BANANA FISH
a review by TejoHitman
a review by TejoHitman
“You want people to protect you, like with Ash, or make them want to tear you apart and crush you.” – Yut-Lung
Banana Fish is a series filled with complex truth about the reality of this world. It portrays negative sensical topics such as war, sexual abuse, violence, drugs, deceitful authority, political corruption, societal expectations and so on, a consequential cause of humanity's undoings.
and truth, redemption, unconditional love, change, friendships, and family.
All conveyed through a conspiracy called Banana Fish.
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What is "Banana Fish"?
[Spoiler]
Banana Fish is a conspiracy led by the mafia for criminal use. But what exactly is Banana Fish? Is it some sort of a code, a person, a thing, or knowledge?
In the series, a person named Ash Lynx encounters numerous people who keep mentioning of Banana Fish, one of which is a significant person to him, his older brother Griffin,
What makes this series so fascinating?
“You said to me before, ‘We live in different worlds'." – Eiji Okumura
The series is fascinating because it is written concisely with realistic coherence to reality, which the author creatively conveys the complex-distinct world. Despite our divided qualities, our 'humanity' dominates the world, influencing it positively and negatively.
Not only that, the terminology of Banana Fish becomes complex and unpredictable until you come terms to its basis.
For example,
Ash Lynx faced the negative side of life, concerning [major spoilers]
In his life, those around him find no excuse to take advantage of his IQ of 200, beautifully seductive appearance, skilled combat, and leadership skills.
Meanwhile Eiji Okumura,
Ash Lynx and Eiji Okumura
“My words might not mean anything now, but just remember one thing—even if the world turns on you, I’ll always be on your side.” – Eiji Okumura
The story tells audience that they will most likely be incompatible, because how would you mix someone who has known and experienced the reality of life with someone who has clearly not?
Here's where Banana Fish gets interesting.
Ash Lynx, whose life is impended with doom, lost important people in his lives, and pertained as an irredeemable character, met his exact opposite. Had he not known love ever in his life [due to his past], but Eiji Okumura shows him how even friends can become something greater than sexual relationships, bromance, and lovers, as he gives Ash Lynx an unconditional love.
As his work allowed risk to his life, he still did not hesitate to help Ash against those that oppress him nor left him, and the best thing of all this is that he did not ask anything for return.
As Ash said, “I know there’s at least one person in this world who cares about me. Who doesn’t want anything from me? Do you have any idea what that’s like? I never did. Not once in my entire life until now, and that’s worth more to me than anything else.”, he was referring to Eiji.
Meeting Eiji changed Ash's life trajectory, where he finally had his reasons to live life, through him, he met several allies who he formed friendship with not just of business, but with pure intent of connection, such as Cain Blood, Shorter, Sing, Max Lobo, and more. These allies became a formidable reason for him to use his own strength that was once used for bad things to good things.
This time, he had not only used his strength for good things, but he had also learned how to feel truthful about his relationships, himself, and his perspectives, greatly influenced by Eiji. He had also met more enemies than allies which put greater risk to their lives, which made Ash's reason allowed him to resist Dino Golzine, investigate "Banana Fish", and eliminate who further put his life to tragedy.
However, due to Ash's charisma which attracted danger, he had always felt like his presence allowed more risks for Eiji, who is the most important person to him amongst the rest, to which, he oftentimes try to send off Eiji away through Japan to avoid danger, which Eiji doesn't consent to as Ash is important to him.
After all, everyone had their own motives and sides, but the amount of sheer perseverance to reach so far in a lifetime, that is BANANA FISH. From Ash's life being filled with emptiness, sorrow, and nothingness, even someone who is from the abyss, the devil himself, can be later redeemed. From Eiji's life being filled with innocence, peace, and curiosity, even someone who is an angel himself who can comfort others, can later be shown to the reality of the world.
It is by the series of our lives that we're shown to many things concerning the reality of this world, but one thing is certain, it's up to fate how we will be able to outgrow our sufferings, and how we will be able to influence others with it.
Final Remarks and Lessons
In a divided world, we oftentimes find ourselves doing good and evil based of our differences, to which, it influences consequences more than possibilities. In this world, the "Ash" are pertained as devils, while "Eiji" are more of angels, and that we must live accordingly by the law.
However, as much as that is true, the story highlights how important the truth is, because not everything- even the law- can be all true. We humans have our own understanding and convictions, and we must exactly use it for wisdom and caution. Banana Fish, for those who know, and what it truly is, is an example of something that could be use for wrong uses. Which is why we humans must always be cautious of whatever is told to us as true but are false.
As ORB: On the Movements of the Earth quotes, "What would you do if many of the things you obey and believe, and the reality we perceive, are actually lies?"
“Ready to lose your life over a pizza? Don’t be such a greedy bastard, Max. How about exercising a little caution?” – Ash Lynx
The story also exposes the abuse of power by the authority, which tells us that with power all things are possible. Not only that, the cycle of violence via revenge, conflict, war, and instability, these things susceptible to mostly temporary and fake satisfaction (while sure money and power does truly make us buy our needs, which can be a good thing too, but wealth and influence are corrupting).
Instead, the most important aspect that Banana Fish executes perfectly is that in a world filled with rampant adversity, love and connection will bring growth and change. It brings true and long-term satisfaction.
It also brings us to the realization that despite our sufferings, our past, and our world filled with inhumanity, the world is still beautiful, and "there are those who will love you even if you're unloved". - Blanca.
Also, all of us are monsters in a way, it's just that humans, because of the things they had experienced, learned, or developed, they can become monsters who do bad things. However, it is important to have empathy at all costs, where we must come to the understanding that these types of people, the "Ash" people, do have the need for love, and it is through understanding that we come to the terms of understanding humanity in others despite their past or wrongdoings.
As for my final, personal opinion, this series is such a GREAT one. No wonder it is rated so highly. I have nothing left to say but this....
The character designs are so fucking hot. The story is so fucking hot. Ash and Eiji though? Their stories hurt as fuck.....
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