Oshikawa Shunrô

Oshikawa is considered a pioneer of Japanese science fiction. Influenced by the adventure novels of Jules Verne, he wrote stories that combined technological speculation with the martial spirit of Meiji-era Japan.

He is best known for his Undersea Warship (Kaitei Gunkan) series of novels, which began publication in 1900. These stories introduced the concept of advanced submarines waging war against foreign powers, a theme that would resonate for decades. His work inspired the 1963 Toho film Atragon (also titled Kaitei Gunkan in Japan) and the later anime Super Atragon. He died young at age 38, but his legacy as the "Japanese Jules Verne" endures.