2020 SHIBA Ryotaro Memorial Academic Lecture held online

On Saturday, November 14, the Osaka University SHIBA Ryotaro Memorial Academic Lecture was held online, a first for this lecture series, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This lecture is held every year and retraces the accomplishments of SHIBA Ryotaro, an author and graduate of the Osaka University of Foreign Studies (now Osaka University). The topic for this 23rd year's lecture was "The Path Japan Has Taken."

Following greetings from MC HIRANO Satoshi (graduate of Osaka University of Foreign Studies/radio DJ and MC for events), President NISHIO Shojiro delivered a message via video on behalf of the organizers of this event.

President Nishio greets participants

Part 1 of the lecture featured a Bibliobattle, in which OU students competed against each other in reviewing SHIBA Ryotaro's novels related to this year's theme of "The Path Japan Has Taken," as well as selections from his serial titled " Kaido wo yuku .

The following 5 students who made it through the preliminary rounds of this Bibliobattle introduced their selected works and held a Q&A session:

• KAKIUCHI Ryota , 2nd year, School of Economics
• TERAI Yuuto ,1st year, doctoral program, Graduate School of Language and Culture
• KODAMA Nanami , 3rd year, School of Foreign Studies
• HIRAO Souta , 1st year, master’s program, Graduate School of Letters
• FUJITANI Yasuaki , 1st year, master’s program, Graduate School of Science

A live stream of the Bibliobattle

An online public voting was held to choose which book piqued their interest the most. Commemorative plaques and supplementary prizes were awarded to the champion HIRAO Souta, who introduced " Fujin no Mon, " and the runner-up KODAMA Nanami, who introduced “ Saigo no Shogun ."

From left:  Mr. Fujitani, Mr. Hirao, Ms. Kodama, Mr. Terai, and Mr. Kakiuchi

Champion HIRAO Souta

Runner-up KODAMA Nanami

In part 2 of the lecture, novelist ASAI Makate spoke with an interviewer on the topic of “Novelist Asai Makate on Shiba Ryotaro’s Life and Work.”

Quoting some passages from Shiba Ryotaro’s “ Ryoma ga yuku ” and “ Nanohana no Oki ,” as well as Asai Makate’s “ Renka ” and “ Kurara ”, all of which were read by announcer OGAWA Mayu, Ms. Asai spoke about the appeal of Shiba’s works.

Ms. ASAI Makate

You can view a video this lecture on Osaka University’s official YouTube channel until Friday, December 11.