Romance Doll

Author: Yuki Tanada

Romance Doll is the debut original novel by acclaimed filmmaker Yuki Tanada, known for her sensitive and bold storytelling in Japanese cinema. In this deeply intimate and emotionally charged love story, the narrator harbors a secret: he is a craftsman who makes love dolls, a profession he keeps hidden from the woman he loves.

As their married life unfolds, layers of tenderness, secrecy, guilt, and desire interweave, raising profound questions about love, honesty, and what it means to truly understand another person. Set against the quietly fascinating backdrop of the love doll industry, the novel offers a rare and poignant meditation on human connection, mortality, and the complexities of intimacy.

Tanada’s sharp yet compassionate voice brings depth to a narrative that is both unusual and universally resonant. It is an unforgettable story of love shaped not only by passion, but also by silence and craftsmanship.