Planarian

Kato's husband was cut off, and she works nights at a supermarket to support her two adult children. Haruka survived cancer and wants to become a planarian in her next life. Izumi had a successful career, but now she sews toys and doesn't want to go back to work. The stories of Fumio Yamamoto unfold against the backdrop of Japan's "lost decade", a time of fragile instability. Her heroines refuse to go with the flow and quietly rebel against imposed roles. Each of them faces a choice between freedom and following rules, between submission and trying to preserve themselves. Awarded the Naoki Prize in 2001, and now, a quarter of a century later, "Planarian" resonates with readers.