No Longer Human (Ningen Shikkaku): A New Independent Translation (Unabridged): Includes Historical Introduction and Biographical Postscript

The unfiltered reality of Osamu Dazai’s masterpiece in a completely new, independent English translation.

No Longer Human (originally published as Ningen Shikkaku) is the definitive masterwork of mid-century Japanese psychological fiction. This visceral, deeply personal narrative follows Oba Yozo, a young man incapable of revealing his true self to the world, hiding instead behind a carefully crafted mask of buffoonery. As his masks begin to fail, Yozo enters a tragic, relentless downward spiral through alienation, addiction, and ultimate isolation.

Unabridged Production
Unlike older Western editions that rely on dense, long-winded academic padding and archaic styling, this modern independent translation uncovers the lean, sharp, and jagged skeleton of Dazai's original text. Committed to a strict policy of zero omissions, every psychological milestone, every dark monologue, and every step of Yozo's haunting descent is preserved exactly as it was written in 1948.

Crafted specifically for the audio medium, this production is a slow-burn, atmospheric experience. Narrated by Luke Meinier Dalofin with a grounded, intimate intensity, capturing the fractured psychological reality of an isolated mind.