Before Sexting: The Rise of the Japanese Phone Novel

Before Sexting

by Hiroyuki Kobayashi

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	108270 KB
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Print length	:	149 pages

FREE

The Japanese phone novel, also known as keitai shosetsu, is a unique and fascinating literary phenomenon that emerged in the early 2000s. Written and read on mobile phones, these novels are typically short, episodic, and highly serialized. They cover a wide range of genres, from romance and comedy to horror and suspense. Despite their often-short length, phone novels have captivated a huge audience in Japan, with some of the most popular titles selling millions of copies.

In Before Sexting: The Rise of the Japanese Phone Novel, Hiroyuki Kobayashi brings together scholars from a variety of fields to explore the history, cultural significance, and literary dimensions of this popular genre. The volume is divided into three parts. The first part provides an overview of the history of the phone novel, from its origins in the late 1990s to its current status as a major force in the Japanese publishing industry. The second part examines the social and cultural factors that have contributed to the rise of the phone novel, including the increasing popularity of mobile phones in Japan and the changing nature of reading habits. The third part offers a series of close readings of individual phone novels, exploring their literary techniques, themes, and characters.

Before Sexting is an essential resource for anyone interested in Japanese literature, digital culture, or the intersection of technology and literature. Kobayashi and his contributors provide a comprehensive and insightful look at a fascinating and rapidly evolving literary genre.

Reviews

"Before Sexting is a groundbreaking work that sheds light on a major but understudied literary phenomenon. Kobayashi and his contributors offer a rich and nuanced understanding of the Japanese phone novel, exploring its history, cultural significance, and literary dimensions. This volume is a must-read for anyone interested in Japanese literature, digital culture, or the intersection of technology and literature."

—J. Keith Vincent, author of The Rise of the Keitai Novel in Japan and Cell Phone Novels: Japanese Youth, Popular Culture, and the Articulation of Identity

"Before Sexting is a major contribution to the field of Japanese literary studies. Kobayashi and his contributors provide a comprehensive and insightful look at the phone novel, a unique and fascinating literary genre that has captivated a huge audience in Japan. This volume is essential reading for anyone interested in Japanese literature, digital culture, or the intersection of technology and literature."

—Susan Napier, author of Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke: Experiencing Contemporary Japanese Animation and The Fantastic in Modern Japanese Literature: The Subversive World of Banana Yoshimoto

About the Author

Hiroyuki Kobayashi is Associate Professor of Japanese Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of The Writing Revolution in Japan and Imagining the Future of Japanese Literature. His research interests include modern Japanese literature, digital culture, and the intersection of technology and literature.

Before Sexting

by Hiroyuki Kobayashi

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	108270 KB
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Print length	:	149 pages

FREE