Magical realism is a literary genre famous for unexplained fantastical encounters that pop-up in the otherwise everyday world. Today, we’re going to take a look at magical realism in Japanese fiction. We’ll start with defining magical realism, including a look at why that term is difficult and why some people think of it as controversial. Then we’ll turn to the history of magical realism in Japan and take a closer look at the work of Tomihiko Morimi, especially The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl. (CW: brief mention of fictional suicide attempt) Notes and sources at the podcast episode website. Become an RJL supporter for bonus content. Support this podcast by buying from Bookshop.org A Reading List of Japanese Magical Realism