Edogawa Ranpo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Edogawa Ranpo
Hirai in 1947
Born	Tarō Hirai October 21, 1894 Mie, Japan
Died	July 28, 1965(1965-07-28) (aged 70)
Occupation	Novelist, literary critic
Language	Japanese
Nationality	Japanese
Alma mater	Waseda University
Genre	Mystery, weird fiction, thriller

Tarō Hirai (平井 太郎, Hirai Tarō, October 21, 1894 – July 28, 1965), known by his pen name Edogawa Ranpo (江戸川 乱歩), was a famous Japanese writer and critic. He played a huge part in creating Japanese mystery and thriller stories.

Many of his books feature the clever detective Kogoro Akechi. In later stories, Kogoro Akechi led a group of young detectives called the "Boy Detectives Club" (少年探偵団, Shōnen tantei dan).

Ranpo really admired Western mystery writers, especially Edgar Allan Poe. His pen name, Edogawa Ranpo, sounds a lot like "Edgar Allan Poe" when said quickly! He was also influenced by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories, and the Japanese mystery writer Ruikō Kuroiwa.

Biography

Early Life and Career

Tarō Hirai was born in Nabari, Mie Prefecture, Japan, in 1894. His grandfather was a samurai. When he was two, his family moved to Nagoya.

At age 17, he began studying economics at Waseda University in Tokyo in 1912. After finishing his degree in 1916, he worked many different jobs. He edited newspapers, drew cartoons, sold noodles, and worked in a used bookstore.

Becoming a Mystery Writer

In 1923, he started his writing career. He published a mystery story called "The Two-Sen Copper Coin" (二銭銅貨, Ni-sen dōka). He used the pen name "Edogawa Ranpo" for the first time. This story appeared in Shin Seinen, a popular magazine for young people.

Shin Seinen had published stories by Western writers like Poe and Doyle. But Ranpo's story was one of the first major Japanese mystery stories in the magazine. His story was special because it focused on how a detective used logic to solve a mystery. It also included details from Japanese culture, like a code based on a Buddhist chant.

Over the next few years, Edogawa wrote many more crime and mystery stories. Some of his famous early works include "The Case of the Murder on D. Hill" (D坂の殺人事件, D-zaka no satsujin jiken, January 1925) and "The Human Chair" (人間椅子, Ningen Isu, October 1925). He often used mirrors and lenses in his early stories.

By the 1930s, Edogawa Ranpo became the most important voice in Japanese mystery fiction. His detective hero, Kogoro Akechi, appeared regularly in his stories. Akechi often fought against a clever criminal called the Fiend with Twenty Faces (怪人二十面相, Kaijin ni-jū mensō). This villain was a master of disguise. Many of these novels were later made into movies.

In 1930, Ranpo introduced a young character named Kobayashi Yoshio (小林芳雄). Kobayashi became Kogoro's helper. After World War II, Edogawa wrote many books for young readers. These stories featured Kogoro and Kobayashi leading a group of young detectives. This group was known as the "Boy Detectives Club" (少年探偵団, Shōnen tantei dan). These books were very popular and are still read by many young Japanese readers today. They are like the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew mysteries in English-speaking countries.

During World War II

During World War II, some of Edogawa's stories faced challenges. In 1939, government officials told him to remove his story "The Caterpillar" (芋虫, Imo Mushi) from a collection. This story was about a soldier who was severely injured in war. The officials thought the story would make people feel bad about the war effort. This was difficult for Ranpo, as he earned money from his reprinted stories.

During the war, Edogawa also wrote stories about young detectives. He sometimes used different pen names for these stories. In 1945, his family had to leave their home in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, for safety. Edogawa stayed until June. His studio, a strong building with thick walls, survived the air raids. It still stands today.

After the War

After the war, Edogawa Ranpo worked hard to support mystery fiction. In 1946, he helped start a new magazine called Jewels (宝石, Hōseki), which was all about mystery stories. In 1947, he founded the Detective Author’s Club (探偵作家クラブ, Tantei sakka kurabu). This club later changed its name to the Mystery Writers of Japan (日本推理作家協会, Nihon Suiri Sakka Kyōkai).

He also wrote many articles about the history of mystery fiction from Japan and other countries. Most of his postwar books were for young readers. They continued the adventures of Kogorō Akechi and the Boy Detectives Club.

In the 1950s, some of his books were translated into English. This helped his stories reach readers around the world. Many of Edogawa's books have also been made into films, even after his death.

Edogawa Ranpo had several health problems. He passed away in 1965 from a cerebral hemorrhage. He is buried at the Tama Cemetery near Tokyo.

The Edogawa Rampo Prize is a famous Japanese literary award named after him. It has been given every year since 1955 to new mystery writers. The winner receives a large cash prize and their book is published.

Major Works

Private Detective Kogoro Akechi series

• Short stories
  • "The Case of the Murder on D. Hill" (D坂の殺人事件, D-zaka no satsujin jiken, January 1925)
  • "The Stalker in the Attic" (屋根裏の散歩者, Yaneura no Sanposha, August 1925)
• Novels
  • The Spider-Man (蜘蛛男, Kumo-Otoko, 1929)
  • The Black Lizard (黒蜥蜴, Kuro-tokage, 1934) Made into a film by Kinji Fukasaku in 1968
• Juvenile novels
  • The Fiend with Twenty Faces (怪人二十面相, Kaijin ni-jū Mensō, 1936)
  • The Boy Detectives Club (少年探偵団, Shōnen Tantei-dan, 1937)

Standalone Mystery Novels and Novellas

• Available in English translation
  • Strange Tale of Panorama Island (パノラマ島奇談, Panorama-tō Kidan, 1926)
  • Beast in the Shadows (陰獣, Injū, 1928)
  • Moju: The Blind Beast (盲獣, Mōjū, 1931)

Short Stories

• Available in English translation
  • "The Two-Sen Copper Coin" (二銭銅貨, Ni-sen Dōka, April 1923)
  • "The Twins" (双生児, Sōseiji, October 1924)
  • "The Red Chamber" (赤い部屋, Akai heya, April 1925)
  • "The Human Chair" (人間椅子, Ningen Isu, October 1925)
  • "The Hell of Mirrors" (鏡地獄, Kagami-jigoku, October 1926)
  • "The Caterpillar" (芋虫, Imomushi, January 1929)

See also

In Spanish: Ranpo Edogawa para niños

• Japanese literature
• Japanese detective fiction
• Japanese horror
• Mystery Writers of Japan
• Edogawa Rampo Prize
• Detective Conan