Original language:
Japanese Translated from: Japanese
Authors: Komatsu, Sakyo
Translated by: Ališauskas, Arvydas
Full translated source bibliographical description:
Komatsu, Sakyo. Ashita dorobo, Tokyo: Kodansha, 1965.
Published in: Vilnius
Published on: 1973
Publisher: Vaga
A novel titled “The Plunderers of Tomorrow” by Japanese writer Sakyo Komatsu, tells a story about Yuzo Toda – a regular worker of a huge Japanese enterprise. He generally shares similar everyday problems to most of people in his social and economic status: stress at work, quarrels with his fiancee and lack of money. However, after accidentally running into a being from another planet fate of the whole Earth fell into his hands. The main character who used to ironically complain about his monotonous life faces radical changes: he can no longer keep thinking about the issues of our planet like he is outside of them – from now on his decisions determine everything.
It is natural that after gaining such power Toda becomes surrounded by influential figures who only try to exploit this power for their own goals. As a seasoned company servant who only received and loyally carried out commands of his numerous managers for several past years, is Yuzo Toda able to independently make logical and morally right decisions? Or would he get scared of enormous responsibility and give away his power to monopolists who only crave for such an opportunity? Having a chance to stop all Earth‘s wars and finally seek for long-lasting peace, would he have enough courage to make such radical changes?
In this novel Sakyo Komatsu draws the Earth near the brink of total chaos while bringing up humanity‘s most important moral issues. The author mad it easy for readers to feel involved in novel‘s plot and experience everything from the eyes of the main character. By putting readers and Toda next to each other the author‘s goal is for everyone to understand that the fate of the Earth is rather depenant on regular people than the elite. Thus, the dilemma of war and peace, humanity‘s extinction or survival – all is in our own hands. What would you do if you were the first one to greet an extremely intelligent extraterrestrial, but not the Pentagon or Japanese emperor? Were you capable of making better decisions than the main character?
With this novel the author is trying to wake our consciousness and sense of responsibilty. The novel brings out the fact that the consequences of every decision can be as harsh as of being passive. Therefore, in the novel the Earth has to face drastic and extreme changes. Moreover, the fragility of everything we created is emphasized by portraying the things we take for granted and cherish as slipping from people‘s hands all the time.