Despite having the same last name, these two authors are not related and can bring something completely different to the table.
If you are yet to read any books from either of them, read this article to find out which one you should start with.
Ryu Murakami
As a filmmaker and novelist, Ryu has plenty of talents when it comes to putting a story together. His stories often come together and tackle themes like drug use, disillusion, murder, surrealism, and more.
You can find all kinds of interesting attitudes and themes throughout his refreshing works of literature.
While he covers an array of absurd topics, Ryu keeps his work spontaneous and exciting at all times. Anyone will fall in love with his descriptive methods, and get pulled in by the detailed visuals he can offer.
Popular Books
Here is a list of Ryu Murakami’s books for you to check out if you would like to get your hands on them. Each one is bound to be as entertaining as the next:
As one of the most popular Japanese authors of the modern age, Haruki has worked tirelessly to bring you some incredible books over the years.
The themes he covers in his books are relatable, with a focus on trauma and existential crisis. When these elements are combined with his exceptional ability to bring magic realism to life, you get an author that is hard to beat.
His books have a cynical sense of humor, and he is not afraid to tackle difficult topics in a way that just works. He manages to encompass the human experience, capturing both the good and the bad, on the pages he writes.
Popular Books
If you would like to check out some of Haruki Murakami’s most popular books, these are some great options, to begin with:
A writing style can make or break a book, a chapter, and a page. If you are reading something in a style that you do not enjoy, you probably won’t be able to finish the book.
Luckily, when it comes to Haruki and Ryu’s writing styles, you can expect completely different things. Let’s break down what you need to know.
Haruki Murakami’s Writing Style
Although both Ryu and Haruki are famous for focusing on similar themes in their writing, they are vastly different. Both men explore themes of alienation, loneliness, and isolation, but through very different lenses.
Haruki has developed a way of telling stories through a lens of surrealism, despite many of his stories having roots in the simple and mundane.
His books typically deal with absurd and bizarre situations that leave the characters involved wondering if they actually experienced the situation or not.
There are powerful mysteries at play, but his works somehow manage to remain gentle. The reader is easily drawn in despite the mundane characters.
You will find that many of Haruki’s books contain jazz and other kinds of music to help flesh out the world and characters. This is a smart approach that will further interest you in the characters.
The protagonists in Haruki’s books are typically middle-aged men. They are average and mundane, with nothing that makes them stand out.
These characters unfortunately tend to find themselves experiencing some kind of existential crisis that makes them question everything.
Their neurotic personalities force them to think back on their own childhoods through mentalities we can all relate to and honest inner monologues.
It could be said that Haruki’s writing style is predictable since it follows a set premise. This cannot be said for Ryu’s works, and his work is much more difficult to predict from one page to the next.
Ryu Murakami’s Writing Style
Anyone who has had the pleasure of reading Ry’s works will know that his stories are full of all kinds of exciting twists and turns. Usually, these situations end up being violent, but that only adds to the allure.
One of the best examples of Ryu’s exciting writing can be seen in “In Miso Soup”. This particular book follows a tour guide and his bizarre and scary experience while he has to deal with an unhinged tourist from America.
Ryu’s “Audition” is another unusual story that leads you down a long and winding path. The book follows a widower who has decided to hold a number of fake auditions for young women who might become his girlfriend.
Every situation and decision leads him further down a dark path, and no one knows if he can ever come back from it.
Overall, you can see that Ry’s writing style is a lot more nihilistic with a bleak outlook. As a writer, he wants to expose Japan’s dark side via means of things like Gaijin (foreigner or alien) culture and the sex trade.
He has the ability to peel away the layers of society in Japan and show the world both the good and the bad for a reality check.
Which One Is Better?
As with most forms of art, there is no “better” or “worse”. In the same breath, there is not one that you “should” or “should not” read!
Both authors are incredibly talented and have amazing skills to bring their stories to life. They both focus on different themes but still have dark undertones that are rooted in reality.
Depending on what you prefer, or what you are in the mood for, you may choose one or the other, or even both. Read the works of both authors and discover something new!
More Japanese Authors To Sink Your Teeth Into
There are lots of other fantastic Japanese authors to take a look at if you feel like exploring something a little different. Below are two options that we would encourage you to check out:
Tomihiko Morimi – great for incredible magic realism
Yoko Ogawa – great for stories exploring existential dread
Final Thoughts
Both Ryu and Haruki Murakami are excellent authors and storytellers. Each of these men has a unique writing style, and while they cover dark topics, they are approached in vastly different ways.
If you like to read a book with a surreal but straightforward plot, then Haruki might be perfect for you.
However, if you love reading a book with plenty of twists and turns in it, Ryu’s works will be perfect. There is a lot of excitement to be had either way, but the execution and settings of stories will vary greatly.
Read both authors’ books and decide which one you like the most!
Hi, I’m Jason Patrick, and for as long as I have been alive, I have been obsessed with Japanese culture. From the sights and sounds of Japan’s many cities to its culinary delights that have become famous worldwide, I simply cannot get enough of this wonderful nation!
I hope that, by exploring this website, you all will develop a much deeper appreciation for Japan, and that it may even influence you to pay it a visit yourself eventually! It is definitely a trip of a lifetime, and whether you experience it firsthand, or through my own website, I’m sure you will become just as passionate as I always have been!
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