Aoi Bungaku
Series
Number of episodes: 12
Production Studio: Madhouse
Fansub Release Viewed: gg
Likelihood of US Release: Low
Six Japanese literary works receive animated adaptations with character designs provided by various high-profile manga artists in this series.
Episode Summary
Oba Youzou is a student involved in anti-government activities under the cover of night, though the truth is that his father is a politician who provides him with a very hefty allowance on which to live. One night during a rally, the police burst in and Youzou finds himself on the run. By chance he ends up in a bar and one of the hostesses, herself looking for Youzou, pulls him aside and hides him beneath her dress until the police inspector is gone.
The two leave the bar and begin to talk, but the inspector catches up with them and the woman, Tsuneko, holds him off while telling Youzou to run. Youzou later returns to her and the two make love in her home. They both, for various reasons, feel that their lives cannot return to normal, and they decide to commit double suicide by jumping off of a cliff into the ocean. Tsuneko asks Youzou to push her; when he does he finds himself paralyzed and feeling the responsibility and horror of his actions becoming clear. He wakes up later on in a hospital bed, having survived the suicide attempt.
Thoughts
I’ve noticed that it’s rare to find more than one anime a season that is truly aimed at a mature audience. There are certainly quite a few that include adult content, by which I mean highly sexualized imagery and copious amounts of violence. But very few series can be said to include elements that are truly thought-provoking and mature in their approach. Trapeze approaches this idea from one direction; it focuses on creating an experience that’s based in pure artistic vision and a bizarre sense of humor and distinguishes itself from the pack. This series, specifically the opening tale, “No Longer Human,” plays off of its serious literary basis and combines solid artwork and animation with a classic Japanese tale of social alienation and descent into madness to create something that speaks of the time period of its origin while also becoming relevant to the present time. This is truly an anime for mature audiences who aren’t afraid to shy away from some dark subject matter, but remains thoughtful and doesn’t stray into gratuitous territory, and for that it’s definitely looking like this season’t hidden gem.
Of course, the previous paragraph isn’t, unfortunately, going to compel the hordes of more casual fans to go and check the show out, so here’s something that might work: the concept artist for this story arc is none other than Takeshi Obata, artist for the manga series Death Note. Did that turn a few heads? I would certainly like to think so. And his style is well-utilized here; the characters all have a very distinct look to them, which is a far cry from the palette-swapped hairstyles and clothing that define character differences in many anime. Especially striking to me was Tsuneko’s face, which was beautiful but also reflective of how weary life had caused her to become. In an almost humorous twist, though, Youzou looks strikingly like Yagami Light. In certain scenes, the lighting highlights this fact, although the effect is not distracting enough to detract from the experience of the story itself. Overall the visuals are top-notch, especially some of the striking background artwork scattered throughout the episode. The opening scene of the trolley car against the red sky is dramatic and beautiful, as is a later scene that takes place in the snow.
And what a story it is. Within the first episode, there are references to childhood trauma, including the molestation of the main character by the family’s maids and his subversion of his own desires in the face of his overbearing father, and double-suicide or murder, depending on how one interprets the scene at the cliff side. This is certainly not a story for people who can’t face the harsh realities of life or prefer their entertainment light and fluffy, but I have to admire the crew of this adaptation for their bravery in bringing such uncomfortable topics to the screen without making it feel like some cavalcade of gratuitous content. In other words, these topics are handled sensitively within the context of the story, and really add to the development of the main character, who otherwise may have come across as largely undeserving of viewer sympathy.
There is a fair amount of symbolism within this story as well. I hope that you readers will forgive me for breaking with form and rushing to watch the subsequent episodes almost immediately after viewing episode 1, but it did confirm for me that there are certain interesting images that carry throughout the show. The lion mask that Youzou’s father gives him comes to represent his father in flashbacks and dream imagery. There are multiple scenes where Youzou sees blood on his hands, representing the guilt he feels in pushing Tsuneko from the cliff. As the arc progresses, the images of soldiers marching through town becomes more frequent. And, most obviously, the drawing Youzou created of the monster he believes to be his inner self haunts him literally throughout the tale, sometimes lurking in the background, other times bursting forth in fearful ways to remind him of his supposed lack of humanity. These symbols are certainly not difficult to analyze by any means, but they help to once again drive home the complexity of the main character and the elements of his suffering.
There are admittedly a few things that might be difficult for audiences unacquainted with Japanese culture to grasp. From personal experience I know that the idea of a double-suicide is difficult to wrap one’s head around, especially when one comes from a culture with a generally Christian world view that looks down on suicide. The resolution of Tsuneko and Youzou to commit suicide together seems sudden and without much prompting, but in a culture where reincarnation is more of an ingrained ideal and one could be reborn and “try again” so to speak, it makes more sense, especially when faced with the conclusion that their lives have somehow reached a dead end and Youzou already feels as if he’s lost his humanity.
So far this series is looking to be a modern classic. While it may not strike the fancy of many Western fans looking for something more flashy and exciting, those with an eye for Japanese literature and culture will surely find enjoyment in this adaptation of the classic novel. My hope is that the following arcs will be able to blend unique visual styles with proper respect for the source material like this one has; if so, this series is definitely a keeper.
Pros
- Beautiful visuals in both the character designs and background artwork
- Some interesting visual symbolism carries throughout the story
- The story is made relatable while still remaining respectful to the source material
Cons
- Some of the cultural nuances might not connect with Western audiences
