Koji Suzuki

Koji Suzuki
鈴木 光司
Born
Suzuki Kōji

(1957-05-13)May 13, 1957
Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan
DiedMay 8, 2026(2026-05-08) (aged 68)
Tokyo, Japan
OccupationWriter
Writing career
LanguageJapanese
Period1990–2026
GenresHorror, thriller, fantasy, science fiction
Notable works
Notable awardsShirley Jackson Award (2012)
Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement (2022)

Koji Suzuki (鈴木 光司, Suzuki Kōji; May 13, 1957 – May 8, 2026) was a Japanese writer, who was born in Hamamatsu and lived in Tokyo. Suzuki was the author of the Ring novels, which have been adapted into other formats, including films, manga, television series, and video games. He wrote several books on the subject of fatherhood. His hobbies included traveling, motorcycling, as well as sailing.

He graduated from Keio University before debuting as a novelist. Koji Suzuki died in Tokyo on May 8, 2026, at the age of 68.

Bibliography

Some of the books listed here are published in the US by Vertical Inc., owned by Kodansha and Dai Nippon Printing.

Ring series

  • Ring (Ringu) (1991)
  • Spiral (Rasen) (1995)
  • Loop (Rupu) (1998)
  • Birthday (Bāsudei) (1999) (Short story collection)
    • "Coffin in the Sky" [details what happened to Mai Takano in Spiral]
    • "Lemon Heart" [prequel to Ring]
    • "Happy Birthday" [a direct epilogue to Loop]
  • S (Esu) (2012)
  • Tide (Taido) (2013)

Standalone novels

  • Paradise (Rakuen) (1990)
  • The Shining Sea (Hikari sasu umi) (1993)
    • republished – The Shining Sea (2022 Vertical Publishing) – ISBN 978-1647291181
  • Promenade of the Gods (Kamigami no Promenade) (2003)
  • Edge (2008)
  • Ubiquitous (2025)

Short story collections

  • Death and the Flower (1995)
    • "Disposable Diapers and a Race Replica"
    • "Irregular Breathing"
    • "Key West"
    • "Beyond the Darkness"
    • "Embrace"
    • "Avidya"
  • Dark Water (Honogurai mizu no soko kara) (1996) (includes an original framing story)
    • "Floating Water"
    • "Solitary Isle"
    • "The Hold"
    • "Dream Cruise"
    • "Adrift"
    • "Watercolors"
    • "Forest Under the Sea"

Short story

  • "Drop" (2009) – Printed on three rolls of toilet paper in Japan in Japanese and in English in 2012.

Films adapted from his works

Awards and nominations

Japanese awards

U.S. award

International award

References

  1. ↑ Ring Volume 1 TPB
  2. ↑ Hobbies found on the back of The Ring, 2002, Koji Suzuki
  3. ↑ KAZI Oct.2010, page 18,"The Sea of Myth" Koji Suzuki
  4. ↑ "Koji Suzuki, Japanese author of 'Ring,' dies at 68; writer sparked horror novel boom in Japan". asianews.network. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
  5. ↑ "作家の鈴木光司さん死去　68歳、ホラー小説「リング」「らせん」". Asahi. May 9, 2026. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Are You Ready to Confront the Most Terrifying Toilet Paper in the World?". June 18, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2019.