Essayist Chikako Koga has launched a new series titled 'Nigate Shiritori' (Weakness Word Chain) on Asahi Press's free web magazine, 'Asahiterasu.' The project adopts a unique format where Koga interviews individuals with specialized talents about their personal shortcomings and uses those weaknesses to identify the next interviewee.
The series concept originates from the common difficulty people face when filling out 'special skills' on a resume. Koga, who describes herself as having lived a life where she is 'bad at most things,' seeks to flip this perspective. In 'Nigate Shiritori,' she asks high achievers about their struggles and connects them to others who excel in those specific areas.
The process follows a structured sequence: (1) A participant discusses their talent. (2) They share something they are particularly poor at. (3) Koga finds a new individual whose talent is that specific weakness. (4) The cycle continues with the new person discussing their own strengths and weaknesses.
The debut installment, 'I Am Good at Writing but Bad at English Proficiency Tests — What is Nigate Shiritori?', details Koga’s own path to becoming a writer and her specific failures with English certifications. The series aims to illustrate that every individual's weakness might be another person's strength, creating a continuous chain of human capability.
The series is scheduled for monthly updates. Chikako Koga, born in 1979, is a prolific essayist known for works such as 'Dancing a Little and Running Off Immediately' and 'The 5-Second Diary.'
FACT BOX
- Source: PR TIMES
- Category: 出版・メディア文化