Kazuma Kamachi
Kazuma Kamachi (鎌池和馬, Kamachi Kazuma) is the pen name of a Japanese author who has published over 100 light novel volumes. He is best known for the creation of the A Certain Magical Index franchise which, as of 2019, has sold over 30 million copies worldwide and has been licensed in North America by Yen Press with the first novel being released in Q4 2014.[1][2]
Kazuma Kamachi | |
|---|---|
| Pen name | Kazuma Kamachi (鎌池和馬, Kamachi Kazuma) |
| Occupation | Author |
| Language | Japanese |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Period | April 2004–present |
| Genre | Light novel, manga |
| Notable works | A Certain Magical Index A Certain Scientific Railgun A Certain Scientific Accelerator Heavy Object |
| Signature | |
| Website | |
| dengekibunko | |
Career
Kazuma Kamachi has stated that ever since he was a child, he had always wanted to become a novelist, spending his student days in trying to achieve this dream. However, his intention was never to become a popular writer.[3] From the time he was in junior high school, bit-by-bit he started writing, but it was not until he graduated from high school that he ever completed any of his work.[3]
Kamachi submitted his novel Schrödinger's Machi (シュレディンガーの街) to the 9th Dengeki Game Novel Prize, but it was rejected in the third round.[4] Despite this, his work caught the attention of editor-in-charge of the award, Kazuma Miki, who offered him a chance to write another work.[4] For around a year, Kamachi exchanged and discussed prototype stories with Miki,[4][5] and made his debut with A Certain Magical Index in April 2004 after 6 or 7 revisions. The initial volume was written as a complete story in case that it would not sell,[5] however after selling well, it was decided that it would become a series. A Certain Magical Index would soon be adapted to a manga, then to an anime, a movie, games, etc. turning into an extremely popular franchise. This, in turn, led to the series breaking many Dengeki Bunko, the series' publisher, records, such as being the first series to have 1, 2, and then 3 million copies in circulation. In April 2016, Kamachi signed a contract to write for Kazuma Miki's new company Straight Edge Inc. On July 10, 2020, he became the first Dengeki writer to have published 100 volumes under their label.[6]
He states that many of his pre-debut works, including the prototypes he sent to Miki, remains stored away at his house.[5]
Personal life
Not much is known about Kazuma Kamachi's personal life, which is also true for other light novel authors in Japan. As an author, he is known for his consistent output in writing his books, releasing at least 3 per year. Starting in December 2014, Kazuma has been releasing novels monthly in 4 different titles while working on 3 different manga titles.
Kazuma Miki, editor of the A Certain Magical Index series, released a book and a chapter named Kamachi Kazuma the Legend confirms/debunks rumors about him and talks about him.[7]
Works
Novels
| Title | Year(s) | Volumes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Certain Magical Index とある魔術の禁書目録 Toaru Majutsu no Index | 2004–2010 | 25 | |
| Heavy Object ヘヴィーオブジェクト | 2009–2021 | 20 | |
| A Certain Magical Index: New Testament 新約 とある魔術の禁書目録 Shin'yaku Toaru Majutsu no Index | 2011–2019 | 23 | |
| Intellectual Village no Zashiki Warashi インテリビレッジの座敷童 (lit. "The Zashiki Warashi of Intellectual Village") | 2012–2015 | 9 | [8][9][10] |
| Kantan na Enquete desu 簡単なアンケートです (lit. "A Simple Survey") | 2012 | 1 | [11] |
| Waltraute-san no Konkatsu Jijou ヴァルトラウテさんの婚活事情 (lit. "The Circumstances Leading to Waltraute's Marriage") | 2012 | 1 | [12] |
| Kantan na Monitor desu 簡単なモニターです (lit. "A Simple Monitoring") | 2013 | 1 | [13] |
| The Unexplored Summon://Blood-Sign 未踏召喚://ブラッドサイン Mitou Shoukan://Blood Sign | 2014–2019 | 10 | |
| Toaru Majutsu no Heavy na Zashiki-warashi ga Kantan na Satsujinki no Konkatsu Jijou とある魔術のへヴィーな座敷童が簡単な殺人妃の婚活事情 (lit. "A Certain Magical Heavy Zashiki-Warashi Deals With a Simple Killer Princess' Marriage Circumstances") | 2015 | 1 | [14] |
| Saikyou wo Kojiraseta Level Counter Stop Kenseijo Beatrice no Jakuten Sono Na wa "Buu Buu" 最強をこじらせたレベルカンスト剣聖女ベアトリーチェの弱点 その名は「ぶーぶー」 (lit. "The Weakness of Beatrice the Level Cap Holy Swordswoman That Made Being the Strongest Even More Trouble – His Name? Boo Boo ") | 2016–2019 | 7 | |
| Magistealth Bad Trip マギステルス・バッドトリップ Magisterus Bad Trip | 2019–2020 | 3 | [15][16] |
| Apocalypse Witch アポカリプス・ウィッチ | 2019–2022 | 5 | |
| A Certain Magical Index: Genesis Testament 創約 とある魔術の禁書目録 Souyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index | 2020–present | 6 | |
| Shin Kaku Gi Kou to 11-nin no Hakaisha 神角技巧と11人の破壊者 Godhorn Tech and the 11 Destroyers | 2021 | 3 | |
| A Certain Dark Side ITEM とある暗部の少女共棲 Toaru Anbu no Shōjo Kyōsei (Aitemu) | 2023 | 1 | [17] |
Manga
| Title | Year(s) | Volumes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Certain Scientific Railgun とある科学の超電磁砲 Toaru Kagaku no Rērugan | 2007–present | 17 | |
| A Certain Magical Index とある魔術の禁書目録 Toaru Majutsu no Indekkusu | 2007–present | 27 | |
| Heavy Object ヘヴィーオブジェクト | 2009–2011 | 1 | |
| Heavy Object S ヘヴィーオブジェクトS | 2011–2013 | 3 | |
| A Certain Magical Index: Endymion's Miracle とある魔術の禁書目録 エンデュミオンの奇蹟 Toaru Majutsu no Indekkusu: Endymion no Kiseki | 2013 | 2 | |
| A Certain Everyday Index-san とある日常のいんでっくすさん Toaru Nichijō no Indekkusu-san | 2013–2016 | 5 | [18] |
| A Certain Scientific Accelerator とある科学の一方通行 Toaru Kagaku no Akuserarēta | 2013–2020 | 12 | |
| Heavy Object A ヘヴィーオブジェクトA | 2015–2016 | 3 | |
| A Certain Idol Accelerator-sama とある偶像の一方通行さま Toaru Gūzō no Ippō Tsūkō-sama | 2015–2018 | 4 | |
| A Certain Scientific Railgun: Astral Buddy とある科学の超電磁砲外伝 アストラル・バディ Toaru Kagaku no Rērugan Gaiden: Asutoraru Badi | 2017–2020 | 4 | |
| A Certain Scientific Dark Matter とある科学の未元物質 Toaru Kagaku no Dāku Matā | 2019–2020 | 1 | |
| A Certain Scientific Mental Out とある科学の心理掌握 Toaru Kagaku no Mentaru Auto | 2021–present | 1 |
Film
| Title | Year | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Certain Magical Index: The Movie – The Miracle of Endymion 劇場版 とある魔術の禁書目録 エンデュミオンの奇蹟 Gekijōban Toaru Majutsu no Indekkusu: Endyumion no Kiseki | 2013 | story writer |
Video games
| Title | Year | Platform | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kakusansei Million Arthur 拡散性ミリオンアーサー | 2011 | Android, iOS | scenario writer | [19] |
| A Certain Magical Index とある魔術の禁書目録 Toaru Majutsu no Index | 2011 | PlayStation Portable | story writer | [20] |
| A Certain Scientific Railgun とある科学の超電磁砲 Toaru Kagaku no Rērugan | 2011 | PlayStation Portable | story writer | [20] |
| A Certain Magical Index: Struggle Battle 拡散性ミリオンアーサー Toaru Majutsu no Index Struggle Battle | 2012 | Android, iOS | story writer | [21] |
| Toaru Majutsu to Kagaku no Ensemble とある魔術と科学の群奏活劇 (lit. "A Certain Magical and Scientific Ensemble") | 2013 | PlayStation Portable | story writer | [20] |
| Kairisei Million Arthur 拡散性ミリオンアーサー | 2016 | Android, iOS PS4, PS Vita | scenario writer |
Awards
- Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!
- 2009 - 4th Place in Best Novel Series, A Certain Magical Index
- 2010 - 9th Place in Best Novel Series, A Certain Magical Index
- 2011 - 1st Place in Best Novel Series, A Certain Magical Index
- 2012 - 2nd Place in Best Novel Series, A Certain Magical Index
- 2013 - 2nd Place in Best Novel Series, A Certain Magical Index
- 2014 - 3rd Place in Best Novel Series, A Certain Magical Index
- 2015 - 4th Place in Best Novel Series, A Certain Magical Index
- 2016 - 7th Place in Best Novel Series, A Certain Magical Index
- 2017 - 3rd Place in Best Novel Series, A Certain Magical Index
- 2019 - 9th Place in Best Novel Series, A Certain Magical Index
References
- ^ "「第20回電撃大賞」小説大賞、イラスト大賞、学校大賞の3部門で、史上最多応募総数7,523作品！" (PDF) (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. June 7, 2013. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^ "Yen Press Adds A Certain Magical Index Light Novels". Anime News Network. April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
- ^ a b "Kazuma Kamachi 15000 Character Interview". Kyara☆Meru Febri. 4.
- ^ a b c Toaru majutsu no indekkusu no subete = Index librorum prohibitorum : Dengeki bunko kōshiki kaidokuhon. Kazuma Kamachi, 和馬 鎌池, Media Wākusu, メディアワークス. Tōkyō: Media Wākusu. 2007. p. 124. ISBN 978-4-8402-4042-0. OCLC 676295299.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ a b c "とらドラ！vs禁書目録". Dengeki Bunko Magazine. September 2008.
- ^ "Straight Edge's Official Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "面白ければなんでもあり 【第二章 『とある魔術の禁書目録』御坂美琴はなぜ短パンを穿いているのか ～つくる（創作術）～】 試し読み". amwbooks.asciimw.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2015-11-16.
- ^ インテリビレッジの座敷童 (6) (電撃文庫): 鎌池和馬, 真早: 本 [The Zashiki Warashi of Intellectual Village] (in Japanese). ASIN 404865120X.
- ^ インテリビレッジの座敷童 [The Zashiki Warashi of Intellectual Village] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^ インテリビレッジの座敷童(4) [The Zashiki Warashi of Intellectual Village (4)] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^ 簡単なアンケートです [A Simple Survey] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^ ヴァルトラウテさんの婚活事情 [The Circumstances Leading to Waltraute's Marriage] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^ 簡単なモニターです [A Simple Monitoring] (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^ とある魔術のヘヴィーな座敷童が簡単な殺人妃の婚活事情 電撃文庫公式サイト (in Japanese). Dengeki Bunko. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
- ^ "マギステルス・バッドトリップ" (in Japanese). Dengeki Bunko. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ "マギステルス・バッドトリップ Season 3rd" (in Japanese). Dengeki Bunko. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ 鎌池和馬公式情報 [@KAMACHI_KA] (December 27, 2022). ◤特報！◢ 鎌池和馬が紡ぐ、新たな『とある』シリーズが幕を開ける！これは、学園都市の『暗部』に生きる少女たちの物語－－。とある暗部の少女共棲（アイテム）著/鎌池和馬 イラスト/ニリツ 2023年3月 電撃文庫より発売予定！ [◤Special Report!◢ Kazuma Kamachi's new "Toaru" series is about to begin! This is a story of girls living in the "dark side" of Academy City. A Certain Dark Side ITEM Author/Kazuma Kamachi Illustration/Niritsu Scheduled to be released by Dengeki Bunko in March 2023!] (Tweet) (in Japanese). from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ とある日常のいんでっくすさん - 漫画 - ガンガンONLINE SQUARE ENIX (in Japanese). Gangan Online. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
- ^ 拡散性ミリオンアーサー (in Japanese). Square Enix. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^ a b c とある魔術と科学の群奏活劇(通常版) (in Japanese). Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^ ソーシャルゲーム『とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）頂点決戦（ストラグルバトル）』の事前登録が開始！ (in Japanese). Dengeki. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
External links
- Kazuma Kamachi 10 Year Anniversary official website (in Japanese)
- Kazuma Kamachi at Anime News Network's encyclopedia