Entertainers and Singers - Akiyuki Nosaka's debut as a singer (early 1970s)

Entertainers and Singers - Akiyuki Nosaka's debut as a singer (early 1970s)

In the early 1970s, Japanese society was in the final stages of its rapid economic growth, and despite the impending oil shock, TVs and stereos, symbols of affluence, were still prevalent in the streets, and music and entertainment were the great pleasures of ordinary people's lives. It was during this time that a unique figure from the literary world ventured into the world of entertainment: the writer Akiyuki Nosaka.

Nosaka was a literary figure known for such works as "Grave of the Fireflies," based on his war experiences, and "America Hijiki," which won the Naoki Prize, but his activities were not limited to literature; he also displayed his strong personality as a TV commentator and columnist. Nosaka's entrance onto the stage as a "singer" was a reflection of the cultural climate of the time: the 1970s was a time of crossover between the performing and literary arts, politics and popular culture, and Nosaka's entry into the world of entertainment is a symbol of this.

His second album (advertised as a sensitivity album) was a unique work that combined elements of literary wordplay and popular song. Nosaka did not have a beautiful voice, and his singing was more like a croaky voice, but the unadorned quality of his voice, combined with the style of "a man of letters singing his own words," left a strong impression on people. This style echoed that of folk songs and protest songs that were popular at the same time, in which the message, not the skill of the singer, was what made the audience listen.

In the entertainment industry of the early 1970s, TV singing shows were in their golden age, idol singers and the "Hana no Chuzo Trio" were on the rise, and Tokiko Kato and Nobuyasu Okabayashi were making their presence felt with their socially-conscious folk songs. Nosaka's singing activities were unique as a "writer's self-expression" that did not belong to any of these groups, and were widely covered by newspapers and magazines. In addition, his uninhibited behavior led him from "heretic of the literary world" to "heretic of the entertainment world," and piqued the curiosity of the times.

These developments symbolized the blurring of boundaries in the entertainment world. Writers and intellectuals taking the stage in the performing arts promoted the popularization of culture as well as the diversification of the entertainment industry. Akiyuki Nosaka's singing career was not merely an afterthought, but an attempt to cross the boundaries between literature and the performing arts in the "torrent of popular culture" of the 1970s.