1. Introduction

Since the turn of the 21st century, Japanese mystery novels have gained widespread popularity in China. A variety of Japanese detective fiction works have continuously entered the Chinese market, sparking a boom in the domestic book industry. In just a few years, the number of Japanese mystery novels published in China has surged dramatically, even surpassing that of European and American detective fiction, making it one of the most popular forms of literature among Chinese readers [1]. As these works gained popularity, various genres of Japanese mystery novels and their authors have gradually become familiar to Chinese readers. Among them, the "New Social School" represented by Higashino Keigo and the "New Orthodox School" led by Shimada Soji are currently the two most well-known schools, each boasting a large number of readers [1]. However, among the top-ranked mystery novels on Douban, Kotaro Isaka’s Golden Slumbers has successfully secured a spot in the top four, becoming the only Japanese author, besides Higashino Keigo, to rank in the top five.

Golden Slumbers was first published in 2007. In 2008, it won the 5th Japan Booksellers’ Award, the 21st Yamamoto Shugoro Prize, second place in Weekly Bunshun’s mystery novel ranking, and second place in Da Vinci magazine’s annual book list. In 2009, it was introduced to China by Duku Culture. On January 30, 2010, the Japanese film adaptation began screening, and the book was reprinted. In 2016, Nanhai Publishing House reprinted the Chinese edition. In 2018, the South Korean film adaptation of the novel was released, receiving positive feedback.

As of now, the Japanese edition of Golden Slumbers has sold over 1.14 million copies, the Japanese film grossed 1.15 billion yen at the box office, and the South Korean film earned 114.1276 billion won. Although sales figures for the Chinese edition are unknown, its high rating of 8.8 on Douban reflects Chinese readers’ love and appreciation for the novel.

Kotaro Isaka is known as a mystery novelist, excelling in breaking the traditional framework of detective fiction with his surrealist style. His works weave together intricate plots and a light, flowing narrative, infusing his mysteries with a unique warmth and healing quality. His debut novel A Cheerful Gang Turns the Earth (阳気なｷﾞｬﾝｸﾞが地球を回す) (1996) was awarded the Suntory Mystery Prize for Excellence. In 2000, he officially entered the literary scene by winning the 5th Shincho Mystery Club Prize for A Prayer (ｵｰﾃﾞｭﾎﾞﾝの祈り). His later work A Life (ﾗｯｼｭﾗｲﾌ) garnered widespread attention, receiving extensive coverage in major newspapers and magazines. Between 2003 and 2006, Isaka was nominated five times for the Naoki Prize with Jūryoku Piero (重力ﾋﾟｴﾛ), Children (ﾁﾙﾄﾞﾚﾝ), Grasshopper (ｸﾞﾗｽﾎｯﾊﾟｰ), Accuracy of Death (死神の精度), and Desert (沙漠) [2]. His works are generally divided into two phases: early and late. The early phase, represented by Ahiru To Yā No Koinrokkā (ｱﾋﾙと鸭のｺｲﾝﾛｯｶｰ), Accuracy of Death (死神の精度), and Golden Slumbers, received multiple awards and were frequently adapted into films and TV dramas. In the later phase, Isaka expanded beyond the detective genre, incorporating more entertaining elements into his works, such as Modern Times (ﾓﾀﾞﾝﾀｲﾑｽ) and Fisshusutōrī (ﾌｨｯｼｭｽﾄｰﾘｰ).

2. Literature Review

2.1. Development of Domestic Literary Awards

Since the beginning of the 21st century, literary awards have brought a lively atmosphere to the previously quiet literary scene, with a multitude of emerging literary awards forming a certain value judgment for literary development [3]. According to incomplete statistics, the number of well-known literary awards nationwide now exceeds one hundred, and the prize money for these awards continues to rise as they are compared with each other. Winning certain awards has become a profitable endeavor that brings both fame and fortune [3]. Currently, literary awards can generally be divided into five categories: national official awards represented by the Mao Dun Literature Prize and the Lu Xun Literature Prize; regional official awards such as the Lao She Literature Prize in Beijing and the Mao Zedong Literature Prize in Hunan; literary awards from periodicals and publishing houses, such as the October Literature Prize and the People’s Literature Award; literary awards from non-governmental academic societies, such as the China Novel Society Award and the Ai Qing Poetry Award from the China Poetry Society; and other awards, including the Soong Ching Ling Children’s Literature Award and the Chinese Media Literary Prize.

At the same time, the popularity of mass culture has ushered society into an era of public celebrations. Events such as the Super Girl singing competition have become examples of public revelry, showcasing the successful cooperation between cultural consumption and commercial hype [4]. Literature under the influence of consumerism finds itself in a new state: the older generation of writers, who uphold literature as a spiritual product, often find themselves in self-appreciation due to the lack of market benefits in their works. They cannot help but reminisce about the sensational impact of literature in the 1980s. In contrast, the younger generation of writers, who view literature as a market commodity, often revel in the success of their works in the book market, taking pride in the financial rewards that come with writing in this era. Meanwhile, middle-aged writers, who neither abandon the spiritual power of literature nor fully embrace the market, often find themselves in a dilemma. Their attempts to continue their past writing styles are met with market indifference, and when they shift toward market-oriented writing, they sometimes achieve high sales, though not with works they take pride in [4].

A new state of disorder seems to be emerging between publishers, literary awards, writers, and readers. Good reputation and high sales seem difficult to coexist. The works of well-known older writers, even when winning awards, often fail to gain reader recognition, which in turn affects the reputation of the awards and the associated publishers, further impacting future sales.

2.2. Mainstream Literary Awards in Japan

Japan’s mainstream literary award system is relatively well-established, with each award having its unique selection criteria and influence, renowned for its high quality. These awards are mainly categorized into public rookie awards, rookie awards, and merit awards. Public rookie awards primarily target amateur writers who have yet to debut as professional authors, aiming to discover new writers. Most of these awards require submissions to be completely unpublished or not publicly released works. The publishing rights of the selected works belong to the hosting publisher, and the awards are generally organized by publishers or relevant corporate foundations. Submissions are openly solicited, and selections are made. Winning works are usually published in literary magazines, while long-form works, which are difficult to feature in magazines, are published as standalone books. The number of selected works in such literary awards depends on the publisher’s sales strategy and the quality of the applicants, as well as the saturation of the publisher’s signed authors. Those responsible for judging are primarily professional and mid-level authors, literary critics, and magazine editors. Many judges are former winners of the same award who became famous after receiving it [5]. Representative public rookie awards include the Bungakukai Newcomer Award, the Gunzo New Writer’s Award, the All Yomimono Newcomer Award, and the Edogawa Rampo Award.

Rookie awards mainly focus on newly emerging writers and promising newcomers to the literary world, awarding outstanding works already published in magazines or as standalone books. Representative awards include the Akutagawa Prize, the Noma Literary Newcomer Award, and the Mishima Yukio Prize—these three are known as the "Triple Crown"—as well as the Yamamoto Shugoro Prize, which also falls into this category. Initially, the Naoki Prize was also classified as a rookie award but later shifted towards the merit award category.

Rookie awards primarily target the two main divisions of pure literature and popular literature. Some smaller, emerging literary genres do not have corresponding rookie awards, and in practice, newcomers in these genres are often recognized through merit awards.

Merit awards are primarily for mid-level and senior writers in the literary world, such as the Noma Literary Award, the Yomiuri Literary Award, the Japan Art Academy Award (Category II: Literature), the Tanizaki Junichiro Prize, the Mainichi Publishing Culture Award (Literature and Arts category), the Shinchosha Literary Prize, and the Women’s Literary Prize [5]. There are also awards for specific genres, such as the Kawabata Yasunari Prize for short stories and the Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Award for popular fiction. Additionally, there are awards categorized by genre, such as the Mystery Writers of Japan Award, the Authentic Horror Literary Award, and the Japan Horror Literary Grand Prize for mystery and horror fiction, as well as the Seiun Award and the Japan SF Award for science fiction [5].

Apart from novels, there are also various awards for other literary forms in Japan. For modern poetry, there are the Takami Jun Prize and the H Prize; for tanka, the Kadokawa Tanka Prize and the Modern Tanka Association Prize; for haiku, the Kadokawa Haiku Prize and the Modern Haiku Association Prize. For literary criticism and essays, there is the Kobayashi Hideo Prize, and for non-fiction, the Oya Soichi Nonfiction Award. The Kishida Kunio Drama Award focuses on theatrical works, and the Japan Translation Culture and Publishing Culture Awards are for translations. In the 1970s, even an award for the best book blurb, the Japanese Blurb Literature Grand Prize, emerged [5].

Table 1: Overview of Major Literary Awards in Japan

Most of these are literary awards based on the publisher + foundation model. Japan also has a large number of awards hosted by local governments and newspapers. Examples of local government awards include the Izumi Kyoka Literary Award from Kanazawa City, the Dazai Osamu Award co-hosted by Mitaka City and Chikuma Shobo, and the Murasaki Shikibu Award from Uji City. Newspaper-hosted awards include the Yomiuri Literary Award from Yomiuri Shimbun and the Osaragi Jiro Prize from Asahi Shimbun [5]. Additionally, there are various literary awards organized by political parties, temples, and memorial halls. In short, Japan’s literary award system is structured with high-quality mainstream awards as pillars, alongside a flourishing variety of literary forms and fields.

3. Research Design

Through a case study of Golden Slumbers, this research reviews the entire process of its publication and introduction, along with the relevant publishing house situation. It analyzes the author’s award-winning journey and the recognition the work itself received, taking into account the current online development of publishing houses and the growth of related literary awards. The study explores the relationship between the structure of the literary award system, the development of publishing houses, and the marketing of authors’ works in the era of intelligent communication.

4. Results and Analysis

4.1. The Support of Publishers and Literary Awards

Before the publication of Golden Slumbers, Kotaro Isaka had already gained widespread attention due to his continuous award wins. His debut work A Cheerful Gang Turns the Earth (阳気なｷﾞｬﾝｸﾞが地球を回す) won the Suntory Mystery Prize for Excellence in 1996, followed by A Prayer (ｵｰﾃﾞｭﾎﾞﾝの祈り), which won the 5th Shinchō Mystery Club Award. From 2003 to 2006, he was shortlisted for the Naoki Prize five times, all of which are highly prestigious and recognized awards in Japan.

Since his debut, Isaka’s works and awards reflect a long-standing collaborative relationship with Shinchōsha. The publishing house offers a wide variety of awards covering many aspects of the literary field, showcasing its emphasis on literary diversity and innovation. According to the company’s official website, Shinchōsha currently operates thirteen literary awards that are still active and for which information is available. These awards are set up for different types of literary works or literary activities. Below is a list of the awards established by Shinchōsha based on official website data:

Table 2: A List of Literary Awards Established by Shinchōsha

Shinchōsha’s internal literary awards cover almost the entire spectrum of Japan’s literary award system and are highly prestigious. These include the Shinchō Newcomer Prize, which is a public award for newcomers; the Mishima Yukio Prize and Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize, representing newcomer awards; and the Kawabata Yasunari Prize, categorized as an achievement award. In addition, there are genre-specific awards such as the Japan Fantasy Novel Award for fantasy novels, the Shinchō Mystery Grand Prize for mystery novels, and the R-18 Literature Prize, which is specifically for works by female authors. While maintaining the high quality of mainstream literary awards, the publisher continues to explore new awards based on current content trends. This not only encourages the creation of a wider range of literary forms but also helps the publisher build its brand and reputation, thus supporting the marketing of each work and every author.

4.2. The Prestige of Japanese Magazines and Rankings

In addition to mainstream literary awards led by publishers and experts, Japan also has many rankings driven by readers and sales, marking further exploration in the field. "If judged by the sheer number, the most successful award in terms of sales today is the Bookstore Grand Prize." The Bookstore Grand Prize was established in 2003 as a "popular literature prize" by a group of bookstore staff. Any employee working in a bookstore in Japan, whether full-time, intern, or part-time, is eligible to vote. In contrast to professional awards, where authors are the primary judges and literary value is emphasized, the purpose of the Bookstore Grand Prize is for bookstore staff—the group most familiar with books as commodities and with readers as consumers—to select books that will appeal to the general public and achieve commercial success.

On the other hand, with the widespread adoption and development of the internet, Japanese magazines have gradually transitioned to digital and online formats. Major magazine institutions have set up their own official websites and social media accounts, using online platforms to publish content, engage in interactive discussions, and attract readers. In addition to traditional distribution channels, Japanese magazines are also disseminated through bookstores, convenience stores, subway ads, outdoor advertisements, and other media. These channels provide more exposure and opportunities to reach potential readers, which is why the current Japanese magazine market remains prosperous. It covers a wide range of fields including fashion, lifestyle, entertainment, and news, with many magazines boasting large circulation numbers and vast readerships, giving them significant reach and influence. For instance, the magazines under Japan’s three major newspapers, Yomiuri Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun, and Mainichi Shimbun; fashion magazines such as Vogue Japan and Non-no, which lead the latest trends in clothing, cosmetics, and beauty; and news and entertainment magazines like Shūkan Bunshun and Shūkan Gendai, which report on social hot topics and entertainment gossip to satisfy readers’ information needs and curiosity—all enjoy considerable recognition and influence in their respective fields. Each major magazine holds annual ranking polls based on its content, engaging readers through interactive voting. Golden Slumbers not only won the 21st Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize, a mainstream literary award, but also the 5th Bookstore Grand Prize, ranked second in Shūkan Bunshun’s mystery novel list for the year, and was the second-best book of the year in Da Vinci magazine, earning a strong reputation among the general public.

4.3. Preferences for Film Adaptations and Cross-Industry Collaborations

The novel Golden Slumbers was first published in 2007, and its Japanese film adaptation was released on January 30, 2010. Simultaneously, the book was reissued, and to date, sales of the Japanese edition have surpassed 1.14 million copies. In 2018, the South Korean film adaptation of Golden Slumbers, based on the novel by Kōtarō Isaka, was also released.

There is a certain correlation between Japanese literary awards and film adaptations. For example, books that have won the Edogawa Rampo Prize, the Naoki Prize, the Akutagawa Prize, and the Japan Booksellers’ Award are often favored for adaptation into films or TV dramas. Works that win the Edogawa Rampo Prize benefit from the prestigious standing of the award in the mystery genre and the high quality of its winning entries. Many authors who have won this prize have grown into masters of the mystery genre, and their works are frequently adapted into films or television series. In 1985, Keigo Higashino won the 31st Edogawa Rampo Prize with Houkago (はうかご), which was later adapted into a film, thus bringing him into the public eye and launching his career as a professional writer. Several of his subsequent works, such as Miracles of the Namiya General Store (ﾅﾐﾔ雑貨店の奇蹟) and Journey Under the Midnight Sun (びゃくやこう), have also been adapted into films or TV dramas, receiving widespread attention and praise globally. In 2001, Kazuaki Takano’s debut novel 13 Kaidan (13階段), which won the 47th Edogawa Rampo Prize, was adapted into a film due to its unique subject matter and compelling plot. Other notable examples include Nô Otoko (脳男) by Urio Shudo and Senseijutsu-teki Satsujin Mahō (占星術殺人事件) by Shūgorō Shimada. These works, after being adapted for the screen, often retain the essence of the original while attracting a larger audience through the medium of film.

The Naoki Prize primarily recognizes writers who have made significant contributions to popular literature, and its wide readership has led to many of its award-winning works being successfully adapted into films or TV dramas. These adaptations span various themes and styles, ranging from mystery and suspense to social realism, love stories, and historical epics. For example, the popular TV drama Hanzawa Naoki (半沢直樹ｼﾘｰｽﾞ), directed by Katsuo Fukuzawa and starring Masato Sakai and Aya Ueto, is based on Jun Ikeido’s Naoki Prize-winning novels Ore-tachi baburu nyūkō-gumi (ｵﾚたちﾊﾞﾌﾞﾙ入行組) and Ore Tachi Hana No Baburu zǔ (ｵﾚたち花のﾊﾞﾌﾞﾙ组). This drama became a sensational hit in Japan. Keigo Higashino’s The Devotion of Suspect X (容疑者Xの献身) and Shion Miura’s Tada's Do-It-All House (まほろ駅前多田便利軒) are other standouts among Naoki Prize-winning works. Their adaptations have not only achieved great success in Japan but also gained considerable recognition and influence internationally.

The Akutagawa Prize, Japan’s most prestigious award for pure literature, is known for its literary merit and artistic depth, with many of its winning works being adapted into films, presenting their unique styles and profound themes in a more accessible visual format for readers and viewers alike. Notable examples include Kazoku Cinema by Yu Miri (1998), Buta no mukui (豚の報い) by Yūki Hiyama (1999), Gerumaniumunoyoru (ｹﾞﾙﾏﾆｳﾑの夜) by Kazuki Hanamura (2005), ‌ Snakes and Earrings (蛇にﾋﾟｱｽ) by Hitomi Kanehara (2008), Kueki Ressha (苦役列車) by Kenji Nishimura (2012), Tomogui (共喰い相残) by Shinya Tanaka (2013), and Spark (火花 ひばな) by Naoki Matayoshi (2017), all of which garnered widespread attention and acclaim.

In addition to the aforementioned mainstream literary awards, the Japan Booksellers’ Award, chosen by representatives of bookstores across Japan (including online bookstores), has also seen its winning works frequently adapted into films due to their surging popularity. For instance, Hitsuji To Hagane No Mori (羊と鋼の森), which won first place in the 2016 Japan Booksellers’ Award, was adapted into a film directed by Kōjirō Hashimoto, with a cast that included Kento Yamazaki and veteran actor Tomokazu Miura. Nagi’s Soshite, Baton Wa Watasa Reta (そして､ﾊﾞﾄﾝは渡された), the 2019 winner of the Japan Booksellers’ Award, was adapted into a film starring Satomi Ishihara, Kei Tanaka, and Mei Nagano, released on October 29, 2021, in Japan. The 2020 Japan Booksellers’ Award-winning novel My Beautiful Man (美しい彼) by Nagira Yū was adapted into a TV drama starring Riku Hagiwara and Yūsei Yagi from FANTASTICS from EXILE TRIBE, which premiered on MBS on November 18, 2021.

Moreover, many other literary award-winning works, such as those that have won the Mishima Yukio Prize and the Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Prize, have been adapted into films, further expanding their influence and reach through various media platforms and spreading the charm and value of Japanese literature to a broader audience.

5. Discussion

5.1. The Relationship Between the Literary Award System and the Marketing of Authors and Their Works

Japan’s current literary award system can be broadly divided into two categories. One category consists of mainstream literary awards hosted by publishers and various writers’ associations, such as the Akutagawa Prize and the Naoki Prize. The other category includes rankings or awards generated spontaneously by the public’s votes, such as the Japan Bookstore Prize and various annual lists from magazines and websites. Thus, the entire literary award system is tree-like in its development, centered around mainstream literary awards while allowing various types of literature to explore and voice opinions, enriching both popularity and interest while ensuring the high quality of mainstream literature.

Currently, the domestic literary award system shows signs of stagnation. Well-known awards such as the Lu Xun Literary Prize, the Mao Dun Literary Prize, and the Lao She Literary Prize all belong to mainstream literary awards. Although there are also awards targeting specific literary fields, such as the Galaxy Award for fantasy literature and the Fu Lei Translation and Publishing Award for foreign translations, these still function as "indicators of high culture" like the Chinese Literature Media Award. Only spontaneous grassroots organizations, such as Douban and various online novel platform rankings, have emerged, but except for Douban’s recognized quality, others exhibit uneven standards and have yet to form widely recognized grassroots literary awards.

As judges of literary quality and gatekeepers of reader choices, literary awards play a significant role in the development of publishers and the marketing of authors and their works. On one hand, excellent literary awards require long-term brand building and reputation accumulation. However, high-quality literary awards and rankings can provide feedback to publishers and authors. For example, Shinchosha has developed a comprehensive literary award system with high-quality awards such as the Mishima Yukio Prize, the Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize, and the Kawabata Yasunari Prize, while also establishing new awards like the Shincho Mystery Prize and the R-18 Literary Prize in response to contemporary needs. This approach maintains award quality while promoting works like Isaka Kotaro’s Golden Slumbers, allowing it to leverage its high-quality reputation from the start, attracting substantial media attention and audience recognition.

5.2. Various Forms and Media to Enhance Dissemination and Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Isaka Kotaro himself has a certain level of recognition. Firstly, his works cover a wide range of themes, feature unique perspectives, and demonstrate profound literary skill. Unlike Haruki Murakami’s nihilism and detachment or Higashino Keigo’s suspense and exploration of human nature, Isaka Kotaro’s works are known for their passion, courage, and healing style. This unique stylistic positioning allows him to stand out among many authors, and all his published works maintain extremely high standards, laying the foundation for subsequent marketing efforts. After publishing Golden Slumbers, Shinchosha did not limit its focus to mainstream literary awards; instead, it actively explored various grassroots awards as well as rankings from magazines and websites, achieving good results due to their excellent content. This also garnered extensive media attention and coverage in Japan. At the same time, they actively engaged with readers on social networks, continuously expanding his readership and increasing interest in his books.

On the other hand, Shinchosha is actively exploring external publishing and film adaptations and is working to introduce corresponding marketing activities in conjunction with foreign markets. For instance, in 2016, Nankai Publishing launched a new version of Golden Slumbers. In August of the same year, Isaka Kotaro attended the Shanghai Book Fair in China, where he engaged in friendly exchanges with readers and participated in media interviews. His works have consistently received positive ratings and reviews on the Douban platform. In February 2022, Isaka Kotaro opened a Douban account, interacting with Chinese readers and answering their questions in discussion posts.

5.3. Up-to-Date Marketing Strategies

In Japan, Isaka Kotaro is regarded as a writer on par with Haruki Murakami and Higashino Keigo. However, the impact, influence, and level of discussion surrounding him and his works do not seem to match the quality of his writings. A review of his entire publishing history and marketing strategies reveals that due to his early publishing date and only one reissue in Japan, his subsequent marketing activities display a sense of insufficient momentum. The overall marketing process relies heavily on traditional literary awards to gain fame, while film adaptations and external publishing further expand the audience range. However, there is a noticeable lack of engagement with new media technologies and social media applications both domestically and abroad. Given the author’s considerable fame and the high quality of his works, it is crucial to consider how to leverage various social media platforms for promotion and interaction and how to combine online and offline models to refresh marketing strategies. This is an area for future consideration for both Golden Slumbers and its author, Isaka Kotaro, in further expanding their influence.