Ryu Murakami, the Japanese novelist and filmmaker known for treating serious societal issues such as violence and drugs with his unique brand of cynical humour, has passed away. He was 74.

His publisher, Gentosha, confirmed his death on Friday, October 23. Calling his death premature, Gentosha said Ryu Murakami spent his “career continuously releasing shocking works meant for a younger audience.” His English-language publisher, Pushkin Press, also expressed its sympathies.

Born Ryūnosuke Murakami on February 19, 1952, in Nagasaki, he was a politically conscientious high schooler who participated in a rooftop protest in 1969 against the arrival of the US Navy warship USS Enterprise and the heavy US military presence in Japan, which led to his suspension and a three-month house arrest. During this time, he encountered hippie culture for the first time.…