ТВОРЧІСТЬ ЦУЦУЙ ЯСУТАКИ В КОНТЕКСТІ СТАНОВЛЕННЯ ЖАНРУ НАУКОВОЇ ФАНТАСТИКИ В ЯПОНСЬКІЙ ЛІТЕРАТУРІ ХХСТОЛІТТЯ

Abstract

The article is of an overview nature and is devoted to the writings by Yasutaka Tsutsui in the context of formation and development of the science fiction genre in the Japanese literature of the second half of the 20th century. It traces the origins of this genre in Japanese folklore and traditional literature, briefly examines the generally accepted classification of four generations of Japanese science fiction writers and analyzes stages of the writer's creative development as one of the three SF masters in modern Japan. The article suggests identifying four periods in Tsutsui Yasutaki's creative career: experimentation on the verge of absurdity, black humor, and social satire in the 60's of the 20th century, transition to the pure literature in the 70's, interest in metafiction in the 80's and cyber fiction in the 90's, reflecting the latest trends in the Japanese literature of the second half of the last century. Trying to comprehend and reflect the crisis phenomena of Japanese reality in the second half of the 20th century, the writer openly exposes the shortcomings of modern society – spiritual impoverishment, prosperity of consumerism, loss of high ideals and values, etc. In his early science fiction works, elements of social criticism and increased attention to the inner world of modern man and his social nature can be often observed. Later metafiction is full of various deconstructivist techniques: fragmentation, fabulation, and distortion of time – which makes them a valuable source for understanding trends in the Japanese postmodernism in general and metafiction in particular. Special attention should be paid to the author's approach to writing – in interactive communication with interested internet readers, which opens new horizons for artistic creativity and creation of a literary text.