Yoshio Aramaki


Yoshio Aramaki is a Japanese novelist, science fiction writer, mystery writer, critic writer, and a collector of arts. Original given name was Kunio Aramaki. He has changed his name to Yoshimasa Aramaki. Aramaki is well known by his so-called "Meta-SF" works which are characterized by their speculative and fantastic themes and depictions. He is also famous for his various series of imaginary battle novels and alternate history novels such as Konpeki no Kantai series. He is a member of the Japan Writers’ Association, of the SFWJ, and of the Contemporary Haiku Association. He was also a professor in the Seishū Women's University from 1993 to 1997.

Biography

Outline

Aramaki was born in 1933 at Otaru city, Hokkaidō prefecture. He graduated from Hokkaidō Minami Sapporo high school. He graduated from the first department of literature, psychology course, in the Waseda University. He became an employee of a publishing company and worked in Tokyo. But he returned to Sapporo to succeed his family business.
Aramaki again entered and graduated from the department of technology, civil engineering course, in the Hokkai Gakuen University Junior College Division, and obtained qualification of architect in second class. He took office as a representative director in Hokken Shōji Co. Ltd.
He joined Hokkaidō SF club and contributed various stories and critiques to its SF coterie magazine "CORE" from 1965 to 1967. In 1970, Aramaki presented a critique "Theory of Novels by Kunst" in the "S-F Magazine" in response to Kōichi Yamano, in which Aramaki analyzed the Robert Heinlein's works by using the concept of "fiction by Kunst", thereby he advocated the new possibilities of Japanese SF works in this critique. He also published a metaphorical short story "Ōinaru Shōgo " in the S-F Magazine, and thus he debuted as a writer and a critic.
Aramaki wrote speculative and fantastic novels which were affected by New Wave science fiction and Surrealism. At the same time, he also wrote Space opera stories such as "Big Wars" series and so on. His short story "Yawarakai Tokei", which took its motif from the picture by Salvador Dalí, was translated into English and appeared in the British SF magazine "Interzone" in 1989, and got high reputation.
His early speculative novelette "Shirakabe no Moji wa Yūhi ni Haeru" won the Seiun Award in 1972. And his first long novel and the first volume of the "Shiraki series", Shiroki Hi Tabidateba Fushi, was nominated for Izumi Kyōka Prize for Literature and was a runner-up.
Aramaki wrote many "Denki-Roman stories" in the 1980s and 1990s. He also wrote many "imaginary battle / alternate history" stories from the middle 1980s to ca. 2000. They are "Yōsai series" and "Fleet series" which contains "Konpeki no Kantai series " and "Kyokujitsu no Kantai series ". He published the critique "Discovery of Simulation Novels" in 1994.
After 2000, he published the books of "the Corridor of Super Strings - Atlantis Big Wars series" and other novels.
In November 2014, publication of "Teihon Aramaki Yoshio Meta-SF Zenshū" was started. The publication of this collection was completed in July 2015. The Collection is constituted of 7 volumes + Extra volume. And in July 2017, Aramaki published the last volume of his meta-SF series, "Shiraki Series", Mohaya Uchū wa Meikyū no Kagami no yōni.
Aramaki was also the owner of the Sapporo Tokeidai gallery. He is known as a collector of the paintings of the artists in Hokkaidō. Many paintings of his collection were donated to the Sapporo Arts Forest Museum.

Beginning and Age of Coterie magazine

Aramaki reflected and stated that his origin of surrealistic and speculative feelings might be the place of Otaru where he was born. The circumstances in the young days might form his basis of imaginations. The land Hokkaidō and early experiences were the important elements of his later works.
Aramaki went to the metropolis Tokyo and studied psychology in Waseda University from 1954 to 1957. He worked several years in a publishing company in Tokyo. Aramaki had the ambition to be a professional writer in those days. But he did not stay in Tokyo. When he faced the violent and chaotic movement against the renewal of the Security Treaty between the U.S. and Japan in 1960, he was disappointed at the ideals of the Socialist revolution and abandoned his ambition. Aramaki left Tokyo and returned to Hokkaidō to succeed his family business.
After returned to Sapporo, Aramaki joined the SF group and operated its coterie magazine CORE from 1965 to 1967. In this magazine, he contributed many critiques and stories. Among them, "Shimi" appeared in the first issue of CORE magazine, and which formed an early vision of his debut story "Ōinaru Shōgo". Then he wrote and published critiques: "Overlord and Devil", "Critique to The Man in the High Castle", and "Critique to Yasutaka Tsutsui's Tōkaidō War ", etc.
Aramaki joined Takumi Shibano's coterie magazine Uchūjin as well, to which he contributed various critiques and stories. Aramaki contributed the series of "Literary Essay on American SF", through which Aramaki tried to understand America and its culture, which had defeated Japan in the former war, and this series of essays would lead to the later "Fleet series" such as Konpeki no Kantai. Aramaki also published short story "The Breakwater to Time ", which is a prototype of "The Great Noon ". And he published the counterargument against Yamano's criticism. It was beginning of the so-called "Yamano-Aramaki debate"

Debate between Aramaki and Yamano

In the late 1960s, the Japanese SF writers were searching the new possibilities of Japanese SF under the situation of appearing of New Wave science fictions such as works by J. G. Ballard and Philip K. Dick, and introduction of philosophical novels by Stanisław Lem. Kōichi Yamano published the criticism "Nihon SF no Genten to Shikō" in the S-F Magazine in 1969. In this criticism, Yamano summarized that the existing Japanese SF works are imitations of American SF, thus, there are yet no original Japanese SF. And he suggested the new movement in the arts and subcultures will point the future of Japanese SF.
Aramaki, in opposition to this Yamano's criticism, contributed his opinions to the coterie magazine Uchūjin. Aramaki was also searching the new possibilities of Japanese SF and his literary and speculative future visions. In 1969, Aramaki and Yamano debated. Yamano advocated the New SF in Japan, and he started publishing the "Quarterly NW-SF Magazine" in 1970. On the other hand, Aramaki published his criticism "Jutsu no Shōsetsu-ron" in the S-F Magazine in 1970. Aramaki took his own course of speculative and surrealistic fictions. Aramaki started publishing his unique metafictional works and more.

Early Metafiction stories in S-F Magazine

After the debut as a writer in 1970, Aramaki vigorously published his "metafiction" novelettes in the S-F Magazine from 1970 to around 1973. These novelettes are highly quality works. They are Aramaki's early masterpieces. Aramaki has established his Meta-SF world at this period. They are "The Great Noon", "Shushi yo ", "Aru Hareta Hi no Wien wa Mori no naka ni Tatazumu", "Midori no Taiyō ", "Mugen e no Houkai ", "Soft Clocks", "Seienju no hanasaku Toki ", "Uchū 25-ji ", "Toki no Ashibune " and so on. Note: As to the List of Early metaficitions at this period, See [|Here].
Aramaki's first long novel "Shiroki Hi tabidateba Fushi" was published in April 1972. And the early masterpiece "Shinsei-dai " was published in May 1978, whose prototype was "Shushi yo" originally appeared in S-F Magazine in 1970. But Aramaki proceeded and diversified his literature world in various genres.

Space opera and Various stories

While Aramaki were contemplating and creating his speculative stories, at the same time, he was also trying to explore story themes in various genres and styles. In 1975, he published "Kūhaku no Jūjika ” which is a super-ancient, occult story, but the stage of novel is contemporary Japan. This is the first book of the Kūhaku series. "Tennyo no Misshitsu" in 1977 is a closed room mystery, not a SF. "Ōgon Mayu no Nemuri" in 1976 is also a super-ancient story, and like Kūhaku series, the stage is contemporary Japan. This is the first book of the "Kimmeria Nanatsu no Hihō " series.
Aramaki wrote the Space opera stories. "Kami naru Eien no Kaiki" in 1978 is the first book of the Big Wars series. The stories in this series are rather hard SF. Aramaki has graduated from the department of engineering, and he is an engineer and an architect. Aramaki published "Megami-tachi no Gogo " in 1980, which is a novelette collection book. Each story in this book is a common novelette whose protagonist is a young woman. Not a SF, not a mystery, and not an occult fantasy. Aramaki wrote young adult stories. His stories cover a pretty wide range of fictions.

Imaginary Battle and Alternate History

Aramaki published "Niseko Yōsai 1986 part 1 - Rishiri-Rebun Tokkō-hen. This is the first book of 20 volumes "Yōsai series". The last book of this series, "Fugaku Yōsai 3, the Apocalypse Program" was published in December 2001.
While writing various episodes of the "Yōsai Series", Aramaki started to publish the new Alternate history series, "Kantai Series". The first book of these series was published in 1990, "Konpeki no Kantai 1". In 1992, Aramaki started publishing "Kyokujitsu no Kantai Series" in addition. 63 books of the "Kantai series" were published from 1990 to 2000. This is the alternate history stories. The simulation novels of the Second World War.
"The Kantai Series" got successfully popularity. "Kantai Series" were adapted into several console games, manga, and anime. The anime series were especially well-known. They were sold very much, more than five million copies were sold.

Nippon 2007 and criticism activities

In August 2007, Nippon 2007, the first World SF Convention in Asia, took place at Yokohama, Japan. The panel "Steampunk/ Alternate history" was held on this occasion, in which Fumio Takano, Masaaki Shindo, Haruaki Utsukibara, Tadashi Nagase, and Aramaki were panelist. Aramaki also became a panelist in the "New wave/ Speculative fiction" panel.
Taking these events as a trigger, Aramaki joined the Critique site "speculative japan" which was founded by translator Mamoru Masuda :ja:増田まもる|JA), and he contributed many critiques to this site. In 2008, Aramaki returned to be a member of the SFWJ and began to take a role in Japanese SF criticism. The SFWJ had established "Nihon SF Critique Award" in 2006. Aramaki served as a chief of the selection committee from 4th to 7th award. The new critics such as Yoshiyuki Ishiwa, Akira Okawada, Maki Takatsuki etc., have debuted through this award.
In 2014, the literary exhibition "Aramaki Yoshio no Sekai" was held in Hokkaido Museum of Literature at Sapporo from February 8 to March 23. The project of this event started from the one design drawing which Aramaki had asked architect Tsuneyo Matsuhashi to draw for showing the structure of the City-type Starship, appeared in the Big Wars series, in 1983. And during these 30 years, Shōichi Nakano had created many CG images of this starship scenes. Thereby the exhibition of the CG arts and its original writer Aramaki was planned and held. Among various events, the Panel "The Orgin of the World of Aramaki Yoshio" took place. Aramaki, Takayuki Tatsumi, Mari Kotani, Denis Taillandier and two others were panelist. Aramaki talked his origins of a writer.

Awards

Novels

Aramaki published around 15 metafictional novelettes in the S-F magazine in the early 1970s. These stories were, in a sense, the "jewels" of Aramaki's metafictional world. These are pioneer works appeared ca. half centuries in advance. Most readers and critics have been ignoring and forgetting, however, a few critics have been recognizing the importance of Aramaki's these works. In 2013, French culture studies researcher Denis Taillandier published the paper discussing and evaluating Aramaki's early short story "Soft Clocks". The revaluation of the Aramaki's metafictional works were started. In the course of this recognition change, publication of the "Complete Collection of Meta-SF Works" was planned.
The following list shows the early metafictional novelettes and short stories appeared in the S-F magazine from 1970 to ca. 1973:
IssueTitleSizeRomanized titleEnglish
1970-05術の小説論-Jutsu no Shōsetsu-ron Theory of Fictions by Kunst
1970-08大いなる正午75Ōinaru ShōgoThe Great Noon
1970-11種子よ-Shusi yoOh, The Seed
1971-02白壁の文字は夕陽に映える100Shirakabe no Moji wa Yūhi ni HaeruThe letters on the White Wall are Shined by the Setting Sun
1971-04ある晴れた日のウィーンは
森の中にたたずむ		140Aru Hareta Hi no Wien wa
Mori no naka ni Tatazumu		Wien on a Certain, Fine Day Stands in the Forest
1971-06緑の太陽100Midori no TaiyōThe Green Sun
1971-08ああ荒野100Aa, KōyaAh, Wilderness
1971-11大いなる失墜140Ōinaru ShittsuiThe Great Down-fall
1971-12無限への崩壊140Migen e no HōkaiCollapse into Infinity
1972-02柔らかい時計-Yawarakai TokeiSoft Clocks
1972-04石機械150Ishi KikaiStone Machine
1972-06性炎樹の花咲くとき100Seienju no Hanasaku TokiWhen the Sexual-flame-trees Bloom
1972-10宇宙25時115Uchū 25-jiThe Space 25 O'clock
1972-13白い環100Shiroi WaThe White Ring
1973-02噫々レムリア-Aa, LemuriaAh, Lemuria
1973-04時の葦船100Toki no AshibuneThe Reed Ship of Time

Roman-fleuve SF Novels

Aramaki Yoshio Complete and Standard Collection of Meta-SF Works edited and compiled by Takayuki Tatsumi + Yūji Miura :