"Coin Locker Babies" follows Kiku and Hashi, two boys abandoned at birth in adjacent train station lockers. After a tumultuous youth in an orphanage and on a remote island, they journey to Tokyo's shadowy underworld, particularly the enigmatic Toxitown, to confront the mothers who rejected them. Their paths diverge dramatically: one transforms into a charismatic rock singer, while the other, a pole vaulter, pursues his revenge alongside his girlfriend, a model who shares her home with a pet crocodile.

Why You Should Read?

• Explores profound themes of abandonment, identity, and revenge within a surreal narrative.
• Offers a gritty and unconventional depiction of late-20th-century Tokyo's fringe society.
• Features complex, unforgettable characters navigating extreme psychological and physical landscapes.
• Presents a distinctive and challenging voice in contemporary Japanese literature.