Discover Nikkei Logo

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/journal/author/sakai-koji/

Profile image of Koji Steven Sakai

Koji Steven Sakai

@ksakai

Koji Steven Sakai has written four feature films that have been produced, Haunted Highway (2006), The People I’ve Slept With (2009), Monster & Me (2012), and #1 Serial Killer (2012). He also served as a producer on The People I’ve Slept With and #1 Serial Killer. His feature length screenplay, Romeo, Juliet & Rosaline, was optioned by Amazon Studios. Koji’s debut novel, Romeo & Juliet Vs. Zombies, was released by Luthando Coeur, the fantasy imprint of Zharmae Publishing Press in February of 2015.

Updated March 2015


Stories from This Author

Thumbnail for What am I?
en
ja
es
pt
Koji's Column
What am I?

March 21, 2007 • Koji Steven Sakai

I did Kendo (Japanese sword fighting) for almost 15 years. I ate rice almost every meal growing up. I understand Japanese. I root for Japanese baseball players. I work at a Japanese American institution. Should I then be considered Japanese? What does that really mean? To the Japanese, I’m American. I’m different. I’m not like them. I’m their stupid inbred cousin they don’t like to talk about. I remember when I was in Japan as a kid, they outed me …

Thumbnail for Citizen First
en
ja
es
pt
Koji's Column
Citizen First

Feb. 22, 2007 • Koji Steven Sakai

Anyone who wasn’t actively helping the Jews and other displaced people in Nazi Germany were as culpable for the crimes against humanity as any of the SS soldiers we all like to vilify. The citizens of a country have the moral obligation to ensure that their government does not break international law and/or basic human rights. Our soldiers are citizens first and soldiers second. Therefore, they have that same moral obligation as all of us. They are not robots that …

Thumbnail for Samurais, Ninjas - Oh My!
en
ja
es
pt
Koji's Column
Samurais, Ninjas - Oh My!

Jan. 23, 2007 • Koji Steven Sakai

A good friend of mine who works for a Japanese American historical organization recently received the following e-mail and wanted me to write back to them. Dear Sir or Madam: Hello. My name is XXXX XXXXXXXXX. I am in the 7th grade at XXXX Middle School in XXXXX, XX and I am in an accelerated education class. We are doing research projects and my topic is comparing Samurai and Ninjas. I need information before XXXXXXXX X, XXXX to write my …

Thumbnail for To my unborn child: Tojo Sakai
en
ja
es
pt
Koji's Column
To my unborn child: Tojo Sakai

Dec. 13, 2006 • Koji Steven Sakai

I am going to name my future unborn child Tojo Sakai. My first generation mom thinks it’s not only stupid but a bad idea. Of course, this is the same parent who told me that I shouldn’t try to grow a mullet. Obviously, she’s an unreliable advice giver and possibly criminally insane. An informal poll of my friends tells me that they don’t care if I named my kid Hitler. “It’s your kid,” one of them told me, “You can …

We’re looking for stories like yours!

Submit your article, essay, fiction, or poetry to be included in our archive of global Nikkei stories.
Learn More

New Site Design

See exciting new changes to Discover Nikkei. Find out what’s new and what’s coming soon!
Learn More

Discover Nikkei Updates

DISCOVER NIKKEI PROGRAM
July 12 • Burnaby, British Columbia
Join us for a book talk, reception, and panel discussion on Japanese Canadian history. The panel discussion will also be live-streamed via Zoom!
NIKKEI CHRONICLES #14
Nikkei Family 2: Remembering Roots, Leaving Legacies
Baachan, grandpa, tía, irmão… what does Nikkei family mean to you? Submit your story!
SUPPORT THE PROJECT
Discover Nikkei’s 20 for 20 campaign celebrates our first 20 years and jumpstarts our next 20. Learn more and donate!