Jirō Akagawa facts for kids

Jirō Akagawa (赤川 次郎, Akagawa Jirō, born February 29, 1948) is a Japanese writer. He was born in Fukuoka, Japan. He is famous for writing many exciting mystery stories.

About Jirō Akagawa

Jirō Akagawa is well-known for his fun and sometimes scary mystery books. He started his writing career in 1976. His very first short story, "Ghost Train," won a special award called the All Yomimono New Mystery Writers' Prize. This was a big achievement for him!

Some of his stories have even been turned into cartoons (anime) and live-action movies. For example, his books The Incident in the Bedroom Suburb (ホームタウンの事件簿 私語を禁ず, Homu Taun no Jikenbo: Shigo o Kinzu) and Voice from Heaven (天からの声, Ten kara no Koe) became anime. Also, Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (セーラー服と機関銃, Serafuku to Kikanju) was made into a very popular movie.

Jirō Akagawa is a very busy writer. He has written over 560 novels! That's a huge number of books. More than 300 million copies of his books have been sold. His most famous books are part of his Mike-neko Holmes series. This series features a special Calico cat named Holmes.

Books in English

Some of Jirō Akagawa's books have been translated into English. This means people in other countries can read his stories too!

Mystery Novels

• Three Sisters Investigate (original title: San Shimai Tanteidan)

Short Story Collections

• Midnight Suite (original title: Mayonaka no tame no Kumikyoku) - This book is a collection of several short stories.

Awards He Has Won

Jirō Akagawa has received several awards for his writing:

• 1976 – He won the All Yomimono New Mystery Writers' Prize for his short story "Ghost Train."
• 1980 – He received the Kadokawa Novel Prize for his novel Akusai ni Sasageru Rekuiemu.
• 2006 – He was given the Japan Mystery Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement. This award celebrates his long and successful career in mystery writing.

Main Book Series

Jirō Akagawa has written many books in different series. Here are some of his most popular ones:

Calico Cat Holmes Series

This series is about a clever calico cat named Holmes who helps solve mysteries.

• Novels
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Suiri (三毛猫ホームズの推理), 1978
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Tsuiseki (三毛猫ホームズの追跡), 1979
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Kaidan (三毛猫ホームズの怪談), 1980
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Rapusodi (三毛猫ホームズの狂死曲（ラプソディー）), 1981
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Kakeochi (三毛猫ホームズの駈落ち), 1981
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Kyofukan (三毛猫ホームズの恐怖館), 1982
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Kishido (三毛猫ホームズの騎士道), 1983
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Yurei Kurabu (三毛猫ホームズの幽霊クラブ), 1985
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Opera Hausu (三毛猫ホームズの歌劇場（オペラハウス）), 1986
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Tozan Ressha (三毛猫ホームズの登山列車), 1987
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Poruta Gaisuto (三毛猫ホームズの騒霊騒動（ポルターガイスト）), 1988
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Shiki (三毛猫ホームズの四季), 1990
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Tasogare Hoteru (三毛猫ホームズの黄昏ホテル), 1990
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Hanzaigaku Koza (三毛猫ホームズの犯罪学講座), 1991
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Fuga (三毛猫ホームズのフーガ), 1991
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Keiko to Taisaku (三毛猫ホームズの傾向と対策), 1992
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Sinju Kaigan (三毛猫ホームズの心中海岸), 1993
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Ansokubi (三毛猫ホームズの安息日), 1994
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Seikimatsu (三毛猫ホームズの世紀末), 1995
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Seigohyo (三毛猫ホームズの正誤表), 1995
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Sitsurakuen (三毛猫ホームズの失楽園), 1996
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Sisha Gonyu (三毛猫ホームズの四捨五入), 1997
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Rinyuaru (三毛猫ホームズの大改装（リニューアル）), 1998
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Saigo no Shinpan (三毛猫ホームズの最後の審判), 2000
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Hanayome Ningyo (三毛猫ホームズの花嫁人形), 2001
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Kamen Gekijo (三毛猫ホームズの仮面劇場), 2002
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Sotsugyo Ronbun (三毛猫ホームズの卒業論文), 2003
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Koreikai (三毛猫ホームズの降霊会), 2005
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Kiken na Hiasobi (三毛猫ホームズの危険な火遊び), 2006
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Ankoku Meiro (三毛猫ホームズの暗黒迷路), 2007
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Sawakai (三毛猫ホームズの茶話会), 2008
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Jujiro (三毛猫ホームズの十字路), 2009
• Mike-Neko Holmes wa Kaidan o Noboru (三毛猫ホームズは階段を上る), 2011
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Yume Kiko (三毛猫ホームズの夢紀行), 2012
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Yami Shogun (三毛猫ホームズの闇将軍), 2013
• Short story collections
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Undokai (三毛猫ホームズの運動会), 1983
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Bikkuri-Bako (三毛猫ホームズのびっくり箱), 1984
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Kurisumasu (三毛猫ホームズのクリスマス), 1984
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Kansho Ryoko (三毛猫ホームズの感傷旅行), 1986
• Mike-Neko Holmes to Ai no Hanataba (三毛猫ホームズと愛の花束), 1988
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Purima Donna (三毛猫ホームズのプリマドンナ), 1989
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Iede (三毛猫ホームズの家出), 1992
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Sotsugyo (三毛猫ホームズの〈卒業〉), 1993
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Raibaru (三毛猫ホームズの好敵手（ライバル）), 1996
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Mujinto (三毛猫ホームズの無人島), 1997
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Kurayami (三毛猫ホームズの暗闇), 1998
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Koi Uranai (三毛猫ホームズの恋占い), 1999
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Senso to Heiwa (三毛猫ホームズの戦争と平和), 2002
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Yojinbo (三毛猫ホームズの用心棒), 2009

Three Sisters Investigate Series

This series follows the adventures of three sisters who solve mysteries together.

• Novels
• San Shimai Tanteidan (三姉妹探偵団), 1982 (English translation: Three Sisters Investigate)
• San Shimai Tanteidan 2: Kyanpasu hen (三姉妹探偵団2 キャンパス篇), 1985
• San Shimai Tanteidan 3: Tamami, Hatsukoi hen (三姉妹探偵団3 珠美・初恋篇), 1986
• San Shimai Tanteidan 4: Kaiki hen (三姉妹探偵団4 怪奇篇), 1987
• San Shimai Tanteidan 5: Fukushu hen (三姉妹探偵団5 復讐篇), 1988
• San Shimai Tanteidan 6: Kiki Ippatsu hen (三姉妹探偵団6 危機一髪篇), 1989
• San Shimai Tanteidan 7: Kakeochi hen (三姉妹探偵団7 駈け落ち篇), 1990
• San Shimai Tanteidan 8: Hitojichi hen (三姉妹探偵団8 人質篇), 1991
• San Shimai Tanteidan 9: Aohige hen (三姉妹探偵団9 青ひげ篇), 1992
• San Shimai Tanteidan 10: Chichi Koishi hen (三姉妹探偵団10 父恋し篇), 1993
• San Shimai Tanteidan 11: Shi ga Komichi o Yatte kuru (三姉妹探偵団11 死が小径をやってくる), 1994
• San Shimai Tanteidan 12: Shinigami no Okiniiri (三姉妹探偵団12 死神のお気に入り), 1995
• San Shimai Tanteidan 13: Jijo to Yaju (三姉妹探偵団13 次女と野獣), 1996
• San Shimai Tanteidan 14: Kokochiyoi Akumu (三姉妹探偵団14 心地よい悪夢), 1997
• San Shimai Tanteidan 15: Furuete Nemure San Shimai (三姉妹探偵団15 ふるえて眠れ、三姉妹), 1998
• San Shimai Tanteidan 16: San Shimai, Noroi no Michiyuki (三姉妹探偵団16 三姉妹、呪いの道行), 1999
• San Shimai Tanteidan 17: San Shimai, Hajimete no Otsukai (三姉妹探偵団17 三姉妹、初めてのおつかい), 2000
• San Shimai Tanteidan 18: Koi no Hana Saku San Shimai (三姉妹探偵団18 恋の花咲く三姉妹), 2002
• San Shimai Tanteidan 19: Tsuki mo Oboro ni San Shimai (三姉妹探偵団19 月もおぼろに三姉妹), 2003
• San Shimai Tanteidan 20: San Shimai, Fushigi na Tabi Nikki (三姉妹探偵団20 三姉妹、ふしぎな旅日記), 2005
• San Shimai Tanteidan 21: San Shimai, Kiyoku Mazushiku Utsukushiku (三姉妹探偵団21 三姉妹、清く貧しく美しく), 2007
• San Shimai Tanteidan 22: San Shimai to Wasureji no Omokage (三姉妹探偵団22 三姉妹と忘れじの面影), 2011
• San Shimai Tanteidan 23: San Shimai, Butokai e no Shotai (三姉妹探偵団23 三姉妹、舞踏会への招待), 2013

Other Novels

• Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (セーラー服と機関銃, Serafuku to Kikanju), 1978
• Marionetto no Wana (マリオネットの罠, lit. Puppet's Trap), 1981

Movies and TV Shows Based on His Books

Many of Jirō Akagawa's stories have been made into movies and TV dramas.

• Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (1981)
• Detective Story (1983)
• Early Spring Story (1985)
• Who Do I Choose? (1989)
• Chizuko's Younger Sister (1991)

TV Drama Adaptations

• Mike-Neko Holmes Series (1979 - 1984)
• Mike-Neko Holmes no Suiri (2012)

Video Games Based on His Books

Some of Jirō Akagawa's thrilling stories have also been turned into video games!

• Akagawa Jirō: Majotachi no Nemuri (Super Famicom – 1995)
• Akagawa Jirō: Majotachi no Nemuri: Fukkatsusai (PlayStation – 1999)
• Akagawa Jirō: Majotachi no Nemuri: Kanzenban (PC – 2001)
• Akagawa Jirō: Yasōkyoku (PlayStation – 1998)
• Akagawa Jirō: Yasōkyoku 2 (PlayStation – 2001)
• Akagawa Jirō Mystery: Yasōkyoku – Hon ni Manekareta Satsujin (Nintendo DS – 2008)
• Akagawa Jirō no Yurei Ressha (Family Computer – 1991)
• Tsuki no Hikari: Shizumeru Kane no Satsujin (PlayStation 2 – 2002)
• Akagawa Jirō Mystery: Tsuki no Hikari (Nintendo DS – 2008)

Games with His Original Stories

Jirō Akagawa also wrote original stories for some video games:

• Emit Vol. 1: Toki no Maigo
• Emit Vol. 2: Inochigake no Tabi
• Emit Vol. 3: Watashi ni Sayonara o

See also

• Japanese detective fiction