Kan Shimozawa(1892-1968)
- Writer
Kan Shimozawa graduated from the Department of Law of the University of
Meiji. Then he decided to be a journalist and joined reputed Yomiuri
Shinbun and later Tokyo Gendai. In the 20s he began to write novels and
focused in period aventure dramas. From 1931 his novels were converted
into movies (there are more than 100 film adaptations), but he did not
gain a reputation until the publication of his revolutionary novel
"Shinsengumi Chronicles" in 1937. It is a new version of the famous
story of Isamu Kondo and Ryoma Sakamoto, and has been made into a movie
twice, in 1954 (by Juichi Kono) and 1963 (by Kenji Misumi). Other
significant novels were "Kaishu Katsu" and "Fujitaka", as well as his
compilation "Atsuta Diary". His most famous creations have been made
into severals films: "Obozu Tengu" ("Goblin Priest") in 1954 ("The Gay
Revenger") and 1962 ("Devil Priest"); "Yataro Gasa" twelve times
between 1931 and 1960; and the popular "Zato Ichi" more than 20 times
starting in 1962...
