Finally available in its first official English translation, The Luminous Fairies and Mothra is the original novella that brought the mystical Mothra into existence. When explorers visit a South Pacific island and capture a group of fairies, they incite the fury of the goddess Mothra, who sets out for Japan on a mission of rescue and revenge. Including an extensive afterword about the story’s cultural context and the development of the 1961 film, this book will captivate ardent, longtime fans of the films as well as newcomers.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Shin’ichirō Nakamura (1918–1997) was a critic, scholar, and author of dozens of novels, many of which feature the experience of intellectuals during and after World War II.
Takehiko Fukunaga (1918–1979) was a prolific poet, translator of French fiction, and novelist, known for his sensitive, poetic writing style and interest in existential themes.
Yoshie Hotta (1918–1998) was an essayist and novelist involved in leftist politics and the international nonalignment movement of the 1960s.
Jeffrey Angles is professor of Japanese literature at Western Michigan University. He is author of three books and translator of several works in Japanese, including Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again by Shigeru Kayama, also published by the University of Minnesota Press.
For more information, visit the book’s webpage: University of Minnesota Press: The Luminous Fairies and Mothra
THE LUMINOUS FAIRIES AND MOTHRA
By Shin’ichirō Nakamura, Takehiko Fukunaga and Yoshie Hotta
Translated by Jeffrey Angles
University of Minnesota Press | 128 pages | January 13, 2026
ISBN 978-1-5179-2001-2 | Paperback | $19.95
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