🎬 What do I know about Honda's work?
I met Honda 50 years ago through a mutual friend. I had heard he was a student at the University of Tokyo, but he seemed very stubborn and unfriendly. He said he was researching Russian literature by Tolstoy, so I had no idea what to talk about. I had never read any of Tolstoy's novels, so I looked at his bookshelf and praised him for having read so much. Then we started talking about all sorts of things. I nodded and praised him endlessly. After that, he seemed to like me and we became friends. In fact, it was thanks to me that Honda was able to graduate from the University of Tokyo. However, this story would be too long to explain, so I will skip it.
Honda has been writing novels since his student days, and I always had him read them. Eventually, he started using me as a model for his stories. He then won the Ekoda Literary Prize for "Mr. K's Cinema." It was just before his wedding. It was a farewell to him as he began his second life. When I think about it, I will be indirectly involved in such turning points in his life as graduation and marriage.
After that, Honda returned to Hiroshima and continued writing novels while working as a high school teacher and running a cram school. He would send me his manuscripts and ask for my feedback. When he was publishing a study guide for entrance exams, he was unsure whether to publish it or not, and when asked for my opinion, I answered that it should be published.
Last year (2025), he self-published an essay called "Notes of a Textualist." It was sent to me straight away, and when I read it, it was written about me. It contained quite a few factual errors, but it was written in an interesting way, so I decided to forgive it.
Now, regarding this new work, when I first read the manuscript I thought it was interesting, but I felt that the portrayal of junior high and high school students was not modern. He asked for my opinion, so I suggested changing the historical setting to the 1980s, the era Honda experienced. When I read the manuscript he sent me again, it was suddenly much more interesting. Honda may seem stubborn at first glance, but he obediently follows good advice. This is a wonderful talent.
The title of the series, "Hiroshima School of Legend," is also very good. In this work, the previously published "Private Tutor Kuroki Kazuma" also appears as a middle school student, so we can look forward to his future exploits. This series looks interesting.
By the way, the main character of this story, Sawaki Shin-ichi, has a name that sounds similar to mine?
Screenwriter, art producer, and representative of the Smile Up Promotion Committee. He made his debut as a screenwriter with Kadokawa Pictures' "The Legend of Tenkawa Murder Case" (directed by Ichikawa Kon). His works include the film "Stupid Teacher" (general director: Obayashi Nobuhiko) and the book "Godzilla Days" (Shueisha).
