Taku Mayumura, born Takuji Murakami in Osaka, Japan, on October 20, 1934, was a prolific Japanese novelist, science fiction writer, and haiku poet whose career spanned over five decades. A graduate of Osaka University with a degree in economics, he began his professional writing career as a copywriter before making his literary debut in 1961. Over his lifetime, he became a central figure in Japanese science fiction, known for his work in both adult and young adult literature, and his stories provided the foundation for numerous film and anime adaptations.

Mayumura’s significance as an original creator for anime is deeply rooted in his extensive body of literary work. He was not a screenwriter but the author of the original novels and short stories that would later be adapted. Among the most notable examples is the 1987 anime omnibus film Neo-Tokyo, known in Japan as Meikyū Monogatari. This project was directly inspired by his collection of short stories of the same name. The film features three segments, with two of them, Running Man and The Order to Stop Construction (Kōji Chūshi Meirei), being based on his original concepts. The latter segment was directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, who would later achieve global fame for Akira.

Another significant adaptation is the 2012 anime film Psychic School Wars (Nerawareta Gakuen), produced by Sunrise. This film was based on Mayumura’s 1973 science fiction novel of the same name, a popular work of young adult fiction. Prior to this anime adaptation, the novel had already proven its enduring appeal by being adapted into four television dramas and two live-action films, demonstrating the strength and versatility of his original narrative.

Furthermore, the 1986 anime film Toki no Tabibito -Time Stranger- was based on one of his stories. While often cited as being inspired by his novel Toraerareta School Bus, it stands as another example of his work being translated into the anime medium by the studio Madhouse.

Beyond his contributions to speculative fiction for young readers, Mayumura was a highly respected author of adult science fiction. He was a central proponent of the insider literature theory, which often explored the complex and problematic relationships between individuals and the large organizations they belonged to, whether corporations or bureaucratic entities. This thematic concern can be seen in works like his acclaimed Shiseikan series, a future-history space opera for which he won the Seiun Award, Japan’s most prestigious science fiction honor, on two separate occasions.

Taku Mayumura passed away on November 3, 2019, at the age of 85. In recognition of his monumental contributions to the genre, he was posthumously awarded a Meritorious Service Award by the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of Japan. His legacy as an original creator endures through his vast bibliography, which continues to serve as a rich source of material for adaptation, cementing his status as a foundational figure in the landscape of Japanese science fiction and anime.