average-axolotl

[average-axolotl]

“Let's face it: I'm scared, scared and frozen. First, I guess I'm afraid for myself... the old primitive urge for survival. It's getting so I live every moment with terrible intensity. It all flowed over me with a screaming ache of pain... remember, remember, this is now, and now, and now. Live it, feel it, cling to it. I want to become acutely aware of all I've taken for granted. When you feel that this may be good-bye, the last time, it hits you harder.”

-Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath

[average-axolotl]

I truly would like to imagine Ugetsu was so profoundly touched by Mafuyu that he set up this gig for him to perform with an orchestra. Definitely could imagine that Mafuyu would have a Jenny Lind moment centerstage as seen in The Greatest Showman! Maybe even added bonus of Ugetsu/Akihiko violin feature :)

[average-axolotl]

Banana Fish | Taking the Plunge - A Personal Exploration of Referenced Literature

Recently, I made the bold decision to binge Banana Fish (anime) over my fall break from university. Least be said, not only did it captivate me with its unique and profound story but truly set my literature-loving soul aflame.

There's no doubt Akimi Yoshida was influenced by authors J.D. Salinger and Ernest Hemingway; before I even completed the series I was set on reading both "A Perfect Day for Banana Fish" and "Islands in the Stream" because of their references in the show. I wanted to see how these works resonated with Yoshida enough to incorporate them into her own storytelling, thus shaping the lives of her characters and the trajectory of the plot. So it was a pleasant surprise when I arrived at notorious episode 24 and noticed its title: "Catcher in the Rye." Another work by Salinger... which I have actually already read, albeit in high school. I wasn't ever a big fan and I never fell in line with giving it critical acclaim or felt justified labeling it something of a "phenomenon." Although, this simple reference convinced me to give the novel another chance. Mostly because I'm dying to find a deeper meaning/relationship between the two works--possibly involving the development of our two protagonists Ash and Holden? Is there a reason the series begins and ends with a Salinger reference?

Knowing myself I just couldn't be satisfied after I had caught sight of Banana Fish's deeper relationship with classic literature, so I kept digging, and again to my surprise, I found that every single episode shared a title with a piece of literature--novel, short story, etc.--written by a renown American author.

1. "A Perfect Day For Bananafish," J.D. Salinger

2. "In Another Country," Ernest Hemingway

3. "Across the River and Into the Trees," Ernest Hemingway

4. "This Side of Paradise," F. Scott Fitzgerald

5. "From Death to Morning," Thomas Wolfe

6. "My Lost City," F. Scott Fitzgerald

7. "The Rich Boy," F. Scott Fitzgerald

8. "Banal Story," Ernest Hemingway

9. "Save Me the Waltz," Zelda Fitzgerald

10. "Babylon Revisited," F. Scott Fitzgerald

11. "The Beautiful and Damned," F. Scott Fitzgerald

12. "To Have and Have Not," Ernest Hemingway

13. "The Snows of Kilimanjaro," Ernest Hemingway

14. "Tender is the Night," F. Scott Fitzgerald

15. "The Garden of Eden," Ernest Hemingway

16. "Lo, the Poor Peacock," F. Scott Fitzgerald

17. "The Killers," Ernest Hemingway

18. "Islands in the Stream," Ernest Hemingway

19. "The Ice Palace," F. Scott Fitzgerald

20. "The Unvanquished," William Faulkner

21. "The Undefeated," Ernest Hemingway

22. "As I Lay Dying," William Faulkner

23. "For Whom the Bell Tolls," Ernest Hemingway

24. "Catcher in the Rye," J.D. Salinger

At this point, I'm completely entranced by how extensive this list of references became. I've reached a point of no return, my interest has been peaked beyond belief. SO I'm taking the plunge! I'm going to read every single work referenced and compare it to the content of its respective episode. In addition, I will be thoroughly examining the content of the manga as I hope this will offer an alternative perspective and provide more clues as to why and/or if at all these titles have any significance to Yoshida's Banana Fish. It is in the realm of possibility they have nothing to do with the original manga and were an ad-lib by the anime's production team.