Oshikawa Shunrō

A popular children's literature author. Born in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, on March 21, 1876, as the eldest son of Christian elder statesman Oshikawa Masayoshi. His real name was Masaari. His pen name, Harunami, was a variation of the character Harunami, given to him by his teacher, Iwaya Sazanami. From his boyhood, he repeatedly changed schools in rebellion against his father, but in 1900 (Meiji 33), while studying at Tokyo Senmon Gakko (the predecessor to Waseda University), he wrote a science fiction-like adventure novel, Kaitei Gunkan (Undersea Battleship), which gained popularity among young people and made him an instant hit author. However, he died of an illness on November 16, 1914, at the age of 38. He wrote many other works, including his debut work, a six-part series that continued with Bukyo no Nippon (Japan of the Chivalrous) (1902), Shinzo Gunkan (New Battleship) (1904), and Shin Nihonjima (New Island of Japan) (1905). Shunro's novels, which he himself called "martial arts novels," were characterized by aggressive nationalism and science fiction elements, and had a major influence on popular children's literature that followed.

[Shoichiro Kami]

"Japanese Children's Literature Series 3: Oshikawa Harunami Collection" (1978, Holp Publishing) "Modern Literature Research Series 15: Oshikawa Harunami" (1960, Showa Women's University)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

大衆児童文学の作家。キリスト教界の元老、押川方義(まさよし)の長男として、明治9年3月21日、愛媛県松山に生まれる。本名は方存(まさあり)。春浪の雅号は、師とした巌谷小波(いわやさざなみ)より与えられた春波の一字を変えたもの。少年時代から父に反発して学校の転退校を繰り返し、東京専門学校（早稲田(わせだ)大学の前身）在学中の1900年（明治33）に書いたSF（空想科学小説）的な冒険小説『海底軍艦』で青少年層の人気を得、たちまち流行作家となったが、大正3年11月16日、38歳で病没した。処女作から『武侠(ぶきょう)の日本』（1902）、『新造軍艦』（1904）、『新日本島』（1905）などと続く六部作のほか、数多くの作品がある。自身が「武侠小説」とよんだ春浪の小説は、侵略的なナショナリズムとSF的な趣向とを特徴としており、その後の大衆児童文学に大きな影響を及ぼした。

［上笙一郎］

『『日本児童文学大系3　押川春浪集』（1978・ほるぷ出版）』▽『『近代文学研究叢書15　押川春浪』（1960・昭和女子大学）』

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