Monkey Man

Takuji Ichikawa is an author who ignores traditional boundaries and is impossible to pigeonhole. One whose positive and fantastical narratives touch the soul through storytelling that not only 'transforms and heals', but also sells in the millions. After initially publishing stories online, his second novel 'Ima Ai ni Yukimasu' (Be With You) became a blockbuster, selling more than a million copies in Japan, putting Ichikawa on the Japanese literary map. The publication of 'Be With You' also sparked the imagination of others, leading to the creation of a Japanese film, several international remakes, a television drama and a manga. Ichikawa's works, which often depict love and loss, continue to resonate and be adapted for film. And Ichikawa, who has been diagnosed as having Asperger's Syndrome, continues to consistently demonstrate that literature has and should have no borders, and that being different is all about being special - something that should be celebrated.