"Atarashii Taiyoukei" (The New Solar System) by WATANABE Jun-ichi

On the summer in 2006 Pluto was eliminated from the solar system. Why Pluto should be excluded? It seems that many Pluto-like heavenly bodies have been discovered with the improvement of the observation technique. The author worked hard for the decision as a member of Planet Definition Committee of IAU (International Astronomical Union). You can also enjoy this book by watching the beautiful pictures (^_^)

(Finished reading on May 16, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* WATANABE Jun-ichi : 渡部潤一
* Atarashii Taiyoukei : 新しい太陽系

"Gusya-no Endoro-ru" (Why didn't she ask EBA?) by YONEZAWA Honobu

I don't know why the English title is "Why didn't she ask EBA?", but it is given by the author. Anyway this book is the second book of 'Koten-bu' series.

Many plots by many people (^_^;;; let Houtarou see the preview of the film made by class F of the 2nd grade for the culture festival. He had no reason to avoid it, and attended the preview meeting with the members of 'Koten-bu'.

The film was a mystery, but it suddenly ended just after the murder case occurred. The writer became sick, and the rest of the story had not existed. So the 'Koten-bu' members including he were asked to check the continuances by the class F members. He felt some bad feeling, but he could not escape from it...

Eventually he was asked to write the continuation! The economical-boy Houtarou is changed a little after a little? (^_^;;;


FYI:
'Koten-bu' series:
* Hyouka [Ice Cream] : 氷菓
* Gusya-no Endoro-ru [The End Role of Fools] : 愚者のエンドロール <= this book
* Kudoryafuka-no Jyunban [The Order of Kudryavka] : クドリャフカの順番
* Toomawari-suru Hina [Chicks Making a Detour] : 遠まわりする雛

(Finished reading on May 14, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* YONEZAWA Honobu : 米澤穂信
* Gusya-no Endoro-ru : 愚者のエンドロール

"Tobira-ha Tozasareta-mama" (The Door Is Still Closed) by ISHIMOCHI Asami

This is a mystery. The criminal is obvious to readers from the beginning, though the characters in this story cannot know it except for the criminal, because the door is locked and nobody can enter the room. However, the detective prevailed the murder and...

UEDA Satsuki, FUSHIMI Ryousuke, ANDO Syougo, NIIYAMA Kazuhiro, USUI Reiko, ISHIMARU Kouhei... they were members of a light music club in a university. They and Reiko's sister Yuka used to be spend together.

Syougo's brother run a luxury pension at Seijyo, Tokyo, but he became sick and he asked Syogo to open the window and clean occasionally. Syougo thought to invite them and let them help clean - that's why they come together from all over the Japan after the graduate from the university.

And during that time Ryousuke planed to kill Kazuhiro, and did it...

(Finished reading on May 13, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* ISHIMOCHI Asami : 石持浅海
* Tobira-ha Tozasareta-mama : 扉は閉ざされたまま

"Kamisama-no Pazuru" (The God's Puzzle) by KIMOTO Shinji

Mr. Kimoto is a Japanese writer. This is the first time for me to read his book, so I don't know much about him... This book is a SF... maybe.

Mr. Watanuki became a senior student of a university, and decided to belong to an elementary particle laboratory. The member of the laboratory were working for a huge facility 'Mugen' which is a part of a big national project.

After the first guidance he was asked to care for HOZUMI Saraka, who is an idle of the university for her intelligence. She was a theoretical founder of 'Mugen', which is the reason she was arranged to the laboratory.

At first she turned her nose up at him, but after he asked a question 'Is it possible to make a universe?', which he was asked by an old listener of his university...


The film of this story will be released on June 8th in Japan. Some parts of the film was shot in my work place last summer... that's why I read this book. It was very exciting beyond my expectation ^^;;;

FYI
Film "Kamisama-no Pazuru" public site

(Finished reading on May 6, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* KIMOTO Shinji : 機本伸司
* Kamisama-no Pazuru : 神様のパズル

"Hitobashira-ha Miira-to Deau" (A Sacrifice Meets Mummy) by ISHIMOCHI Asami

This is successive short mysteries. Lily Meis (I cannot decide the spelling...) is a overseas student who came from Portland, US. She lives with a family whose daughter, ICHIKI Keiko, goes to the same university with her. Her father has been seated for Hokkaido, a north prefecture in Japan, and her mother is a homemaker. Moreover, her cousin, TOUGOU Naomi, sometimes comes to their house to spend with them, and his occupation is a 'Hitobashira' or a sacrifice...

* Hitobashira-ha Miira-to Deau ("A sacrifice meets mummy")
When a big structure - a bridge, a building, and so on - is being constructed in Japan, a person called 'Hitobashira' will stay in a small underground room during the construction to take care of the Land God...

* Kuroko-ha Gijyou-kara Kieru ("A kuroko disappeared from the assembly hall")
Behind all Kabuki-player and representatives in Japan there is a "Kuroko" who helps the master's work...

* Ohaguro-ha Dokushin-ni Niawanai ("Black teeth are not suit for a single")
All married Japanese women make their teeth black in Japan...

* Yakudoshi-ha Kega-ni Tyuui ("Be careful when you are in an evil year")
In Japan there is an evil-vacation for a year to stay soundly...

* Taka-ha Oozora-ni Mau ("A hawk fly in the sky")
In Japan falconers help police...

* Myouga-ha Kokoro-ni Kiku Kusuri ("Myouga, an eatable plant works for heart")
In Japan people who want to forget something eat Myouga, an eatable plant...

* Sankinkoutai-ha Tiji-no Tsutome ("Change the living place between the local and Tokyo every month is a job for a governor in Japan")
In Japan all local governor live in the governing place and in Tokyo every one month...


Very nice stories! Mysterious country - Japan!!! Almost all the contents are not correct at present, but they were old Japanese customs, and we Japanese can enjoy these stories very much! ^^ You can learn strange ancient Japanese customs with this book, but never believe the contents are real now ^^;;;

(Finished reading on May 5, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* ISHIMOCHI Asami : 石持浅海
* Hitobashira-ha Miira-to Deau : 人柱はミイラと出会う
* Kuroko-ha Gijyou-kara Kieru : 黒衣は議場から消える
* Ohaguro-ha Dokushin-ni Niawanai : お歯黒は独身に似合わない
* Yakudoshi-ha Kega-ni Tyuui : 厄年は怪我に注意
* Taka-ha Oozora-ni Mau : 鷹は大空に舞う
* Myouga-ha Kokoro-ni Kiku Kusuri : ミョウガは心に効くクスリ
* Sankinkoutai-ha Tiji-no Tsutome : 参勤交代は知事の務め

"Watakushi-Ritsu in Ha- Matawa Sekai" (My Rate Is In My Teeth, Or The World) by KAWAKAMI Mieko

Ms. Kawakami is a young Japanese singer and a writer. This year she won the Akutagawa prize which is a famous prize for great novelists in Japan. This book contains two stories. The title's one was also a candidate of last year's prize. Anyway this is my first experience to read her book. But...


* Watakushi-Ritsu in Ha- Matawa Sekai ("My Rate Is In My Teeth, Or The World")
a story of a female stalker who thinks her back teeth are herself

* Knajiru Senmonka Saiyou Shiken ("A Feeling Specialist - Interview For Employment")
a story of a woman who argue back to a pregnant mother - "Do you understand what bearing children is?"


I found many good comments with confusions on various web-sites. But, I'm sorry, these stories are not my taste. From the beginning I cannot understand the meaning of the title at all (^^;;; Probably I will not read the prized book...

(Finished reading on May 5, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* KAWAKAMI Mieko : 川上未映子
* Watakushi-Ritsu in Ha- Matawa Sekai : わたくし率　イン　歯ー、または世界

"Gyofu Maruko-no Mita Yume" (A Dream Of A Fisherman Marco) by SHIONO Nanami and MIZUTA Hideho

This is a picture book written by Ms. Shiono. The illustrations are drawn by Mr. Mizuta. I don't know him, but the pictures are good.

Marco was a 16-year-old fisherman who lives on an island Lido off Venice. Usually he passed the captured fishes to his boss, but one day the boss was inconvenient and Marco had to go to Venice by himself. And he caught a glimpse of the adult world...

(Finished reading on May 3, 2008)


The more detailed Japanese version of this article is here!

Japanese character(s) (kanji)
* SHIONO Nanami : 塩野七生
* MIZUTA Hideho : 水田秀穂
* Gyofu Maruko-no Mita Yume : 漁夫マルコの見た夢