"Genseki Hakku" Project Confirms Full Judge Panel for BL Talent Discovery
Futami Shobo and the Yamagata Novelist Writer Course have finalized the judging panel for their BL-themed talent search. Joining Shion Miura, three new judges including Yukari Fujimoto have been announced.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 2, 2026 at 00:50
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 16:47
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 21, 2026 at 09:01 (472h 13m after Collected)
This project is a collaborative effort between Futami Shobo and the Yamagata Novelist Writer Course, aimed at discovering and nurturing new talent in the BL (Boys' Love) genre that transcends traditional frameworks. Following the earlier announcement of Shion Miura's participation, we are pleased to report that three additional judges have now been confirmed.
### Judging Panel
#### Shion Miura
Born in Tokyo in 1976. Debuted in 2000 with "Kaku-to Suru Mono ni Maru." Winner of numerous awards including the Naoki Prize in 2006 for "Mahoro Ekimae Tada Benriken," the Bookstore Award in 2012 for "The Great Passage" (Fune wo Amu), the Oda Sakunosuke Prize in 2015 for "Ano Ie ni Kurasu Yon-nin no Onna," the Shimase Romantic Literature Prize and Kawai Hayao Story Prize in 2018 for "Nonohana Tsushin," and the Special Prize from the Botanical Society of Japan in 2019 for "Ai naki Sekai."
Other novels include "Run with the Wind" (Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru), "The Easy Life in Kamusari" (Kamusari Nana Nichijo), "Hikari," "Elegy wa Nagarenai," and "Sumi no Yurameki." Her essay collections include "Hon-ya-san de Machiawase," "Nokke kara Shitsurei Shimasu," "Manual Not Required: How to Write a Novel," and "Suki ni Natte Shimaimashita." Recent works include "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami," "Yubisaki ni Maho," and the essay collection "Shingari de Neteimasu."
#### Yukari Fujimoto
Professor at the School of Global Japanese Studies, Meiji University. Specialist in "Gender and Representation" and "Manga Culture Theory." Until 2007, she worked as an editor at Chikuma Shobo handling gender-related issues while also active as a critic focused on comics and sexuality. She served as the secretariat head for the Dazai Osamu Prize and was a literary editor for authors such as Kiku-ko Tsumura, Rieko Matsuura, and Azusa Nakajima. She has held columns in newspapers and magazines and served on selection committees for the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize and Kodansha Manga Award. She joined Meiji University in 2008. Recently, she has been investigating the global spread of BL and its relationship with local LGBTQ+ communities. Her representative works include "Where Do I Belong?" (Gakuyo Shobo/Asahi Bunko) and "Pleasure Current" (Kawade Shobo Shinsha).
### Judging Panel
#### Shion Miura
Born in Tokyo in 1976. Debuted in 2000 with "Kaku-to Suru Mono ni Maru." Winner of numerous awards including the Naoki Prize in 2006 for "Mahoro Ekimae Tada Benriken," the Bookstore Award in 2012 for "The Great Passage" (Fune wo Amu), the Oda Sakunosuke Prize in 2015 for "Ano Ie ni Kurasu Yon-nin no Onna," the Shimase Romantic Literature Prize and Kawai Hayao Story Prize in 2018 for "Nonohana Tsushin," and the Special Prize from the Botanical Society of Japan in 2019 for "Ai naki Sekai."
Other novels include "Run with the Wind" (Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru), "The Easy Life in Kamusari" (Kamusari Nana Nichijo), "Hikari," "Elegy wa Nagarenai," and "Sumi no Yurameki." Her essay collections include "Hon-ya-san de Machiawase," "Nokke kara Shitsurei Shimasu," "Manual Not Required: How to Write a Novel," and "Suki ni Natte Shimaimashita." Recent works include "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami," "Yubisaki ni Maho," and the essay collection "Shingari de Neteimasu."
#### Yukari Fujimoto
Professor at the School of Global Japanese Studies, Meiji University. Specialist in "Gender and Representation" and "Manga Culture Theory." Until 2007, she worked as an editor at Chikuma Shobo handling gender-related issues while also active as a critic focused on comics and sexuality. She served as the secretariat head for the Dazai Osamu Prize and was a literary editor for authors such as Kiku-ko Tsumura, Rieko Matsuura, and Azusa Nakajima. She has held columns in newspapers and magazines and served on selection committees for the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize and Kodansha Manga Award. She joined Meiji University in 2008. Recently, she has been investigating the global spread of BL and its relationship with local LGBTQ+ communities. Her representative works include "Where Do I Belong?" (Gakuyo Shobo/Asahi Bunko) and "Pleasure Current" (Kawade Shobo Shinsha).