柴田炼三郎，Graduated in Literature for the Keio University. Debuted as a writer in 1938 with "Elegy", but the II World War cut his career until 1949, when he resumed his activity. In 1951 he was finalist in the Akutagawa Prize (which he won next year) for his novel "Death Mask". From 1956 his novels were made into movies, the first of them being "8th Cell".