Having added twenty new pieces to the repertoire, Ōshiro is credited as having "single-handedly revived the genre that originated in the 18th century"[3] by incorporating Okinawa shibai (dramas in the Okinawan language) and distinctive rhythms to construct a fluid, hybrid cultural identity.
His writings have been noted for making Okinawan culture and history accessible to Japanese readership,[4] while his more popular works have been critically praised for "offering an acute perspective on the psychological and moral implications of war and military occupation.
[6] (Prof. Nishi Masahiko) His first major success was The Cocktail Party, for which he won an Akutagawa Prize in 1967, becoming the first Okinawan author to earn the distinction.
The novella tells the story of an Okinawan man, the narrator, who is invited to a house party on a U.S. base also attended by American, Chinese, and Japanese guests.
During the party, the narrator is forced to navigate a conversational minefield due to the cultural perceptions and divergent political views among the guests.