The points of issue
First edition in English, translated by Alfred Birnbaum. Published by Kodansha International, ISBN 4-7700-1544-5. The first printing is identified by the copyright-page reading 'First edition, 1991' followed by a number line counting down to 1 (printer's key 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1). Issued in quarter black cloth over paper-covered boards stamped in silver, in a pictorial dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
The Kodansha International edition of 1991 is the first edition in English; the UK edition (Hamish Hamilton) followed. The Japanese original was published in 1985 and won the Tanizaki Prize that year.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Vintage International paperbacks are reprints.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (Sekai no Owari to Hardboiled Wonderland) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition in English, translated by Alfred Birnbaum. Published by Kodansha International, ISBN 4-7700-1544-5. The first printing is identified by the copyright-page reading 'First edition, 1991' followed by a number line counting down to 1 (printer's key 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1). Issued in quarter black cloth over paper-covered boards stamped in silver, in a pictorial dust jacket.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The Kodansha International edition of 1991 is the first edition in English; the UK edition (Hamish Hamilton) followed. The Japanese original was published in 1985 and won the Tanizaki Prize that year.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Vintage International paperbacks are reprints.
I have a first edition of Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (Sekai no Owari to Hardboiled Wonderland) — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.