NEO-TOKYO 2099 INTERVIEWS: An interview with “The Dark Maidens" author, Akiyoshi Rikako (Interview by Dennis A. Amith)

Akiyoshi Rikako is an author who debuted with her novel “Snow Flower” back in 2009.

A winner of the third Yahoo! JAPAN Literature Award back in 2008 (out of the 1,675 works that were entered in the competition), “Snow Flower” would be made into a short film directed by Onodera Akinori and starring Watanabe Hiroyuki and Hara Hideko.

With nine novels by Rikako having been written, including a 2016 anthology titled “The Best Mysteries: Mystery Novel Yearbook 2016” and a few short stories featured on magazines.

Suffice to say, so far it has been a good career for Akiyoshi Rikako, a graduate from Waseda University’s literature department and also obtaining her master’s degree in Film and TV Production from Loyola Marymount University.

In 2013, Rikako’s mystery novel “Ankoku Joshi” (The Dark Maidens) was released and in 2017, a film adaptation was made and was directed by Yakumo Saiji and a screenplay by Okada Mari. The film would star Shimizu Fumika, Iitomo Marie, Seino Nana and more.

And now Rikako Akiyoshi’s novel, “The Dark Maidens” was released in the United States on May 29, 2018 courtesy of Vertical.

“The Dark Maidens” is set at a prestigious girl’s school, a student has died. Itsumi was the most beautiful, charismatic and popular girl at St. Mary’s Academy for Girls. She was also the president of the exclusive and tight-knit Literature Club.

One week after her death, the members of her beloved club gather in her memory. But as they each testify to what happened in the days leading up to the tragic event, their accusations turn shocking and little by little, we start to learn of why and how Itsumi really died.

Neo-Tokyo 2099’s Dennis A. Amith recently had the opportunity to interview Akiyoshi Rikako about “The Dark Maidens” and more!

DENNIS A. AMITH: Before we discuss your career, let’s get to know more about you. You studied literature at Waseda University and received your Master’s degree in film and TV production from Loyola Marymount University. What type of literature did you grown up reading and influenced you to pursue it as a career?

AKIYOSHI RIKAKO: Well, I’ve been an avid reader since I was a kid. I started reading books by Camus, Kafka, and Osamu Dazai when I was 11. I guess it was a bit too early to read those kind of authors, but somehow I got so inspired by them. So, they are the ones who influenced me so much as a writer.

DENNIS A. AMITH: Having attended Loyola Marymount University, how was that experience compared to living in Japan? And did it influence your creativity as a writer?

AKIYOSHI RIKAKO: Having attended LMU was such a great experience and I definitely learned a lot about creativity. We had many writing assignments and it was surely, a perfect training.

DENNIS A. AMITH: Now dark horror is the type of work you have created? Was there any film or novels that inspired you to write in that genre?

AKIYOSHI RIKAKO: It’s funny that I had never read any dark horror until right before I started writing “The Dark Maidens”. Until then, I was a Camus/Kafka girl, so dark mystery/horror genre was never my cup of tea. One day, one editor approached me and asked me to write a dark mystery, convincing me that I would fit in the genre. So, I hurried to the library one day and borrowed books like Keigo Higashino. And yes, the editor was right, the genre really sucked me in!

DENNIS A. AMITH: Your debut work “Snow Flower” won the Yahoo! Japan literature prize and received a short film adaptation. How was that experience for you?

AKIYOSHI RIKAKO: That was a wonderful experience to see my short story getting translated for the big screen with visual and sound!

DENNIS A. AMITH: Your work “Dark Maidens” is receiving a lot of attention and last year it received a film adaptation? I haven’t watched the film to compare the adaptation from the novel but typically, Japanese film adaptations are much different works compared to the books that they are based from. How was the experience to have your work adapted into a full-length film?

AKIYOSHI RIKAKO: The film version of “The Dark Maidens” is AWESOME. Yes, it’s a bit different from the original novel, like, one character had to be omitted as the story needs to be shortened, but it never bothered me because I knew it was necessary to tell the story within 90 min. I’m so glad that I went to the film school that I knew that! The film is amazingly beautiful and I really hope that someday it will be available in English!

DENNIS A. AMITH: Your novel “The Dark Maidens” will be released in the US courtesy of Vertical. What was the initial inspiration of creating “The Dark Maidens”?

AKIYOSHI RIKAKO: As mentioned earlier, since I was never a dark horror/mystery reader or writer, I had no idea how to create one. One day out of nowhere I came up with an idea of beautiful girls gathering to tell their own story on their mutual girlfriend’s death, but each story is totally different. I really liked the idea of “different POVs over one incident”, so I developed it into a book. I think it turned out well!

DENNIS A. AMITH: As a writer, how is your approach to writing a novel? Are you an isolationist? Where you go somewhere private and don’t want to be bothered? Or do you lock yourself up in a hotel in order to write?

AKIYOSHI RIKAKO: I usually write at home. I tried to write at Starbucks as I thought it might be cool (laughing), but I ended up surfing the Internet as I couldn’t concentrate having so many people around. I guess it’s best for me to write in my room at home, having my family in other rooms, so that I can hang out with them when I get tired of writing.

DENNIS A. AMITH: What is the weirdest place or experience that you came up with an idea that would eventually become a work of yours?

AKIYOSHI RIKAKO: Vegas, baby, Vegas! I came up with an idea of “Snow Flowers” when I was playing a slot machine!

DENNIS A. AMITH: When you are not so busy with work, what do you like to do in your free time?

AKIYOSHI RIKAKO: I’m a foodie, so usually I go out to try new restaurants!

DENNIS A. AMITH: What final words do you have for fans of your work?

AKIYOSHI RIKAKO: I hope that you will love “The Dark Maidens”, and that many more of my books get translated into English! Thank you for your support!

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For more information on Akiyoshi Rikako, please visit her Twitter.

To purchase “The Dark Maidens”, please click here!