Hi!

I’m really bad at analysis and at time managing so I probably be short in my comments and/or coming back to this several times.

First of all let me say I rarely read such a deep analysis of Banana Fish story and I agree about quite a lot of points.

I always thought that the political aspects of BF were understimated to say the least.

Yoshida definitely did her homework and slid in the story a lot of topics that now, after 40 and more years, might sound a little more “obvious” but we do know that still don’t come out easily to the rest of the wolrd (aka public opinion)

Such us : economic collusion, political interfeering worldwide,hidden partnership between countries, sexual scandals and abuse etc etc etc

I’ll add that she wrote about this as a japanese woman in her thirties (when she started), in the ‘80, ‘90 and in a japanese society context.

As far as I know just the fact that she managed to publish the story as a woman under her own name it’s been an accomplishment.

I won’t discuss her choices as an authour because I am one and….that’s really too intimate 😉

Banana Fish destroyed my life (POS)….

My oldest daughter cursed me with it then graced me with AO3 (archiveofourown.org) where there is not just a Banana Fish writing fandom but an enormous amount of writing/reading including a very much alive original stories section.

If I say this is because you mentioned the fact that rarely a story had such an impact on you and of course I completely get it, which is why I wanna say that, thanks to the Goddesses!, outside from the “official mainstream” still exist (and resist!) so many others meaningful medias (indie writers of all kind to start with)

About Ash and Eiji’s relationship : personally for me they’re an exemple of the ultimate love.

Behind that the fact that there is or not a sexual aspect or “just” deep friendship goes under the title of “personal interpretation”. I get that originally the story had to be classified in a certain box and that box might not be valid nowdays.

The common need to label IF it’s one kind of relationship or another says long about how, as culture and society, worldwide, we still have a way to go.

Personally, if they had got to live together (say the official ending was different) I’ll always loved for them to get intimate because, among others, that would have been another way for Ash to get his body, life and soul back.

A huge win over the constant trauma that has been forced upon him during all his life.

I read that depicted as a part of his healing path (not an easy one!) in many beautiful AU and found that it was healing for me too.

The fact that Yoshida have been trolling this aspect in different ways over the years (pictures, interviews….) , not always of my taste I must say, is pretty much irrelevant too me (death of the author).

She’s also well known to say it all and then the opposite way around.

And here it comes about the ENDING….. because , really? , how can you talk about Banana Fish and avoid that?

I DAMN HATE that ending. For many personal reasons that I came to acknowledge through the years, it touches me and still does at the deepest of my chore.

Beside the emotional heartbreaking of it there is one aspect that I came to point out and it’s maybe the one that revolts me the most : the emotional soul injustice of it.

Yoshida decided Ash had to die since the beginning, that’s the reason probably for the many foreshadowing along the story.

There is also an important part in Japanese culture about about a very strong commitment of NOT doing “wrong” even if it means you don’t defend yourself, you don’t stand up for yourself and ultimately you DON’T kill.

Now….we know the story…. Ash is guilty and it must pay, it doesn’t matter how/why he came to that point.

I have a very hard time to digest that.

But I also think that there is an even more subtle aspect of injustice and it concern more the belief systems such as :

• there is no hope in the real world (yes he still goes happy because Eiji’s letter)

• changing/evolution is ultimately not possible

• aka the possibility of a different life is stripped off

Now, I strongly refuse to accept that even if I’m really well aware that in rl it might translate as “moving mountains” sometimes.

But for me evolution and soul growing comes down pretty much to why we’re in the world so…..I hate that Ash was stripped off of that possibility.

That’s the main reason, I think, I would have preferred much at least an “open ending”.

Last but not last, because I have to go rn : there is not Sing’s sister, Nadia was Shorter’s (this is me fan being a stickler 😉)

Thank you for your post!