[DeepL Translation - needs review] That time when I was with you, illuminated by light, is called "darkness" by others. Yukina used to be a junior idol. She is addicted to dream novels in boys' comic books and reads them with her name left blank. Nominated for the 169th Akutagawa Award
(Translator: DeepL)
What’s in a Name?
Summary
The narrative of ##NAME## unfolds through two parallel timelines, providing a dual perspective on the life of our protagonist, Setsuna Ishida. In one timeline, we accompany her during her pre-adolescent years in the entertainment industry and world of junior idols together with her best friend and fellow junior idol, Misano. In the alternating chapters, we gain a glimpse into Setsuna's life a decade later as a normal college student, navigating the complexities of social interactions and job hunting in an era where her history as an idol can be uncovered in an instant through a simple online search.
Across both timelines, Setsuna escapes from her troubles and finds solace in a particular shonen manga, actively engaging with its fandom and reading Y/N fan fiction about the protagonist. However, an unexpected revelation related to the manga emerges one day, forcing her to confront her own internal complicated feelings about her past.
Japanese Level
The author’s writing style is clear and direct, with few extended descriptive passages or low frequency vocabulary words. There are several excepts from the Y/N fan fiction in the text that are a bit more challenging to read, but still very short.
Difficulty-wise, it is in line with similar contemporary literary works and should be accessible to N1 or ambitious N2 level readers.
Specialized Vocabulary
Vocabulary related to film and photo shoots
Vocabulary from fan fiction, BL and online fandom related spaces
I Would Recommend this Book to
My Review 3.5/5 stars
In ##NAME##, the story explores the concept of names and their impact on personal identity. The characters' real names, stage names, nicknames, online handles, and name-calling all play a role in how they perceive themselves and are perceived by society. Alongside the central theme of names, the novel delves into different dichotomies - the difference between light and darkness, the contrast between Setsuna and Misano's lives. The narrative structure, with its two timelines, creates a dichotomy that gives the story an engaging and thematically consistent structure.
I was drawn in by the title and the structure of the novel, but I found it to be a great read that is especially current, particularly in the context of the ongoing scandal involving the sexual exploitation and abuse of male idols at Johnny’s & Associates, which has received significant attention in Japanese media recently. When reflecting additionally on the arrest of the creator of Rurouni Kenshin for child pornography possession several years ago and the fact that the author is a form idol herself, Setsuna’s story gains a certain gravity.
Initially, the prose and plot appeared straightforward, but as I continued reading and considered real-world events, it gradually unfolded to reveal a deeper, more complex dimension and view on sexual exploitation in the entertainment industry. This feature of the writing, the context of the real world situation in the industry, and Setsuna's internal dialogue as she struggles with her past all come together to create an impactful story.
Another aspect of this novel I appreciated was how it introduced various related ideas alongside the central plot and themes. Concepts such as mother-daughter relationships, enjoying content despite problematic authors, dealing with past trauma, and claiming one's identity, and more briefly emerged in the story, prompting moments of reflection. Pondering all of these ideas in relation to my own life made for a more engaging reading experience.
However, paradoxically, I also found this to be a weak point of the novel at the same time. So many ideas were incorporated that it ended up giving the book a slightly shallow and orchestrated overall feel. Additionally, the mention of them at certain points in the plot felt overly deliberate and left little room for reader interpretation as to what they meant in the context of the story. Further to that, certain characters felt more like plot devices than organic parts of the story, showing up when needed for the message of the book and then disappearing again.
I would have likely enjoyed this book even more if the author had embraced ambiguity a bit more and allowed for greater open interpretation, as those are the aspects I personally particularly love about 純文学. Nevertheless, ##NAME## is certainly worth a read. If the plot summary intrigues you, you're likely to enjoy this book, so don’t hesitate to give it a try!