ABSTRACT
The work of Nahoko Uehashi is illustrative of the present situation of Japanese literature for young adults and children. Uehashi is a highly popular fantasy writer for young adults (YA), winner of the International Andersen Prize in 2014, and has had several works adapted to animation, manga and fan fiction. Uehashi’s Moribito series (1996–2012, twelve volumes) is one of the high points of the genre of fantasy writing for YA and children in Japan. Because of its multicultural mix of characters and values, the series has also been well received in other countries. Its themes of family values, friendship, work, sex and gender mean that the Moribito series reflects issues in present-day Japanese society which are also prevalent in YA literature fictional realism. That Moribito has also been published in an adult’s edition illustrates the phenomenon in which the border between adult, YA and children’s literature is becoming blurred. Further, the adaptations of the Moribito series to other media demonstrates how children enjoy stories in a variety of forms.
