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Seven Days War Novelist Osamu Sōda Dies at 95

According to Sōda's family, his condition suddenly deteriorated after he was hospitalized due to a cold on April 4.

Kadokawa, which published many of Sōda's works, also released a statement regarding his death on Tuesday. Kadokawa stated that ever since Sōda's debut in 1979, he continued to actively write new works even after he turned 90. The publishers' editors honored Sōda for always lifting the spirits of children throughout his 45-year writing career and for expressing his opposition to war, borne from his personal experience.

Sōda was born on May 8, 1928 in Tokyo. After graduating from college, he first worked as a film scriptwriter and magazine editor before he made his debut as a novelist in 1979 with his Naoki Prize-nominated novel Michi Kaiiki (Unknown Seas).

Kadokawa Shoten published Sōda's Bokura no Nanokakan Sensō (Seven Days War or Our Seven-Day War) novel in April 1985, and the bestselling novel inspired a live-action film starring actress Rie Miyazawa in 1988. The novel also spawned a series of print sequels and spinoffs with over 20 million copies. The series has added new volumes as recently as last month.

The Seven Days War novel inspired an anime film in 2019. The anime film competed in the Features category of the 2020 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. That same year, the film won the award for Best Animated Feature Film at the 53rd annual Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival in Spain.

Sources: NHK, Oricon via Hachima Kiko