Naoki Prize Nominee Announced: Masayasu Wakabayashi's 'Aoten' Nominated for the 175th Naoki Prize! (Includes Author's Comment on Nomination)

Masayasu Wakabayashi's 'Aoten' (pronounced Ao-ten), published by Bungeishunju Ltd. on February 20, 2026, has been selected as a candidate for the 175th Naoki Sanjugo Prize.

Mr. Wakabayashi, who is active as a comedian in the duo Audrey, published his first essay collection 'Shakaijin Daigaku Hitomishiri Gakubu Sotsugyo Miko' in 2013. In 2018, he won the Saito Hidesaburo Prize for 'Omotesando no Celebu Ken to Cabana要塞 no Norainu', a record of his trip to Cuba. His third essay collection 'Naname no Yugure' has sold over 420,000 copies, drawing significant attention for his writing.

'Aoten', his first novel set in a weak high school American football club, marks his first Naoki Prize nomination. The novel has sold over 290,000 copies to date.

The selection committee for the 175th Naoki Prize will be held in Tokyo on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.

◼︎ Comment from Masayasu Wakabayashi on the Naoki Prize Nomination

"Since it's a work I wrote simply because I love American football and was absorbed in it, I never imagined it would be selected as a candidate for the Naoki Prize. I feel like the protagonist, Ari, is running much more powerfully and further than I imagined. I'm watching his back, thinking, 'Go ahead and crash straight into the Naoki Prize.'"

◼︎ Synopsis of 'Aoten'

"If I don't bump into people, I can't tell if I'm alive."

The American football club at Soudai San High, to which Subaru Nakamura, nicknamed 'Ari', belongs, never gets past the second round. In their final tournament as third-years, having secretly filmed the opposing team's practice, they are crushed by the powerhouse Ryosei Gakuen. After retiring, while everyone else prepares for exams, Ari drifts through life, unable to focus on studying but not ready to become a delinquent. Struggling with his own inadequacy, he decides to face American football again.

[Aoten]... An American football term meaning the humiliation of being knocked onto one's back during a game.

◼︎ Enthusiastic Comments from Over 100 Bookstore Employees Nationwide

"I don't really know the rules of American football, but it was still fun," "It's been a while since I read such a raw novel." The comments from bookstore employees who quickly noticed Wakabayashi's debut novel have been compiled into articles.

◼︎ Author Profile

Masayasu Wakabayashi

Born in Tokyo in 1978. Formed the comedy duo Nice Middle with Toshiaki Kasuga, a teammate from the American football club at Nihon University Daini High School. They later renamed themselves Audrey. He is the tsukkomi (straight man). He has expanded his activities to TV and radio, mainly in variety shows. In 2024, he held a Tokyo Dome live event commemorating the 15th anniversary of 'Audrey's All Night Nippon', drawing 160,000 people. His first essay collection, 'Shakaijin Daigaku Hitomishiri Gakubu Sotsugyo Miko', published in 2013, became a bestseller. In 2018, he won the 3rd Saito Hidesaburo Prize for 'Omotesando no Celebu Ken to Cabana要塞 no Norainu'. His other works include 'Naname no Yugure'.

◼︎ Bibliographic Information

Title: 'Aoten' (pronounced Ao-ten)
Author: Masayasu Wakabayashi
Price (paperback): 1980 yen (tax included)
E-book price: 1900 yen (tax included)
Publisher: Bungeishunju Ltd.
Format: 46 size, softcover with jacket
Pages: 304 pages
Release Date: February 20, 2026
ISBN: 978-4-16-392066-5
URL: https://books.bunshun.jp/ud/book/num/9784163920665