Takeshi Obata Illustrates Cover for Best-Selling Japanese Novel

Shueisha released a revised edition of Osamu Dazai's best-selling novel, No Longer Human, in June. Takeshi Obata, artist of Death Note and Hikaru no Go, illustrated the cover for the novel. According to Yomiuri Shimbun, the novel has already sold over 75,000 copies just a month and a half after its re-release.

According to the report, the combination of classic novel and popular manga artist was one of the main reason behind the revised edition's popularity. Many fans commented that "this combination is great, I need to get a copy for my collection."

No Longer Human is considered Osamu Dazai's masterpiece. It was written right before Dazai's sucide in 1948. The novel sold 6.025 million copies when it was first published in 1952, a re-release in 1990 by Shueisha sold over 400,000 copies as well. The novel is especially popular among the younger generation, and is ranked in Japan as the second-best selling novel behind Kokoro.

Source: Yomiuri Shimbun