Jane Austen in popular culture
Austen went out of favour in Japan during the militarist period in the early Showa era (1931-1945) when a xenophobic, ultra-nationalist mood prevailed, and the government discouraged people from reading foreign books. But during the period of the American occupation (1945–52), almost every Austen book was translated into Japanese except "Mansfield Park" (which was not translated until 1978), and Austen started to be widely taught in Japanese high schools. The translation of "Sense and Sensibility" in 1947, followed by a translation of "Pride and Prejudice" in 1950 were published by the prestigious publishing house Iwanami Shoten, and both books sold very well. The success of the Iwanami versions of "Sense and Sensibility" and "Pride and Prejudice" was the moment that Austen became respectable in Japan. In 1963, the critic Yamamoto Kenkichi, in his essay “The Smile of "Pride and Prejudice"” that proved to be influential, criticized Japanese literature for being overtly solemn and praised Austen for her “natural ease”, which led him to conclude: “Collins, Wickham, Mrs. Bennet, Lady Catherine, how she turns her laughter on these minor characters. They are observed with some malice, certainly, but in a pleasant, mischievous, irreverent manner which ultimately accords salvation to even these fools”. Austen has been regarded as a major writer in Japan since the 1950s, and in 2007, the Jane Austen Society of Japan was founded to provide a space for Japanese Janeites. In 2015-2016, "manga" versions of "Pride and Prejudice", "Emma", and "Sense and Sensibility" were published in Japan.
Mr. Darcy's Daughters
The release of the popular TV serial "Pride and Prejudice" (1995) led to a resurgence in interest for Jane Austen's works. Many writers were inspired by Austen, leading to a variety of novelizations and other adaptations being produced. Elizabeth Aston became one of the most prolific authors of Austen-related fiction, with "Mr. Darcy's Daughters" being her debut novel. She had studied the author at St Hilda's College, Oxford under Lord David Cecil, a biographer of Austen. Aston felt that Austen's novels were "as fresh today as when they were written," and compared the novelist's genius with Mozart for "speak[ing] to the soul while it enchants and delights." When crafting her story, Aston opted not to prominently feature Austen characters such as Mr Darcy. Her stories instead feature newly invented characters related to those seen in Austen's works, such as members of the Darcy, Bingley, and Collins families.