Pathway to Japanese Literature

Discover Japan's stories—across time, across language.

Artificial HumanAuthor: Hirabayashi Hatsunosuke

Original Title	人造人間
Author	平林初之輔
Genre	Fantasy & Sci-Fi
Author Type	Male Author
Summary	In a packed academic hall, Dr. Muraki unveils a revolutionary experiment: artificial human reproduction, demonstrated through guinea pigs cultivated in his proprietary solution. Confident in his methods, he stuns scholars by announcing a human fetus growing in a test tube, nurtured by a refined formula and aided by his devoted assistant, Fujiko Naito. The revelation ignites global frenzy—newspapers sensationalize “test-tube babies,” feminists envision societal upheaval, and legal scholars debate unprecedented dilemmas. Yet behind closed doors, Muraki’s double life unravels: a tender affair with Fujiko clashes with his familial obligations, while her unspoken pregnancy casts shadows over their collaboration. As pressure mounts to present results at a pivotal conference, Muraki’s meticulous facade begins to crack. Whispers of doubt emerge among peers, and Fujiko’s desperation to uncover the experiment’s secrets leads her to a locked room—and unsettling truths. Blurring ethics and ambition, this tale probes the cost of scientific triumph when human frailty collides with the hunger for legacy, leaving readers questioning where innovation ends and deception begins.