![]() Front cover of the 1st ed. English trade paperback (1981) | |
Author | Ryū Murakami |
---|---|
Original title | 限りなく透明に近いブルー |
Translator | Nancy Andrew |
Country | Japan |
Language | Japanese |
Genre | Postmodern novel |
Publisher | Kodansha International (JPN) |
Publication date | 1976 (1st edition) |
Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
Pages | 126 (English 1st ed. hardcover 1977) |
ISBN | 0-87011-305-4 (English 1st ed. hardcover 1977) |
OCLC | 3753849 |
895.6/35 19 | |
LC Class | PL856.U696 K313 1977 |
Almost Transparent Blue (限りなく透明に近いブルー, Kagirinaku Tōmei ni Chikai Burū, "Almost Infinitely Transparent Blue") is a 1976 novel, written by Japanese author Ryū Murakami, that features a portrait of narrator Ryū and his friends trapped in a cycle of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll during the 1970s.[1]
Narrated by the main character Ryū, the novel focuses on his small group of young friends in the mid-1970s. Living in a Japanese town with an American air force base, their lives revolve around sex, drugs and rock 'n roll.
The near-plotless story weaves a vividly raw, image-intensive journey through the daily monotony of drug-induced hallucinations, vicious acts of violence, overdoses, suicide, and group sex.
Murakami submitted the novel to the literary magazine Gunzo's debutant contest, in which it won the first prize. It also won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize the same year. The title of rock band Luna Sea's song "Blue Transparency -Almost Transparent Blue-" (BLUE TRANSPARENCY 限りなく 透明に 近い ブルー), off their 1991 self-titled debut album, is a reference to the novel.
26-year-old Murakami made his directorial debut with a film adaptation of his novel Almost Transparent Blue, which he also scripted. It was released in Japan on March 3, 1979 and was distributed by Toho.[2] Hidenori Taga and Kei Ijisato under Kitty Records produced the film, starring Kunihiko Mitamura (Ryu), Mari Nakayama (Lilly), Haruhiko Saitô (Yoshiyama), Keiko Wakasa (Kei), Narumi Tokura (Reiko), Yuri Takase (Moko), Goro Masaki (Kazuo), Togo Igawa (Okinawa) and Akiko Nakamura (Mari).[3]