A newly discovered work by a Japanese literary giant is, by default, a thing of delight. The joy of surprise may forgive lesser quality — often the reason why parts of an oeuvre aren't published — yet I am thrilled to report that Yukio Mishima's novella "Star," to be published posthumously on April 30, isn't merely a treat for completists, but a happy reunion with a genius.
The slim volume — not to be confused with "A Beautiful Star," another untranslated Mishima story — first appeared in 1960 in the Japanese literary magazine Gunzo. Most likely, Mishima wrote it either during or shortly after filming "Afraid to Die," a yakuza potboiler that marked his first starring role in a movie (in addition, Mishima wrote the lyrics to the theme song and sang it himself). Mostly forgotten now in Japan, "Star" owes its English debut this week to a growing appetite for global ficiton.