human specimens
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Description
Book Introduction
The Queen of Mystery, the ultimate masterpiece with a new awakening
“In my 15 years as a writer, this is the most interesting work I’ve written.”
_Minato Kanae
Minato Kanae, the author who debuted like a comet in 2008 with "Confession," ranked first in Shukan Bunshun's mystery bestseller list and won the 6th Bookstore Award, shaking up the Japanese literary world.
His monumental new work, 『Human Specimen』, written to commemorate the 15th anniversary of his debut, has been published by Bookda.
"Human Specimens" begins with the confession of butterfly scholar Shiro Sakaki, who murdered five young boys and processed their bodies to create "human specimens" likened to various butterflies.
In a Japanese interview, the author revealed the following about the inspiration for writing this eerie and aesthetic mystery novel, which intertwines the unique motif of “a butterfly’s gaze” and the madness toward beauty.
“I had a great experience receiving various requests from readers at the autograph session held to commemorate the sale of 3 million copies of the paperback edition of ‘Confession.’
The works I've written recently have been mostly bright stories, and many people have said, "I'm waiting for Iyamis."
“Celebrating the 15th anniversary also means going back to the starting point, and for the first time in a while, I wanted to write a piece that deals with the dark side of humanity or negative emotions.”
In this way, the author wrote "Human Specimen" in response to readers' requests, determined to present his origins of "Iyamisu (awful mystery)".
Based on the traditional mystery production of 'Confession of a Murderer', the writer fully demonstrates the skills he has honed over the years.
The story is composed of a unique and captivating 'intersecting monologues', and through 'the truth of the incident seen from different perspectives', it is completed with 'a shocking twist revealed only at the last moment' and 'an ending that leaves a bitter aftertaste'.
It can be said that it is the culmination of all the charms that can be called the essence of 'Minato Kanae Iyamisu'.
Author Minato Kanae fiercely explores the stubbornness and darkness within the human mind.
His new work, "Human Specimen," which he declared was "the most entertaining work I've written in my 15 years as a writer," is the novel that readers who felt a thrill after reading "Confession" have been waiting for.
“In my 15 years as a writer, this is the most interesting work I’ve written.”
_Minato Kanae
Minato Kanae, the author who debuted like a comet in 2008 with "Confession," ranked first in Shukan Bunshun's mystery bestseller list and won the 6th Bookstore Award, shaking up the Japanese literary world.
His monumental new work, 『Human Specimen』, written to commemorate the 15th anniversary of his debut, has been published by Bookda.
"Human Specimens" begins with the confession of butterfly scholar Shiro Sakaki, who murdered five young boys and processed their bodies to create "human specimens" likened to various butterflies.
In a Japanese interview, the author revealed the following about the inspiration for writing this eerie and aesthetic mystery novel, which intertwines the unique motif of “a butterfly’s gaze” and the madness toward beauty.
“I had a great experience receiving various requests from readers at the autograph session held to commemorate the sale of 3 million copies of the paperback edition of ‘Confession.’
The works I've written recently have been mostly bright stories, and many people have said, "I'm waiting for Iyamis."
“Celebrating the 15th anniversary also means going back to the starting point, and for the first time in a while, I wanted to write a piece that deals with the dark side of humanity or negative emotions.”
In this way, the author wrote "Human Specimen" in response to readers' requests, determined to present his origins of "Iyamisu (awful mystery)".
Based on the traditional mystery production of 'Confession of a Murderer', the writer fully demonstrates the skills he has honed over the years.
The story is composed of a unique and captivating 'intersecting monologues', and through 'the truth of the incident seen from different perspectives', it is completed with 'a shocking twist revealed only at the last moment' and 'an ending that leaves a bitter aftertaste'.
It can be said that it is the culmination of all the charms that can be called the essence of 'Minato Kanae Iyamisu'.
Author Minato Kanae fiercely explores the stubbornness and darkness within the human mind.
His new work, "Human Specimen," which he declared was "the most entertaining work I've written in my 15 years as a writer," is the novel that readers who felt a thrill after reading "Confession" have been waiting for.
- You can preview some of the book's contents.
Preview
index
Shiro Sakaki, "Human Specimen"
Excerpt from SNS
Summer Vacation Free Exploration "Human Specimen" 2nd Year Class B, #13 Sakaki Itaru
In solitary confinement
In the visiting room
Analysis results
Translator's Note
Key References
Excerpt from SNS
Summer Vacation Free Exploration "Human Specimen" 2nd Year Class B, #13 Sakaki Itaru
In solitary confinement
In the visiting room
Analysis results
Translator's Note
Key References
Detailed image
Into the book
“It would be nice if humans could be made into models at their most beautiful moments.”
I looked at my father, wondering if I had misheard, but his gaze was fixed on the painting.
Human specimen… … .
The image of me experiencing what my father had just done to the butterfly unfolded in my mind.
The person working is my father.
--- p.26
A butterfly transforms into a human and draws the world reflected in its eyes.
Rumi is a guide who leads us into the world of butterflies.
So I said to Rumi with awe:
“You have butterfly eyes.”
But Rumi denied my words with a refreshing smile.
“My eyes are my own.
It's all a world reflected in my eyes.
“Even a butterfly would definitely be worse than me.”
--- pp.60-61
A sensation like an electric current ran through the center of my body.
Among humans, the most beautiful sight in this world, visible only to me, is to leave it in an eternal and unchanging form and show it to as many people as possible… … .
Could this be the destiny God has given me?
--- p.77
Of all the people who don't have those eyes, I am the one who understands that world best.
Am I the one who can be Rumi's successor?
He laughed again.
What about a successor at the same age?
But wouldn't the work I imagine, even if criticized by everyone in the world, be highly regarded by Lumi? Wouldn't they be viewed purely as a work of art, without regard for ethics?
Just like when I coveted your specimens in my childhood.
Let's create a work dedicated to Rumi.
--- p.83
All five samples were produced according to plan.
That's why it was done perfectly.
But at the last moment, the regrets that remained could have caused me to deny my entire life.
If that's the case, then you have to put an end to it yourself.
To complete the ultimate masterpiece that surpasses all.
So whose example is this? I already knew the answer.
--- p.140
That night, after everything was ready, the two of us faced each other alone in the living room where we lived together.
“If I were to compare you to a butterfly, what would you think?”
I asked Itaru.
“Is it a Sesostris musk swallowtail butterfly?”
The answer was different from what I expected.
“Isn’t that the red-spotted swallowtail butterfly I first caught in Brazil?”
“Because the object of the metaphor and the thing you like are different.
My favorite butterfly right now is the Southern Swallowtail.
Well, if you think about it, it means that I am also quite poisonous.”
--- p.142
“Wouldn’t it be more interesting if we put it in a case with an artistic look rather than just decorating the painting?”
After saying that, he took off the protective film attached to the case, stood it up, went inside, and struck a pterosaur pose, saying it was Pteranodon.
At that moment, a thrilling thrill spread through my entire body, along with a shock as if I had been hit in the head.
The Ishioka Sho inside the case appeared to be a Hewittson tricolor four-legged butterfly.
Behind it was a mural, and I could clearly see the background hatching through it.
I, who had only seen what was real and what was visible, saw a sight that I felt with my third eye.
Isn't this truly a "human specimen"? Moreover, it's clear what gift God bestowed upon this specimen.
Where can you find a greater work of art than this… … .
I looked at my father, wondering if I had misheard, but his gaze was fixed on the painting.
Human specimen… … .
The image of me experiencing what my father had just done to the butterfly unfolded in my mind.
The person working is my father.
--- p.26
A butterfly transforms into a human and draws the world reflected in its eyes.
Rumi is a guide who leads us into the world of butterflies.
So I said to Rumi with awe:
“You have butterfly eyes.”
But Rumi denied my words with a refreshing smile.
“My eyes are my own.
It's all a world reflected in my eyes.
“Even a butterfly would definitely be worse than me.”
--- pp.60-61
A sensation like an electric current ran through the center of my body.
Among humans, the most beautiful sight in this world, visible only to me, is to leave it in an eternal and unchanging form and show it to as many people as possible… … .
Could this be the destiny God has given me?
--- p.77
Of all the people who don't have those eyes, I am the one who understands that world best.
Am I the one who can be Rumi's successor?
He laughed again.
What about a successor at the same age?
But wouldn't the work I imagine, even if criticized by everyone in the world, be highly regarded by Lumi? Wouldn't they be viewed purely as a work of art, without regard for ethics?
Just like when I coveted your specimens in my childhood.
Let's create a work dedicated to Rumi.
--- p.83
All five samples were produced according to plan.
That's why it was done perfectly.
But at the last moment, the regrets that remained could have caused me to deny my entire life.
If that's the case, then you have to put an end to it yourself.
To complete the ultimate masterpiece that surpasses all.
So whose example is this? I already knew the answer.
--- p.140
That night, after everything was ready, the two of us faced each other alone in the living room where we lived together.
“If I were to compare you to a butterfly, what would you think?”
I asked Itaru.
“Is it a Sesostris musk swallowtail butterfly?”
The answer was different from what I expected.
“Isn’t that the red-spotted swallowtail butterfly I first caught in Brazil?”
“Because the object of the metaphor and the thing you like are different.
My favorite butterfly right now is the Southern Swallowtail.
Well, if you think about it, it means that I am also quite poisonous.”
--- p.142
“Wouldn’t it be more interesting if we put it in a case with an artistic look rather than just decorating the painting?”
After saying that, he took off the protective film attached to the case, stood it up, went inside, and struck a pterosaur pose, saying it was Pteranodon.
At that moment, a thrilling thrill spread through my entire body, along with a shock as if I had been hit in the head.
The Ishioka Sho inside the case appeared to be a Hewittson tricolor four-legged butterfly.
Behind it was a mural, and I could clearly see the background hatching through it.
I, who had only seen what was real and what was visible, saw a sight that I felt with my third eye.
Isn't this truly a "human specimen"? Moreover, it's clear what gift God bestowed upon this specimen.
Where can you find a greater work of art than this… … .
--- pp.221-222
Publisher's Review
A psychological mystery where art and madness, love and sacrifice intersect.
A sharp thrill brought about by a venomous twist
Whose desire for a 'human specimen' really belongs to him?
A memoir titled "Human Specimen" is uploaded to an online novel site.
The author is Dr. Shiro Sakaki, a renowned butterfly scholar.
In his memoir, he confesses his fascination with making butterfly specimens as a child, his jealousy of the painter Rumi, who was called a magician of color because she could see ultraviolet colors like a butterfly's eyes, and why and how she killed the talented young men she had gathered as candidates for her successor and turned them into "human specimens."
The moment the beautiful boys appeared as butterflies, Sakaki Shiro felt it was his divine calling to create that special sight in an eternal form and show it to many people. He carefully processed the corpses as if he were making butterfly specimens, creating five human specimens.
But that's not enough, and he wants to create a masterpiece that surpasses everything, using his son, Itaru Sakaki, as the subject matter, the most beautiful boy he knows.
Taking the Southern Swallowtail, a supreme butterfly that stands out among all other butterflies, as his motif, he ultimately completes the world's most beautiful specimen.
After Shiro Sakaki surrenders to the police, the killer's memoir, "Human Specimen," which includes grotesque yet artistic photographs of human specimens made from the corpses of boys, becomes a daily topic of conversation.
A bizarre serial killer who even murdered his own children, and the horrific masterpiece that came into being through him.
People are commenting on the shocking story through social media, but there is another story they don't know about.
The title is 'Summer Vacation Free Exploration "Human Specimen" 2nd Year Class B #13 Sakaki Itaru'.
Whose desire for human specimens really lies?
“A challenge to the taboo subject of parental child murder.
A theme that has been addressed since debut: are people really all seeing the same thing?
“The two are fused together to create a masterpiece mystery.”
_Minato Kanae (from an interview commemorating the publication in Korea)
In a Japanese interview, the author revealed that before writing "Human Specimen," he had considered retirement and had taken a year off from writing due to burnout.
However, he said that he felt “like starting over” while writing “Human Specimen,” which tackled the taboo topic of “child murder” head-on without social compromise.
The essence of the genre called 'Iyamisu' is to directly address moral taboos and to deeply reflect on sins that are taboo even to mention.
The work holds even more special meaning for the author because he regained his writing power while writing 『Human Specimen』, which delved into its essence.
Additionally, 『Human Specimen』 has a characteristic that sets it apart from other works by Minato Kanae.
This is the first work completed by an author who tends to write based on imagination and personal experience after conducting thorough bibliographic research.
The deep understanding of 'butterfly' gained through him gives the novel a new charm.
First, the 'butterfly's eyes', which perceive the world with color vision that is completely different from that of humans, are a key device of 'Human Specimen'.
Through the motif of 'the world seen through a butterfly's eyes', the work makes us reflect on the meaning of beauty and artistic perfection in the genre of art, which is inevitably subjective as it is viewed through 'each person's own eyes'.
Furthermore, the properties of 'mimetics', where a non-poisonous butterfly imitates a poisonous butterfly, and the characteristics of butterflies, such as their wings having completely different front and back, are cleverly linked to the characters' dual desires and personalities, completing a mystery thriller with even more aesthetic and multi-layered depth.
As the author said, “I aimed for a book that appears in a different color with each page turn,” the story writhes in vibrant colors like a poisonous creature throughout the story, keeping the reader on edge and captivated, unable to look away.
"Human Specimen," a work that constantly provokes the unpleasant curiosity of "Why on earth did that happen?", is a masterpiece that can be said to be the pinnacle of "unsettling and fantastical iyamisu" created by Minato Kanae.
A sharp thrill brought about by a venomous twist
Whose desire for a 'human specimen' really belongs to him?
A memoir titled "Human Specimen" is uploaded to an online novel site.
The author is Dr. Shiro Sakaki, a renowned butterfly scholar.
In his memoir, he confesses his fascination with making butterfly specimens as a child, his jealousy of the painter Rumi, who was called a magician of color because she could see ultraviolet colors like a butterfly's eyes, and why and how she killed the talented young men she had gathered as candidates for her successor and turned them into "human specimens."
The moment the beautiful boys appeared as butterflies, Sakaki Shiro felt it was his divine calling to create that special sight in an eternal form and show it to many people. He carefully processed the corpses as if he were making butterfly specimens, creating five human specimens.
But that's not enough, and he wants to create a masterpiece that surpasses everything, using his son, Itaru Sakaki, as the subject matter, the most beautiful boy he knows.
Taking the Southern Swallowtail, a supreme butterfly that stands out among all other butterflies, as his motif, he ultimately completes the world's most beautiful specimen.
After Shiro Sakaki surrenders to the police, the killer's memoir, "Human Specimen," which includes grotesque yet artistic photographs of human specimens made from the corpses of boys, becomes a daily topic of conversation.
A bizarre serial killer who even murdered his own children, and the horrific masterpiece that came into being through him.
People are commenting on the shocking story through social media, but there is another story they don't know about.
The title is 'Summer Vacation Free Exploration "Human Specimen" 2nd Year Class B #13 Sakaki Itaru'.
Whose desire for human specimens really lies?
“A challenge to the taboo subject of parental child murder.
A theme that has been addressed since debut: are people really all seeing the same thing?
“The two are fused together to create a masterpiece mystery.”
_Minato Kanae (from an interview commemorating the publication in Korea)
In a Japanese interview, the author revealed that before writing "Human Specimen," he had considered retirement and had taken a year off from writing due to burnout.
However, he said that he felt “like starting over” while writing “Human Specimen,” which tackled the taboo topic of “child murder” head-on without social compromise.
The essence of the genre called 'Iyamisu' is to directly address moral taboos and to deeply reflect on sins that are taboo even to mention.
The work holds even more special meaning for the author because he regained his writing power while writing 『Human Specimen』, which delved into its essence.
Additionally, 『Human Specimen』 has a characteristic that sets it apart from other works by Minato Kanae.
This is the first work completed by an author who tends to write based on imagination and personal experience after conducting thorough bibliographic research.
The deep understanding of 'butterfly' gained through him gives the novel a new charm.
First, the 'butterfly's eyes', which perceive the world with color vision that is completely different from that of humans, are a key device of 'Human Specimen'.
Through the motif of 'the world seen through a butterfly's eyes', the work makes us reflect on the meaning of beauty and artistic perfection in the genre of art, which is inevitably subjective as it is viewed through 'each person's own eyes'.
Furthermore, the properties of 'mimetics', where a non-poisonous butterfly imitates a poisonous butterfly, and the characteristics of butterflies, such as their wings having completely different front and back, are cleverly linked to the characters' dual desires and personalities, completing a mystery thriller with even more aesthetic and multi-layered depth.
As the author said, “I aimed for a book that appears in a different color with each page turn,” the story writhes in vibrant colors like a poisonous creature throughout the story, keeping the reader on edge and captivated, unable to look away.
"Human Specimen," a work that constantly provokes the unpleasant curiosity of "Why on earth did that happen?", is a masterpiece that can be said to be the pinnacle of "unsettling and fantastical iyamisu" created by Minato Kanae.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: October 30, 2025
- Format: Hardcover book binding method guide
- Page count, weight, size: 352 pages | 460g | 128*188*26mm
- ISBN13: 9791170613237
- ISBN10: 1170613233
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