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lej222 · 27 days ago

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'Banana Fish' - The Series That Broke Me

TW: mentions of r@pe, physical and emotional ab@se, p@dophilia, forced pr@stitution, de@th, dr@g usage, child p@rn@graphy and violence! Also, HEAVY spoilers for the ending of the manga and anime. PLEASE BEWARE THE TRIGGER WARNINGS AND SENSITIVE ISSUES DISCUSSED IN THIS POST!

Banana Fish is an action-thriller manga that was serialized in 1985 in a shoujo magazine and was later adapted into a 24-episode anime series in 2018 by Studio Mappa. Even to this day, it is regarded as a classic work that has changed the shoujo landscape and attracted a high number of male readers, making it hard to categorize it into just one genre. With over-the-top action scenes, eccentric fashion and gang wars, Banana Fish remains an 80s classic that was somehow able to move new generations of fans with the anime adaptation changing the setting into modern times. The title of the manga is a reference to J. D. Salinger's short story, "A Perfect Day for Bananafish", and shares its themes of violence and innocence, symbolized by the two different worlds the main characters of the story represent.

Banana Fish is a character-centered work with sensitive issues

Unlike most of its contemporary shoujo manga, the story of Banana Fish takes place in the United States. The main protagonist, Ash, is a 17-year-old boy who has suffered terrible physical, sexual and emotional abuse ever since he was a kid. He is the leader of a young gang in New York and transports goods to the Mafia, something that he does for survival after escaping the clutches of the feared Mafia leader, Golzine. One day a man is murdered in front of his eyes who gives him a phial containing a strange powder while saying the words 'Banana fish'. Ash recalls his brother muttering the same thing after he returned from war. He was a soldier who developed a mental health disorder and Ash uses his illegally earned money to try to improve his condition.

While Ash starts to secretly investigate the strange drug, a photojournalist named Ibe arrives to the city from Japan with his young assistant, 19-year-old Eiji, to write an article about juvenile American gangs. He wants to meet a journalist friend of his, but the local detectives inform him that he's in prison. They advice him and Eiji to visit Ash's gang to take some pictures for their report. Ibe later reveals that he brought Eiji along on his trip to give him a new inspiration after the boy had to give up on his pole-vaulting career due to an injury. Eiji is a pure-hearted and innocent soul who looks younger than his age and is curious about the differences in cultures.

After Ash realizes that the powder itself is a dangerous drug called 'Banana fish' and it was used on his brother, he starts a fight against Golzine who wants to sell it to the government. Eiji and Ibe both accidentally get involved in the confrontation and decide to help Ash in order to uncover the truth.

While the main plot of Banana Fish revolves around Ash's fight with the Mafia, it's the major characters of the story who truly move the plot forward. Their personal stories, thoughts and relationships are all important, even when the series becomes more action-packed. From very early on in the story, we are reminded that Ash is a murderer - even if it wasn't him who chose this lifestlye and he was a victim himself, Ash knows that he has to pay for his crimes. This is precisely why this message gets reinforced in the most emotional moments of the series when Ash has to willfully kill even his own friend to end his pain.

Ash was forced to experience horrible things ever since he was a kid and his choices were taken away from him. At only 17-years old, he doesn't care if he's alive or not and he's heavily traumatized but deep down has a good heart and only wants to be free. It's not until Eiji enters his life that we see the the real Ash behind the persona he built to protect himself. Despite being part of a corrupted world, Ash is drawn to the light and freedom that Eiji represents in his existence; however, Ash has to face the truth that the longer Eiji stays with him the more corrupted he might also become himself. Ash's reluctance to completely sever his ties with Eiji only puts him in danger, but Ash still doesn't want him to hold a gun in hopes of protecting him from his dark world, saying that "one murderer is more than enough."

BL? Close Friendship? Does it even matter?

Many people recommend Banana Fish as a BL classic and leave viewers traumatized who are not familiar with the triggering contents of the series. The protagonist of the story is a victim of child p@rn@graphy, pr@stitution, ab@se and r@pe. Marketing the series as a simple love story without mentioning the heavy subject matter is nothing sort of disrespectful. To avoid confusion, Banana Fish is an action-drama first and foremost. There's a deep connection between two male characters that is the heart of the story, but it doesn't define its genre.

When Eiji first meets Ash he asks if he can hold his gun - it's a simple question without any ulterior motive that illustrates Eiji's naive and innocent worldview. Ash, who lost his inner child after the trauma he had to endure, finds himself agreeing to his request. Ash's bravery and dedication to his friends inspire Eiji to also do his best and that's when he decides to jump over a wall with a metal pipe to call for help, overcoming his painful memories about pole-vaulting. Eiji becomes the image of freedom and warmth for Ash, someone who can make him unguarded and peaceful, just an ordinary teenager. Even though they come from different worlds, Eiji and Ash understand each other deeply and would do anything for the other.

Let's make this clear - Eiji and Ash love each other, but the nature of that love is up to interpretation. The creator Yoshida Akimi is known to have given contradictory answers on this matter. While she claims that Banana Fish was inspired by 'Midnight Cowboy' and the deep platonic relationship between its two male characters, she has also referenced famous queer movies with her art and put illustrations in her artbook that lean towards a more romantic interpretation. And then we haven't even talked about the subtext and the ending of the manga. Or the fact that 'Midnight Cowboy' is considered to be an essential part of queer cinema by many people so its interpretation also varies.

While Yoshida has said she wanted to portay a platonic friendship, her art and the relationhip between her characters were clearly influenced by queer media. Up to this day, it's impossible to decide which interpretation is true. And it doesn't matter. Ash and Eiji share a profound connection in the story that is beyond romantic or platonic love. It's the bond of two souls that have found their other halves, two individuals who inspire each other, a love so strong that it transcends our mortal existence because it will never cease existing. I would even go as far as to call it the purest form of love.

We also have to consider the publication date of the series. Banana Fish is a product of its time, and it's evident in how it portrays intimacy between men. There's no positive depiction of sexual relationhsips between men and every homosexual encounter is r@pe or ped@philia. Compared to these negative experiences, Ash and Eiji's non-sexual relationship feels more intimate. This might seem like a contradiction, but it's not surpiring given the stigma homosexuality had at the time of publication. Banana Fish was published in 1985 when the AIDS crisis made people fear homosexual acts and think of them as 'dirty' and stigmatized. No wonder that a platonic connection might have seemed like the purer form of love at the time. The argument that romantic feelings cannot exist without intimacy is also an inherently flawed one, because it implies that people who are physically unable to have a sexual relationship or do not have sexual desires are not capable of loving another human being. Which we know is not true.

We also have to keep in mind that Ash was a victim of sexual assa@lt and repeatedly gets violated in the story. It is never romanticized- it's portrayed as a vile act and the perpetrators receive no redemption arc. Yoshida has stated that Ash probably wouldn't want to have a sexual relationhip based on his past - a statement that made several survivors like Ash voice out their own opinions. They pointed out that while it might feel impossible to some people, past victims might want to be intimate with a trusted partner, even if it's a slow healing process. It's not about what Yoshida said, but the way she rejected any sort of possibility of Ash exploring positive sexual experiences in the future, which again points to an outdated perspective on survivors of SA. We obviously don't know Yoshida's intentions and I'm not trying to analyze her answers, but I would agree with many readers that these questions are better left up to interpretation. Writing about male victims of SA in the 80s and how they also felt violated and broken after experiencing such horrible trauma was a big deal and she deserves the credit for highlighting such a delicate issue, but by today's standards the topic could have been handled in a more sensitive manner.

Whether Yoshida truly intended to portray a close friendship or she simply didn't want her work to be labelled as a bl instead of a crime-thriller and lose readers who would never touch anything bl related with a ten-foot pole - we'll probably never know. And frankly, it's not important. It doesn't change the fact that Banana Fish has inspired countless bl works and Ash and Eiji are regarded as one of the most beloved m/m couples in manga/anime. It doesn't change the fact the manga depicted an incredibly healthy and supporting relationship between two boys who loved each other unconditionally.

Finding hope and purpose amidst despair

Like I've mentioned before, Ash is a heavily traumatized individual who is thrown from one hell to another. His existence seemingly has no purpose and he wouldn't mind dying, but what keeps him going is his desire to make those pay who prey on the weak. His life is a never-ending cycle of violence and trauma and he flinches at the smallest touch or camera shutter. Through sheer coincidence, it's a photographer assistant that fills his life with meaning and purpose. Ash's deepest desire is to be free from exploitation and violence so when he sees Eiji "flying" in the air it makes him feel inspired. He becomes the first person to save him without wishing for anything in return. Eiji has a pure soul and Ash doesn't want it to get corrupted, for him, protecting Eiji's innocent worldview and happiness becomes the most important thing. Even though he knows Eiji would be safer in Japan, he still cannot let him go. Just like the leopard in Hemingway's story that Ash recites, Ash is looking for a purpose in his life, something that can set him free from his pain. The leopard froze on the mountain while it was searching for something that was more valuable than its life. At the top of Ash's Kilimanjaro there's a future with Eiji - going to Japan with him, always staying by his side.

When he's with him, Ash lowers his guard and doesn't sense danger. He's just a 17-year old boy who laughs about funny jokes and enjoys the company of another human being. He's uncomfortable with people approaching from behind but doesn't even flinch when Eiji does it. He stops shaking when he hugs him despite flinching at other people touching him. However we choose to interpret their relationship, Ash and Eiji's souls are intertwined. Eiji gives Ash hope for a better future and the opportunity to dream. The tragic irony of their situation is that the same circumstances that allowed them to meet each other in the first place are also the ones that force them apart.

It's important to mention that the anime adaptation clearly went for the more romantic interpretation. From promotional arts and visual storytelling to the opening and ending sequences, the series put a big emphasis on the relationship between the two boys and how they changed each other's lives. The second ending in particular, titled "Red", very clearly symbolizes a love beyond friendship and it shows the two of them at a field with the sun shining on Eiji while Ash is watching him from afar, mesmerized by the light. The colours of the rye field and the setting sun are blending together, creating a sense of tranquility where time seemingly stops existing. This video gaines even more meaning after the last episode, especially with the lyrics:

"In spite of how the world decides to see my life Would I still have a chance for us to say goodbye? Over and over again If I decide to burn instead of fading out I still would like a chance for us to say goodbye Over and over again

If we can be found, we sure can get lost Through all the madness of falling in love If we're truly lost, I don't want to be found Here dying alone

The stain of RED that colors the pavement Painted with blood of somebody you love Is this the sacrifice for the broken Losing the purest of what's in your heart"

(or in other words, the ending that still gives me emotional damage because of its powerful imagery)

Eiji is also an anchor to Ash's humanity. When we first see Ash, he is in many ways disconnected from his emotions - he wouldn't mind dying but doesn't want to give up his life willingly. He doesn't like killing people without a reason, but he accepts it's a part of his reality. However, Eiji makes him let his guard down. To everyone else, he's a capable gang leader, a highly intelligent individual, an object of worship and fear. In front of Eiji he's just a normal teenager and he doesn't want him to see his "ugly" side. Whenever Eiji is separated from him, Ash becomes disconnected from his emotions once again. But Eiji is also the one who makes him feel like a human being in his last moments.

The most cruel, yet beautiful ending

I will be completely honest - I initially hated the ending. When I first saw it, I thought it was the cruelest thing I've ever witnessed in any anime and I still stand by my opinion. Ash's death was cruel - after a life full of trauma he finally found his happiness, only for it to be taken away from him in the very next second. Ash decided that he would let Eiji go because they are too different for Eiji's safety, until he finds his letter with the plane ticket Eiji left him. Ash becomes unguarded once again and doesn't notice the danger until it's too late. However, Ash chooses to spend his last moments at his favourite place - in the library. He sits in the seat where Eiji did and reads his letter that says Eiji might say goodbye to America but he doesn't want to say goodbye to Ash because his soul will always stay with him. Ash passes away knowing that somebody loved him and cared for him, and he also cared for that person - Ash found meaning in his life through loving another person. This scene was so beautifully done that I was violently sobbing through it. Don't get me wrong - Ash deserved better. He was just 18 years old, a heavily traumatized victim who just wanted to be with the person he loved; however, I'm comforted by the knowledge that he was happy in his last moments. A cruel, yet tragically beautiful way to end his story. A thematically fitting conclusion, even if it seems unfair and left me with a hollow feeling.

While it came as a shock to me as a viewer, Ash's death was carefully foreshadowed in the series. Salinger's short story, which was the inspiration for the title, is a tragic tale of a soldier who has experienced so many horrible events that he cannot regain his place in the world. He talks about banana fish that were originally normal fish at first, but once they swam into a hole full of bananas they ate so much they couldn't get out. This story is a metaphor for the soldier's PTSD about war, he's just like the banana fish in the sense that he cannot go back to what he once was before he became corrupted. Ash, similarly to the soldier, has way too much blood on his hands. While most of it was for self-defense, Ash admits that he cannot break free from his cycle of violence and there are moments when he has no other choice but to kill another human being. Ash already sees no way out of the "banana-hole", but his liberation comes in a spiritual form through meeting Eiji and loving him unconditionally. Knowing that there was someone whose soul would always stay with his was what finally made him free of his ill fate full of violence.

That doesn't mean that the ending is not problematic. Yoshida stated that Ash's death was a karmic consequence of him killing other people. While Ash was a victim himself, I can understand where she's coming from. What I cannot understand is why it was only Ash who had to suffer these consequences - other characters who have killed others didn't die at a young age. It makes Ahs's death even more cruel when he finally decided to tell Eiji his feelings. Also, there seems to be a strange message about how death is salvation for broken people. Yoshida never even entertained the idea that Ash would have been happy in Japan, but he wasn't even given the opportunity to try. While the library scene is one of the most beautiful scenes I've ever watched in anime, it still leaves me with a conflicted feeling. Tragedies indeed happen in real life, but this one especially hurt. I understand the themes of the series,but it didn't make the ending any less painful which is proof of how impactful it was. The anime director likely shared my sentiment because they decided to leave the ending open. Ash is sitting at the library with a smile on his face, but we don't know if he truly passed away. Maybe someone will notice him and call for help. Maybe one day he can go to Japan.

In the manga; however, Ash is clearly dead. Even after 8 years, Eiji still cannot move on and even another character says that Eiji is forever Ash's. He lives in New York, mentions Ash in conversations without saying his name, chases after people who look like him. And even though Eiji can finally bring out his photos, there's an underlying implication that he'll never completely heal. I've mentioned the second ending's significance and I believe it beautifully illustrates how the connection between the main characters is one that transcends their physical existence. It might even seem like as if they've met again in the afterlife because their souls are always together. I'm not saying that Eiji should never be happy in the future. He might never fully move on, but he deserves to have a peaceful life. But I also like the implication of the second ending that one day they will meet again in different forms because the connection between them was so deep that the duration of the time they knew each other in the corporeal world is actually irrelevant.

Banana Fish was a series that broke me and made me cry, and the relationship between Ash and Eiji made me think about what I would want to remember in my last moments. It is a work full of triggering moments and tragedy, but at the end of the day what's important is what you take away from it even if it's not the author's intention. Whether Ash found peace through a close friendship, romantic love or a deep soulmate connection, it doesn't matter. But I'm happy that at least in his final moments he finally found his purpose.

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