Quite curious what people think of him. He has a style of writting that often reminds me of the way Quentin Tarantino directs his films or what dreams are like. I find his obsession with sex kinda weird tho.
This is prob my fav book from him.
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Not a big fan of him, though I did like one short story he did about running into the perfect girl. However, my judgment may have been clouded as I only read it because I'd read somewhere Wong Kar Wai was influenced by it when he made Chungking Express.
Yeah that one is in this book I displayed. It's also one of my favs along with the Bakery Robbery
Muracummy is just a goy version of Paul Auster, incredible achievment to be that shit, and only gained popularity because of Thing but Japan.
I think he has some merit of his own, but yeah I see why you'd say that I for one don't judge the writers by nationality but the general public might. As I said I quite enjoy his works I'm just curious what others think.
>Muracummy is just a goy version of Paul Auster, incredible achievment to be that shit, and only gained popularity because of Thing but Japan.
I think that's a bit dishonest tbh.
He was a great writer but again: I can only speak for his work in Japanese and as a music loving pleb.
It could be he gained popularity in the west from that crowd but at the very least his early work was enjoyable to read in Japanese. I am a brainlet but the best way I can try to describe the joy I feel when reading good Japanese writing is that it has a certain flow & timbre which permeates your soul.
Yeah, I'm gonna go full pseud here.
There's just a certain something about old Japanese, kabuki and wordsmanship that gets you pumped up and puts a smile on your face.
As a filthy gaijin, the best comparison I could make is to the wordsmanship of someone like Ian Dury and his use of wienerney rhyming slang.
You are a really interesting weeb anon. In the way that I admire your pursuit but I wish you spoke from a more grounded level rather than putting yourself out like someone who consumes mostly this type of stuff (even if you do), because first and foremost this might make the guy you are trying to convince just take a sharp 180 degree and continue with his view of things (which isn't inherently bad either). You just must learn to explain things in a more grounded way that's all. I liked how you put it. This is just a heads up!
I'm not interesting in the slightest as a weeb. I merely learned Japanese as a teen and fell in love with both the language and some men & women who are great at their craft.
> wish you spoke from a more grounded level rather than putting yourself out like someone who consumes mostly this type of stuff (even if you do)
Yeah. I'm not really the most down to earth fella. I spend a lot of my time enjoying a handful of artists who fill my niche.
>because first and foremost this might make the guy you are trying to convince just take a sharp 180 degree and continue with his view of things (which isn't inherently bad either). You just must learn to explain things in a more grounded way that's all. I liked how you put it. This is just a heads up!
No problem lol.
It's not meant to dissuade anyone but rather act as a disclaimer as to where I'm coming from. It's not written there but it also acts as a recommendation to read works in Japanese if you can and if you're interested in the country and find what you're passionate about!
I'm sorry if it did come off as overly negative of him but it was merely my opinion on his recent work from a Japanese reader who cares less about plot and more about the linguistic side c:
>I received 1Q84 as a gift after a family member confused Murakami with Mishima, and I ended up reading the whole trilogy. I
lol
>I wonder why he constantly talks about sex. In weird ways too.
>Are Japs simply that perverted that sex is omnipresent in their consciousness?
I'll drag it a bit away from the Japanese and more towards a musician and their muse in the West.
I like Peter Hammill who is an artist in the progressive/art rock circle that some would say released a 9/10 or 10/10 album every year into the 90's. On the surface level, the man is absolutely and utterly obsessed with death & mortality. He's strongly influenced by Edgar Allan Poe, mentioned him numerous times, has works calling to his characters & themes and even went so far as to produce a decent enough rock opera of The fall of the house of usher ft. the beating of the heart from TTTH.
Some people are like that. You get zoned into one thing, one aspect. It becomes your thing and at least in Japanese media: It's common for writers to call back to certain themes often.
So I wouldn't overthink his use of sex when a LOT of Japanese and Japanese genre writers are focused way harder on other aspects.
Cool insight!
>Some people are like that. You get zoned into one thing, one aspect. It becomes your thing and at least in Japanese media:
So then it's like Eric Clapton and the giant robot thing? Always revisiting the same theme over and over? I guess there could be merit in that, if it weren't for the fact Murakami's description of sexuality is boring. I have read literotica stories with better writing. Or perhaps there merit is lost in translation. I don't know why, but reading untranslated doujinshi is always more erotic to me. There seems to be some sort of intangible eroticism hidden in the ideograms.
>Or perhaps there merit is lost in translation.
It's not really tbh.
I liked the prose in his early works but I haven't truly enjoyed anything from him since 1Q84.
I'm a huge fan of the Japanese language and how it can flow, while Shiina Ringo is my waifu because of her voice; she cemented her place as my eternal waifu through her mastery of the language. She writes in a way that makes me smirk a little when I hear a song for the first time in months.
Old Murakami did the same for me, Kafka didn't really do it for me and his short sttories have been hollow too. I feel like I've grown out of him or he's lost his spark. Since I'm 20 years deep and still enjoying middling indie jpop for it's lyrical content: I think it's Murakami who lost his edge.
I can't speak for translations much except for Norwegian Wood which I read when I was younger. It was decent enough but the original was better.
I think it's weird talking about a Japanese writer in the west because of that translation barrier.
It feels like some of the success may come from that, when a lot of the magic in japanese writing comes from the flow & prose which is lost in translation.
If I'm being absolutely honest: If you told me he was coming out with a new novel in a few months and tried to hype it up. I'd be as excited for that work as I would for a new Kazuhige Nojima Final Fantasy LN.
So yeah, not at all.
It may come off as pessimistic but he's in his mid 70's now and I don't think he has the time left to find himself again.
Kafka On The Shore at least for me improved drastically on what Norwegian Wood had going, but ended up dragging too much and the third act was just too bloated and so bad I can't quite remember it. The short stories imo are his gratest work just because he thrives in throwing ideas against the wall which arw quite unique. The problem is when he turns those ideas into novels how far should they be dragged. That's why Norwegian Wood is ultimately better than Kafka it doesn't overstay its welcome. As for 1Q84 no idea, haven't read guessing it is heavily inspired by Orwellian lit.
I liked Men Without Women. It made me reflect on my own past relationships and what it meant to have someone in your life. I found it well-written, at least the French translation of it. A short, pleasant read.
I received 1Q84 as a gift after a family member confused Murakami with Mishima, and I ended up reading the whole trilogy. It was a decent love story. I think the plot and its resolution were underwhelming, and some character arcs were entirely useless, but a few passages were genuinely moving, and the slightly bizarro world was interesting. And the protagonists were likeable due to their slight autistic tendencies. However, the book didn't leave anything in me, except that I am jealous that only women get to experience the feeling of carrying "that little thing".
Unfortunately I've read like 3 or 4 books from him and none are on the list, but I appreciate what you wrote because it resonates with me, it's the same way I reacted when reading Norwegian Wood, it made me deeply reflect on my past but also notice that the men inside the story were jerks and that they represented a certain archtype. They were well intentioned but also lustful and greedy and seeing the main character overcome his friends way of life is quite moving.
Yeah, his male characters are not his strong suit. I forget which other title of his I started reading, but I had to put it down just by how whiny the oversexed and promiscuous protagonist was. Are his male characters meant as some weird self-inserts that get tons of pussy?
Prob Norwegian Wood, I could never relate to that. But I do think his works can be moving when he isn't 99% focused on sex.
It actually was South of the Border, West of the Sun. I guess his characters are too often alike.
I wonder why he constantly talks about sex. In weird ways too. Are Japs simply that perverted that sex is omnipresent in their consciousness? The guy can't go a paragraph without describing the breasts of some teenage schoolgirl.
>I find his obsession with sex kinda weird tho
yea I have always felt he has an adult women fetish or something
Successful authors always know what sells. They find a formula and stick with it. That's why his books are all the same and he sells millions of dollars every year.
ADULT WOMAN FETISH????????
the second bakery robbery or whatever its called from this collection is great
Chink Paul Auster
is this the new meme?
Nope its just the truth. If he wasnt a jap he would be recognized as a boring c**t like auster delillo or lethem.
Man every anon in this comment section isn't even being critical,, without giving me some kind of reasont to geniunely hate the guy. From what I gather you people must really despise the guy for being Japanese. I wouldn't describe his books as groundbreaking but you guys obsession with just saying his japanese whatever other writer is really getting on my nerves. I don't disrespect your opinion I just wish you gave me arguments instead of THING BAD BECAUSE IT'S LIKE THAT OTHER THING THAT'S DIFFERENT A BIT BECAUSE OF NATIONALITY OR WHATEVER.
Not hating the guy. Paul Auster is great.
Sorry mb there were some guys around here saying the same shit to try to bring the work down and I'm not like fanatic or anything about it but I think it's at least decent. Never heard of this Paul Aster guy, what does he write and is he any good?
How long did it take you to learn Japanese? Always imagined I'd appreciate anime like(Nichijou, Oregairu) more if I had an understanding of the language, maybe branch into reading Japanese novels afterwards.
>How long did it take you to learn Japanese?
About 2 years. I recommend reading https://tatsumoto.neocities.org/ before you start.
His most famous work is THE NEW YORK TRILOGY. You can find a reasonably priced copy online. The novels are all very short and are kind of like experimental detective stories. It’s pretty good but I don’t see the connection to Murakami. I also like Timbuktu which is a charming kind of sentimental story about a homeless man and a dog.
Anons pick up Murakami expecting too much. He’s an accessible writer with a cool Lynchian atmosphere. It almost feels like a book following an extra in a supernatural movie. Like the character notices strange stuff going on, some involving him in minor ways, but he is unaware of the main characters and struggle. Everything is shrouded in mystery and feels like there is something to be grasped or solvable, but it isn’t. He is a palette cleanser.
Yup! Exactly what I also think. I like the Lynch-styled stuff so that's why I like his work, that's all!
After a while his books all feel the same, but I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read (Hard Boiled Wonderland, Wild sheep chase, Dance dance dance, Windup bird, 1Q84, Kafka, Elephant vanishes).
I don't always like that. I entirely agree on this, but I tend to like his general style so it's fine. Desire is different from what I read. I have Hard Boiled Wonderland but haven't gotten to it, is it good?
It was my first Murakami so I’m a bit biased but I really liked it. It’s got two parallel stories — one kind of noir cyberpunk story and one set in a mysterious surreal village. They come together in the end.
shit writer with shit basic taste in music
should kill himself tbh
Eyy at least throw a few arguments my way, like structure of writting, integrity of story. Also yeah taste in music is generic but the music he mentions is generally regarded as good.
i'm a murakami fan. there, i said it. but i think the best part of his books are when he goes and puts some random side story in the middle of it. for example liutenant mamiya's story in windup bird. or the death token story from colourless tsukuru.
Coolio
The amount of Murakami hate on IQfy probably means everyone here really loves him. The magic of this place.
he's too popular for people here to admit they like him. sure he's not the greatest author of all time, but that doesn't mean he isn't a good one.
i never really got it myself, but i read a bunch of murakami books because every chick i matched with on dating apps listed him as her favorite author. i tried to figure out why but failed
Killing Commendatore was comfy. Kafka on the shore was also really interesting to read. I like him and received «What I Talk About When I Talk About Running» in the mail today.
Also cool!
His work is middle-tier coomer moronation.
He has a short story about how Gregor Sansa from Kafkas Metamorphisis meets a girl and gets a boner. Was pretty good
Ryu Murakami > Haruki Murakami