Tahi Saihate is a multitalented Japanese writer and poet known for her debut novel, Astral Season, Beastly Season (2021). She explores themes of alienation, identity, and the human condition.
Tahi Saihate was born in Kobe, Japan, in 1986. When Saihate was in middle school, several poetry magazines published her poems.
Her first major award came in 2005 when she won the Gendaishi Techo Prize for Poetry. In 2007, her first collection of poetry, Good Morning, was awarded the Nakahara Chūya Prize, becoming the youngest recipient at the age of 21.
Astral Season, Beastly Season (2021) follows the lives of two high school boys, Morishita and Yamashiro. It begins with their obsession with a J-pop idol, Mami Aino, accused of a gruesome murder. To prove her innocence, the boys commit a copycat crime, leading to a series of events that explore the darker aspects of teenage life.
The novel consists of two parts: Astral Season, Beastly Season, originally published as a short story in 2014, and The Season of Reckoning, a sequel written in response to the popularity of the first. Together, they form a cohesive narrative that delves into their psyches.
In her own words, Tahi Saihate explains, "As long as you have a sense of self, you can't escape feelings of alienation." This sentiment resonates throughout Astral Season, Beastly Season, as the characters grapple with their identities and the pressures of societal expectations.
Apart from her achievements in literature, Saihate has made significant contributions to the arts. In 2018, her writing inspired a movie, a rock song, and an exhibition at the OTA Art Museum and Library. In 2019, she showcased her visual artwork at the Yokohama Museum of Art, further cementing her status as a versatile and influential artist.
Tahi Saihate's Astral Season, Beastly Season, translated by Kalau Almony, presents a gripping and intimate look into the struggles of adolescence.
