Banana Fish Part 1 (with Marion Bea)

Covers volumes 1 through 11 of Banana Fish by Akimi Yoshida

It’s a perfect day to discuss Banana Fish, the revived classic about how everyone — except some select gang members and an innocent Japanese boy named Eiji Okumura — wants to kill the brilliant and beautiful and deadly Ash Lynx. Shojo & Tell host Ashley found the biggest Banana Fish fan in Marion, and together they discuss the literary and political history Akimi Yoshida’s work draws from, the representations of race and queerness in the story, answer some of your questions about how the modernized anime compares to this very ’80s manga, and list favorite Ash and Eiji moments. Plus, Ashley and Marion take plenty of time to discuss Ash’s transformation from River Phoenix to Nurse Barbara.

LINKS

Banana Fish is available from Viz Media
The title comes from a J.D. Salinger story called “A Perfect Day for Bananafish”
The story references the Ernest Hemingway short story “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” frequently
Rambo and The Terminator influenced Ash
The history of gun control in Japan
Actor River Phoenix was an inspiration for Ash’s looks
Classic shojo manga people will tell you to read in addition to Banana Fish: Please Save My Earth, MARS, Basara, and Glass Mask
The divisive dish, natto
Outro song: “Found & Lost” by Survive Said the Prophet (the Banana Fish anime opening). Buy it on iTunes.

SOCIAL

Follow Shojo & Tell on Twitter @shojoandtell
Follow Shojo & Tell on Instagram @shojoandtell
Read Marion’s writing about anime and manga on her blog, Otaku, She Wrote
Read Marion’s writing on Anime Feminist
Follow Marion on Twitter @eccentricmarion
Follow Ashley on Twitter @AshMcD00

Comments, questions, constructive criticism, concerns? Want to tell us your favorite Ash Lynx Look or Ash and Eiji moment? Email shojoandtell [at] gmail.com or simply leave a comment on the episode page.