Abstract

Celebrity ichthyologist and educator Sakana-kun (literally: Fish Guy) tells his own story in this autobiography that inspired the 2022 film The Fish Tale. From a young age, he was obsessed with fish to an eccentric degree, but the people around him supported his passion. Drawing and fish were the things he really wanted to spend his time on, and though it wasn’t always easy to find his way, he blazed a path to his future. Relating encounters with friends both human and animal along the way, Sakana-kun reminds readers to never give up on what they love. His gentle and frank personality, the way he pursues what he loves to learn, and his mother's supportive attitude while maintaining an appropriate distance from him have won him sympathy and made him a long-selling author.

Author’s Information

Guest Associate Professor at Tokyo Kaiyo University, from which he received an honorary doctorate. Has appeared on the TBS TV show Dōbutsu kisōtengai to share his knowledge about fish ecology and cooking methods. And he currently appears weekly on his NHK ETV segment Gyogyotto Sakana Sutā to introduce fish. In 2021, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs appointed him Goodwill Ambassador for Sustainable Oceans and Fish, only one of his many official positions over the years. He gives lectures around the country and also works closely with the city of Tateyama, where he lives.