Keisuke Uyama’s Romantic Novel, ‘Love Like The Falling Petals Heads’ Translated Edition Crowdfunding Now
by Olly MacNamee
Japanese author Keisuke Uyama’s bestselling novel Love Like the Falling Petals Heads is to be published in English for the first time, courtesy of by Clover Press and Media Do International, in partnership Shueisha Inc. First published in 2017, this romance, explorating “the beauty and pain of young love, as two souls are brought together by fate, only to be torn apart by circumstance” is being crowdfunded on Kickstarter now.
As well as being a bestseller in Japan, Love Like the Falling Petals Heads inspired the live-action Netflix movie of the same name in 2022 (directed by Yoshihiro Fukagawa, written by Tomoko Yoshida, and starring Kento Nakajima and Honoka Matsumoto).
Translated by Terry Gallagher, with cover by artist Heikala, and variant covers by LAL!ROLE and Cheseely, the campaign is now live on Kickstarter.
Here’s what author Keisuke Uyama had to say about the potential new readership for this bestselling novel:
“Growing up, dreaming I would one day become a writer, I never thought that my stories would be read outside of Japan and reach people around the world. I am deeply moved and excited about the English-language edition of Love Like the Falling Petals. I wish I could convey this excitement to my childhood self. Of course, I did not get here alone. I would like to thank Terry Gallagher for his translation and Heikala for her wonderful cover illustration, and Cheseely and LAL!ROLE for the variant covers for the English edition.”
Translator Terry Gallagher added:
“It was a pleasure to translate Love Like the Falling Petals by Keisuke Uyama, a classic ‘meet cute’ love drama with a dark twist. The characters are very believable and identifiable. Their Tokyo is my Tokyo. The language of the book is the language of real life: heat of summer, chill of winter, the grind of work, the thrill of young love, a family-run pub, a fancy French restaurant, the smell of hospital hallways. But something untoward happens to this couple. The story takes a novel approach to explore our collective obsession with youth, connection, and ‘relationships.’ Will they find their way out of their predicament?”
Finnish artist, Heikala, who lives in Tokyo also added:
“I first got to know the story of Love Like The Falling Petals through the Netflix film. Then when I got the chance to read the book, I was touched by the way that Uyama depicts the varying forms of love in his book. In addition to being a beautiful depiction of a budding relationship between young adults, the story illustrates the themes of familial love, and that of grief and loss in a sincere way. In my illustration for the cover, I wanted to depict the book’s themes of fleeting beauty symbolized by the short life of the cherry blossom. I wanted the cover art to be a delicate depiction of the main characters with an emphasis on the beautiful world that they are surrounded with.”
And, here’s the full synopsis:
“Love Like the Falling Petals is a heart-wrenching tale that takes readers on an emotional journey in which a young couple—Misaki and Haruto—navigates the ups and downs of life and relationships. Set in the stunning landscape of Japan, and the fleeting symbolism of cherry blossoms, the novel paints a vivid picture of the country’s culture and traditions, while exploring the universal themes of love, sacrifice, and the power of the human spirit. The Love Like the Falling Petals campaign will feature rewards including bookmarks, tote bags, hand towels, greeting cards, folders, and calendar prints, all adorned with gorgeous art.”
As well as the Kickstarter campaign, (where you can check out all the various pledges and rewards) The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles (JFLA) – which promotes international awareness and mutual understanding between Japan and the U.S. through a wide range of cultural programs and grants – will support the campaign with YouTube video featuring Uyama and Heikala.
