Qudan Rie: The “Sympathy Tower Tokyo” Author on Language and Rhythm
People Society Culture Art
Jul 30, 2025
After winning the Akutagawa Prize in January 2024 for Sympathy Tower Tokyo, Qudan Rie attracted attention by revealing she used generative AI to write parts of her novel. With an English translation on the horizon, this article explores the background of her work and her strong views on the role of language and rhythm in writing.
About Qudan Rie
Born in Saitama Prefecture in 1990, Qudan debuted in 2021 with Bad Music, which earned the Bungakukai New Writers Award. She followed with Schoolgirl and Horses that Write Poems, the latter winning the Noma Literary Prize for New Writers. Her latest novel, Sympathy Tower Tokyo, received the Akutagawa Prize.
Quick to Appear
Sympathy Tower Tokyo imagines an alternate Japan where the 2020 Tokyo Olympics occurred as planned in Zaha Hadid’s New National Stadium—a project actually cancelled due to budget issues. The story centers on Makina Sara, an architect designing a prison called Sympathy Tower Tokyo, in a society she sees as overly tolerant of criminals.
The novel’s core explores language degraded by AI-generated terms and impersonal katakana loanwords, questioning modern Japanese communication and society. It was quickly translated into several languages including Korean, French, Italian, and German. The English version by Jesse Kirkwood is set for release in Britain and the U.S. later this year, with plans for further translations in Russia and beyond.
AI as Collaborator
Qudan’s admission that AI contributed about five percent of her novel sparked more debate than expected. Initially, she used AI out of curiosity during a period of doubt about her writing future. She began by asking ChatGPT for advice on overcoming discouragement and found its responses surprisingly insightful, akin to professional guidance.
However, as interactions continued, she noticed AI’s conversational limits and wanted to channel that uneasy dynamic into her novel. The AI’s input appears mainly as responses to questions posed by the protagonist. The “five percent” figure was a spontaneous estimate, often misunderstood in interviews.
Later, she accepted a challenge to write a story with 5% human and 95% AI content, highlighting the current capability of AI to “write” fiction. This project, along with detailed prompts and dialogues, is available online and illustrates AI’s role as a tool rather than an independent creator.
In the Beginning Was the Word
Qudan’s four works show distinct styles shaped by deliberate language choices. Before writing, she decides what kind of language and style suit each story. Words and phrases often come to her before the narrative takes shape.
Her fascination with language stems from a lifelong sense of life’s mystery. Writing is her way to prove her existence, translating experience into thought and language.
Her second work, Schoolgirl, reimagines Dazai Osamu’s 1939 story in a modern context, focusing on a teenage girl sharing her views online. Horses that Write Poems blends horse racing with human history, inspired by a sudden phrase that struck her as a story title.
For Sympathy Tower Tokyo, the phrase “the return of the Tower of Babel” was central. She read extensively about architecture and drew influences from Mishima Yukio’s The Temple of the Golden Pavilion.
“Mishima Was My First Love!”
Mishima Yukio has deeply influenced Qudan since her teens. At 14, she watched a heated 1969 university debate featuring Mishima and became captivated. His voice and presence led her to immerse herself in his writing, hearing his voice when rereading his novels.
Her difficult teenage years, marked by school absence and family troubles, made her seek solace in books and language. She communicated mostly with literature, especially Mishima, for nearly a decade. This shaped her interest in language and communication profoundly.
Rhythm More Important than Literal Meaning in Translation
Qudan has recently embraced fitness, inspired by Mishima’s bodybuilding. She sees a connection between physical form and literary style, noting her prose has evolved alongside her physique. Music also influences her approach—rhythm matters as much in writing as in sound.
Regarding translation, she prioritizes maintaining the rhythm of the English text over exact literal meaning. She trusts her English translator, Jesse Kirkwood, who respects the musicality of language even when rhymes and nuances cannot be directly translated.
Writing by Japanese Women
Interest in Japanese women writers has grown internationally. Initially, Qudan thought her success abroad resulted from popular themes like AI and the Akutagawa Prize combined with her identity as a Japanese woman. But after meeting enthusiastic foreign publishers, she realized genuine passion for her work drives translation decisions.
Her Italian publisher, for example, usually focuses on children’s and visual books. Their choice to publish her novel was motivated by a personal passion for Japanese literature, highlighting the importance of dedicated editors in bringing works across cultures.
What rhythms will Sympathy Tower Tokyo take on globally? Readers can look forward to Qudan’s continuing creative explorations.
Referenced Works
- Sympathy Tower Tokyo (Tōkyō to dōjōtō), translated by Jesse Kirkwood
- Shadow Rain (“Kage no ame”), short story (no English translation)
- Schoolgirl and Bad Music (Warui ongaku), translated by Haydn Trowell
- Horses that Write Poems (Shi o kaku uma), no English translation
- “Planet Her, or the Oldest Female Rapper in the World” (Planet Her: Arui wa saiko no fimēru rappā), translated by Jesse Kirkwood
- Schoolgirl by Dazai Osamu (Joseito), translated by Allison Markin Powell
- The Temple of the Golden Pavilion by Mishima Yukio (Kinkakuji), translated by Ivan Morris
For writers interested in AI and language, exploring generative AI tools and their role in creative writing can be valuable. Learn more about ChatGPT and AI writing tools to understand how technology can assist your craft.
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