| The ending is bound to be difficult to process so I'm putting out some of my interpretations of the material. There is no "right" way to look at it, but it is much more nuanced than it appears on the surface because it is the result of all the events in the entire anime. Ash's Sacrifice Ash's decision to die might seem contradictory to his quote in episode 13 where he says "I've never feared death, but I've never wished for it either." There were times that some part of Ash felt death was a better alternative, but like what he said, he never actively sought it. However, it has been shown, like in episode 18, that he would choose to die in a heartbeat if it meant protecting Eiji and the ending is no different. This interpretation ties to the short story "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" by J.D. Salinger, the namesake for the anime, and novel "The Catcher in the Rye" also by Salinger, the last episode's title and reference for the ending visuals of the entire second cour. A key component of "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" is that Seymour, the main character, becomes a martyr so that an innocent child, Sybil, can lead a full life without him. "The Catcher in the Rye" notably also possesses themes of sacrifice and the protection of innocence. When Ash gets stabbed by Lao, Ash realizes that he still has enemies and that if Eiji were to come back to America to look for him, Eiji would be in danger again. The only way to absolutely guarantee Eiji's safety would be to make sure that the object of people's hatred is gone so no one would ever have a reason to target Eiji again. And thus, Ash sacrifices himself so that Eiji will never be hurt again. Ash also begged God in the previous episode to spare Eiji's life in exchange for his own, so another interpretation can simply be Ash acknowledging God answering his prayers and accepting the price that has to be paid for Eiji's recovery. Fate and Ash's character A different common, surface level interpretation of the ending is that Ash realizes that he can never escape his fate and he simply gives up to find peace. I vehemently disagree with this interpretation. Destiny is a concept that this series explores, mainly through the characters that have abused Ash. The reason destiny and abuse are tied together in Banana Fish is because sexual assault in this series is always framed as a result of someone abusing their power which results in the victim having no control over their situation, akin to the notion that people have no control over their destiny. The characters that metaphorically represented destiny throughout the narrative were Dino and those working with the Corsican Mafia such Kippard and Foxx. These characters abused Ash and imposed their will on him at some point in the narrative; they represented both the past and the future that Ash was trying to escape. However, none of these entities dealt the "fatal" blow to Ash. They're all dead. Ash changed his destiny and freed himself from the shackles of his abusive past. He did not falter to it. The fact that Ash was not stabbed in the vitals also means he had autonomy over his actual fate. So then why did Ash chose to die? To answer this question, we have to look at how Banana Fish parallels the short story Ash spoke to Eiji about before his final showdown with Arthur: "The Snows of Kilimanjaro." This short story serves as a metaphor for Ash's journey to freedom in that each step he takes to defeat Dino results in him climbing further up the mountain. And now that he has achieved this goal, his actions have consequences that prevent him from coming down. A morbid interpretation; but it asks us this: is Ash a human or leopard? As the audience, we're free to decide whether Ash really is a leopard or a human. I think most of us side with Eiji's perspective – Ash was a victim and human deserving of a second chance. But in Ash's perspective, he was a monster and leopard that didn't deserve redemption. Among all the works of American literature that Banana Fish references, "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" is the only one Ash speaks about, because it's specifically how he views his life. This warped perception Ash has of himself is why ending also makes sense in context of his character. Ash's death, although not explicitly so, can be interpreted as suicide which further begs questions such as "how did it come to this" and "why did this happen?" The main contributor is "words." Words cut deep and affect people in ways we often don't like to admit. Ash's death could have been averted, but words did irreparable damage. If Yut-Lung had not blackmailed Lao and Sing's gang members, if Sing had been a better leader and resolved Lao's conflict correctly, if Lao had not called Ash a monster, if Blanca had not accused Ash for keeping Eiji around events could have played out differently. Even Cain and Jessica's innocent remarks that Ash would be fine indirectly prevent him from getting the help he actually needed. None of these characters are singularly responsible and none of them should be blamed as they have become victims to this tragedy, but every small interaction made a difference. The cracks in Ash's mentality first begin to show after he relinquished all his endeavors for Eiji's safety and had a mental breakdown in Golzine's mansion in episode 19. From there, as much as he tried not to show it and how much Eiji tried to heal it, his mental state spiraled downward till it hit a record low when Eiji got shot. Ash never quite recovers from that event due its aftermath and he teeters the line until Lao breaks the final straw by adding even more guilt to the mix. The ending is the culmination of all of the small pieces that eventually got to Ash. He is definitely strong and resilient. But even the strongest of us can waver – no one is infallible. Lao being the person to stab Ash is vital to the themes of Banana Fish. In the larger scheme of the story, Lao has no connection to Dino or the Corsican Mafia and thus, is not tied to the narrative's concept of destiny. Lao is part of the Chinese gang and operates underneath the Chinese syndicate. The cast related to the Chinese Mafia specifically explore themes of love – mainly the dark side that comes with it. This is primarily exemplified by Yut-Lung, who is devoid of love, Lao, who only loves his younger brother, and Sing, who loves all equally. Lao's initial dislike towards Ash stemmed from his love for Sing, not wanting his younger brother to be controlled by another. But that dislike eventually evolved into hatred when Ash had the intention to shoot Sing on his rampage after Eiji was shot. And to make matters worse, Ash wounded Lao when Lao attempted to protect Sing. To the very end, Lao's animosity and drastic actions towards Ash were a byproduct of his love for Sing. As Lao said, to quote from the manga, "I couldn't let you kill Sing." The dark side of love, namely the price of protecting a loved one, played a role in Ash's death, not destiny or consequence. However, Ash saw it as karma. The fact that Ash died at the library, a place described as where he goes "when he wants to be alone," is symbolic. Lao's actions made Ash feel isolated and top of that, it no doubt dropped his self-esteem and self-worth like a rock. The self-loathing and guilt Ash possessed was all reciprocated when he was stabbed by a person he hurt. Additionally, Eiji had just recently gotten shot, and deep down inside, he still felt guilty for Shorter's death, not just for physically pulling the trigger, but for giving in and allowing Shorter to get involved in the entire ordeal. Ash blamed himself for it all. He felt that he deserved death, that it was "karma" for all the "mistakes" he made. For him, he's the leopard on top of that mountain and a monster that doesn't deserve redemption. TL;DR (Sort of) Banana Fish is a tale of two halves. Of Aslan and Ash and the coexistence these two souls shared. Aslan is the side Eiji worked so hard to bring out – the child that slowly allowed himself to be happy despite the past weighing him down. Ash is the side we saw the most of – the adult that slowly crumbled from the guilt he carried. Aslan was called out by Eiji's letter but was struck down by Lao just moments later. Throughout the narrative, Eiji was tether that prevented Aslan from completely fading away when Ash was teetering near the deep end. But without Eiji by his side this time, Lao was the final test to see whether Ash could find the strength to hold onto Aslan by himself. In other words, could he live for himself? No... he couldn't. Aslan was lost forever. Banana Fish speaks to the terrible tragedy that befalls those who feel they're not worthy of love and draws attention to the importance of our own mental health. Ash loved others so compassionately and profoundly that he would consistently place the blame on himself as a result. Ash dies smiling simply because he was content knowing that Eiji was and will be safe. And he does so without thinking of pursuing his own happiness because he could not forgive his own "misdeeds;" he believed he did not deserve a happy ending. Ash lost to himself; he let his self-destructive and sacrificial mindset dictate his future when it really didn't have to end that way if he had overcome his flaws. In many ways, Banana Fish is about love, about the dark side that hurts others when we try to protect our loved ones and about the bright side that brings others happiness and healing. It is about people who never knew love and about those who found it. And above all, it's about self-love, about how we should love ourselves despite our mistakes and blemishes. If only Ash loved himself, if only he learned to value himself and live for himself. If he did, it wouldn't have ended this way. In any case, these are two of my interpretations and there are countless more that I have not touched upon. I personally combine the two interpretations I provided because I think the ending is the result of Ash's sacrificial tendencies and self-loathing. How did you interpret the ending? The ending is one of the many facets of Banana Fish that is open to everyone's interpretation. Depending on one's perception, the message it sends can be positive or negative. But it should be acknowledged that there's good along with the bad – a dichotomy – the same dichotomy that is prevalent throughout the rest of the story. |
| Thank you. I knew you were going to write this post after the long ass discussion we had I think in the episode 13 thread and when you mentioned elsewhere that people just don't understand why Ash chose to let himself die. Great analysis. I'm just sad that Ash believed what so many people told him that he couldn't be with Eiji. The sneak attack that almost got Eiji killed reinforced that belief for him and so, they never did see each other again. I wish instead of asking Ash to the Caribbean with him, Blanca had told Ash to stop wasting his life and go to Japan. By the end, it was just too late to save Ash but Eiji had at least saved his soul. |
MetaKite said: Thank you. I knew you were going to write this post after the long ass discussion we had I think in the episode 13 thread and when you mentioned elsewhere that people just don't understand why Ash chose to let himself die. Great analysis. I'm just sad that Ash believed what so many people told him that he couldn't be with Eiji. The sneak attack that almost got Eiji killed reinforced that belief for him and so, they never did see each other again. I wish instead of asking Ash to the Caribbean with him, Blanca had told Ash to stop wasting his life and go to Japan. By the end, it was just too late to save Ash but Eiji had at least saved his soul. Thanks! Yeah, I really wanted to sit down and write a comprehensive analysis. But even with this all, it doesn't touch all the interpretations that can be done on the ending because it's so darn literary. Its connections to Greek and Shakespearean tragedies, the idea of "choices," and even "mono no aware" are some more possible talking points. |
MetaKite said: I wish instead of asking Ash to the Caribbean with him, Blanca had told Ash to stop wasting his life and go to Japan. By the end, it was just too late to save Ash but Eiji had at least saved his soul. During that conversation I was scolding Blanca in my head for not speaking up against all the ways Ash was putting himself down. It felt like a critical time that could end things well, and Blanca's relative silence made me dread what would happen next. Adding to the first post, Ash also spoke before about Lao possibly seeing what a monster he was, and that might have made Lao being the attacker and Ash so instinctively killing him a bigger trigger for the ending. |
Lunallae said: The ending is bound to be difficult to process so I'm putting out some of my interpretations of the material. There is no "right" way to look at it, but it is much more nuanced than it appears on the surface because it is the result of all the events in the entire anime. Ash's Sacrifice Ash's decision to die might seem contradictory to his quote in episode 13 where he says "I've never feared death, but I've never wished for it either." There were times that some part of Ash felt death was a better alternative, but like what he said, he never actively sought it. However, it has been shown, like in episode 18, that he would choose to die in a heartbeat if it meant protecting Eiji and the ending is no different. This interpretation ties to the short story "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" by J.D. Salinger, the namesake for the anime, and novel "The Catcher in the Rye" also by Salinger, the last episode's title and reference for the ending visuals of the entire second cour. A key component of "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" is that Seymour, the main character, becomes a martyr so that an innocent child, Sybil, can lead a full life without him. "The Catcher in the Rye" notably also possesses themes of sacrifice and the protection of innocence. When Ash gets stabbed by Lao, Ash realizes that he still has enemies and that if Eiji were to come back to America to look for him, Eiji would be in danger again. The only way to absolutely guarantee Eiji's safety would be to make sure that the object of people's hatred is gone so no one would ever have a reason to target Eiji again. And thus, Ash sacrifices himself so that Eiji will never be hurt again. Ash also begged God in the previous episode to spare Eiji's life in exchange for his own, so another interpretation can simply be Ash acknowledging God answering his prayers and accepting the price that has to be paid for Eiji's recovery. Fate and Ash's character A different common, surface level interpretation of the ending is that Ash realizes that he can never escape his fate and he simply gives up to find peace. I vehemently disagree with this interpretation. Destiny is a concept that this series explores, mainly through the characters that have abused Ash. The reason destiny and abuse are tied together in Banana Fish is because sexual assault in this series is always framed as a result of someone abusing their power which results in the victim having no control over their situation, akin to the notion that people have no control over their destiny. The characters that metaphorically represented destiny throughout the narrative were Dino and those working with the Corsican Mafia such Kippard and Foxx. These characters abused Ash and imposed their will on him at some point in the narrative; they represented both the past and the future that Ash was trying to escape. However, none of these entities dealt the "fatal" blow to Ash. They're all dead. Ash changed his destiny and freed himself from the shackles of his abusive past. He did not falter to it. The fact that Ash was not stabbed in the vitals also means he had autonomy over his actual fate. So then why did Ash chose to die? To answer this question, we have to look at how Banana Fish parallels the short story Ash spoke to Eiji about before his final showdown with Arthur: "The Snows of Kilimanjaro." This short story serves as a metaphor for Ash's journey to freedom in that each step he takes to defeat Dino results in him climbing further up the mountain. And now that he has achieved this goal, his actions have consequences that prevent him from coming down. A morbid interpretation; but it asks us this: is Ash a human or leopard? As the audience, we're free to decide whether Ash really is a leopard or a human. I think most of us side with Eiji's perspective – Ash was a victim and human deserving of a second chance. But in Ash's perspective, he was a monster and leopard that didn't deserve redemption. Among all the works of American literature that Banana Fish references, "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" is the only one Ash speaks about, because it's specifically how he views his life. This warped perception Ash has of himself is why ending also makes sense in context of his character. Ash's death, although not explicitly so, can be interpreted as suicide which further begs questions such as "how did it come to this" and "why did this happen?" The main contributor is "words." Words cut deep and affect people in ways we often don't like to admit. Ash's death could have been averted, but words did irreparable damage. If Yut-Lung had not blackmailed Lao and Sing's gang members, if Sing had been a better leader and resolved Lao's conflict correctly, if Lao had not called Ash a monster, if Blanca had not accused Ash for keeping Eiji around events could have played out differently. Even Cain and Jessica's innocent remarks that Ash would be fine indirectly prevent him from getting the help he actually needed. None of these characters are singularly responsible and none of them should be blamed as they have become victims to this tragedy, but every small interaction made a difference. The cracks in Ash's mentality first begin to show after he relinquished all his endeavors for Eiji's safety and had a mental breakdown in Golzine's mansion in episode 19. From there, as much as he tried not to show it and how much Eiji tried to heal it, his mental state spiraled downward till it hit a record low when Eiji got shot. Ash never quite recovers from that event due its aftermath and he teeters the line until Lao breaks the final straw by adding even more guilt to the mix. The ending is the culmination of all of the small pieces that eventually got to Ash. He is definitely strong and resilient. But even the strongest of us can waver – no one is infallible. Lao being the person to stab Ash is vital to the themes of Banana Fish. In the larger scheme of the story, Lao has no connection to Dino or the Corsican Mafia and thus, is not tied to the narrative's concept of destiny. Lao is part of the Chinese gang and operates underneath the Chinese syndicate. The cast related to the Chinese Mafia specifically explore themes of love – mainly the dark side that comes with it. This is primarily exemplified by Yut-Lung, who is devoid of love, Lao, who only loves his younger brother, and Sing, who loves all equally. Lao's initial dislike towards Ash stemmed from his love for Sing, not wanting his younger brother to be controlled by another. But that dislike eventually evolved into hatred when Ash had the intention to shoot Sing on his rampage after Eiji was shot. And to make matters worse, Ash wounded Lao when Lao attempted to protect Sing. To the very end, Lao's animosity and drastic actions towards Ash were a byproduct of his love for Sing. As Lao said, to quote from the manga, "I couldn't let you kill Sing." The dark side of love, namely the price of protecting a loved one, played a role in Ash's death, not destiny or consequence. However, Ash saw it as karma. The fact that Ash died at the library, a place described as where he goes "when he wants to be alone," is symbolic. Lao's actions made Ash feel isolated and top of that, it no doubt dropped his self-esteem and self-worth like a rock. The self-loathing and guilt Ash possessed was all reciprocated when he was stabbed by a person he hurt. Additionally, Eiji had just recently gotten shot, and deep down inside, he still felt guilty for Shorter's death, not just for physically pulling the trigger, but for giving in and allowing Shorter to get involved in the entire ordeal. Ash blamed himself for it all. He felt that he deserved death, that it was "karma" for all the "mistakes" he made. For him, he's the leopard on top of that mountain and a monster that doesn't deserve redemption. TL;DR (Sort of) Banana Fish is a tale of two halves. Of Aslan and Ash and the coexistence these two souls shared. Aslan is the side Eiji worked so hard to bring out – the child that slowly allowed himself to be happy despite the past weighing him down. Ash is the side we saw the most of – the adult that slowly crumbled from the guilt he carried. Aslan was called out by Eiji's letter but was struck down by Lao just moments later. Throughout the narrative, Eiji was tether that prevented Aslan from completely fading away when Ash was teetering near the deep end. But without Eiji by his side this time, Lao was the final test to see whether Ash could find the strength to hold onto Aslan by himself. In other words, could he live for himself? No... he couldn't. Aslan was lost forever. Banana Fish speaks to the terrible tragedy that befalls those who feel they're not worthy of love and draws attention to the importance of our own mental health. Ash loved others so compassionately and profoundly that he would consistently place the blame on himself as a result. Ash dies smiling simply because he was content knowing that Eiji was and will be safe. And he does so without thinking of pursuing his own happiness because he could not forgive his own "misdeeds;" he believed he did not deserve a happy ending. Ash lost to himself; he let his self-destructive and sacrificial mindset dictate his future when it really didn't have to end that way if he had overcome his flaws. In many ways, Banana Fish is about love, about the dark side that hurts others when we try to protect our loved ones and about the bright side that brings others happiness and healing. It is about people who never knew love and about those who found it. And above all, it's about self-love, about how we should love ourselves despite our mistakes and blemishes. If only Ash loved himself, if only he learned to value himself and live for himself. If he did, it wouldn't have ended this way. In any case, these are two of my interpretations and there are countless more that I have not touched upon. I personally combine the two interpretations I provided because I think the ending is the result of Ash's sacrificial tendencies and self-loathing. How did you interpret the ending? The ending is one of the many facets of Banana Fish that is open to everyone's interpretation. Depending on one's perception, the message it sends can be positive or negative. But it should be acknowledged that there's good along with the bad – a dichotomy – the same dichotomy that is prevalent throughout the rest of the story. Sorry for What i am about to say, it's probably useless Amazing comment, it opens up people's eyes and , for people like me who have been enjoying and exploring this show in detail, this is a wonderful thing to read Thank you |
| May our sweet and Merciful Madoka be with you |
Jessy-sAnime said: It's the reason why Blanca is so "meh" to me. That in Ash's most critical moment to be told he's worthy of love and DESERVES to be happy, Blanca just let him go off like that. Ash's self loathing got the better of him and it's so sad that other than Max, no adult around him ever told him it was perfectly fine to want to be with Eiji. That his feelings weren't wrong and it was something worth fighting for. Instead they let him wallow in his self hatred until he just let himself die. MetaKite said: I wish instead of asking Ash to the Caribbean with him, Blanca had told Ash to stop wasting his life and go to Japan. By the end, it was just too late to save Ash but Eiji had at least saved his soul. During that conversation I was scolding Blanca in my head for not speaking up against all the ways Ash was putting himself down. It felt like a critical time that could end things well, and Blanca's relative silence made me dread what would happen next. Adding to the first post, Ash also spoke before about Lao possibly seeing what a monster he was, and that might have made Lao being the attacker and Ash so instinctively killing him a bigger trigger for the ending. Love didn't kill the lynx. It was hatred that did. Self hatred being a good part of it (and Yut-Lung's hatred of Eiji). |
MetaKiteDec 20, 2018 2:12 PM
mir308 said: I'm not trying to promote them or anything but Warui Deshou's Banana Fish podcast and interpretation provides such a deep and insightful deconstruction to the series, I suggest those who are frustrated by the ending to listen to them. I'll just leave it at that. EDIT: Giving a quick look at the themes from Of Mice and Men just brought a new layer of insight and complexity in how loneliness and human existence run parallel between the two works. I took a look via your suggestion and I agree. They put forth some great insight! The "Of Mice and Men" parallels hurt a lot. Jessy-sAnime said: Adding to the first post, Ash also spoke before about Lao possibly seeing what a monster he was, and that might have made Lao being the attacker and Ash so instinctively killing him a bigger trigger for the ending. You know, I never thought to look at it like that. I don't know why it never occurred to me it was an instinctual response to being stabbed. It further adds to the idea that Ash keeps reaffirming himself to be a monster. |
| posting message here to remind myself to read the whole breakdown later when I have time |
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| This is all just so depressing, my goodness. I was really frustrated and depressed with the ending but these analysis and explanations make it a bit easier to understand and cope with the tragic ending. also from a surface level i found that the ending reminded me of Zankyou no Terror's ending probably because the ending was also also abrupt, i don't know if this is similar on an analytical view point though. |
| omg, thank you ! for real, thank you so much !! this is the most beautiful thing I've ever read. I am crying like hell, I am so happy that someone could understand ash's perspective (just like I did) and put it into such beautiful words. you made my day. |
| Thank you for posting this. The ending, especially Ash's ending was indeed hard to process, or accept, but reading a well-constructed opinion from someone else certainly helps to sort your own feelings. You see, I got to know Banana Fish through the anime, and I'm not familiar at all with American literature so some important references/meanings might have been lost to me, but I do find myself agreeing with you when you say that Banana Fish is about love in many ways. I will try to acquire the manga so I can read it. Not now, but after some time passes, and this weird feeling I have right now is gone. Then I will be able to relive this story, and be sure of what I think, and feel. |
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| Thank you for your analysis. I had quite some discussion with a friend on the ending as well. A question on how you would reconcile Ash's choice of suicide with his apparent hope of living, to reunite with Eiji, after reading the letter. Ash's had his face brightened up and started running. With Ash's previous performance (including quick recoveries from serious wounds and defeating soldiers after being instilled with drugs in this episode 24), it is quite clear Ash could not die when he wished to live, which is why, as Yoshida arranged, suicidal thought is a prerequisite for Ash's death. However, suicidal thought is highly inconsistent with Ash's reaction upon finishing reading the letter. 1 possible way to reconcile the letter with the subsequent events, as we have found, would be to argue Ash's reaction was not because of his hope/ motivation to live and reunite with Eiji, but because of something else that could not falter his suicidal thought (e.g. Having fully appreciated that Eiji cared for him as much as he did for Eiji, Ash can suicide without regret), though this example, along with some other "something else" I tried to imagine, are either inconsistent with his reaction (I believe tranquillity is a more appropriate response to the assurance of dying without any regrets) or too far-fetched. Certainly, it is always possible to argue the cause of death of Ash being the gun wound compiled with Lao's stab if you accept 1. Despite being in a city without any of his enemies being active, Ash had no time to deal with his wounds with daily supplies such as bandage; and 2. Foregoing the above assumption that Ash had strong stamina and could always survive if he wanted to, which had been repeatedly shown throughout the show including this last episode. I respect your right to accept this as the cause of death, but shall reserve my own doubt as to its convincing power due to logical fallacy and inconsistency with the pot. I also come to know Ash's death is readily justified by Yoshida's intention, though it is always preferable to explain character actions in terms of the character, but not "hand of God"/ "invisible hand" intervention from the author. I would love to know any possible way to reconcile the series of events in terms of Ash's mind and thoughts alone. Some may find my above challenge a selfish and unappreciative criticism of Banana Fish. I shall clarify that is never my intention. Banana Fish is the fictional works (not limited anime) that aroused my strongest emotional response, and I caught up with every new episode at my earliest possibility during these 24 weeks. I only raise this question for objective discussion and exchange. Much appreciation if anyone could enlighten me on this subject. |
HopbeeKDec 21, 2018 9:09 AM
| 一期一会 |
HopbeeK said: Thank you for your analysis. I had quite some discussion with a friend on the ending as well. A quick question on how you would reconcile Ash's choice of suicide with his apparent hope of living, to reunite with Eiji, after reading the letter. Ash's had his face brightened up and started running. With Ash's previous performance (including quick recoveries from serious wounds and defeating soldiers after being instilled with drugs in this episode 24), it is quite clear Ash could not die when he wished to live, which is why, as Yoshida arranged, suicidal thought is a prerequisite for Ash's death. However, suicidal thought is highly inconsistent with Ash's reaction upon finishing reading the letter. The only possible way to reconcile the letter with the subsequent events, as we have found, would be to argue Ash's reaction was not because of his hope/ motivation to live and reunite with Eiji, but because of something else that could not falter his suicidal thought (e.g. Having fully appreciated that Eiji cared for him as much as he did for Eiji, Ash can suicide without regret), though this example, along with some other "something else" I tried to imagine, are either inconsistent with his reaction (I believe tranquillity is a more appropriate response to the assurance of dying without any regrets) or too far-fetched. I also come to know Ash's death is readily justified by Yoshida's intention, though it is always preferable to explain character actions in terms of the character, but not "hand of God"/ "invisible hand" intervention from the author. I would love to know any possible way to reconcile the series of events in terms of Ash's mind and thoughts alone. Much appreciation if you could enlighten me. I personally think there's two halves to "Ash" as a person – Ash and Aslan. Reading Eiji's letter brought out Aslan. It's quite symbolic that the plane ticket that Eiji sent has "Aslan Callenreese" on it. Aslan is the side that allows himself to be happy and has some hope and dreams for the future. And thus, he pursues this hope by running after Eiji. But he gets intercepted by Lao and Ash returns. Ash is the side that continuously feels self-loathing and guilt because he is a killing machine. I think it's evident that this side is in control at this point since, as someone else pointed out, Ash instinctively shot Lao afterwards. Aslan wouldn't do that; in my opinion, Aslan would have held onto that letter (which symbolically represents his hopes and dreams) instead of dropping it to shoot Lao. From that moment forward, Ash is the side that is in control and he remains so until his death. Please let me know if that answers your question. |
Great post overall! But repeating my reddit post here, I still dislike Eiji and how he constantly just refuses to accept that he & Ash live in different worlds and it's better for BOTH of them to go their own ways. Myself, I'd have rather Eiji play a more minor role and go back to Japan sooner and have more screen time for Max and focus more on the fatherly bond he build's with Ash. Give more screentime to Blanca that way too, as he's another potential fatherly figure, then throw more Golzine into the mix as well as even he's also one - the more twisted abusive one that still values his "creation" because he invested so much in it, but actually loving it. There are good themes to dwelve into here with these 3 and their more fatherly relationship to Ash. Max in particular did more for Ash than Eiji ever did, or could. Both him & Blanca could most likely provide way better emotional support too, the type that could allow Ash to accept himself and move on with his life, accept that he's needed by others and doesn't need to throw it away. Then again, I suppose that would've steered to story to a path of redemption & finding of purpose for someone so broken as Ash, and I guess that wasn't what they were going for(would've been nice though xD). |
ManlyTear said: Great post overall! But repeating my reddit post here, I still dislike Eiji and how he constantly just refuses to accept that he & Ash live in different worlds and it's better for BOTH of them to go their own ways. Myself, I'd have rather Eiji play a more minor role and go back to Japan sooner and have more screen time for Max and focus more on the fatherly bond he build's with Ash. Give more screentime to Blanca that way too, as he's another potential fatherly figure, then throw more Golzine into the mix as well as even he's also one - the more twisted abusive one that still values his "creation" because he invested so much in it, but actually loving it. There are good themes to dwelve into here with these 3 and their more fatherly relationship to Ash. Max in particular did more for Ash than Eiji ever did, or could. Both him & Blanca could most likely provide way better emotional support too, the type that could allow Ash to accept himself and move on with his life, accept that he's needed by others and doesn't need to throw it away. Then again, I suppose that would've steered to story to a path of redemption & finding of purpose for someone so broken as Ash, and I guess that wasn't what they were going for(would've been nice though xD). Responded to your post on Reddit. But yeah, I think Eiji is vital to the story that Banana Fish is trying to tell. Without Eiji, it'd definitely be a very different kind of story. |
LunallaeDec 21, 2018 12:35 PM
| Beautifully explained. Thank you. It helped to clear things up. I agree that Ash could have loved himself more. He let himself die because he wanted Eiji to be "safe" and "happy", yet Eiji never gained happiness since losing a friend is the most painful thing that can happen. Eiji and Sing just had to accept it in the end but they really never got over it. I wish there was this parallel universe/version where Ash could have joined Eiji in Japan, start anew, put his talents and 200 IQ into use. Aww. |
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Lunallae said: I personally think there's two halves to "Ash" as a person – Ash and Aslan. Reading Eiji's letter brought out Aslan. It's quite symbolic that the plane ticket that Eiji sent has "Aslan Callenreese" on it. Aslan is the side that allows himself to be happy and has some hope and dreams for the future. And thus, he pursues this hope by running after Eiji. But he gets intercepted by Lao and Ash returns. Ash is the side that continuously feels self-loathing and guilt because he is a killing machine. I think it's evident that this side is in control at this point since, as someone else pointed out, Ash instinctively shot Lao afterwards. Aslan wouldn't do that; in my opinion, Aslan would have held onto that letter (which symbolically represents his hopes and dreams) instead of dropping it to shoot Lao. From that moment forward, Ash is the side that is in control and he remains so until his death. Please let me know if that answers your question. Thank you for your reply. Prima facie I find your theory interesting and able to reconcile the whole story, just that Yoshida had not left behind many clues to support this theory. I shall reply in more details after clearing up my mind. |
| 一期一会 |
HopbeeK said: Lunallae said: I personally think there's two halves to "Ash" as a person – Ash and Aslan. Reading Eiji's letter brought out Aslan. It's quite symbolic that the plane ticket that Eiji sent has "Aslan Callenreese" on it. Aslan is the side that allows himself to be happy and has some hope and dreams for the future. And thus, he pursues this hope by running after Eiji. But he gets intercepted by Lao and Ash returns. Ash is the side that continuously feels self-loathing and guilt because he is a killing machine. I think it's evident that this side is in control at this point since, as someone else pointed out, Ash instinctively shot Lao afterwards. Aslan wouldn't do that; in my opinion, Aslan would have held onto that letter (which symbolically represents his hopes and dreams) instead of dropping it to shoot Lao. From that moment forward, Ash is the side that is in control and he remains so until his death. Please let me know if that answers your question. Thank you for your reply. Prima facie I find your theory interesting and able to reconcile the whole story, just that Yoshida had not left behind many clues to support this theory. I shall reply in more details after clearing up my mind. Of course it's only speculation on my part, but I do think there's quite a bit of evidence to support it. One piece of evidence is simply the existence of Aslan as Ash's real name. Writers almost always have reasons for giving multiple names for a character. But the biggest reason why I think this is the case is because of the dialogue in episode 11, specifically when Eiji ruminates about Ash in an interlude. Here's the quote: "You, who kills relentlessly amidst all that blood and gunpowder. You, who hates pumpkins and pouts about it. Which one is the real you? Or are they both you, coexisting within you side by side? " Ash is the first one – the one that kills relentlessly amidst all that blood and gunpowder. Aslan is the second one – the one that hates pumpkins and pouts about it. They do coexist within "Ash;" but Aslan is the real him, as demonstrated by this quote by Eiji in episode 13: "Your almost cold-blooded leadership, your fearless willpower... Is it all to cover up a fragile soul?" That's why I think Aslan is Ash's soul, the vulnerable child he truly is, the side that is usually repressed so that he can survive in the cruel world. |
landofthekwt said: Yeah, well thanks for spoiling Pancreas... It's not like I came here to read up about Banana Fish's ending which I just saw.Now we have PANCREAS SPOILER |
Lunallae said: HopbeeK said: Thank you for your reply. Prima facie I find your theory interesting and able to reconcile the whole story, just that Yoshida had not left behind many clues to support this theory. I shall reply in more details after clearing up my mind. Of course it's only speculation on my part, but I do think there's quite a bit of evidence to support it. One piece of evidence is simply the existence of Aslan as Ash's real name. Writers almost always have reasons for giving multiple names for a character. But the biggest reason why I think this is the case is because of the dialogue in episode 11, specifically when Eiji ruminates about Ash in an interlude. Here's the quote: "You, who kills relentlessly amidst all that blood and gunpowder. You, who hates pumpkins and pouts about it. Which one is the real you? Or are they both you, coexisting within you side by side? " Ash is the first one – the one that kills relentlessly amidst all that blood and gunpowder. Aslan is the second one – the one that hates pumpkins and pouts about it. They do coexist within "Ash;" but Aslan is the real him, as demonstrated by this quote by Eiji in episode 13: "Your almost cold-blooded leadership, your fearless willpower... Is it all to cover up a fragile soul?" That's why I think Aslan is Ash's soul, the vulnerable child he truly is, the side that is usually repressed so that he can survive in the cruel world. Showed our discussion thread to my friend. They have made quite a lengthy reply (quoted under the spoiler tab below since they don't have an MAL account). Please take no offence from the tone of quote below (which I still find structured and rational), they have quite some points to make. If we cannot come to agreement, it's always ok to agree to disagree and enjoy Christmas :) |
HopbeeKDec 23, 2018 6:08 PM
| 一期一会 |
HopbeeK said: Lunallae said: Of course it's only speculation on my part, but I do think there's quite a bit of evidence to support it. One piece of evidence is simply the existence of Aslan as Ash's real name. Writers almost always have reasons for giving multiple names for a character. But the biggest reason why I think this is the case is because of the dialogue in episode 11, specifically when Eiji ruminates about Ash in an interlude. Here's the quote: "You, who kills relentlessly amidst all that blood and gunpowder. You, who hates pumpkins and pouts about it. Which one is the real you? Or are they both you, coexisting within you side by side? " Ash is the first one – the one that kills relentlessly amidst all that blood and gunpowder. Aslan is the second one – the one that hates pumpkins and pouts about it. They do coexist within "Ash;" but Aslan is the real him, as demonstrated by this quote by Eiji in episode 13: "Your almost cold-blooded leadership, your fearless willpower... Is it all to cover up a fragile soul?" That's why I think Aslan is Ash's soul, the vulnerable child he truly is, the side that is usually repressed so that he can survive in the cruel world. Showed our discussion thread to my friend. They have made quite a lengthy reply (quoted under the spoiler tab below since they don't have an MAL account). Please take no offence from the tone of quote below (which I still find structured and rational), they have quite some points to make. If we cannot come to agreement, it's always ok to agree to disagree and enjoy Christmas :) Not a problem, no offense taken. Though I'm a bit confused on whether when you shared our discussion with your friend, you included the points I made in my opening post. I'm under the assumption that you didn't (as I feel like I'm repeating some of those points); therefore, the response below is written under that assumption, but please let me know if I was wrong about that. |
Lunallae said: HopbeeK said: Showed our discussion thread to my friend. They have made quite a lengthy reply (quoted under the spoiler tab below since they don't have an MAL account). Please take no offence from the tone of quote below (which I still find structured and rational), they have quite some points to make. If we cannot come to agreement, it's always ok to agree to disagree and enjoy Christmas :) Not a problem, no offense taken. Though I'm a bit confused on whether when you shared our discussion with your friend, you included the points I made in my opening post. I'm under the assumption that you didn't (as I feel like I'm repeating some of those points); therefore, the response below is written under that assumption, but please let me know if I was wrong about that. Thank you so much for your detailed analysis, including quotes on how the conflicting mindsets existed throughout the story. Time for a Christmas break from such heart-breaking events. Enjoy Christmas! |
| 一期一会 |
| Wow, I certainly loved your interpretation. I haven't thought that much, but i really agree with you. Thank you for this post |
 |
| Well thought out interpretation. Thank you for sharing. |
Sakurai_Aoi said: I agree. But...I would never interpret Ash's death as a suicide. I just see it as Lao being the ultimate cause of his death considering that he's the one who stabbed him. Besides...thinking of Ash committing suicide is too sad and I can't bring myself to look at it that way. I'm still trying to get over the ending itself... That's fair, it's just my interpretation. I personally chose to see it that way because Ash could have sought help and recovered, but I can see why some may not see it like that. fromfairydust said: This show should come with a warning label! He had so much fight in him! Where did it all go? I agree, people should search up trigger warnings for this show if it is of concern to them. As for where Ash's fight went: Lunallae said: Ash's death, although not explicitly so, can be interpreted as suicide which further begs questions such as "how did it come to this" and "why did this happen?" The main contributor is "words." Words cut deep and affect people in ways we often don't like to admit. Ash's death could have been averted, but words did irreparable damage. If Yut-Lung had not blackmailed Lao and Sing's gang members, if Sing had been a better leader and resolved Lao's conflict correctly, if Lao had not called Ash a monster, if Blanca had not accused Ash for keeping Eiji around events could have played out differently. Even Cain and Jessica's innocent remarks that Ash would be fine indirectly prevent him from getting the help he actually needed. None of these characters are singularly responsible and none of them should be blamed as they have become victims to this tragedy, but every small interaction made a difference. The cracks in Ash's mentality first begin to show after he relinquished all his endeavors for Eiji's safety and had a mental breakdown in Golzine's mansion in episode 19. From there, as much as he tried not to show it and how much Eiji tried to heal it, his mental state spiraled downward till it hit a record low when Eiji got shot. Ash never quite recovers from that event due its aftermath and he teeters the line until Lao breaks the final straw by adding even more guilt to the mix. The ending is the culmination of all of the small pieces that eventually got to Ash. He is definitely strong and resilient. But even the strongest of us can waver – no one is infallible. Luffyskywa1ker said: This story seemed good, but towards the end it suffered. I wish mal had .5 ratings I would give this a 7.5. It's worth watching but the story seemed to have too many elements to it. At some point in watching this series do to all the characters different intentions it was hard to tell what was happening. Yes, it shows that ash changed because of eiji. But if he just wanted to someone to be like someone innocent why not just choose skip. Somebody like blanco needed ash to tell him he doesn't have to "play the roles he's been given." Thanks to that grand realization he asks ash to come with him instead of going with eiji. And why does everyone in this city wanna have sex with a 17 year old boy. Too many of the things in this show don't make sense not enough to discuss here I personally think you're looking at the show only at the surface, which causes many actions to seem arbitrary. Instead of questioning the logic behind it, I think it's more productive to reason out the logic through the character because then you're getting into the finer details on what makes each character tick and also what they bring to the narrative in terms of themes. I think that's a rather big misconception – Eiji did not change Ash. In fact, that was the tragedy of it all, Eiji was unable to ultimately change Ash's views on himself. Ash was always compassionate and deep down inside, he was a fragile child. Throughout the narrative, Eiji was protecting that child from disappearing completely, not changing Ash to become kind. As for why Eiji, and not Skip. Skip and Ash had a mutual give-and-take relationship, they helped each other on the streets. So essentially, Skip stood to gain by hanging out with Ash; he got safety. However, Eiji has nothing to gain from being with Ash. In fact, Eiji loses so much. Eiji is risking his life just to be with Ash. And in order to be with Ash, Eiji naturally has to give up returning to Japan, continuing his education, and spending time with his family. This is what Ash is talking about, Eiji cares about Ash to the point that he's willing to sacrifice so much and Ash has never experienced this kind of unconditional love before. It's not about the sex, it's about subjugating. Ash spoke about it in episode 22: "your kind is always like that. You dominate others by forcefully crushing them. Suit yourself. But nobody can dominate me. I'll never bow down to you. I'll resist with my entire soul." Sexual assault in Banana Fish is used to tie together themes of corruption, abuse of power, and destiny. I do agree it could have used less liberally, but even with its current usage, I feel most people miss the point entirely. Naturally, you don't have to look at Banana Fish at a deeper level to enjoy it. But there's a lot to dig at if you do and it gives you a much better understanding of the show's themes. It's not a perfect series, as you said, it gets weaker in the second half, but there's many layers that can be looked at underneath. |
Forgive me, I didn't realize when I made my post that you were talking about the ending, not about Eiji's innocence (I was under that impression because you mentioned Skip being innocent in the following vein). However, I will say that I do not think Eiji had to have changed Ash for it to happen as there are interpretations that talk about the inevitability of Ash's death (even if I do not agree them). But in terms of my interpretation, yes, Eiji did change Ash in a few ways, but ultimately, Eiji was unable to change Ash's mentality towards himself. Because those villains want Ash or whoever they assaulted to bend to their will. Like I said, I do think it could have been used less liberally. But when a huge theme of the show is about power and those who abuse it, I can see why it was written the way it was. And people who engage in illicit activities naturally work with people of the same ilk. I personally don't like it either but it's an authorial decision that I have just chosen to accept rather than criticize because it's honestly just a matter of individual tolerance. I think the show needed more episodes, yes. The pacing went astray and the manga was able to explore side characters more in-depth because it was not constrained by the twenty-four episode limit. It's a lamentable flaw; for some, I can see it greatly detracting from the experience, but for others, the manga is there as a substitute. Also, since you seem to have a knack for seeing deeper meanings, I'm genuinely interested in what takes you have that I haven't talked about since I'm always up to learn about more nuanced views at the series. I would have to disagree. Like Koh108 said, I am talking from a practical standpoint, but I am also of the opinion that while Eiji initially was drawn to help Ash for some of the reasons you stated, the reason he stayed was because he unconditionally loved him. As stated by Eiji in the final episode, the point in which that shift happened was when Eiji saw how alone Ash was in the library in episode 12. From that moment forward, Eiji chose to remain by Ash's side only because of love – he wanted to protect Ash and did not want Ash to be alone anymore. |
Luffyskywa1ker said: I'm going to disagree wholeheartedly on everything you just said. I'm not going to repeat points that @Koh108 and @Lunallae have said but I do want to give several examples of why Eiji stuck around and that he didn't change Ash but simply prevented Ash from becoming what Yut-Lung and Golzine wanted Ash to become. I feel like you watched the anime but didn't ever actually pay attention to what was happening for someone looking for a "deeper meaning". Ultimately he had to be changed by eiji cause that's what led to his death. And it's not that I don't see the deeper meanings. Im still not seeing why everyone wanted to have sex with him. yes, i get it's an issue of power like it is the real world. But there was many times in the show when it just wasn't necessary. Almost every characters introduction to the show was i rape people or I've been raped. and Tbh I think it's hard to miss the deeper meanings. Which is why I think the show suffered at the end because it strayed from that. and it became a little messy with all the different points it was conveying. Im not expecting this show to be prefect and also it's a fictional show so a lot of these things make no sense nor do they have to. But just leading up the end how does a group of street kids beat a military group with someone like eiji who's shot a gun like twice. Eiji also did seek to gain something from ash and that was a life outside of his peaceful Japan life. Ash's life was the complete opposite of that. That was also the whole reason he even met Ash. His education, his family and Japan was keeping him from moving forward. He met ash who was someone younger than him and was controlling a gang and accomplishing things he wasn't. So I disagree with he had nothing to gain from being with ash. Ash felt he couldn't escape his life. Eiji felt like couldn't move forward in his life. Other than the constant danger he was in. It seemed like they mutually benefited from each other Eiji never wanted anything from Ash and could have easily bailed after watching Skip die and Ash was arrested. He wasn't sticking around for the thrill of almost dying and watching a boy he befriended get murdered. Instead he (and Ibe) stuck around to help Ash by getting help to recruit Max to look after Ash in prison. Eiji and Ash had somewhat bonded over Skip and the whole kidnapping ordeal and Ash trusted Eiji enough to find Shorter. Then that went awry and Griffin was killed. Eiji then explains he wants to stick around and help Ash because he feels responsible for Griffin's death (getting followed by Arthur). All this time from the moment Ash gets out of prison, ditching Charlie (the cop), all the way to Dawson's house in Los Angeles before being brought back to Golzine in episode 9, Ash has been telling Eiji to go home. Eiji was the one insisting on staying so he didn't quit like he quit pole vaulting as an athlete. He wasn't trying to "gain" anything from Ash. Then Shorter's death happened and Ash became adamant about not losing Eiji either. Then at the library, Eiji decided he would stay with Ash no matter what but he never wanted to benefit anything from Ash. You could say that Ash wanted to benefit from Eiji and not be lonely but no such case for Eiji. Also, I'm sorry the themes of people constantly raping one person already established as a victim makes you uncomfortable. As farfetched as it sounds, it happens in real life all the time. I worked at a rehab facility for years, a homeless shelter (Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program where I only lasted 3 months because it was emotionally draining), and as Mass State 911 Dispatcher Trainer for every kind of cop you can think about in that state. I have seen or heard every kind of seedy disgusting thing that people have done to those who can't defend themselves. Things I saw myself of patients in the medical facilities I worked at, calls during dispatch and things cops and state troopers have shared they have seen. I have seen some distinct cases where a person who is abused have seemingly been locked in abuse for various reasons (mental illness, drug abuse, having nobody but abusers in their life, lack of resources and ongoing support system, bad decisions from not knowing any better etc) and police involvement alone rarely did anything to break the cycle. That's one thing I appreciated about Banana Fish whether Akimi Yoshida intended it or not was the realism that it's actually rare for someone in as deep as Ash's situation to escape it completely and unscathed. Most don't make it because they really believe they are trash after years of abuse to really put the effort to make a change (what Ash did going back to gang life after Golzine was dead) or just don't have the means and resources. Changing your life around after things like that is very, very difficult and won't happen if the person involved doesn't believe they are even worthy of it. FYI I work as an animator now because I learned from all of those years working in the medical field that we only have one life and I want mine to be happy (I did eventually follow my life long dream after I became financially secure to become an artist for the biggest animation company on the planet). @plutochan |
MetaKiteJan 4, 2019 10:28 PM
Luffyskywa1ker said: I really thought hard about responding to you yesterday but realize that you just don't care to listen and that's the reason you've even distorted the definition of "seek" and "gain". I am not asking you even like the series. I'm just saying your thoughts on Eiji's motivations are inaccurate but believe what you want.OK, but regardless he still seeked to gain something from Ash. Even if what he was gaining was"love". I call that a gain. Im not really looking at a work of fiction for so called realism. I already know it's not gonna be that real.Also, Your experience is way different from the average person. I know a lot of people and out the people ik they haven't been constantly been getting raped or wanted to rape underage boys(at least that I know of) so it's not that I'm uncomfortable with it. I just think it's too easy an introduction for characters for a world like this. Yut's mom was raped. yut was raped.Ash was raped.eiji was almost raped.Max's wife was raped. Almost every character likes to rape people or have been raped. I'm sorry i see that as a problem.It's like when in shounen anime every character wins a battle by the power of friends. I don't really disagree with @koh108 or @Lunallae. which is why I stopped responding. Not to be rude but I don't really care to continue to keep repeating my same gripes with this show I thought it was a decent show just not my favorite so naturally I have some complaints. Also good with your animation journey. If it's anime.Hopefully I'll be able to discuss my complaints about your work in the future on this site unless it's perfect ofc. |
Luffyskywa1ker said: You don't need to take my words as gospel. Akimi Yoshida did plenty interviews that counter what you were saying and not to mention the narrative itself. It's possible the anime just didn't do a good job conveying Eiji's motives (I complain about the adaptation myself) but the manga did and you haven't read it. It has nothing to do with me 'preaching". I don't need you to wish me luck. As I said, believe what you want. You didn't even read the source material. Good day.I wasn't gonna respond, but you're acting like my preacher/teacher or someone of that pedigree.I'm not distorting anything its just my opinion. I've listened to what you said and just have my own thoughts I'm not even saying you're wrong lol. Somehow I'm not taking your words for gospel and now I'm a bad apple who doesn't "listen", and "distorted"words to display an "inaccurate"narrative of how I personally<<<emphasis on personally feel. If you wrote this work then I'll happily admit that I'm wrong, but if not you can be just as wrong as me. Also, the creator could've meant for people to have different interpretations. Sorry I'm not taking your words as gospel. Good day and good luck...... |
Luffyskywa1ker said: LOL I'm not. My team already won a creative arts Emmy. Also, I don't know why you defelcted this from being how you didn't even follow the narrative of the story.All this back and forth is like the beginning of a love saga. perhaps someone is tsundere. GOOD LUCK ON YOUR ANIMATION.  |
MetaKiteMar 14, 2019 11:09 AM
Poe2Poe2 said: I would like to thank everyone for there views. They helped me understand and actually feel happier after to having the show. Once I found out Ash died... >.> I though he literally just fell asleep to a good dream for once...and since I don't want him to die in my head he will just be asleep. But the Interpretations really helped me see the beauty in the pain and love the show more then I did. Though I hope Eiji Will be okay when he finds out, and everyone else too. I'm glad these interpretations can help ease the pain! If you want to know how Eiji and a few others are after learning about Ash's death, I suggest reading the epilogue, Garden of Light, which can be found in volume 19 of the Banana Fish manga. |
| @Lunallae, I foudn this and wanted to hear your thoughts on it. https://www.reddit.com/r/BananaFish/comments/a9hrua/it_may_not_have_been_his_choice_final_ep_spoilers/ Basically, the English manga didn't translate it clearly and that Ash knew he would die from his wound and couldn't be saved. So he didn't choose to die, he just knew there wa sno point in calling for help. This combined with what is said in Garden of Light about his passing, I'm more incliend to believe this. what do you think? |
MetaKite said: @Lunallae, I foudn this and wanted to hear your thoughts on it. https://www.reddit.com/r/BananaFish/comments/a9hrua/it_may_not_have_been_his_choice_final_ep_spoilers/ Basically, the English manga didn't translate it clearly and that Ash knew he would die from his wound and couldn't be saved. So he didn't choose to die, he just knew there wa sno point in calling for help. This combined with what is said in Garden of Light about his passing, I'm more incliend to believe this. what do you think? I think it's an interesting way to look at the ending, but I'm personally not fond of it. Like someone in the comments said: "the "(passive) suicide theory" [...] completely changes the character of Ash and also the whole meaning of the story." If interpreted as inevitable, Ash's death doesn't add anything to the themes of the story. I do think Lao's line that "both of us can't be saved" sends mixed signals. But how can the wound be fatal if Ash ultimately died from blood loss? Additionally, Ash survived a gunshot wound in that same area in episode 22. In my opinion, that's a bad line. It should have been more explicit one way or the other (or just not there at all). And if Yoshida really wanted to convey it was going to be fatal, Ash should have gotten stabbed somewhere else, like in the chest area rather than the lower abdomen (chest wounds are pretty decisively fatal while lower abdominal wounds are rather ambiguous depending on the exact area). As it stands, the choices made have no consistency at all. Also, I feel like people have wrong ideas about suicide. I don't think it's about Ash giving up. I think it's all about Ash valuing others over himself. That's why it parallels Ash sacrificial act in episode 18. Suicide can be spurred by depression and the idea that "the world is better off without me." In a victim's mind, it can be a form of self-sacrifice (relieving people that are burdened by their existence). It's such a warped mindset and it doesn't contradict Ash's actions or words throughout the series. As for does Ash consider Eiji's feelings? I personally think this is a tough question to answer so I'm surprised people can say with such resounding certainty that he did. Ash definitely didn't consider Eiji's feelings in episode 18. He left their apartment without a word into almost certain death. Did Ash change that mindset by the end? Maybe. Ash did seem more in tune to Eiji's feelings in episode 22 by listening to Eiji's prodding to go to Japan (even if Ash didn't really believe in them), but Ash also neglected Eiji's feelings in episode 24 by not seeing him off at the airport before the letter. That's why I think it's hard to pinpoint whether Ash really does consider Eiji's feelings. I personally think it's an area he was working on, but did not necessarily overcome. In the end, if I were to subscribe to that interpretation, it'll have to be a mixture of inescapable death and a product of self-loathing and love. Nonetheless, I think it's fine to interpret it however we like best and with no Garden of Light animated, it's not even confirmed that Ash died in the anime so it's really open-ended. |
LunallaeMar 16, 2019 1:33 PM
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