A fictionalized biography of the famous samurai, the novel Miyamoto Musashi (1935; tr. Musashi, 1981) by Yoshikawa Eiji was originally serialized in the Asahi newspaper then published as a single volume. A samurai bildungsroman, the work is divided into seven sections that dramatically portray Musashi’s development as a warrior (including his signature fighting style, using both a long and short sword simultaneously), his interactions with friend and foe, and the conflicts he surmounts through learning the importance of personal discipline. Wildly popular, the novel was adapted for radio and television drama and has been made into a number of films, with sequels.
Historical dictionary of modern Japanese literature and theater. J. Scott Miller. 2009.