Background
Kurimoto was born in Tokyo and studied literature at Waseda University, graduating in 1975.
栗本 薫今岡 純代
Kurimoto was born in Tokyo and studied literature at Waseda University, graduating in 1975.
Waseda University.
Imaoka also used the pen name Azusa Nakajima (中島 梓, Nakajima Azusa) to write criticism. She was known for her record-breaking 130-volume Guin Saga series, which has been translated into English, German, French, Italian and Russian. Her style has been described as being part of the New Wave science fiction movement.
Kurimoto is known for having written nearly 400 books since she began her career.
She wrote in several genres, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery, yaoi and Japanese-style historical romance. She has also supported yaoi in her work as Nakajima.
She was also heavily involved with the first issue of the yaoi magazine June in 1978, contributing stories and criticism as Kaoru Kurimoto and Azusa Nakajima, as well as using a number of other pseudonyms. She died on May 26, 2009, aged 56, in a Tokyo hospital, from pancreatic cancer, which was diagnosed in 2007.
She had been writing the 130th volume of the Guin Saga up until May 23, 2009.
Kurimoto was given a special award posthumously by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan association.