Banana Yoshimoto

Banana Yoshimoto (Japanese: よしもと ばなな Yoshimoto Banana, born July 24, 1964) is the pen name of Mahoko Yoshimoto (吉本真秀子 Yoshimoto Mahoko), a Japanese contemporary writer.

Related Topics:
Japanese - July 24 - 1964 - Pen name - Japan - Contemporary - Writer

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As of 2003, she writes her name in hiragana.

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Yoshimoto, daughter of Takaaki Yoshimoto (also known as Ryūmei Yoshimoto, one of the most famous and influential Japanese philosophers and critics of the 1960s), was born in Tokyo on July 24, 1964. Along with having a famous father, Banana Yoshimoto's sister, Haruno Yoiko is a well-known cartoonist in Japan.

Related Topics:
Takaaki Yoshimoto - Ryūmei Yoshimoto - Philosophers - 1960s - Tokyo - July 24 - 1964 - Haruno Yoiko - Cartoonist - Japan

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She graduated from Nihon University's Art College, majoring in Literature.

Related Topics:
Nihon University's Art College - Literature

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Her debut novel, Kitchen was a phenomenal instant success, having over sixty printings in Japan alone. There have been two films made of the story, a Japanese TV movie and a more widely released version produced in Hong Kong by Yim Ho in 1997. She won the 6th Kaien Newcomer Writers Prize in November 1987 and then the 16th Izumi Kyoka Literary Prize in January 1988, for Kitchen.

Related Topics:
Kitchen - Japan - Japanese TV - Hong Kong - Yim Ho - 1997 - November - 1987 - January - 1988

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Another one of her novels, Goodbye Tsugumi was also made into a movie in 1990, directed by Ichikawa Jun.

Related Topics:
Goodbye Tsugumi - 1990 - Ichikawa Jun

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In addition, she was awarded the 39th edition, Best Newcomer Artists Recommended by the Minister of Education in August 1988 for Kitchen and Utakata/Sankuchuari. In March 1989 her piece, TSUGUMI was awarded the 2nd Yamamoto Shugoro Literary Prize.

Related Topics:
August - 1988 - March - 1989

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In 1998, she wrote the foreword to the Italian edition of the book Ryuichi Sakamoto. Conversazioni by musicologist Massimo Milano.

Related Topics:
Ryuichi Sakamoto. Conversazioni - Massimo Milano

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She gave birth to a son nicknamed Manachinko in 2003.

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