History Creator / YukioMishima

Yukio Mishima (三島 由紀夫, ''Mishima Yukio'', real name 平岡 公威, ''Hiraoka Kimitake'', January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970) was one of the greats of post-[[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII war]] Japanese literature. A ManlyGay given to bodybuilding and Samurai worship, he was part of, and contributed to, the persistent undercurrent of traditionalist right-wing nationalism that persisted after the Japanese defeat in 1945, longing for the days of [[UsefulNotes/ImperialJapan genuine Imperial rule]] and a [[UsefulNotes/KatanasOfTheRisingSun strong Japanese military]].

It should be noted that, technically speaking, Mishima's intended 'coup' was nonsense. By 1970, no popular movement had any pretension of overthrowing the government to resurrect a UsefulNotes/WorldWarII-era order. The American equivalent of this would be if someone addressed a random group of soldiers and announced they needed to overthrow the illegitimate government in Washington so they could properly return to their rightful position as subjects of the British Crown. [[ThanatosGambit It's very likely he knew this and it was merely a spectacle to preface his long-planned suicide.]]

* ''Literature/TheSoundOfWaves''
* ''The Sea of Fertility'' tetralogy (Spring Snow, Runaway Horses, the Temple of Dawn, the Decay of the Angel)
* ''Literature/ConfessionsOfAMask''
* ''The Sailor who Fell from Grace with the Sea''
* ''Patriotism''
* ''The Temple of the Golden Pavilion''
* ''Sun and Steel''
* A series of 8 modern ''Noh'' plays. The first five below are collected in ''Five Modern Noh Plays'', trans. Donald Keene.

As a final interesting note, Mishima himself made a short, silent film called ''Patriotism'' in 1966, in which [[AuthorAvatar he plays the main character]]: a disgraced military officer [[spoiler: who [[{{Foreshadowing}} graphically commits seppuku]]]].

Yukio Mishima (三島 由紀夫, ''Mishima Yukio'', real name 平岡 公威, ''Hiraoka Kimitake'', January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970) was one of the greats of post-[[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII war]] Japanese literature. A ManlyGay given to bodybuilding and Samurai worship, he unfortunately was also a Japanese ultranationalist who longed for the days of [[UsefulNotes/ImperialJapan genuine Imperial rule]] and a [[UsefulNotes/KatanasOfTheRisingSun strong Japanese military]]. And [[HarsherInHindsight curiously]], a girl he once went out with via an arranged date was Michiko Shouda... the future Empress Michiko of Japan.

As a final interesting note, Mishima himself made a short, silent film called Patriotism in 1966, in which [[AuthorAvatar he plays the main character]]: a disgraced military officer [[spoiler: who [[{{Foreshadowing}} graphically commits seppuku]]]].

* "Patriotism"

Yukio Mishima (三島 由紀夫, ''Mishima Yukio'', real name 平岡 公威, ''Hiraoka Kimitake'', January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970) was one of the greats of post-[[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII war]] Japanese literature. A ManlyGay given to bodybuilding and Samurai worship, he unfortunately was also a Japanese ultranationalist who longed for the days of [[UsefulNotes/KatanasOfTheRisingSun genuine Imperial rule and a strong Japanese military.]] And [[HarsherInHindsight curiously]], a girl he once went out with via an arranged date was Michiko Shouda... the future Empress Michiko of Japan.

[[caption-width-right:350:Mishima: Author, actor, stud, [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers failed coup leader]].]]

Yukio Mishima (三島 由紀夫, ''Mishima Yukio'', real name 平岡 公威, ''Hiraoka Kimitake'', 1925-1970) was one of the greats of post-[[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII war]] Japanese literature. A ManlyGay given to bodybuilding and Samurai worship, he unfortunately was also a Japanese ultranationalist who longed for the days of [[UsefulNotes/KatanasOfTheRisingSun genuine Imperial rule and a strong Japanese military.]] And [[HarsherInHindsight curiously]], a girl he once went out with via an arranged date was Michiko Shouda... the future Empress Michiko of Japan.

Yukio Mishima (三島 由紀夫, ''Mishima Yukio'', real name 平岡 公威, ''Hiraoka Kimitake'', 1925-1970) was one of the greats of post-[[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII war]] Japanese literature. A ManlyGay given to bodybuilding and Samurai worship, he unfortunately was also a Japanese ultranationalist who longed for the days of [[KatanasOfTheRisingSun genuine Imperial rule and a strong Japanese military.]] And [[HarsherInHindsight curiously]], a girl he once went out with via an arranged date was Michiko Shouda... the future Empress Michiko of Japan.

Despite being mentioned as a potential nominee for the UsefulNotes/NobelPrizeInLiterature even before his fortieth birthday, he is more famous for his ill-advised attempt to incite a pro-Imperial coup against the government of Japan at a [[KaijuDefenseForce JSDF]] base in 1970, at the end of which he and his NumberTwo Masakatsu Morita committed {{Seppuku}}.

Yukio Mishima (三島 由紀夫, ''Mishima Yukio'', real name 平岡 公威, ''Hiraoka Kimitake'', 1925-1970) was one of the greats of post-[[WorldWarII war]] Japanese literature. A ManlyGay given to bodybuilding and Samurai worship, he unfortunately was also a Japanese ultranationalist who longed for the days of [[KatanasOfTheRisingSun genuine Imperial rule and a strong Japanese military.]] And [[HarsherInHindsight curiously]], a girl he once went out with via an arranged date was Michiko Shouda... the future Empress Michiko of Japan.

It should be noted that, technically speaking, Mishima's intended 'coup' was nonsense. By 1970, no popular movement had any pretension of overthrowing the government to resurrect a WorldWarII-era order. The American equivalent of this would be if someone addressed a random group of soldiers and announced they needed to overthrow the illegitimate government in Washington so they could properly return to their rightful position as subjects of the British Crown. [[ThanatosGambit It's very likely he knew this and it was merely a spectacle to preface his long-planned suicide.]]

Yukio Mishima (三島 由紀夫, ''Mishima Yukio'', real name 平岡 公威, ''Hiraoka Kimitake'') (1925-1970) was one of the greats of post-[[WorldWarII war]] Japanese literature. A ManlyGay given to bodybuilding and Samurai worship, he unfortunately was also a Japanese ultranationalist who longed for the days of [[KatanasOfTheRisingSun genuine Imperial rule and a strong Japanese military.]] And [[HarsherInHindsight curiously]], a girl he once went out with via an arranged date was Michiko Shouda... the future Empress Michiko of Japan.

* ''The Sea of Fertility'' tetralogy(Spring Snow, Runaway Horses, the Temple of Dawn, the Decay of the Angel)

Yukio Mishima (三島 由紀夫, ''Mishima Yukio'', real name 平岡 公威, ''Hiraoka Kimitake'') (1925-1970) was one of the greats of post-[[WorldWarII war]] Japanese literature. A ManlyGay given to bodybuilding and Samurai worship, he unfortunately was also a Japanese ultranationalist who longed for the days of genuine Imperial rule and a strong Japanese military. And [[HarsherInHindsight curiously]], a girl he once went out with via an arranged date was Michiko Shouda... the future Empress Michiko of Japan.

Despite being mentioned as a potential nominee for the UsefulNotes/NobelPrizeInLiterature even before his fortieth birthday, he is more famous for his ill-advised attempt to incite a pro-Imperial coup against the government of Japan at a [[KaijuDefenseForce JSDF]] base in 1970, at the end of which he and his small band of followers committed {{Seppuku}}.

It should be noted his intended 'coup' was nonsense. By 1970, no popular movement had any pretension of overthrowing the government to resurrect a WWII-era order. The American equivalent of this would be if someone addressed a random group of soldiers and announced they needed to overthrow the illegitimate government in Washington so they could properly return to their rightful position as subjects of the British Crown. It's very likely he knew this and it was merely a spectacle to preface his long-planned suicide.

In 1985, Paul Schrader (most famous for writing ''Film/TaxiDriver'') co-wrote and directed a movie based on Mishima's life, appropriately called ''Film/MishimaALifeInFourChapters''. The film earned critical accolades, despite completely tanking financially, though that's not entirely unexpected when you consider how famous [[SmallReferencePools Yukio Mishima]] is in Schrader's native [[NoExportforYou America]], and the fact that the film is IN Japanese, with subtitles.

Despite being mentioned as a potential nominee for the NobelPrizeInLiterature even before his fortieth birthday, he is more famous for his ill-advised attempt to incite a pro-Imperial coup against the government of Japan at a [[KaijuDefenseForce JSDF]] base in 1970, at the end of which he and his small band of followers committed {{Seppuku}}.

As a final interesting note, Mishima himself made a short, silent film called Patriotism in 1966, in which [[AuthorAvatar he plays the main character]]: a disgraced military officer [[spoiler: who [[ForeShadowing graphically commits seppuku]]]].

* ''Confessions of a Mask''

It should be noted his intended 'coup' was nonsense. By 1970, no one in the [=JSDF=] had any pretension of overthrowing the government to resurrect a WWII-era order. The American equivalent of this would be if someone addressed a random group of soldiers and announced they needed to overthrow the illegitimate government in Washington so they could properly return to their rightful position as subjects of the British Crown. It's very likely he knew this and it was merely a spectacle to preface his long-planned suicide.

It should be noted his intended 'coup' was nonsense. By 1970, no one in the [[=JSDF=]] had any pretension of overthrowing the government to resurrect a WWII-era order. The American equivalent of this would be if someone addressed a random group of soldiers and announced they needed to overthrow the illegitimate government in Washington so they could properly return to their rightful position as subjects of the British Crown. It's very likely he knew this and it was merely a spectacle to preface his long-planned suicide.

* ''The Sailor who Fell From Grace With the Sea''
* ''Patriotism''

In 1985, Paul Schrader (most famous for writing {{Taxi Driver}}) co-wrote and directed a movie based on Mishima's life, appropriately called ''Film/MishimaALifeInFourChapters''. The film earned critical accolades, despite completely tanking financially, though that's not entirely unexpected when you consider how famous [[SmallReferencePools Yukio Mishima]] is in Schrader's native [[NoExportforYou America]], and the fact that the film is IN Japanese, with subtitles.

* ''TheSoundOfWaves''