Is Banana Fish Good?
Banana Fish was one of the best anime of summer 2018. Three reasons why Banana Fish is good:
- It is filled with great characters with depth.
- It portrays the effects of gang life and crime very well.
- It is fast paced with relentless action and raw emotion.
The story grabs you instantly and it is such a good crime drama filled with action, revenge, politics, and corruption. Despite these heavy topics and mature themes, Banana Fish is able to craft a careful drama without sensationalizing the brutality.
Background
The story is about Ash Lynx, a cold, ruthless gang leader in New York . He was a runaway brought up as the adopted heir of “Papa” Dino Golzine. Ash, who is 17 years old, rejects Dino’s kingdom and way of living. He meets a pure-hearted young photographer named Eiji Okumura and they are tied in a plot that involves “banana fish”.
Banana Fish started off as a manga series written and illustrated by Akimi Yoshida. It was a cult classic in the 1980s and was finally adapted into an anime television series in 2018. It was produced by studio MAPPA.
The series was directed by Hiroko Utsumi, who worked on the anime FREE! (2013). Utsumi was a good storyboarder at Kyoto Animation and it was believed that she would do a good job of portraying the relationship between the characters.
How many episodes does Banana Fish have?
Banana Fish is 2 cours and has 24 episodes. The anime adapted the entire manga. One of the important changes that was made was the changing of the setting. The story was set in the 1980s during the post Vietnam War era in the manga. In the anime, the story is set during modern times with the post Vietnam War setting being replaced with the Iraq War.
What is the meaning of Banana Fish?
The title Banana Fish comes from J.D Salinger’s short story: A Perfect Day for Bananafish. It was originally published in January 31, 1948 and the story was a metaphor for the post-war American consumer society. It also dealt with PTSD and suicide.
Is Banana Fish a yaoi?
Banana Fish is not a yaoi. The relationship between Ash and Eiji is not portrayed as overtly romantic or sexual. Their relationship is more of a strong friendship than a homoerotic relationship.
3 reasons why this series is so good is because:
1. Banana Fish Has Great Characters with Depth
While the plot is intriguing, Banana Fish’s greatest strength is in it’s characters and the emotional impact the plot’s twist and turns have on both them and the viewers. The cast is interesting and almost every character is likeable and memorable. It’s very easy to get emotionally attached to some characters. Banana Fish does a great job in getting you to care deeply about the characters before putting them into horrific situations, which contributes to the strong emotional impact. The three important characters in this show are Ash, Eiji and Dino.
Ash Lynx
Ash is a young, fearless gang leader and is the main protagonist. He has a high IQ and a really great memory. He is a very skilled fighter and an excellent marksmen (able to hit his targets from very long range). He is also adept with a knife.
Ash joined the mob when he was 7 after running away from his home in Cape Cod. He was taught how to shoot, fight and kill by a kingpin named Dino ‘Papa’ Golzine. Dino noticed Ash’s potential at a young age and raised him to his successor and heir to his criminal empire. He taught Ash how to be an aristocrat and honed his abilities in every aspect.
Ash learned how to survive in the harshest conditions. He had to overcome plenty of adversity and trauma in his childhood but he doesn’t treat himself like a victim. Ash anticipates his death at any moment and isn’t afraid to risk it for what he believes in. There is even one scene where he walks into a enemy gang territory, unguarded with no body guards or support, to have a honest conversation with the leader of the gang. Despite this, he is still able to completely stay in control of the situation.
He has unbelievable charisma and is able to inspire the members in his gang. Ash is such a great leader that he is able to unite multiple gangs from different races and maintain peace in his area. Despite his tough exterior, he cares about those who work under him and isn’t a typical gang leader.
After meeting Eiji, Ash slowly becomes more vulnerable and is able to recover from the trauma he accumulated throughout the years.
Eiji Okumura
Eiji is a 19 year old college student who travels to New York to complete a report on street gangs. He eventually meets Ash and they become close friends.
Eiji has a very kind heart and is a bit naive. He is the opposite of Ash and is unaccustomed to the world of the mafia. One of the key reasons why Ash is fascinated with him at first is because he is innocent. He sees in Eiji what he lost in the streets and envies him for the peaceful world he comes from.
Despite being from two different worlds, Eiji isn’t scared or wary of Ash. Ash also cares for Eiji. He respects him and doesn’t want anything to happen to him. He sees him as an equal and there is mutual respect on both sides. Eiji is good at comforting those around him, so Ash feels like he can be a normal teenager when hes around him. Eiji and Ash become so close that Ash often risks his life for Eiji. His acts of self-sacrifice becomes a central part of their relationship and a major part of the story.
Dino Golzine
Dino is a kingpin in Unione Corse and a leader of the Corsican Mafia. He has groomed Ash to be his successor since Ash was a child.
Dino is a man of considerable power and influence. He is able to take advantage of the corruption in New York City. For example, he is able to get a dirty cop to frame his enemies and also use a judge to assign Ash immediately to the state pen. Dino has a bunch of connections and has access to the European drug market.
2. Banana Fish Portrays the Effects of Gang Life and Crime Very Well
Banana Fish delivers mature content in the form of drug deals, criminal activities, sex slavery, or gang wars. The gang wars and violence are showcased without holding back with the intense bloodshed.
One of the effects of gang warfare is death. One of the great things about Banana Fish is that characters die with little buildup and little dramatization. There’s no long lingering last words or soliloquies. For example, a close friend of Ash dies in one scene and because they are in the middle of a gun fight, there is no real time for Ash to stop and deliver parting words. This is great because it allows the viewer to be immersed in the realism and shows the consequence of gang life and conflict. Many characters who have a lot of screen time in the show suffer a gruesome fate. This means none of the characters feel safe.
The setting is also a highlight of the series. The story starts off in New York and it does a good job of showcasing the modern and gritty details. For example, there is a scene that shows the graffiti and the sunlit streets that bring the stylized version of New York to life. There are gun battles among gangs in the train stations. There’s also a knife battle on the bridge. The setting and backdrops for fights constantly change. The setting also moves from New York to Los Angeles at one point. Banana Fish does a great job of mixing up the action in different settings.
One of the interesting aspects of the show is the Chinese Mafia. They play a great role in the plot but the most interesting thing about them is their history. There was huge inner family conflicts among them and Banana Fish does a good job of showing the consequences when power is attained through bloodshed and violence. It leads to more violence and pain.
Banana Fish has multiple aspects that make it such a great crime drama such as double agents, blackmail, betrayal, etc.
3. Banana Fish Has a Very Fast Pace
Banana Fish is very fast paced. There’s never a dull moment in any of the episodes and not an episode goes by without a few major developments. Every episode is epic and filled with plot twists. There’s no filler moment and the plot tends to advance pretty quickly. The narrative shifts seamlessly from arc to arc.
The actions scenes were really bloody and well done. One standout scene in particular is when Ash stands on top of a truck, his blonde hair blowing in the wind, and he accurately shoots multiple members of the mafia.
Finding exactly what Banana Fish is a pivotal component of the plot, especially in the first half of the show. There is a sensation of mystery and suspense for the viewer and this results in multiple conflicts and violence. Things start to escalate so quickly that Banana Fish becomes a crime thriller that often tests the limits of the main characters and how much longer they can last.
Conclusion
Banana Fish was a refreshing and thrilling experience. It’s grounded approach makes it a unique work that is more reminiscent of Western films and television. It also has a great soundtrack. The music does a great job of setting the mood. Overall, Banana Fish was an engaging crime drama with great characters, great action and a good plot.
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