A transition of the concept of Denki Shōsetsu from 1945 to the 1970s

Abstract

This study illuminates a transition of the concept of “Denki Shōsetsu” from 1945 to the 1970s. After World War II, for some time since 1945, the concept of “Denki Shōsetsu” had been defined as a turbulent story with imagination. However, as a term, “Denki Shōsetsu” had been replaced by “Romance” until the mid-1960s; “Denki Shōsetsu” was perceived as a “decayed” concept. In the late 1960s, due to the Fantasy and Bizarreness boom, the original concept of “Denki Shōsetsu” became generalized, and some works of ”Denki Shōsetsu” of the pre-war era were republished.<BR> Around 1971, born in the field of science fiction, “Denki Romance” became gradually recognized as the mainstream of ‘Denki Shōsetsu’ instead of “Jidai Shōsetsu.” A transition of the concept of ”Denki Shōsetsu” resulted from an influence of public culture, an organization of genealogy and methods through complete works and newspapers, along with the influence of Science Fiction novels. However, it is worth noting that all the concepts during the transition have one same or key feature, namely, a “turbulent story.”