Banana Fish

When we think about the Shoujo demographic, the kind of Anime that immediately comes to mind are stories with female protagonists in Romantic School settings. While there are many titles outside this spectrum, the impressions they leave are undeniable. The following Anime series is far outside this spectrum and will leave you with a totally different experience, one that could not be easily forgotten.

Banana Fish is a 24 episode TV Anime series that aired from the 6th of July until the 21st of December, in Summer 2018. This series was announced as a part of Akimi Yoshida's 40th Anniversary Commemoration Project held in October 2017. It was produced by Aniplex, Dentsu, Movic, Fuji TV, and Shogakukan and brought to life by Studio MAPPA.

It features the genres of Action, Adventure, and Drama, targeted at the Shoujo demographic. The primary staff behind its creation are Utsumi Hiroko as Director, Episode Director and on Storyboard, Shishido Jun as Episode Director and on Storyboard, Yamada Haru as Sound Director and Ezaki Shinpei as Episode Director. It received a rating of R - 17+ for its violence and profanity.

The Anime is adapted from the source Manga of the same title, which spanned 19 volumes from the 13th of April 1985 until the 12th of March 1994. It was the work of Author and Artist Yoshida Akimi, serialized in Betsucomi. It was published in English via VIZ Media for the first seven volumes under the VIZ Graphic Novel imprint from January 1999 until November 2002.

This was later followed under the VIZ Shojo label from March 2004 until April 2007. Additionally, it ran in both of VIZ's now-defunct manga magazines Pulp and Animerica Extra for several years. A related Music video titled “Prayer X,” both directed and animated by Ryoji Yamada for the song by King Gnu, was also released in August 2018.

The story revolves around protagonist Aslan Jade Callenreese, also known as Ash Lynx. Having been a runaway that got picked off the streets of the hectic New York City streets, Ash ended up being raised by the infamous godfather of the Mafia itself, Dino Golzine. After turning 17 years old, he is now the boss of his own gang and thus begins investigations on the mysterious "Banana Fish," the two words his older brother, Griffin, had muttered ever since his return from the Iraq War.

But his inquiries are soon disrupted when Dino sends his men after Ash at an underground bar he used as a hideout. While at this bar, one of Ash's friends, named Skip, introduces him to Shunichi Ibe and his assistant, Eiji Okumura, who happen to be a duo of Japanese photographers working on a report about American street gangs.

Their conversation abruptly ends when one of Ash's allies, named Shorter Wong, calls him to issue a warning about Dino. This is followed by Dino's men storming the bar and kidnapping Skip and Eiji during the ensuing chaos. Ash is now left with no choice but to find a way to rescue them while continuing his investigation on the Banana Fish…. but just how much will his history with the Mafia hold him back from actually succeeding?

Banana Fish ends up being misconceived as a Boys’ Love, Shounen-ai, or Yaoi series far too quickly, thanks to popular misconceptions. While it may be a small part of the work, it doesn't even begin to touch upon its actual core and contents. What is it more primarily about? Drugs, rape, pedophilia, gangs, PTSD, violence, crime, corruption, and the mafia underworld.

Against the intriguing backdrops of crime and gangster settings, this series explores a broader scope of genuine topics in the modern world. The pragmatic and deplorable world of Banana Fish is rife with death and violence, but Ash’s tale is a visceral story about both life and love. The contrast between certain things that are represented as entirely different is a crucial point here, like life with death and love with lust. It portrays two such opposing halves in the two protagonists, Ash and Eiji, as light and dark, building up drama in numerous ways to tell a very grounded story about the beautiful and ugly aspects of humans.

It starts with limited exposition, using the initial episodes to set up character backstories their motivations, build tension, and draw the viewer’s interest. This foundation is pivotal to its progression, making the story more meaningful. Albeit having an overarching narrative, it can roughly be broken into a few arcs. It shifts from arc to arc, and what sets them apart are the tones: the pacing, mood swings, and sudden jolts.

This mechanic is masterfully used to highlight the story's light and dark themes. There are eventful scenes in each episode, which sometimes disrupt its calmer moments. Unfortunately, it also feels rushed in the second cour due to cramming 19 volumes into a mere twenty-four episodes. It has its share of clumsy plot developments, which can even be considered fantastical, repetitive, and annoying at times.

All things considered, the story doesn't fail to keep viewers entertained owing to moving scenes, unpredictable turns, and built-up suspense. To make the most of this Anime, viewers need to pay close attention and read between the lines, leading to new discoveries.

The Characters of Banana Fish are its forte. There is a large cast of relevant and supporting characters, and the important ones get characterized within a short time and consistently undergo development. The interactions manage to stay dynamic and engaging throughout the series. Ash and Eiji are at the center of this evolving collection of personalities.

Ash is, without a doubt, the most carefully realized and developed character, who sways between his hardened and vulnerable side. But his relationship with Eiji is complex and multi-faceted and is a pivotal point of the series, albeit not the main focus. There is nothing physical, but their emotional connection cannot be undermined as it develops them both and lays the emotional foundation for the narrative.

Unfortunately, Eiji and several side characters are far less characterized. Different antagonists come and go, all twisted in unique ways, whom viewers will either hate or realize the depth to. They all serve their narrative purposes in due time; Yut-Lung and Blanca, in particular, are complex interesting and highlight the series themes perfectly.

The Art and Animation are nothing short of amazing for the first few episodes. Afterward, it spirals into a series of ups and downs. The action-packed episodes in the latter half suffer greatly because of this. Regardless, the impressive cinematography consistently stays strong throughout its run. It is consistent, dynamic, and uses frames effectively.

The Anime changes the Manga's 1980s setting to a Modern-day setting, which is seen as a con by most viewers. The Character designs are modernized, and the use of smartphones is prominent in a world that gives an anachronistic 80s vibe. These changes clash with the original Manga’s attempts at expressing dated topics and even lead to certain plot inconsistencies.

The Music and Sounds are pretty decent, but nothing spectacular. The Opening themes are "found & lost" by Survive Said The Prophet and "FREEDOM" by BLUE ENCOUNT, and the Ending themes are "Prayer X" by King Gnu and "RED" by Survive Said The Prophet, all of which are decent. The OSTs are pretty memorable, distinct, stylish, and fitting.

The Voice Actors do a fantastic job of bringing their characters to life, especially for Ash, who delivers a powerful performance that adds resounding care and heart into conveying all of his complexities. The OSTs are pretty memorable, distinct, stylish, and fitting. The Voice Actors do a fantastic job of bringing their characters to life, especially for Ash, who delivers a powerful performance that adds resounding care and heart into conveying all of his complexities.

Banana Fish is a truly peculiar and unique series that got Animated with noticeable commitment. It even offers up some fanservice for those interested in male parties. But at its core, it is a crime story set amidst a storm of corruption, revenge, and politics. Highly recommended, for this is one series you must experience. Even if you're not a big fan of genres, the chances are that you will enjoy this Anime overall.