Ryu Murakami, a Japanese writer and filmmaker who became an award-winning author while still a university student, has passed away.
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"Author Ryu Murakami passed away at his home on October 17, 2026, at the age of 74. We hereby express our deepest condolences and share this news," his publisher, Gentosha, wrote in part in a statement earlier today (Oct.23) via Deadline.
"The funeral was held as a private family service," Gentosha continued. "In accordance with the family's wishes, they are declining all condolence visits, monetary offerings, floral tributes, telegrams, and other gifts."
Murakami's breakthrough came when he was still in college with 1976's Almost Transparent Blue. His writing debut went on to win the 75th Akutagawa Prize and the 19th Gunzo New Writers' Award, making him an instant superstar in the literary world.
The book, a semi-autobiographical tale of a seven-day binge of sex, drugs, and nihilism, also went on to sell over 3.5 million copies.
Author Ryu Murakami Also Enjoyed Impressive Careers in TV and Film
Another effort from the author, Coin Locker Babies, scored the 3rd Noma Literary Newcomer's Award in 1980. His 1994 novel A World Five Minutes Later explored an alternate reality in which Japan didn't surrender during World War II. Meanwhile, another of his novels, In the Miso Soup, won the 49th Yomiuri Literary Prize in 1997.
However, Murakami's career went well outside the boundaries of the literary world.
He was also an accomplished filmmaker, adapting several of his novels for the big screen. 1992's Tokyo Decadence focuses on a college student who works as an escort. It was banned in several countries for what was seen as controversial content at the time.
Meanwhile, 1996's Kyoko follows a young Japanese woman's journey to New York City in pusuit of a Cuban-American GI who she had a prvious relationship with.
His 1994 novel Piercing was also adapted into a 2018 film of the same name. The psychological horror-thriller starred Chris Abbott and was directed by American filmmaker Nicolas Pesce.
On TV, Murakami enjoyed yet another career. He was the lead interviewer on TV Tokyo's venerable economic and business talk show Cambrian Palace.
