Koshu Tani
Encyclopedia
is an award-winning Japanese science fiction
writer. He graduated from the Osaka Institute of Technology
, and worked as a volunteer in Nepal and the Philippines. He made his professional debut with the story 137th Mobile Brigade in 1979 while sill in Nepal.
He is known mostly for his hard science fiction
works, for which he won the Seiun Award
three times (twice for Best Novel, and once for Best Short Story), and the Nitta Jirō Culture Award once.
He is a member of the Mystery Writers of Japan
, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan, the Space Authors Club, and an associate member of the Hard SF Laboratory. Tani currently lives in Komatsu
in Ishikawa Prefecture
.
, graduating from the engineering
department with a degree in civil engineering
. After graduating, he helped coordinate construction work by the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers
in Nepal
, and also worked with the Japan International Cooperation Agency
in the Philippines
.
His debut work, , was published in the March 1979 issue of Kisō Tengai magazine, for which he won an honorable mention in the 2nd Kisō Tengai SF Rookie of the Year Awards in 1980. He published , beginning his close association with hard science fiction
adventure novel
s. From that point, he also began to publish many stories of what he styled as "future history
", including his novel .
In 1987, Tani's won the Seiun Award
for "Best Japanese Short Story of the Year". He won the Seiun Award for "Best Japanese Novel of the Year" in 1994 for .
His story was awarded the Nitta Jirō Culture Award in 1996. He won "Best Japanese Novel of the Year" again in 2007 for , which he coauthored with Sakyo Komatsu
.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
writer. He graduated from the Osaka Institute of Technology
Osaka Institute of Technology
is a private university in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Its main campus is located in Asahi-ku, Osaka City. Another campus is in Hirakata City.- History :...
, and worked as a volunteer in Nepal and the Philippines. He made his professional debut with the story 137th Mobile Brigade in 1979 while sill in Nepal.
He is known mostly for his hard science fiction
Hard science fiction
Hard science fiction is a category of science fiction characterized by an emphasis on scientific or technical detail, or on scientific accuracy, or on both. The term was first used in print in 1957 by P. Schuyler Miller in a review of John W. Campbell, Jr.'s Islands of Space in Astounding Science...
works, for which he won the Seiun Award
Seiun Award
The is a Japanese science fiction award for the best science fiction published in Japan during the preceding year, as voted by attendees of the Japan Science Fiction Convention. "Seiun" is the Japanese word for "nebula", but the award is not related to the American Nebula Award. It was named after...
three times (twice for Best Novel, and once for Best Short Story), and the Nitta Jirō Culture Award once.
He is a member of the Mystery Writers of Japan
Mystery Writers of Japan
is an organization for mystery writers in Japan.The organization was founded on 21 June 1947 by EDOGAWA Rampo. It is currently chaired by Keigo HIGASHINO and claims about 600 members.It presents the Mystery Writers of Japan Award to writers every year...
, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan, the Space Authors Club, and an associate member of the Hard SF Laboratory. Tani currently lives in Komatsu
Komatsu, Ishikawa
is a city located in Ishikawa Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 109,285 with a density of 294 persons per km². The total area is 371.13 km²....
in Ishikawa Prefecture
Ishikawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...
.
History
Tani studied at the Osaka Institute of TechnologyOsaka Institute of Technology
is a private university in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Its main campus is located in Asahi-ku, Osaka City. Another campus is in Hirakata City.- History :...
, graduating from the engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
department with a degree in civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
. After graduating, he helped coordinate construction work by the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers
Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers
is a system of dispatching Japanese volunteers overseas operated by JICA. The offers include wide range of fields as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, education, health, etc. andmore than 120 types of businesses...
in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, and also worked with the Japan International Cooperation Agency
Japan International Cooperation Agency
The Japan International Cooperation Agency is an independent governmental agency that coordinates official development assistance for the government of Japan...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
His debut work, , was published in the March 1979 issue of Kisō Tengai magazine, for which he won an honorable mention in the 2nd Kisō Tengai SF Rookie of the Year Awards in 1980. He published , beginning his close association with hard science fiction
Hard science fiction
Hard science fiction is a category of science fiction characterized by an emphasis on scientific or technical detail, or on scientific accuracy, or on both. The term was first used in print in 1957 by P. Schuyler Miller in a review of John W. Campbell, Jr.'s Islands of Space in Astounding Science...
adventure novel
Adventure novel
The adventure novel is a genre of novels that has adventure, an exciting undertaking involving risk and physical danger, as its main theme.-History:...
s. From that point, he also began to publish many stories of what he styled as "future history
Future history
A future history is a postulated history of the future and is used by authors in the subgenre of speculative fiction to construct a common background for fiction...
", including his novel .
In 1987, Tani's won the Seiun Award
Seiun Award
The is a Japanese science fiction award for the best science fiction published in Japan during the preceding year, as voted by attendees of the Japan Science Fiction Convention. "Seiun" is the Japanese word for "nebula", but the award is not related to the American Nebula Award. It was named after...
for "Best Japanese Short Story of the Year". He won the Seiun Award for "Best Japanese Novel of the Year" in 1994 for .
His story was awarded the Nitta Jirō Culture Award in 1996. He won "Best Japanese Novel of the Year" again in 2007 for , which he coauthored with Sakyo Komatsu
Sakyo Komatsu
was a Japanese science fiction writer and screenwriter. He was one of the most well known and highly regarded science fiction writers in Japan.-Early life:...
.