Episode Details

This episode details the life and literary contributions of Osamu Dazai, a prominent 20th-century Japanese novelist recognized for modern classics like No Longer Human and The Setting Sun. Born Shūji Tsushima to a wealthy family, his biography highlights a turbulent personal history marked by multiple suicide attempts, political activism, and struggles with addiction. The text outlines his prolific career, which spanned from early experiments with the I-novel to his peak popularity in the postwar era. It also catalogs his extensive bibliography and notes his enduring influence on global literature and popular media. Ultimately, the source concludes with his 1948 death by drowning, a double suicide committed with his final partner.