The Ecosystem of Lovable Middle-Aged Men | Creative Awards Essay Review

I am writing my thoughts on the essay category of the 2026 Creative Awards.

This time, I read an essay by Noyagi-san.
There will be spoilers, so please read the original work first.

Two seconds into reading, I was hit with a sense of 'What on earth is this about?' Noyagi-san, where are you trying to take me!!

'Having lived as a middle-aged man for several years, I am aware of the harm I cause just by existing.'

This is where the gears really start turning. The resolution of this 'difficulty of living as a middle-aged man' is excellent. Since I will never be a middle-aged man in my life, it was fascinating, like peeking into an ecosystem. Ah, the lovable middle-aged man.

The highlight of this essay is from the part about 'looking younger after a haircut' to the end. The way it makes you read through the internal conflict over a fleeting event with such great pacing is impressive. It was very entertaining, and I read it all in one go. This style of piling on 'the monologue of the me inside my brain'—isn't this quite a powerful weapon? I can easily imagine a whole book written in this vein.

What I found interesting while reading was that two essays with different textures were written under the theme of 'verbalization survival.' The first half is a 'what on earth is this about essay,' and the second half is a 'monologue of the me inside my brain essay.' On that note, this is a completely personal opinion, but I felt that if they were split into separate pieces, or if the causal connection between the first and second halves were a bit stronger, the overall momentum of the writing would increase even more. The initial episode isn't really resolved, so I found myself shouting—or maybe not shouting—at the cafe where I was reading, 'Where did the relative's child, the credit card, and the towering breasts go?!'

If I had to choose one, I personally prefer the middle-aged man ecosystem essay. Though I am also curious about the whereabouts of the breasts. This 'essay that unfolds the internal monologue of a middle-aged man at high speed' is quite strong, and I simply want to read more of it. So, I would love to read something even more extreme in this direction. If I were to be greedy, I'd want to read about the 'barely holding it together' middle-aged man scene. Also, I am curious about the whereabouts of the breasts.

This is a complete tangent, but male essayists are remarkably few compared to women, aren't they? Although there are many male novelists who publish essays. Essays written by middle-aged men might be a hidden gem and incredibly good. If I were a middle-aged man, I would have wanted to write one. I think I'll try to find and read more essays by men.

I am writing my thoughts on the Creative Awards essay category at a turtle's pace, but for those who can wait patiently, I look forward to your continued interest.