Tragic novels (hisan shosetsu) comprise a genre that is closely related to serious novels, and the two terms are often used interchangeably. Both emerged from the experiments with social realism written by authors in the early 1900s and deal frankly with human hardship, pitiful situations, and flaws in society. Wellknown authors of tragic novels include Hirotsu Ryuro, Kawakami Bizan, and Izumi Kyoka.
Historical dictionary of modern Japanese literature and theater. J. Scott Miller. 2009.