Translator: Bryson, Kenneth J.
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Okei : a girl from the provinces
Set in the midst of samurai warfare in the mountainous region of Aizu in the late 19th century, Okei recounts the coming of age of a young peasant girl, who falls desperately in love with the fierce warrior Sanasuma Kingo, only to learn that the world she inhabits has no place for love.
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The paradise bird tattoo (or, attempted double-suicide)
After leaving his job at an advertising agency, Ikushima flees the city and finds himself in the town of Amagasaki, where his brief encounters with troubled neighbors lead to a contemplation of suicide and eventually a love affair.