Despite the continuous effort to seek a theme representing the whole world of "The Tale of Genji" in one word, it is hard to say they came to a conclusion that could be widely accepted, although some achievements which were agreed upon to some extent emerged, such as the anti-theory of a long continued descent presented by Kuniaki MITANI and a theory of fiction in "The Tale of Genji" as advocated by Hideo SUZUKI.
源氏物語全体を一言で表すような主題を求める努力は続けられており、三谷邦明による反万世一系論や、鈴木日出男による源氏物語虚構論などのような一定の評価を受けた業績も現れてはいるものの、広く合意された結論が出たとは言えない状況である。