Ash In The Sky Sei.|.AshEiji🌾 @ashe-lynx - Tumblr Blog

Hi there, I want to ask you if Yoshida ever said that Eiji married and had kids later on post-GoL. Source is this link

https://www.reddit.com/r/BananaFish/comments/jbru8q/beyond_garden_of_light/

Hii! I’m sorry for not answering right away, but I went looking for the interview in her book, which I recalled very vaguely. I also translated some of it, not the whole thing since it’s pretty long XD I also apologize for not getting the REBIRTH Guidebook interview, but I think this one was the most relevant, so here it is:

Majima: Does Blanca know about Ash’s death?

Yoshida: He’ll find out sooner or later. I mean, he knows he’s gonna die someday. Since he chose to live that sort of life, it would certainly lead to this outcome, eventually. He might not know when, but it’d be sort of like, oh, so that’s how it is.

Majima: What places would Ash and Eiji visit, had they actually come to Japan?

Yoshida: There were many questions like this. Why do you want them to come to Japan this much? (laughs) Please delude your own selves.

Majima: Can he even enter Japan in the first place? (laughs)

Yoshida: He’s on the international wanted list. He’s a murderer.

Majima: He can’t leave the country, either, huh?

Yoshida: He’ll get caught by the Interpol.

Majima: Is Eiji good at cooking?

Yoshida: How should I know? (laughs)

Majima: At first, Ash ate it with a face that said it was unappetising, was it simply that Japanese food didn’t suit Ash’s taste? Or was Eiji bad at cooking?

Yoshida: Isn’t it both? Have I drawn such a scene to begin with? (laughs)

Majima: He might have gone to Shorter’s place to eat Chinese food. Maybe there wasn’t a lot of Japanese food? Well, is it okay to just answer with “how should I know” ?

Yoshida: That, how should I know?

(Everyone laughs)

Majima: So, I’ll move on to the next question. Hadn’t Ash died, what sort of job would he have?

Yoshida: Hadn’t Ash died…?

Majima: There are many hypotheses huh (laughs) also, what kind of life has Eiji been living since “The Garden of Light”? Has he become a permanent resident in the US? Does he have a partner?

Yoshida: Wouldn’t he have a normal life? Something like properly getting married, having children, and continuing to live as a photographer.

Majima: He was shown as a successful photographer in the extra story “The Garden of Light”, too.

Yoshida: He wouldn’t be able to leave New York.

Majima: What sort of pictures does he take?

Yoshida: People, I guess? Not natural landscapes, but people and the city. Going around taking pictures of men and women in New York, this kind of thing.

Yeah. It might not be too different from what that Reddit post had, but I felt more like she simply expects him to move on from that grieving stage. It’s not definite that he got married or had kids, but it’s how things would normally go. Yoshida does generally mention they weren’t a romantic pair after all, so even if Ash hadn’t died (and I’m sorry, I’m sure she’s just done with people saying this) would she even make them a couple? Seems unlikely. So considering that Ash wasn’t exactly supposed to live much anyway, their relationship went as far as it was supposed to go, according to Yoshida’s expectations.

I suppose Eiji does give off the vibe of a person who would eventually settle down with someone. Which would be lovely, hopefully he would be able to find someone he loves. But does one necessarily need a lover in order to find happiness? Is marriage and kids the only answer? Eiji helping out those in need suits him, and I could picture him finding happiness through that. So just as vague as Yoshida’s answers were for quite a few other questions, this one also came across as a supposition at best. I’m not at all opposed to Eiji getting married, it’s just that I don’t personally believe this should be taken as an absolute truth. Maybe it’s likely that he did but, you know? Who knows? As long as Yoshida doesn’t release a new work depicting Eiji’s married life after GoL (also unlikely), it’s up to you to imagine how he’s been living. (Aren’t there many people who unyieldingly believe that Ash is alive? Isn’t it fine?)

I’m sorry for always concluding my posts basically saying “you do you”, that’s just how I feel about most things XD if I were to give a straight forward answer to your question, I guess it’s “yeah Yoshida kinda said that, but then again, hasn’t Yoshida said all sort of contradicting things?” She might change her mind, she might have said it on a whim, she might just not care — didn’t she say “how should I know”? But this one answer regarding Eiji’s marriage and kids just feels hazy to me. The only thing that seemed pretty concrete is that Eiji is very strong, he’s always been. He was pure in a way that made him the strongest in the end, and that’s something Yoshida’s mentioned a few times (I’m not sure where, as I’ve read way too many interviews at this point…) Eiji also has a US permanent visa by the time he’s holding his exhibition, it’s written in “New York Sense”. And, finally, thank you so much for asking! I’m afraid I couldn’t give a proper answer, but I’d be happy if this helps even just a little…

#banana fish

ash-callenreese

Hi!🤍

Going off on the question I asked about California story and heath-the main character. Reading it I thought heath was such a flawed character and really rude for sure. He seems like a character that has to go through life learning the hard way. (Plus he’s a cheater 👀) I appreciate your thoughts on it though! I actually had to stop at certain points of the story because it was kinda questionable lol.

Yeah! Somehow Heath’s personality just bothered me, especially his attitude towards most of the other characters… But I might’ve taken his reasons too lightly, so I don’t want to say I flat out dislike him. If anon thinks his character development makes the series worth it, I’ll read it again soon and come back to this question!

I completely get that the story was awkward at times though. I also understand that the story tries to be as legit 70s US as it can be, but does it really. Anyway, thank you again anon! I hope to talk to you again soon! 😌❤️

#banana fish

ash-callenreese

hello ! this is a question I’ve been dying to ask but I finally have some free time first of all I just want to say thank you so much for always answering our questions and always being so helpful ! 🤍 you really don’t know how much I appreciate your account !

the question is..where the hell do we buy banana fish books? and by books I mean the art & staff book and the Banana Fish Setting Book/Banana Fish Key Animation I’ve been looking for those specific books but I cannot find them😓I’ve seen people try to resell them on eBay but they are crazy expensive at a high of 300$ ,we’re those books just limited edition though? How come there is no “official” site please help me with this ! i have the money but I can’t find where to buy,and 300$ for just one book is too much :(

Hiii! I’m really happy to hear that, as usual! Finding people who still enjoy this blog after quite a few years makes me super glad! I don’t know how helpful I can be, but I still appreciate the questions and kind messages I get every now and then 🥺💕

But yeah it really does get expensive, collecting BF stuff. All of the books anon mentioned were also sort of limited edition (more like these types of books don’t usually get a reprint, they just release a certain number of copies and that’s it), the Setting Book did get a reprint last year, but it’s also sold out, as far as I’m aware. Even when you manage to preorder them before they get released, it gets expensive buying Japanese publications from other countries. I ended up buying some of them from CDJapan as soon as they were announced, but the shipping costs really made me question whether they were worth it… I think I got a couple of books directly from Animate when I was in Japan, and some other stuff I ordered from Japanese websites and had them delivered to some people I know in Japan — so they could send me everything later in a single packet. But I still managed to get everything during the preorder period or as soon as they were released, so the selling price wasn’t too expensive. For already sold out books, eBay does get overwhelmingly overpriced, but the only other option I usually have is buying them directly from Japanese marketplace platforms (Mercari or Yahoo! Auctions) but they don’t really ship overseas, so you have to buy your stuff through a proxy service like Buyee or something (or have someone who lives in Japan receive your parcels and send them abroad). But Buyee is ridiculously expensive (and somewhat shady) when it comes to taxes and shipping, so you’re better off buying from eBay…

As for “official site”, well there are a few. Like directly from MAPPA’s online store, Animate, and certain bookstores. But 1) you usually have to preorder those so they aren’t available anymore, they are much harder to find and much more expensive in Japan as well and 2) Japan isn’t as concerned with international fanbases as overseas fans would appreciate — you gotta know your Japanese and live in Japan or know someone there in order to buy from most websites. So yeah, I guess this wasn’t really the answer anon was looking for, considering that I basically said “eBay is your best option”, but unfortunately I believe this is it. You can find those books for about 100 USD on Mercari, but then again it might end up the same price or even higher depending on where you live. 😔 I’m sorry anon, but I hope this is helpful somehow! Let me know if I wasn’t clear enough or if you need anything else!

ash-callenreese

Thanks for adding to this post @kotalisa ! I’m reblogging since I can’t reply with this sideblog…

I don’t know about other proxy services as I’ve only ever used Buyee, so it’s good to know about DeJapan (I’ve read stuff about a few others but I can’t say much about them either). I believe Manga Republic / Goods Republic also has reasonable prices.

I’ve used Amazon Japan as well, but lately some sellers haven’t been sending parcels to where I live, and with certain couriers (esp. DHL and FedEx) the shipping still ended up getting super pricey… That being said, I’m not from the US and the country where I’m currently living in particular is having shipping issues with Japan so the circumstances are a bit different. Anyway, I hope anon can find what they’re looking for!

#banana fish

ash-callenreese

Have you by chance shared the pictures of eijis photography book? I would love to see them since I don’t have access to that book and I don’t think many people have shared those photos

Hi!

If you’re talking about New York Sense, I have posted the full scans, yes! You can find them here. I believe the quality should be high enough! Let me know if you need anything else! ♡

#banana fish

ash-callenreese

I have a couple questions I want to ask about YOU I hope they’re not too personal haha

i really want to know how old you are and I’ll explain why before I look like a creep lol !! ..when someone asked you about how much ash was “worth” aka when he was being sold by Dino I was really shocked by your response,especially when people ask you heavy questions like this,BF is a heavy anime and I love how well you handle topics like that,I think you’re a very mature person

another question is did you cry when ash ya know at the end of BF? I feel like everyone cried (myself included) and I would love to know how you feel about ashs ending (spoiler maybe for new fans)

Hello!! I don’t mind answering these at all, but I’m probably not as old as most people seem to think I am XD I’m 22 this year! Which feels very weird now, I didn’t expect to keep this side blog for so long. Of course, I’m still glad to find quite a few BF fans around!

And I honestly didn’t cry when I finished reading the manga, nor when I was done watching the anime. I did cry a few times throughout the series though. I might’ve said that I cried lots back then, but that was sort of a way to go with the tide I suppose… Even so, my opinion hasn’t really changed from back then — I’ve never hated the ending and, even if I agree that a few details were somewhat off, I wouldn’t make it much different. I wrote this post back when the last episode came out (along with a few others that I couldn’t find anymore), it kinda summarises my feelings towards the finale. There’s also a post where I compare Ash and YASHA’s Sei, which kinda shows why I’m okay with BF’s ending (or at least more so than with YASHA’s). If anon wants to talk about it, I can write a longer note on my thoughts, I just hope not to be repetitive!

Anyway, thanks for asking! I hope the answers weren’t too disappointing XD

#banana fish

ash-callenreese

ANALYSIS MASTER POST

1. “The Catcher in the Rye” analysis

2. Was Ash’s wound fatal?

3. What if Eiji had been written as a girl?

4. Was Ash and Eiji’s relationship toxic?

5. Ash asking about Eiji’s love life back in Japan

6. Yoshida’s feelings towards her characters

7. Did Ash learn to value/love himself?

8. Was the “villain” (Yut-Lung) right all along?

9. Some Yut-Lung loving time I guess?

10. Again, was it really Ash’s choice to die?

11. “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”

12. Did Eiji get married later on? (aka one of those infamous Yoshida interviews)

13. Was Eiji sexually assaulted by Dino?

14. Blanca

15. Very short but, does Ash call some girls “tramps”?

16. Ash // Sei comparison

17. Sei and Lu Mei

18. How much did one night with Ash cost?

19. Arthur’s hatred towards Ash

20. My thoughts on “California Monogatari”

#banana fish

HD official art wallpaper

#banana fish #バナナフィッシュ #ash lynx #banana fish news #anime #asheiji #eiji okumura

BANANA FISH X meagratia collaboration!

生まれては朽ちてゆく花々。時間の流れとともに変化し、違った表情を魅せる。その一瞬の輝きの中に宿る美しいたくましさ。歴史と現在が融合した時に生まれる新たな違和感。想いから生まれるぬくもりに触れて感じる胸の高鳴り。全てが調和し、交差する時身に纏う豊かさが人々を

#banana fish #バナナフィッシュ #ash lynx #anime #banana fish news #eiji okumura

puella-peanut

In Which the New York City Public Library Goes Bananas for Banana Fish

If you’re a fan (or in this case, a victim) of the classic series Banana Fish, you will be familiar with a certain room in the New York City Public Library that has taken on a certain shade of infamy thanks to…well.

You know.

Keep reading

puella-peanut

Rebels With and Without Causes—A Quick Comparison Between Ash Lynx and Jim Stark

When I saw Ash wearing that red jacket, white shirt, and blue jeans I thought to myself, Is that you, James Dean?

Okay, okay, not entirely (I just needed something snappy to kick this babble off)—but it was enough of a color palette and similar choice of clothing that had me looking twice, and wondering if someone, somewhere at Mappa watched Rebel Without a Cause and took inspiration for Ash’s outfit from Jim Stark’s (James Dean) iconic getup in the film nonetheless.

There’s a bit more to the comparison though, than just a jacket and blue jeans (however attractive they may look on charming young guys).

Keep reading

Anime vs Stage BANANA FISH (the last one will never happen in the anime)

Eiji went to the library!! (stage ver)

#banana fish #バナナフィッシュ #ash lynx #anime #banana fish news #eiji okamura #banana fish the stage

vashak

Was the “Candy bar” scene absolutely necessary?

In episode 15 of the anime (volume 10 in manga), Ash calls out to the security guards in that sicko Dr. Mannerheim’s Mental Health Institute through the camera in his cell and sings a provocative song with gestures to match. Was this scene absolutely necessary?

It was for the plot, because Ash was trying to lure in the security guards so that he could knock them down and get their keys to escape.

But was it absolutely necessary to portray it like it was funny? I thought it was in very bad taste, let alone “necessary.”

Showing Ash’s struggle to survive using his sexuality in a comedic light… I mean, doesn’t it contradict with one of the key messages of Banana Fish? Or am I going overboard with political correctness here?

ash-in-the-rye

Indeed, that scene is quite…exaggerated in terms of comedy, to say the least.

When re-reading some comments on it, it’s clear that there are two types of people’s first reactions: Either laughing or feeling incredibly uncomfortable.

I’m being honest, when I watched the episode for the first time, not even knowing the manga counterpart of it, I was laughing, too.

The reason for this kind of reaction is most probably because it just comes out of the blue and because it seems to be really out of character for Ash to sing and pose like that at first.

However, there’s actually a lot more depth behind it than what it seems to be the case at first glance. Because, if you think more thoroughly about it, it’s actually really sad and gives us yet another insight into what Ash must have been through in the past.

The way he presents himself and sings that song, they way he basically seduces the guards and how unfazed he seems to be during that act…It’s clear he knows very well what he’s doing and which buttons he has to push in order to get what he wants and this makes me wonder:

How many times did he actually had to do this already before?

How many times did he have to put up such a show with dancing and singing just for the entertainment of old, sick perverts? In order to please them so they at least would be “gentle” with him afterwards? In order not to die?

It must have been so humliating for Ash. To be nothing but an object for someone else’s enjoyment in yet another way than he alredy has been until then. To be not considered a human being by them.

And yet again, for his abusers, it’s only ever about having power over someone else, just like it is the reason for rape like Ash explains in “Angel Eyes”:

By making Ash do these things, his abusers demonstrated their power. They were the ones in control while Ash was nothing more than their playtoy they could step on and who would do everything they wanted just to stay alive or to not make things worse for himself.

If we take that into consideration and think about the “candy bar” scene, we’ll see that it’s acually also about power, but at the same time, we can see that the roles have been reversed. This time, Ash is in control and has power over the guards and not vice versa. He doesn’t intent to let them have their way with him, but just wants to lead them on in order to escape and I think that alone makes a little bit of a difference.

Imagine if it really had resulted in him getting raped by that guard later on. It would have been much worse if it had been portrayed as “funny” before that.

Of course, the background information regarding Ash’s act which we can only imagine isn’t funny as well, but sad and utterly terrible. However, the fact that we as the audience know that he’s actually the one in control and that his intention isn’t to let the guard who comes looking after him have his way with him, makes it a little bit more bearable, even the overall comical light it was presented in. Because, let’s be honest, even though Ash must have felt pretty uncomfortable while doing this, he wasn’t the stupid one here, but the guards were.

Nevertheless, it is a provoking scene. And I bet everyone who laughed at it at first (me included) felt bad for it in the end after thinking more thoroughly about where and why Ash must have learnt that.

Maybe that’s also why it’s presented in a rather comical way, in order to make us feel terrible afterwards. Another interprettation would be that we’re supposed to see it like those who Ash had to do this for. They also must have been laughing while watching Ash doing that.

Seeing it like that, however, causes one to feel even more terrible for laughing.

vashak

Thank you @tantei-armin, @ash-in-the-rye and others for your comments (and private messages). Reading what you have written encouraged and inspired me to say more on the subject.

I think it’s clear already but I’ll say it again: I don’t take issue with Ash dancing and singing provocatively being a plot device. I take issue with that being displayed in a comedic light.

So let’s rethink how all that could have been portrayed if this wasn’t intended as a funny scene. Remember when Ash was set about seducing “Dick-hard-o” in Angel Eyes?

In this scene Ash was again playing the role of seductress but none of us laughed because it wasn’t portrayed as funny. So imagine if the tone of the candy bar scene were similar to the scene above. No chibi Ash, no cute little stars in the background and the guards are making lewd faces instead of silly faces. I think it could have been done.