13/10/2019

Alex: Japanese Ratings


It seems there is not enough information not in Japanese about the prizes and ratings compiled in Japan both for local and translated detective fiction. I decided to fix that, along with the most recent winners.

1. Shukkan Bunshun Mystery Best 10
This is the yearly rating of Bungeishunju editorial, based on the year's sale results. Established in 1977. Currently announced in December of Year X, covering November X-1 to October X. Exists in two Top Tens, for Japanese and foreign.

Prize 2018 (2017.11-2018.10):
Japanese
1. 沈黙のパレー by Higashino Keigo
2. それまでの明日 by Hara Ryou
3. ベルリンは晴れているか by Fukamidori Nowaki
4. 雪の階 by Okuizumi Hikaru
5. 火のないところに煙は by Ashizawa You
6. 錆びた滑車 by Wakatake Nanami
7. 宝島 by Shindou Junjou
8. 碆霊の如き祀るもの by Mitsuda Shinzou
9. 凍てつく太陽 by Hamanaka Aki
10. 凶犬の眼 by Yudzuki Yuuko

Foreign
1. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
2. The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson
3. Passagier 23 by Sebastian Fitzek
4. IQ by Joe Ide
5. Cadres noirs by Pierre Lemaitre
6. Rite of Spring of the First Year by Lu Qiucha (reviewed by Ho-Ling Wong, here)
7. Think of a Number by John Verdon
8. La Ruelle fantôme by Paul Halter
9. Den döende detektiven by Leif G.W. Persson
10. The Burial Hour by Jeffery Deaver

2. Kono Mystery ga Sugoi!
Unlike the other projects by Takarajimasha, such as Kono Light Novel..., which is often quoted even in Western reviews of light novels, this rating (they also evaluate films and manga) is rarely known, though aims at a honkaku-skewed review. Exists since 1988 and never rates its own works.

List for Year X is out on December X-1 and evaluates the period November X-2 to October X-1, included.

Prize 2019 (2017.11-2018.10):
Japanese
1. それまでの明日 by Hara Ryou
2. ベルリンは晴れているか by Fukamidori Nowaki
3. 錆びた滑車 by Wakatake Nanami
4. 沈黙のパレー by Higashino Keigo
5. 宝島 by Shindou Junjou
6. 碆霊の如き祀るもの by Mitsuda Shinzou
7. 雪の階 by Okuizumi Hikaru
8. 東京輪舞 by Tsukimura Ryoue
9. 凍てつく太陽 by Hamanaka Aki
10. 火のないところに煙は by Ashizawa You and グラスバードは還らない by Ichikawa Yuuto

Foreign
1. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
2. The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson
3. IQ by Joe Ide
4. Rite of Spring of the First Year by Lu Qiucha
5. The Force by Don Winslow
6. La Ruelle fantôme by Paul Halter 
7. Passagier 23 by Sebastian Fitzek
8. Cadres noirs by Pierre Lemaitre
9. Think of a Number by John Verdon, The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison, and The Intern's Handbook by Shane Kuhn

3. Honkaku Mystery Best 10
The Prize of the Deductive Story Research Society, sponsored by Hara Shobou. Exists since 1997. Also irregularly names Man of the Year.

List for Year X is out on December X-1 and evaluates the period November X-2 to October X-1, included.

Prize 2019 (2017.11-2018.10):
Japanese
1. アリバイ崩し承ります by Ooyama Seiichirou (reviewed by Ho-Ling Wong, here)
2. 碆霊の如き祀るもの by Mitsuda Shinzou
3. パズラクション by Kasumi Ryuuichi
4. グラスバードは還らない by Ichikawa Yuuto
5. インド倶楽部の謎 by Arisugawa Alice
6. 星詠師の記憶 by Atsukawa Tatsumi
7. 探偵AIのリアル・ディープラーニング by Hayasaka Yabusaka
8. 少女を殺す100の方法 by Shirai Tomoyuki
9. ドッペルゲンガーの銃 by Kurachi Jun
10. 沈黙のパレー by Higashino Keigo


Foreign
1. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
2. La Ruelle fantôme by Paul Halter
3. Rite of Spring of the First Year by Lu Qiucha
4. Think of a Number by John Verdon
5. Panic by Helen McCloy
6. Thin Air by Ann Cleeves
7. Shanks on Crime by Robert Lopresti
8. The Long Body by Helen McCloy
9. Alibi by Harry Carmichael
10. The Adventure of the Crime Corporation and other Radio Mysteries by Ellery Queen


4. Mystery ga Yomitai!
Hayakawa Shobou decided in 2007 they don't want to lose the race.

Current format is: on January of Year X rating is compiled for October X-2 to September X-1. They list Top-20, I shorten it to Top-10 for ease.

Prize 2019 (2017.10-2018.09):
Japanese
1. それまでの明日 by Hara Ryou
2. 屍人荘の殺人 by Imamura Masahiro
3. 碆霊の如き祀るもの by Mitsuda Shinzou
4. ミステリークロック by Kishi Yuusuke
5. 錆びた滑車 by Wakatake Nanami
6. 雪の階 by Okuizumi Hikaru
7. 火のないところに煙は by Ashizawa You
8. 凍てつく太陽 by Hamanaka Aki
9. インド倶楽部の謎 by Arisugawa Alice
10. ベルリンは晴れているか by Fukamidori Nowaki

Foreign
1. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
2. The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson
3. Passagier 23 by Sebastian Fitzek
4. IQ by Joe Ide
5. Rite of Spring of the First Year by Lu Qiucha
6. The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor
7. Nymphéas noirs by Michel Bussi
8. Den döende detektiven by Leif G.W. Persson
9. Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane
10. The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison