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<p>is a Japanese mystery writer. Born in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.</p><h2>Biography</h2><p>Soji Shimada graduated from Seishikan High School in <a href="/pages/w/108090239224061">Fukuyama City</a>, <a href="/pages/w/108173359215567">Hiroshima Prefecture</a>, and later <a href="/pages/w/108291595861101">Musashino Art University</a> as a <a href="/pages/w/103985209637649">Commercial art</a>s design major.</p><p>After spending years as a <a href="/pages/w/106082389422386">dump truck</a> driver, free writer, and musician, he made his debut as a mystery writer in 1981 when <i><a href="/pages/w/108439465844212">The Tokyo Zodiac Murders</a></i> remained as a finalist in the <a href="/pages/w/187142631334903">Edogawa Rampo Prize</a>. His most well-known works include the <i>Detective Mitarai Series</i> and the <i>Detective Yoshiki Series</i>. His works often involve themes such as the death penalty, <a href="/pages/w/109335372417430">Nihonjinron</a> (his theory on the <a href="/pages/w/109594992400047">Japanese people</a>), and Japanese and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_culture" class="wikipedia">international culture</a>. He is a strong supporter of amateur <i>Honkaku</i> (i.e. authentic, orthodox) <a href="/pages/w/103820776323597">mystery</a> writers. Following the trend of Social School of crime fiction led by <a href="/pages/w/106275592741216">Seicho Matsumoto</a>, he was the pioneer of "Shin-Honkaku" (New Orthodox) logic mystery genre. He bred authors such as <a href="/pages/w/690012854344037">Yukito Ayatsuji</a>, <a href="/pages/w/1427169517503326">Rintaro Norizuki</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shogo_Utano" class="wikipedia">Shogo Utano</a>, and he led the mystery boom from the late 1980s to present day. As the father of "Shin-Honkaku," Shimada is sometimes referred to as "The Godfather of Shin-Honkaku" or "God of Mystery.”</p>