumi to rokkotsuMice and ribs2004Mika Jūmonji狐寝入夢虜Kitsune ne nyū yume torikoExcellence Mention Norikazu Satōサージウスの死神 Sājiusu no ShinigamiSarzius the Reaper2005Naoya Higuchiさよなら アメリカSayonara AmerikaGoodbye, AmericaExcellence Mention Anne Mochizukiグルメな女と優しい男 Gurumena Onna to Yasashii OtokoThe Gourmet Women and the Kind Man2006Furukuri Kinoshita無限のしもべMugen no ShimobeThe Endless SubordinateAsuka Asahina憂鬱なハスビーンYūutsuna HasubīnDepressed Has-beenExcellence Mention Nozomi Fukatsu煙幕EnmakuSmokescreen2008Yoriko Matsuo子守唄しか聞こえないKomori-uta Shika KikoenaiAll I Can Hear Is a Lullaby2009Daisuke Maruokaカメレオン狂のための戦争学習帳Kamereon-kyō no Tame no Sensō Gakushū-chōA War Study Guide for Chamaeleon Enthusiasts 2010Keita Asakawa朝が止まるAsa ga TomaruThe Morning HaltsYosuke Nomizu後悔さきにたたずKōkai Saki ni TatazuDon't Cry Over Spilt Milk2011Naoko Nakano美しい私の顔Utsukushī Watashi no KaoMy Beautiful Face2012Manabu Okamoto架空列車、Kakū ResshaAerial TrainExcellence Mention Chioru Katase泡をたたき割る人魚は Awa o Tataki Waru Ningyo waThe Mermaid Who Breaks the BubblesExcellence Mention Kazuo Fujisakiグッバイ、こおろぎ君。Gubbai, Kōrogi-kun.Goodbye, Cricket2013Riku Hatano鶏が鳴く Tori ga NakuThe Cock Crows2014Yūta Yokoyama吾輩ハ猫ニナルWagahai wa Neko ni NaruI Become a Cat2015Yūsuke Norishiro十七八よりJūshichihachi Yori2016Sil ChoiジニのパズルJini no PazuruGini's Puzzle2017No winner selectedExcellence Mention Tomomi Uehara天袋AmabukuroHeavenly BagExcellence Mention Li Kotomi独舞HitorimaiSolo Dance2018Yūko Hōjō美しい顔Utsukushī KaoBeautiful Face2019Maho Ishikuraそこどけあほが通るさかいSoko doke a ho ga tōrusakaiGet Out of the Way, an Idiot Is Coming Through2020No winner selectedExcellence Mention Mahiro Yuasa四月の岸辺Shigatsu no KishibeApril's Shore2021Mai Ishizawa貝に続く場所にてKai ni Tsuzuku Basho NiteThe Place of ShellsDaiki Shimaguchi鳥がぼくらは祈り、Tori ga Bokura wa Inori,We Birds Prayed...Excellence Mention K-Sanzō MatsunagaカメオKameoCameo2022Chito Kosagawa家庭用安心坑夫Katei-yō Anshin KōfuSafe Miner for Use at HomeItsu Hirasawa点滅するものの革命Tenmetsu Suru Mono no KakumeiA Revolution of Flickering2023Natsuki Murakumoもぬけの考察Monuke no KōsatsuA Discussion of ExuviaYasuko YumenoジューンドロップJūndoroppuJune Drop2024Kōhei Toyonaga月ぬ走いや、馬ぬ走いChichi nu haiya, 'nma nu haiMoon Running, Horse RunningExcellence Mention Ichi Shiratori遠くから来ましたTōku kara KimashitaI Came from Far Away