Posts tagged “Ryu Murakami”

Here’s something that confused me at first: there are not one but two acclaimed writers by the name of Murakami. Haruki Murakami (my hero) is well-known for a quirky, contemplation-filled writing style and a quietly introspective look on contemporary Japanese society; Ryu Murakami also takes an interesting and occasionally controversial approach to social commentary and has quite a following among fans of modern fiction too. The similarities end there though: Haruki’s prose dabbles in metaphysics and a dreamlike, melancholic vibe (reminiscent of the philosophy that’s the namesake of this very blog) but Ryu’s work is darker and edgier.

Takashi Miike’s feature film adaptation of Audition acquired a cult following, which to my shame still sits on my ‘to watch’ list. On the flipside, reading the original novel first sits well with my personal preference for experiencing the original before any adaption, so I now feel even more eager to see Miike’s take on the story. RM’s novel is the tale of Aoyama, a man who has lived several years as a single parent following the death of his wife Ryoko. His son Shige suggests he should remarry so with the help of his friend Yoshikawa he looks for a suitable candidate under the pretext of a bogus film audition; a ruse that introduces him to the enigmatic Asami Yamazaki.