Edogawa Ranpo, the father of Japanese detective fiction, is a massive figure in Japan. Beyond how his original stories shocked and fascinated the readers of Shinseinen Magazine and beyond, Ranpo's works are still widely loved today, inspiring yet more generations of writers. Edogawa Ranpo wrote hundreds of short stories throughout his career, many investigating similar themes. Pictured above are some of his most popular short stories separated by four of Ranpo's most popular themes. As becomes clear upon closer investigation, point of view is massively important in Ranpo's works. So important that it plays a major part in seven out of the nine stories above. It could even be argued point of view is important enough in "The Poison Weeds" and "The Dancing Dwarf" to shift the placement I gave them above. These common themes give insight into the fascinations of Ranpo, both when it comes to writerly influences and worldly ones. In his personal essays, Ranpo writes of his fascination with the Panorama Hall of Asakusa Park as well as the misemono (similar to puppet shows) they performed there. It is obvious the experimentation of the point of view inside of the Panorama Hall inspired him, combining later with his love of Poe and his focus on the eye. How much did the themes of Ranpo shape the future writers of Japanese detective fiction? And how much was he shaped from his love of Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, Kuroiwa Ruiko, and more?
1. Edogawa, Ranpo, and Elaine Gerbert. Strange tale of panorama island. Honolulu:University of Hawaiʻi Press, 2013. 2. Jacobowitz, Seth, and Ranpo Edogawa. The Edogawa Rampo reader. Fukuoka: Kurodahan Press, 2008.