This review might contain spoilers. You may proceed if you can handle the truth...

An illustration of chapter 5 in the Tale of Genji.

Among literature scholars, an ongoing discussion is about the open question of the first novel of world literature. Although someone might think pinpointing it is a straightforward process, the difficulty lies in the vague definition of the genre and overlapping characterisations with other ones. Furthermore, narrative fiction does not need to fulfil every criterion to become a novel. Despite all the long fictional prose works that preceded it, most literature experts consider the Tale of Genji by Japanese writer Murasaki Shikibu as the first novel due to its early use of the experience of intimacy in a narrative form. Besides her poetic passion, Shikibu was a noblewoman and a lady-in-waiting at the Imperial court in the early eleventh century. Because of her brother's preparation for his career in the government, she had the opportunity to study with him subjects forbidden to women because of sexism. Consequently, she was one of the few females proficient in classical Chinese and educated in Chinese literature.

Inspired by classical Chinese literature and contemporary Japanese prose, Shikibu wrote the Tale of Genji as a monogatari, a traditional Japanese tale, but without fantasy elements. Her work embraces three parts with 56 chapters spanning more than 1000 pages, whereby many experts express a reasonable doubt that she wrote all chapters based on significant stylistic differences and mistakes in continuity in later ones. Another contentious unclarity is whether the abrupt ending of the story was intentional by the author. She probably wrote most of the novel or the entire in kana, a Japanese phonetic script. Until the development of kana in the mid to late ninth century, Japanese texts used Chinese characters. Many scholars assume her work was substantial to the development of Japanese writing. Even though reading older books is demanding, the Tale of Genji is unfathomable for foreign and native readers without either annotations or specialised study. Written in Heian-period court Japanese, it has intricate grammar, avoids using names for characters and uses poetry in conversations excessively.

Thanks to Tale of Genji's critical acclaim and popularity in Japan, it received many adaptations in different mediums. This 1987 film adaptation, directed by Gisaburou Sugii, only covers the first twelve chapters of the novel to avoid a rushed, heartless and incohesive summary. Like in his adaptation of Kenji Miyazawa's literary classic Night on the Galactic Railroad, he captures the essence of the plot brilliantly again. As the protagonist is the emperor's son, Genji can enjoy a carefree life in the court. However, he has to settle for a socially low rank because his mother was a concubine. Combined with his insignificance in court, her early death in his childhood brings him constant sorrow. Instead of numbing the pain with drugs, he tries to find consolation in multiple simultaneous sexual relationships with women. Due to his attractiveness, empathy, kindness and high education, he can seduce almost every woman in court. While his psychological downward spiral reaches new depths, he commits to more questionable, risky sexual relationships until he becomes a victim of his inevitable destiny.

Superficially, someone might think the Tale of Genji is a story about a playboy with mommy issues. Albeit this statement is not necessarily wrong, it only scratches the surface. The tale's appeal has its source in the excellent character study of Genji. Despite the cultural and time gap, his emotional suffering, urge for self-destruction and hunt for unconditional love are still relatable nowadays. Besides the intriguing psychological aspect of the plot, it also offers a glimpse into politics and aristocratic drama. The only noteworthy shortcoming is the occasional difficulty distinguishing sundry female characters based on their name or appearance. A further allure is the gorgeous court setting with its decadence, extravagance and pomp in the cultural golden age of Japan. Fans of more artistic cinema can enjoy carefully composed beautiful scenes and long, thought-provoking shots. Undoubtedly, the movie's late 1980s cel animation aged well and still looks charming even without nostalgia. Another highlight is the astounding score by Haruomi Hosono, which is easily one of the best in anime history.

In summary, the Tale of Genji is a forgotten 1980s animation gem. Because it is devoid of serious romance, spectacular action and thrilling rivalry, most anime fans probably will not enjoy it. However, the niche group who falls in love with it will consider it one of the greatest anime. Unfortunately, no streaming service has the movie at the point of writing. If you have the chance to see it in the future, do not hesitate.