Ranked #185

Aoi Bungaku Series

Aoi Bungaku (Blue Literature) constantly sets high standards for itself as the series' host reminds the viewers that these stories are masterpieces at the start of each episode. Or at least that masterpieces are blue...which likely symbolizes tragedy or just generally depressing themes.

Don't worry because these stories have plenty of those.

::No Longer Human::

“I lived an embarrassing life. I couldn’t figure out how humans lived.”

The most impossible scars to heal are the ones that bore no wound in the first place. No Longer Human is a testament to that as its protagonist, Yozu, has human characteristics but he expresses them in the way that a puppet would. His smile is empty, his expressions and actions are uneven and difficult to read, and his direction in life is reliant on those who are willing to burden themselves with him. A soul crushing existence, is it not? Oh, that is, if he ever even had a soul.

This story is so bleak and cynical that it eventually becomes easy to interpret the most innocent of intentions as something sinister and unforgivable. As demeaning as Yozu's actions are, it is clear that he still fears their consequences. Living life in a way which you know is shameful is truly the ultimate form of isolation and that is what makes No Longer Human such a horrific experience. Sometimes it is difficult to do the 'right' thing because of an inability to sympathize with others. Yozu suffers terribly for this and even though he is an empty shell, it still feels miserable to watch him resist his inevitable maturation from panicked denial to passive toleration. No Longer Human is a hard act to follow; it's like an unfunny attempt at black humor which struggles to retain its dignity. It's mature, gritty, ironic, and depressing as hell. It is a masterpiece.

::In the forest, under the cherry blossoms in full bloom::

Shigemaru is a self-proclaimed kind bandit (and polygamist) who, after killing a few men in the forest in which he lives, is drawn to the now widowed young and beautiful woman who had been accompanying them. Something is odd here because he then carries her home and, upon witnessing the death of her husband, she shows no signs of being in a state of mourning.

This dreamlike and (a little too) subtle portrayal of loneliness is one that keeps viewers on their toes from start to finish. The cherry blossoms in the forest are said to symbolize a darker objective hidden by their bright and innocent appearance. The magnetic bond shared by Shigemaru and the cherry blossoms mirrors that of his relationship with his new wife. While she is at times cute and teasing, she proudly flaunts an eerie passion which seems to echo Shigemaru’s suppressed desires. There is a lot that is open to interpretation here which I felt made the story and characterization overly vague. There are moments of slight comedy thrown in at seemingly random times but this was most likely to emphasize the contrast between the wife's light and dark sides. This segment feels like a drastic shift in tone after No Longer Human but there are some obvious parallels between the two.

::Kokoro::

Kokoro (Summer) is told in the perspectives of the two main characters who find themselves competing for the love of a woman in the same household. The chapters are notably different as ‘summer’(told from Sensei's perspective) shows the unraveling of the overtly religious K’s suppressed instincts in a way that makes him seem suspicious and manipulative while the sentimental ‘winter’(told from K's perspective) hints that they were all merely victims of circumstance with no ill will although Sensei’s jealousy and selfishness are exaggerated to the point of villainy. Despite the contrast between the chapters, they both meet bitterly satisfying ends as a result of either fulfillment or hopelessness. It may seem pointless to see these alternating perspectives if it is questionable what truly happened, but I found it enjoyable mainly because it shows how the thinnest rays of sunlight can drastically change the view on an otherwise nearly identical outcome. The final scenes are what make this special.

::Run, Melos::

“My promise with you; I thought it was more important than my life.”

Of all the things we hold dear, a promise can be either one of the most insignificant because of how easily it can be broken or it can be the most life-altering because it is what cements or destroys the relationship that was built around it. In Run, Melos, playwright Takada’s painful memory of a promise made long ago between he and his friend does not just resurface but it is relived and reenacted by him all over again.

The beauty of this segment is in its honest portrayal of the workings of the human mind when in a state of denial. The simplicity of the plot is compensated for by the emotional intensity that shows just how much suspected abandonment negatively affects a person but can never entirely dash something as natural as hope. Despite the theatrics, this manages to be a subtle example of it being the thought that counts. It’s not only the actual promise that predicts whether a bond will last, but the trust that is what accounts for it in the first place. Of course, this says nothing new so it is the execution that counts. The heartache that is felt by Takada is felt by the viewer and even though he has had to wait so long for his friend he would not hesitate to race to see him if the situation calls for it. This was a beautiful story and the most realistic of them all. It is definitely interesting that the original story is also from the author of No Longer Human as there is a very sharp contrast in tone between the two.

::The Spider’s Thread::

Kandata is a sleazy bandit who kills without mercy and defies authority in any way that he can. His good luck eventually comes to an end after he and his pride are injured by a boy whose mother he killed.

The Spider's Thread is unfortunately lacking in depth in characterization much like "In the Forest...". Kandata, a man who sees existence as futile, is harshly punished for the crimes he has committed. It's important to note that Kandata kills in order to survive as this ties into the Hell Screen segment. The nightmarish karma that is inflicted upon him is all the more disturbing due to this as well. It would have been nice if the viewer was given more information in regards to his upbringing and what exactly it is that forced him to live his life this way but I guess only so much can be told in just twenty minutes. Overall, this is a decent segment but it clearly pales in comparison to others.

::Hell Screen::

A few characters from The Spider's Thread reappear here. They, the king along with an artist, are consumed by their passions as they become an example of authority gone horribly wrong. The king proves to be an even more bizarre character here as he claims to love his city even though his unique way of showing it is by literally using the corpses of his people to maintain its stability. It is suddenly a little easier to sympathize with Kandata who, despite committing heinous crimes, seemed like someone who just needed a wake-up call and wasn't as demonic as he liked to think he was or portray himself as. This segment is also, unfortunately, lacking in depth and relies mostly on its visuals to capture the viewer's attention. If nothing else, Hell Screen does help to bridge the gap between it and the previous segment.

==Art/Sound/Conclusion==

Aoi Bungaku is very easy on the eyes. I especially love Takeshi Obata(character designer of Death Note)'s art; I hope to see his realistic character designs in many more future anime. The voice acting is generally good although there are standout performances. Masato Sakai voices five main characters from several of the stories and he shows great range in doing so. I unfortunately can't remember what the music in the series was like but the ending theme is very beautiful yet somewhat unfitting due to its uplifting lyrics. Still, the episodes just don't feel complete without hearing that tune at the end.

Overall, while the series does not maintain its high quality from start to finish, it is still very much worth watching. What makes this really stand out is the added meaningfulness of the original authors' life experiences which tie into their stories.

I don't know how to end this review so I'll just go with a quote from "In the forest..." which stood out to me.

"Cock is most favorite food in my life." read more

One thing I have learned after finishing this series, that the world and its society is a one cruel place full with violence, madness, and betrayal, or in the other hand, overpowered by those with the authority.

Story: 9/10
The Anime itself is divided into 6 different famous Japanese literatures made by famous authors from the past and all of the arcs has no connection with the others, but don't let this make you down because those 6 literatures sure were masterpieces indeed. You may prefer some arcs over the others, but overall it was a roller coaster full of emotions. One has to think deeper to get the full and real meaning of each arc, or as an english teacher would say, you need to think outside the box. You wouldn't really expect what to happen next since it's like a train of irony. You will be left with awe once you finish a certain arc. You will most likely doubt your own instincts since at first you'll be like "ah he's a bad guy", but then later on you'll be like, "wtf I was wrong."

Art: 10/10
If I can give a number higher than 10, then I would gladly choose that number as Aoi Bungaku's art was a hell of a masterpiece. The art was one of the parts why this show was awesome. The art gave the Anime a mysterious atmosphere and in some part, creepy. Heck, I would be glad if all Anime were drawn like this.

Sound: 9/10
You get different sounds in each arc. The background music that they play when a certain creepy event is happening was so good that it'll make either your eyes closed or wide open, if you're a masochist. Also, when emotional parts strike, the background music really helped to make a viewer sad or cry.

Character: 10/10
6 different arcs, which mean a lot of new characters. In each arc, you get awesome characters, and by awesome I mean characters surrounded with mystery and such. You wouldn't expect that character would do that to other character such. Also, 2 of the mains in 2 arcs looked like Light from Death Note. :D Plus, you get a 3d guy in every beginning of an episode. Where can you see an Anime with 3d people on!?

Enjoyment: 10/10
Pretty much enjoyed the entire series. There are 6 arcs so normally, one would prefer one over the other. Overall, it was really good. Superb, I must say.

Overall: 10/10
I would frankly say that this is the first Anime I've seen with a different type of storytelling so I'm going to give this a 10. It was very unique. You can't help it but fall in love with the arcs although in some cases, you will most likely hate some of the arcs before you prefer the previous one and wanted that arc to be longer. read more