Rikako Akiyoshi 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 Rikako Akiyoshi, 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 Akiyoshi Rikako’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.
J!-ENT’s Dennis A. Amith recently had the opportunity to interview Rikako Akiyoshi about “The Dark Maidens” and more!
Please visit our sister site, Neo-Tokyo 2099 to read the entire interview