Sano Shōichi (佐野 昌一, December 26, 1897 - May 17, 1949), know by his pen name Unno Jūza (海野 十三), was a Japanese novelist who was the founding father of Japanese science fiction.
In 1928 he debuted as a writer with the novel The case of the mysterious death in the electric bath (Denkifuro no kaishijiken).
During the Pacific War he wrote a great number of science-fiction novels, remaining in Tokyo throughout the air raids.
[1] Japan's defeat in World War II was for him a hard blow, and Unno spent the last years in his life in a state of deep depression.
Captain Jūzō Okita of Space Battleship Yamato was named as a tribute to Unno.