Mishima Yukio / Original Title: MISHIMA (Shodensha Shinsho 299 Garimaru Shinhyoden Series)

[Machine Translation] The significance of this book is that it provides a non-biased, foreigner's view of Mishima to a younger generation that does not know Mishima in the flesh, a generation that is confused by the many different images of Mishima that continue to be reproduced and does not know how to understand this artist. The point is that it conveys an unbiased image of Mishima through the eyes of a foreigner. The older generation may or may not have been aware of the complex feelings toward Mishima as a contemporary, and the new understanding and interpretation of Mishima will be brought about by a generation that is not involved in such feelings, but this book, which presents an overall picture of the writer in a somewhat neutral way, could be an excellent introduction to Mishima studies. This book, which presents an overall picture of Mishima in a somewhat neutral form, can surely serve as an excellent introduction to the study of Mishima.

本書の意義とは、生身の三島を知らない若い世代―再生産されつづける多種多様な三島のイメージに混乱し、どのようにこの作家を理解していいかわからずにいる世代―に、外国人の目を通した、余計なバイアスのかかっていない三島像を伝えることができる点である。意識するしないにかかわらず上の世代が捕われていた、同時代人としての三島に対する複雑な感情、そういったものとは無縁の世代によって今後は新たな理解と解釈がもたらされることになるだろうが、この作家の全体像をある程度ニュートラルな形で提示する本書は、三島研究の格好の入門書となりうるに違いない。