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hamliet · 5 years

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Art in Banana Fish, Part 3 (Episodes 17-24)

Or, the promised meta on how the art pieces in the background of different scenes in the anime symbolically depict what is happening in the scenes as they occur. I’ll go episode by episode, in three different parts. Join me in possible occasional over-analyzing, but all in good fun. This is the last part, and it contains the episode that first made me pay attention to the paintings in the first place (episode 19).

For part 1 (episodes 1-8), see here!

Part 2 (episodes 9-16) here!

There are paintings in the place they’re all gathered discussing Ash, but heads are blocking the actual content in every shot.

We’re going with obstruction as a motif this episode.

The painting behind Dino’s head, however, is of nighttime scenery, which fits because, well, Yut-Lung is the moon taking over in this instant. Also, Yut-Lung is about to obstruct Ash’s plans by using his loved ones against him.

One painting looks safe: flowers. The other looks more... angsty, again mimicking the purpose of this scene. It seems safe, but it isn’t.

Okay the lions are actually part of the library (I totally got a picture with them the first time I went to New York) but they also serve to remind of of Ash.

Mountains, symbolic of both Yut-Lung and Ash’s journey, and a stormy sea, which were also used in scenes where Ash was plotting against Golzine with Max in episode 11.

Also, vases, again symbolizing how Wang-Lung sees Yut-Lung as a tool to be poured into.

I can’t make out the images, but I wanted to include the wine bottle because it has the name of Blanca’s wife, Blanca’s hat, and likely the date of their marriage on it.

We also never fully see this image in Kippard’s apartment. My guess is it’s a cityscape, but we can’t be sure, but again that fits because Ash is demanding to know who is behind the whole project--and we never actually learn who is behind it all.

Episode 18: A bird for Eiji.

Several unidentifiable images by Blanca, but one looks like a bird as well,

Episode 19: the episode that made me pay attention to the background art in the first place.

A peacock, which Ash is going to be compared to later on in the episode.

Oriental patterns, duplicate, for Ash and Yut-Lung, and a vase under each one.

Sing stands in front of the peacock, essentially becoming one too, which fits because he’s associated with birds just like Eiji is (this goes back to the opening in which Sing and Eiji are the only two characters to see falling bird feathers).

Three floral plant-like images. Yut-Lung is of course associated with plants, and there were three major characters in the scene.

More mountains for Ash’s journey.

The painting behind Ash is bleak and hopeless, and like the mountain one, a muddy green--a color associated with Dino’s eyes, Ash’s suit color in this scene, and overall negativity.

More mountains behind Dino.

Flowers, which symbolize Ash.

These paintings appear to all be the exact same, symbolizing how Ibe and Max feel trapped.

Abstract darkness above a pillared mansion. It mirrors what Blanca told Ash: go back to Dino, it’ll all work out! Except it’s actually killing Ash.

In Ash’s sickroom, a bird, for Eiji. But a picture is not the real thing. It’s a fake. Everything in Dino’s house is, as Ash said, a fake.

Black and white photographs give the impression of history, which is fitting for this scene, which discusses Blanca’s past.

Ash’s head obstructs the vase but not the top. Again, Dino is viewing Ash as something to be poured into, and as a thing to be consumed (grapes, the meat/bread). This image essentially tells you everything you need to know about how Dino sees Ash, and as this scene in its brutality tells us, Ash knows it.

Dino obscures the bird painting/Eiji.

More plants for Yut-Lung, plus a butterfly--a thing that can fly, relating to the motif of flying and freedom.

Even his bed has a flower headboard. These flowers have often appeared around Yut-Lung as well, including in Wang-Lung’s office back in episode 5, in which they bloomed from a vase the hue of Yut-Lung’s eyes.

Episode 20: Blanca spells out the point of fighting amongst dinosaur skeletons at the museum:

And I’ll say the ocean is definitely associated with Ash, and specifically with Ash’s past, so that applies to all the ocean imagery in Part 2 of this meta.

Episode 21: Sing tries to do what Ash literally just did to Cain to save Eiji and his guys. The arrow going up from Sing to Ash shows his utter admiration for Ash.

Dehumanizing shots of people and legs in the gay bar.

An American-esque flag, fitting since the conspiracy is involved with the government and Foxx is a former soldier.

Floral paintings, but they are black and white, showing Ash’s final stage in his journey, which is what the final arc is about and why it’s so brutal and hard to watch: facing his past. (It’s not a coincidence Foxx is both a parallel to Dino in his desire to completely control Ash but without Dino’s gloves of adoption, legally dead like Ash, a former soldier like Griffin and like the Bluebeard of Cape Cod, and a skilled murderer who knows how to break people like Blanca, etc. He’s the embodiment of all of Ash’s past abuse, abandonment, and what he’s been forced to do--enjoying killing whereas Ash never enjoyed it.) Hence why facing his past and overcoming it would almost certainly have been better served by Ash surviving...

Crooked paintings graffitied out as Foxx started to close in.

A rainbow and a rabbit (associated with Eiji) between Max and Jessica as the camera pans back to directly compared Max/Jessica and Ash/Eiji.

The graffiti isn’t clear here, but the plaster is breaking, undoing the impenetrable facade and showing the vulnerable wood underneath, which symbolizes both Eiji in getting Ash to lower his guard, and also on a far more negative note, Foxx breaking through their guards.

And again, in Episode 22:

As Ash breaks out, firing at enemy soldiers, we see a rainbow again (Ash & Eiji’s love).

And the rescue squad appears in front of the rainbow.

Incomprehensible, garish nonsense graffiti pretty much summarizes the trauma Ash is undergoing.

Blanca stands in front of a painting that represents both Ash and Eiji and also Yut-Lung and Sing (not saying their dynamic is necessarily romantic). He blocks the flowers (associated with Ash and Yut-Lung) but not the bird (Eiji and Sing).

It’s also this scene where Yut-Lung outlines his plan to Blanca: to commit suicide by Ash just like Ash more or less tried to commit suicide by Arthur. Thus, while I still think Blanca abandoning Yut-Lung was horrible, I do think Blanca did what he did to save both of their lives. Blanca had just made so many terrible mistakes at this point that it was impossible not to hurt both of them.

The Asheiji/Yuesing painting is never shown in full frontal view while Yut-Lung orders Sing’s men to kill Eiji, because he’s not just sabotaging Ash and Eiji, but himself and Sing (again, this can be read brotherly just as accurately).

Look, birds (Eiji) in plants, as Blanca steps towards them, heading to save Eiji from Yut-Lung’s trap.

Episode 23: Flowers, for Yut-Lung and Ash, in black and white as Yut-Lung tells Blanca his past.

And Yut-Lung expresses his hold on hatred, obscuring the Asheiji/Yuesing painting.

And Blanca steps in front of the birds (Sing), trying to comfort him, but Yut-Lung rejects him. It’s Sing he needs.

There’s also a vase, showing what Yut-Lung was raised as.

As Blanca tells Yut-Lung he’s going to help Ash, we see mountains for the final stage of Ash’s journey.

And Yut-Lung is left staring at four shapeless images, empty.

Dino’s new house has a blotchy, obscure painting above it, and no headboard. He’s losing power to Foxx.

Two vases again, and three paintings that I admittedly am not sure of, except that one is flame-hued which fits for what’s about to go down, and the others are nature-themed, aka life.

Episode 24: Asheiji and Yuesing painting in full view, fitting for a scene in which Sing holds Yut-Lung accountable for his jealousy over Ash and Eiji’s relationship, and offers to show him the same love and care.

He blocked the vase.

Flowers, also.

Anyways, this show is detailed as hell, and while I’m possibly incorrect in some of my speculations, it’s really fun to comb through and realize how frequently certain motifs like vases (which had never occurred to me), the ocean, etc, are used. These animators really gave their all to animating Banana Fish and honestly, hats off to them.

#banana fish #banana fish meta #sing soo ling #lee yut lung #ash lynx #aslan jade callenreese #eiji okumura #asheiji #yuesing #blanca #sergei varishkov #max lobo #max glenreed #jessica randy #dino golzine #eduardo foxx

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turnupswritessometimes · 5 years

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The One With the Zombies

Title: The One With the Zombies

Chapter: 10

Word Count: 5455

Description: Another what it says on the tin from me - it's a Zombie Apocalypse AU because how else could this anime/manga get any darker? Whilst on the run from the outbreak of zombies, reporters Ibe and Eiji stumble across a New York street gang, safely huddled in an abandoned warehouse. As if the undead weren't surprising enough, Eiji finds himself becoming closer and closer to the gang's leader, mysteriously dubbed Ash Lynx. But safety doesn't last forever and soon it's only Ash and Eiji. And they're up against more than just zombies.

Note: This is available on A03, and I would recommend you follow it there, as I remember to update it. I would post a link, but then Tumblr wouldn’t include it in search results.

It was when Ash was facing away from him that he said it. He was staring out the window, his eyebrows pinched together.

"Do you know what I’d do if I could touch you?" Ash asked.

"Mm?" Eiji was fiddling with the TV remote. None of the channels worked, but he considered setting it to static and just staring at that. It was something to do.

"I'd kiss you," Ash said. Just like that, Ejji could feel his heart racing in every one of his muscles. "I'd sweep you down like they do in movies and kiss you. One hand on your back and the other buried in your beautiful hair."

Eiji paused. He wetted his lips because his throat was dry. Kissing Ash. Kissing Ash when they weren't covered in blood and because Ash wanted to kiss him. When had he wanted that? Had he fallen in love with Ash Lynx?

"I'd put my arms around your neck and kiss you back," Eiji said. His eyes lowered as he imagined it. Ash holding him.

"It'd be this big, mushy, slow kiss at first but then I wouldn't be able to control myself and I would kiss you until your mouth was black and blue."

"Mm!" His face was hot.

"And then I'd kiss your cheeks until they were bright pink." Ash's eyes glanced across at Eiji's, his mouth curving upwards as he spotted Eiji's red cheeks.

"Well," Eiji drew the word out because he needed to say something cheeky and clever that would make Ash grin. "I would have to kiss your nose until it went red."

That made him laugh. The first genuine laugh Eiji had heard in a long time. When it faded, he was still looking at Eiji. Green eyes searching his face.

Eiji was staring back, more words on his lips never quite making it to the air. There was something that had happened. This wasn't a friendly game anymore. Ash wasn't looking at him as if he was just a friend – just the Japanese boy that his gang found wandering around with a camera. He was looking at him as though he was shining. And Eiji didn't mind that. It did make him feel bashful - but it also made his chest warm, and he somehow knew that he was looking at Ash the same way.

Somehow, without even knowing it, Eiji Okumura had fallen for Ash Lynx.

There was a boy sat on the bed. A boy who looked even more like a girl than Ash did. A boy with long, dark hair and darker eyes. Skin the same colour as Eiji's.

He had looked up when Ash had kicked open the door and was now smirking slightly, as if he expected Ash to get angry. Ash didn't. He leant against the doorframe and crossed his arms.

He wasn't angry, but it did make him uneasy. If he didn't know where Papa Dino was and didn't have eyes on Eiji, he felt nervous.

"Yut Lung," the boy said. He looked even younger than Ash.

"Ash Lynx."

"So you're the favourite." It was said strangely, as if it was something important. Something to be covered.

"How'd you get here?" he asked. It had only been a few days, but he had forgotten the outside world existed.

"My brothers sold me for protection," the boy - Yut Lung, said it casually, but Ash recognised the tone of voice. It had hiding cracks underneath. He glanced up at Ash. Calculating his expression. "Charming, isn't it?

It did make Ash's skin crawl. A lot here did. But he was sensing that this boy wanted a rise out of him. He couldn't figure out why, but he felt like a circus lion being poked with a stick.

"Mm." Was the non-committal noise he chose.

"So do you think he'll do us both or just watch the two of us fuck?" Yut Lung was still talking lightly, but there was a fragility there. Brittle, Ash thought. This boy was terrified but he didn't want Ash to know it. "No offence but you're not really my type."

"Full offence, you're not mine either," Ash said. He shifted his weight, leaning against the other side of the doorframe. "Look, you can save the bitchy looks, I'm not here to play French mistresses with you."

"You say that now," Yut Lung paused, looking down. More and more fear was seeping into his voice. "What about when you're kicked out onto the street?"

"I'd welcome it."

"Really?"

"Zombies aren't the worst thing in the world." Ash only sounded slightly bitter when he said it.

Yut Lung looked at him again. He spoke slowly. "...You're something of a name in Chinatown, you know." He said. "Have you seen much of Shorter lately?"

"In passing," Ash said. "There's internet here. And electricity. How did that happen?"

"Because he's rich. He's a rich white old man and no apocolypse will change that." Yut Lung picked at a stray thread on the duvet. It made him look even younger. Ash was reminded of Soo-Ling - how his confidence faded whenever he was actually placed in charge. The same with Bones and Kong. "So now my brothers are trying to cash in on that."

"Round the clock protection from zombies?"

"I think the official term is walkers."

For all the cocky smiles that he had given Ash, Yut Lung sounded miserable.

"Zombies is better." Ash shrugged. He thought of standing outside of a warehouse a month ago and looking at a stammering Japanese boy tell him that zombies was too cool of a word not to use. It brought a twitch of a smile to his face.

And maybe it was because it was what Eiji would do. Maybe it was because he was missing his gang. Maybe the apocalypse had made him gone soft.

But he was stepping forward and ducking his head down so that his voice was muffled slightly.

"Two days. We meet Shorter in two days."

Dark eyes glanced up at him. Calculating again.

"Why are you telling me this?" Yut Lung asked.

"Because I'm offering you to come with."

"And leave a lovely air conditioned mansion?" A thin dark eyebrow raised at him.

"Air conditioning isn't worth staying for." Ash said.

That was when he heard footsteps up the corridor and leant back, tucking his hands into his pockets. They waited, and Ash's heart was pounding. No. No he had been to careful that they couldn't have found out now.

He put a cigarette between his teeth. Then at least if Papa Dino had heard he would be too ticked off by that to remember it.

But it wasn't Papa Dino.

Marvin was the one leering at Ash today and it almost made him bite the cigarette in half. He thought he had this under control. He thought he could do this - could ignore the shakes and the nausea and push down all the memories with the rest.

But Marvin was here. Undoubtedly to call in the favour. It had been for Eiji, Ash reminded himself. It had been for Eiji and no price was too steep for him.

He tucked the cigarette back behind his ear. He would need it later.

It had almost stopped Eiji's heart.

When the door had opened he had been expecting Ash. It was always Ash. So when it wasn't he hadn't known what to do.

This was just a man.

Eiji didn't know what he was expecting. A shadow figure or demon from a horror movie. The bogeyman. But this was just an ordinary old man - overweight and balding. Maybe if he smiled there would be a grandfather-esque twinkle in his eye. That was a disturbing thought. The thought that this man had a life and a family.

And had completely and utterly ruined so many others.

"Where's Ash?" The question came out of Eiji's mouth before he could stop it. It scared him - that Ash wasn't here but this man was. Dino Golzine. The man profiting off of the end of the world.

He looked at Eiji. Not in a particularly threatening way - not like a tiger stalking prey. Just looked, then eased himself into the chair in the corner. Leaning on a cane. He wasn't some immortal, evil creature. Just a mortal, evil man.

"He's helping out one of my men." Came the reponse. An ordinary voice. Not the voice of an eldritch monster, but it still sent chills down Eiji's spine. "Did you know he promised one of them a favour so that you wouldn't have to be checked over?"

Eiji hadn't known. He didn't know what to do with that information. Didn't want that information because it made him feel useless and ashamed. It made him feel guilty that Ash had to - that he had even thought about it for a moment. And he felt like Ash knew that. That Ash hadn't told him bot because he was ashamed, but because he knew it would send Eiji apologising again.

So he did what Ash did, and stayed silent. He still had a hand in the book Ash had found for him. The English was difficult to understand and it took him ten minutes just to read a single page, but what else was there to do but wait?

"Are you scared of me?" the man - Eiji refused to use his name because that would make him even more human than he was already becoming - sounded amused. "No," Eiji said, and was glad that his voice sounded as strong as it did. "No, I hate you. I hate you for what you've done to Ash."

Drained him of all colour and made him wake in the middle of the night retching.

"No," Eiji said, and was glad that his voice sounded as strong as it did. "No, I hate you. I hate you for what you've done to Ash."

Drained him of all colour and made him wake in the middle of the night retching.

There was a long pause. When he spoke, his voice was slow and quiet.

"...He's planning to leave, isn't he?"

Two days. Ash had said two days.

"No."

"You're not as good at lying as he is." He leant backwards, a faint smile on his face. "Where is he going?"

"I don't know," Eiji said. He fumbled, wondering whether to be honest or keep lying. "He wouldn't say - he wasn't - he wasn't serious."

"You're not as good at lying as he is." He leant backwards, a faint smile on his face. "Where is he going?"

"I don't know," Eiji said. He fumbled, wondering whether to be honest or keep lying. "He wouldn't say - he wasn't - he wasn't serious."

"He does not say things he doesn't mean." How could someone like this know anything about Ash? "He's kissed you, hasn't he?"

"No." Yet Eiji's lips tingled.

"You know if you keep lying to me, I can make things very uncomfortable for Ash."

"It didn't mean anything!" Eiji was getting frustrated now. He felt like a mouse being toyed with by a cat, and yet he was still lying. He knew that now. It might not have meant anything then, but it did mean something now. "It didn't - he was just happy to be alive - he wasn't seeing me - he wasn't-"

"But he is planning to leave."

"I said I don't know," Eiji repeated. "I don't know anything."

He must have been a better liar than this man originally thought. There was a pause, then a smile, then a long moment where he stood.

"It's no wonder Ash has been hiding you away," he said. Eiji just stared, though his heart was pounding. "It was nice to meet you, Mr Okumura."

He didn't vanish into thin air, or dissolve into the shadows. He just walked from the room. Like a normal human.

But Eiji couldn't deny that it felt as though a weight had been lifted. Like the air had been cleansed and he could finally breathe.

Ash did tell him things. Ash told him that Soo-Ling had been right, in a way. It was like Cell - whatever that meant. Ash had explained that waves - he wasn't sure if it was radio waves or mobile waves - but he was sure that had something to do with the outbreak of the undead.

He was sure that they had been lead back like rats in a trap.

"But why?" Eiji had asked. Flicking from static channel to foreign news to static.

"Because he doesn't like to lose. Not money, not merchandise, not anything that's his. And I'm all three."

"Ash." Eiji couldn't help smiling. "Are you really telling me that the whole zombie apocalypse was because of you?"

"Am I not worth an apocalypse?" Ash was smiling back. But it only lasted a moment. " I'm just a little plan on the side. Probably a test, to see if it works. There's more to this. Control the apocalypse and you control the world."

"He wants to take over the world?" It sounded like a joke, and Eiji was still smiling. Only because for all its absurdity, it was scary. That wasn't the kind of thing real people did. Not the kind of thing real people should be able to do. That made it scary.

"Who knows?" Ash had sighed and flopped back down on his bed. "Who knows what straight cis white old men want?"

The final day passed. They had everything under their beds - bags full of necessities that they would hitch over their shoulders. Then it was a matter of thing the bedsheets together and climbing out the window.

Ash had made it sound easy. It should have been. The right after dinner drink would allow him to disable the cameras they needed, make it look like a blip in the system. They would have the time they needed to cross the estate and be in the city by the early hours of the morning.

And everything had gone to plan so far. Everything had gone to plan until Papa Dino's fork was resting on his desert plate.

Ash's was untouched. He was struggling to keep food down lately.

"I want to show you something I've been working on."

Ash wasn't sure what to say. He hadn't really believed the part about grooming him to take over. Not deep down. Deep down he had never believed he would live till eighteen, much less outlive Dino. And he couldn't say he didn't want to see it now - not when everything was balancing on a razor edge. One wrong word to get him suspicious and they were through.

So he stood. And followed.

He was going to be late. He was going to be late back to their room and Eiji would be worried. He was going to be late to meet Shorter. But there was nothing to be done.

Maybe alarm bells should have rung when they went down the stairs. All the way down. But Ash had never been scared of basements. The bedrooms had always set him on edge.

There was a lab down here. It should have surprised Ash. Maybe he was running on too much adrenaline to think properly. Too much adrenaline because if he stopped to think about any of this he wouldn't be able to move.

So he stepped inside.

"Is this where the fountain of youth is created?" He asked. There was something in him that wanted to be snarky - some kind of superhero gene that meant he just had to have a quip for every occasion. He wished that was the truth. Really, he knew he had to say it because he was nervous. He didn't like this situation and couldn't put his finger on why.

"Maybe one day."

There was a heavy smell of chemicals in the air - something similar to a swimming pool. Everything was white and shiny, bleached within an inch of its life. A few scientists were down here, standing in the corner and making notes on their clipboards as they compared results with each other.

And of course there were the men who had stuck of Papa Dino's side. They had guns. Within an arms reach of Ash was a gun. His finger was itching for that trigger almost as badly as he needed a cigarette.

Ash tried to read everything he could in the second he was given to look around. Two words stood out everywhere.

"Banana fish." There was something about saying it out loud. Two words that seemed ridiculous together and yet incredibly familiar. As if Ash knew the phrase from long before.

"It was meant to be a drug." Papa Dino was walking through the lap, so Ash took careful steps behind him. He had the feeling of being a lamb led to slaughter. It was fine, he told himself. He was needed. They wouldn't get rid of him. "Something akin to mind control."

"You're kidding me, right? That stuff only exists in bad sci-fi movies."

"I said something akin to mind control. It was supposed to create a heightened state of paranoia. The test subjects could be persuaded to attack anyone."

“Charming.” Ash’s heart was pounding. Things were starting to piece together, and he didn’t like the sound of them. "But it didn't work, did it?"

"It became uncontrollable, yes. Not so much paranoia, rather a complete frenzy. It stops the heart, after a while. But a miracle of nature means that the brain is still active. Just enough to keep the person moving."

"A miracle?" Ash felt sick. It was like his bravado was being peeled back.

"The living dead," Papa Dino was still walking. Scientists still looking at them like they were a nature documentary. “Isn’t that a miracle?”

“I guess it depends on whether you’re in or out of the mansion.”

That got a smile that he couldn’t return. “But you’re in the mansion now, aren’t you?” A hand on his shoulder and Ash was looking away, pretending to read a nearby computer screen. “And you wouldn’t go back to the dante’s inferno that is New York City, would you?”

He knew. He knew, he knew, he knew.

So, Ash dropped any lingering indifference – any lingering acting – leant back on one of the nearest desks and crossed his arms. Dinner jackets made it hard to move. If they were going to run, he would have to ditch it or rip it.

“So, my choices are dante’s inferno or just regular hell?”

“It’s true then?”

“Why else am I down here?” Ash asked. His heart was hammering but he could drown it out. It became background noise when you were used to gunfights. “So, you invented a real zombie virus. Is this when you inject me with it?”

A hand on his cheek that he could barely feel. Adrenaline did that. Made him pure energy.

“Never. Not you.” It was almost fatherly. To people who didn’t know the whole truth, it might have been touching. Maybe there was a spark of warmth in those cold eyes, but Ash didn’t care to look. “This is for your own good.”

The tension was starting to bother him. “What have you done?”

“Invited a friend for dinner.”

Ash had seen Silence of the Lambs, but the way Papa Dino said that gave him more chills than when Hannibal Lecter did. It felt as though it had chilled him down to the marrow. For a moment, he knew his expression had slipped – he could tell from the smile appearing on Dino’s face.

“Where is he?”

“Only in the next room.”

Ash stumbled as he stepped forward, the scientists parting like a wave before him. The door behind them pushed open and he didn’t even see the room beyond them. He just saw a pair of dark eyes. Dark eyes. Not fleshy like egg whites. Eyes like a golden retriever.

His arms went around Eiji, with enough force that made Eiji stumble backwards. But his hands found Ash’s jacket – his fingers clutching the material for dear like. It had been such a sudden movement that Ash heard a rip. And, fuck, he had missed Eiji. He had forgotten how much nicer it was to touch Eiji. To feel the warmth of his body and his breath hitching in Ash’s ear. To choose to be close to someone. To feel the flutter of Eiji's heart in his chest like the wings of a trapped bird.

"Are you okay?" Ash demanded.

"I'm fine - I'm fine. But Ash-"

"I'm not so much."

It was another voice. A voice that made him freeze completely. Eiji's head was nestled on his shoulder, but he wasn't shaking. He was holding Ash firmly as he looked up.

Shorter was pulling himself to his feet. His skin was clammy and his legs shook as he did so. And yet he still smiled slightly as he pulled the sleeve of his jacket up. There was a tiny pinprick on his arm. "A virus. It's always the cheesiest movies that start with a virus."

"Shorter, no." They were the only two words he could think of. His fingers tightened into fists against Eiji's back and he felt Eiji press himself closer against him, like the way a dog would comfort someone.

"It's unthinkable. To let you go back to the chaos of the city. Especially now." Papa Dino's voice sounded far away. Like it was coming from above Ash and not behind him.

"I'm sorry, bud." Shorter was still smiling. Somehow, despite the world being jerked off balance, he was smiling. "I fought back as best as I could. I didn't have the heart to try and bite anyone on the way through."

"Let me guess." Ash's voice sounded rough. But he wasn't going to give in now. They had come too far for him to show that he was shattering into pieces. Brittle. He was brittle. "An extra strong dosage? Immediate effect?"

"What were you going to do? Try and find me a cure in a few days or so?" Shorter shook his head. Even his mohawk was drooping. "There's never a cure, Ash. And Maggie's just a depressing movie."

"So what's the lesson?" Ash turned, enough so that Papa Dino could see the white hot fury on his face, but not so that he could make out any features. "You'll infect someone every time I try to leave?"

"I told you, I can't let you leave. I'll even tolerate you your little friend, if it will make you happy."

Friend? Eiji wasn't a friend. Which was bizarre, because Ash hardly knew him. All he knew was that Eiji came from a small town in Japan whose name sounded like the name of a Gremlin. That he used to do high jump.

And yet he felt closer to him than anyone else he had ever known. He knew that he had to have Eiji by his side because otherwise he felt as though he was thrown into a choppy ocean without a liferaft. That was the surprising part about his life now. Not the zombies, but the fact that Ash Lynx had fallen in love. He had never expected to know what that really felt like, but now he did. He loved Eiji Okumura.

"Here." Shorter pulled out a revolver from his waistband. His hand was shaking as he held it out to Ash. "You need to take this. Its fully loaded."

No. The word didn't quite make it out of Ash's mouth. But no. He couldn't. He couldn't do this again.

And yet he recognised the look on Shorter's face. He recognised the waxy skin and dull eyes. Eyes that would be like runny eggs in no time, he knew. He knew he couldn't leave Shorter like this. But-

A hand took the gun. A hand with coffee coloured skin.

Eiji flicked the safety off.

"Its fully loaded," Shorter said. He was watching Eiji with a strange expression on his face. He was almost proud. "You know how to shoot it, kid?"

"Well enough." There was a determined look on Eiji's face. That was what kicked Ash's gut into action. He took the gun.

And in a split second all of his options raced through his head. He didn't have to shoot Shorter. He could turn around and shoot Papa Dino. Kill him now and take over his work. Find a cure for Shorter - keep him safe until then.

He could shoot himself. The ultimate act of defiance. Ruin perhaps the only thing that he was sure Papa Dino loved.

No he couldn't. He couldn't leave Eiji here. Eiji was the only thing he hadn't considered shooting.

Both of them. Go out like Romeo and Juliet.

No. There was only one real option. He aimed the gun at Shorter. His smile had started to droop at one side, as if he were about to have a stroke.

"I'm sorry," Ash said.

"What for? That you'll never know what it feels like to turn into a zombie?" His speech was starting to slur. "Just tell me about the shed, Ash. The video games and the rabbits and all that."

And despite everything, Ash found himself smiling.

"You're shit at video games, Shorter."

"Fuck you." Shorter had closed his eyes, but now he opened them. There was an almost lazy look to him. "Don't feel guilty about this, Ash. You're my best friend. I need you to-"

The shot rang out. The word ‘remember’ was underneath it like an echo.

Shorter fell forward. The world collapsed in as if it was made of paper.

Ash felt his fingers slip on the gun. What had he done?

What had he done?

Hands closed around his. Steadied the gun. Coffee coloured skin on ivory.

His eyes flicked sideways. Towards Eiji. His face was pale, but set. It set the fire off in his chest. No. No, they were getting out of this.

They weren't getting away with this.

Ash spun on his heel, firing the gun again. And again. And again. For a split moment, he wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to stop. He had hit Papa Dino. Just the shoulder but enough to send a spray of blood like paint from a spray can. And he had hit a doctor. One of the bodyguards before he could pull out his own gun.

The other one had his pistol pointed at Ash and for a moment he didn’t care if he was shot. He’d go out in a blaze of glory. Fuck it.

But then Eiji was pushing him to the side. Then a bullet was buzzing so close to Eiji’s ear that it ruffled his hair. He had his hand on Ash’s chest, holding him out of view of the door. Ash couldn’t die. Not here.

He backed along the wall, taking another shot. The bodyguard fell back. The scientists were crouching – avoiding the gunshots and trying to get to Papa Dino. So he ran.

And he was halfway down the corridor before he realised that he was holding Eiji’s hand. He slowed his pace and tried to loosen his grip. The beating of his heart was making it hard to hear anything else.

But he forced himself to breathe, to keep his ears pricked for the men that he knew would be coming after them.

They wouldn't be able to climb out the window. Not now. It would be ridiculous to try. And he had no idea where they would be going back to now that Shorter-

Now that Shorter was-

They'd need to get away quickly. They'd need wheels. And he knew where to get them.

"The garage," he said.

Eiji's hand tightened on his own. They started off again, pausing at every corner so that they could make sure the way was clear. It made Ash's skin itch. It was wasting time. They needed to move and move quickly.

"I'm sorry," Eiji said. "I think its my fault."

"Its not."

"You don't understand. He came to the room - he knew - he knew that we were leaving. He said he'd- if I didn't lie, then he wouldn't-"

"And what did you say?"

"That I didn't know. I didn't know anything."

"So you didn't tell him anything," Ash said. "So it's not your fault."

"So - so, then, how..."

"There was another boy. His name was Yut Lung. I told him we were meeting Shorter - I even said where. He was the only one who knew. It was him."

That was when they heard them. Shuffling footsteps. Of fucking course. They kept moving without saying a word to each other.

There wasn't a lot of other people around. The men who were running down the corridors were more focused on the "outbreak of test subjects" rather than Ash and Eiji. That suited Ash just fine. There was already too much blood on his hands. He had no desire to kill anyone else that evening.

It was in the garage that things looked messy. The labs had been down here and it was the labs that were overrun with zombies

They saw them through glass doors and on security monitors as they passed. They were close - closer than Ash felt comfortable with - but they hadn't made it to the garage yet. In front of the door they stopped. Eiji met Ash's eye and he wondered how they were able to tell what the other was thinking without saying a single word. He raised the gun, Eiji pressed the button to open the door, both of them tense and ready for a fight.

It was empty.

And there, only a few feet away was the gleaming red surface of their escape vehicle. Ash had never been particularly fond of it. At the time he had thought it was ridiculous and tacky. At the time he had known he would never use it - it was just a larger toy car for a larger boy. Now he had never seen a car so gorgeous.

The keys were on the rack. It opened easily and Ash slid into the leather front seat. It still had new car smell, it had been used so little. He grinned, the exhaust purring to life as he turned the keys.

And Eiji was in the passenger seat. Not smiling, but not shaking or frozen. He wasn't the boy from three weeks ago that had broken down at the sight of a zombie. He was Ash's partner in crime now.

They were silent as they pulled out of the garage, the door opening automatically. There was the street. The sky. The night sky stretching above them, stars sparkling like a stock photo. Stars didn't used to look like that. They didn't used to be so bright. So perfect. But this was the outside. They had done it. They were free.

"You have a car?" Eiji eventually asked. He was pulling his seatbelt across and sounded calm - way too calm.

Ash changed gear. His heart was racing with exhilaration - he felt like he was flying. "Sixteenth birthday present." He paused, feeling brave. Feeling untouchable and not wanting to waste this moment. "Do you know what I'd do if I wasn't driving?"

"What?"

"Kiss you."

"Ash, pull over." There was an urgency in Eiji's voice that made his gut drop. He obeyed, pulling to the side of the road and glancing behind him. He could see figures in the open garage door.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"You're not driving anymore."

Ash glanced across at him. Eiji was smiling at him, ever so slightly. His eyes caught their headlights and shone. He was shining silver like a coy angel. So Ash leant over, not even hesitating as he pressed his lips against Eiji's. His mouth was open and his breath was hot. The kind of sexy kiss that action movies always had.

He could feel Eiji melting as he kissed Ash back. Eiji kissed Ash back and it sent tingles through him. They were kissing each other and it felt like lighting. Ash could get used to this – could get used to kissing Eiji, he thought, as he took Eiji’s bottom lip between his teeth. He toyed with it like he was savouring a sweet. There was a small sound from the back of Eiji’s throat and it made his heart pound. This. This made everything go numb. It was only him and Eiji and the rest of the world was blacked out.

"Ash?" Eiji’s voice was soft. His fingers grazed Ash’s shoulder.

"Mm?”

"Sweetie, there are zombies behind us.”

There was a small grumble in the back of Ash's throat as he pulled away, revving the engine back up. The shadows were closer in the rear view mirror now, but he was finding it hard to care. How could he care about anything other than kissing Eiji? It made everything else feel far away and insignificant. Helped chase away the thoughts that were plaguing him – that would come back as soon as he stopped for breath.

"That's shit," Ash muttered. He was basically flooring it. The roads were empty enough for it.

"Tell me about it, stud."

Eiji placed a hand on Ash's thigh and watched the smile grow on Ash's face. His fingers squeezed and Ash found himself grinning, because Eiji was being playful and completely calm about being chased by zombies.

"Does this mean you'll wear leather trousers?" Ash asked. It was better than any other thoughts that were going through his head.

"If you sew me into them."

I think that could be arranged.” Ash was still smiling. He wanted to keep smiling, but whatever spell had come over him had broken. Eiji’s fingers twitched and it made his stomach turn. It suddenly felt too hot and too heavy. "I can't- hold my hand instead?"

Eiji twisted his fingers into Ash’s outstretched hand instead. “Sure.”

“Eiji, I –“ Ash broke off. He was slowing down, now. Reality was coming back too quickly. “I don't know what to do. I don't know where to go now that – that –“

That Shorter was-

“Don't,” Eiji said and squeezed Ash’s fingers. “Don't think about it. Just - let's just focus on our next step. Do you know where Soo-Ling is?

“He was meant to be with Shorter.”

“What about Max?”

Ash dropped Eiji’s hand to pull the flip phone out of his breast pocket, handing it to Eiji and not hesitating to take his hand again. "Call him.”

Eiji’s hand was warm in his. Warm and solid and real and it felt like the only thing that was keeping Ash grounded.

“...you have another phone?” Eiji asked. He was flipping it open and going through the contacts.

“Yeah,” Ash said. He was concentrating on the streets – finding his way out of the city. He’d never seen it so empty and it was chilling. “They found my real one and a burner when I came through the door. They wouldn't think of finding another one.”

“That’s how you managed to talk to Shorter?”

“Yeah. It wasn’t easy. But the phone signal – it’s still operating from within the mansion. There are some others that he turned off remotely. I flicked them back on whilst he was asleep to send it.”

Eiji smiled at him. “Aren’t you smart?”

And Ash couldn’t answer that. Partly because he couldn’t find the words to respond to this Eiji, but partly because it wasn’t true. If he was smart he could have found another way around this. He wouldn’t have gone there in the first place. He wouldn’t have made shitty deals. He wouldn’t have shot his best friend.

The phone was at Eiji’s ear. He lowered it slowly. “It’s not going through.”

“What?”

“There's no signal,” Eiji said, checking it.

“Fucking bastard. Must have turned it off when I wasn’t looking.”

“It might have been the zombies.”

Ash took a breath. They were back on the main road from the city. Going back up the hill that they had rolled down on a bicycle. Ash had been whooping then. He had been overjoyed and a part of him was now.

“They'll be at the farmhouse,” Ash said. He wasn’t sure why he knew that.

“Are you sure?”

“No.” Ash sighed, his hand tightening on the steering wheel. “I'm not sure of anything. Don't even think I know how to get back there.”

“It’s somewhere safe,” Eiji said. “Let’s go. I trust you.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Eiji whispered, “okay, sweetie.”

That made Ash’s heart flutter and relax like a dying moth. He could breathe, just, and his fingers tightened around Eiji’s. Eiji dropped their hands onto his lap, leaning back in his seat and taking a deep breath out.

The streetlights weren’t working, and Ash still wasn’t sure he’d be able to find the farmhouse. But their headlights cast a silver moon on the tarmac in front of them. It was oddly comforting – to not have to worry about what was beyond that light. They were safe, they were travelling away from danger, and now they were heading to safety.

And that was more than enough for now.

#banana fish #bf #ash/eiji #asheiji #asheiji fanfiction #the one with the zombies #turnupswrites

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fweeble · 6 years

Text

Episode 2: In Another Country

I hope everyone stays hydrated, whether or not they’re currently suffering through summer! I’ve got my set up all prepared (with the tissues and pillows being the most important, but that’s preference). Hope everyone else is comfy as we start episode two!

We’re gonna need it.

Looks like we’re jumping right in. OOF. Ibe’s face ruins me. He’s so worried about Eiji. Someone needs to hold my hand, my heart hurts and I’m already prepared to cry everywhere.

None of this was ever supposed to happen, Charlie. Just save Skip and Eiji --just save them, Charlie. Save them.

Ibeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Your decision to cover American gangs will bring you so much heartache. So much. Q AQ

Not even half a minute into the episode and my boy Shorter makes an appearance. My heart. Look at that lighting... the glow... the colors. Oh my god, just slay me with the colors. Hnnnnnnng. Also: three motorcycles. I am secretly hoping that Shorter’s just casually commandeering Ash’s since Ash rudely yoinked his away. I can dream, can’t I? Disappointed how they cut out some of Shorter’s insightful dialogue, but time constraints, I understand.

Shorter, your gut is very spot-on.

Seriously, Mappa could just murder me with these gorgeous backgrounds. Look at the attention to detail. I know this is a hostage situation but let’s take a moment to bathe in the beauty that is this (old, abandoned) scenery. Aaaaah.

And here is Arthur, trying to look intimidating and ominous by hiding in the shadows, but he’s sadly overshadowed by everything else. As usual. Is anyone else impressed with all the effort that goes into everything? I’ll try not to wax lyrical but look at all those gang tags and planks left around, the cracked tiles and the smudges --someone had to draw that.

Everyone knows it’s a trap, Arthur. You’re clever, but you lack a certain degree of self-awareness and ability...

but do keep talking. Your only positive point is your smooth, buttery baritone. Nice. I will enjoy your villainous monologue. It will match your laughably stereotypical evil ‘do.

Truly, subtlety isn’t your strong point, Arthur.

Also, lying. But please, lie more.

Eiji and Skipper together is my favorite thing. Skipper is this tiny, determined ball of controlled kick-ass. Eiji is utterly out of his depth and looking around curiously because boy, Japan wasn’t like this!

These two cuties. Please.

Fuck ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooff.

PUNCH HIS FACE IN!!!

*WILL SMITHS THIS SCENE* I have so many feelings, I have so many things I want to scream about, I want to dissect just how much this one line underlines the differences between Ash and Arthur despite the fact there are plenty of superficial similarities between the two and I just --HNNNNNNG. *clenches fist* I HAVE FEELINGS AND THEY ARE STRONG.

Skiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip. Eiiiiiiiiiiiiiijiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. So many props to Eiji for staying relatively calm in a frankly terrifying situation.

Skiiiiiiiippeeeeeer. *STRANGLED DYING MANATEE NOISES*

*INTENSE SOBBING* SKIP, YOU ARE TOO BEAUTIFUL, YOU PRECIOUS STARCHILD. HE IS SO PROTECTIVE OVER EIJI. MY HEEEEART.

Why are you such trash, Arthur????

EIJI’S FAAAAAAAAAAAACE. SAAAAVE HIIIIM.

I’M TOO EMOTIONAL, SOMEONE FUCKING HOLD MY HAND ALREADY!!!

You didn’t even lose your fingers. You just have some scars. Talk about disproportionate retribution???

Oh my god there’s an actual opening segment, I thought they were forgoing it altogether because 19 volumes in 24 episodes, but I guess not. I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t prepared. Aaaaah.

Seriously, the background???? I’ll try to keep the gratuitous snapshots to a minimum. I’ll try. Honestly.

I think from now on I’ll start all my Nanner Fish Liveblogs with this.

Why does this break my heart. (No, don’t answer. Just leave me to wallow.)

Beautiful juxtaposition. Also, rude. I love that lighting through the trees, though. Q AQ

*HYSTERICAL SCREECHING* MAPPA, Y’ALL ARE THE RUDEST ASSHOLES TO EVER ANIMATE AND I AM SO OFFENDED, EVERYTHING HURTS, NOTHING IS MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THIS, LAY ME TO REST.

Yut-luuuuuung.

WHY MUST MAPPA BE SO CRUEL AND HURTFUL.

GOSH, THIS IS GORGEOUS. MY HEART. WHY DO THIS TO MY DELICATE BABY HEART???

Guys, guys, guys. Look at all that gang tagging. SOMEONE HAD TO DRAW THAT. THE COLORS MAAAAN. Also: Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing.

FUCK OFF. I HAD TO STOP FOR A BIT. JUST. WHY. FUCKING WHYYY.

MAPPA YOU BASTARDS.

Every.single.fucking.time, Marvin.

*high pitched distressed noises*

Ash, you beautiful, sassy smartass. PLEASE BE A LITTLE LESS SASSY.

My heart.

Just call him Florence Nightingale.

*more strangled high pitched noises of distress* I wish Ash wasn’t so right.

THEIR SLEEPING POSITIONS. SKIIIIIIIIIIP. EIJIIIIII. MY HEART.

SERIOUSLY PUNCH THAT FACE IN.

Oh my fucking god. I thought he was just a random new mob character, but he’s that dude who looked exactly like Charlie!! The first time I read Nanner Fish I was convinced Charlie was a mole because of him!!!

HE ALSO LOST THE PORN ‘STACHE. CONGRATULATIONS. YOU LOOK SO MUCH BETTER. A LOT MORE INTIMIDATING.

I totally went off-topic. The topic being: Marvin is gross, the scum of the earth, and should be punched a lot in sensitive places.

Thank you, Skip.

I am the worst person, I’m sorry, because I spent this entire slow pan up Ash laughing hysterically. This is secondhand embarrassment at its peak. Pffffft.

Ash, please.

Poor Eiji. Pffffffffffffffft.

Marvin, you are honestly dumber than a bag of bricks. Beautiful wounded gazelle gambit, Ash. I love how Skipper is jumping with excitement, cheering Ash on, and Eiji’s holding himself like he needs protection from the latent gross that emanates from Marvin constantly.

*side whispers* This is it.

The turning point.

*blows kisses at Mappa* GORGEOUS.

I’m breaking things up a bit since I’m just. Full of feelings. Eiji making a decision, inspired by Ash. Skip automatically assuming Eiji’s making a Last Stand, because that’s what he is: a fighter to the last.

But Eiji is a civilian, and he doesn’t fight the way Skip does.

And this is beautifully animated, and it definitely shows Eiji’s resolve and determination... but it bugs me.

Because they gave one of Eiji’s lines to Skip.

They turned a line that showed Eiji’s determination, his acknowledgement that he could severely injure himself --could even cripple himself --but he was willing to bet it all on a chance, and made it into an argument Skipper has against Eiji’s Hail Mary decision.

And I hate it.

I really love the soundtrack they use, though. Nice.

How the cat fell in love with the bird.

Seriously, look at those colors? Look at that rainbow effect while Eiji’s in the sky. The textures. *sends all the kisses Mappa’s way*

Eiji... what about your bleeding. I mean, yes, run for help, but also: what if you pass out before you get help? A quick tourniquet, please!

He did indeed. It was beautiful.

Shorteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer.

HIS TINY SATISFIED SMIRK.

I AM TOTALLY UNBIASED. IT’S NOT LIKE I LOVE SHORTER A RIDICULOUS, LOPSIDED AMOUNT. WHAT LIES ARE YOU SPREADING. *cries* I just love Shorter so much.

More smartphones trying to save the day.

And again. No more phone booths!

Seriously, I suspect I will forever be smitten. Muwah. Gorgeous. Muwah Muwah.

Finally! Plotty things! And why automatically suspect Ash, Charlie?? You trusted him enough to let him near civvies but you automatically suspect him when Golzine’s up to something sketchy?

Oh, Ibe. You’re gonna have white hair soon, Eiji is gonna make you worry lots.

I know you are, Eiji. Q AQ

Nice, thank you Mappa! Now I know Eiji’s A pos. (Or AB pos.)

*wounded hippo noises* THEY ARE SO LOYAL AND DEDICATED TO ONE ANOTHER. SKIIIIIIIIIIP. AAAAAAASH.

CMSDKLFMLDSF. SOMEONE SAVE SKIIIIP.

Beautiful. The best part about Shorter and his garish colors is that you can always pick him out of a crowd. <3

I didn’t mention it last time, but I’m so happy to see Ash’s crew! Hi Aleeex!

Just casually taking snapshots of Shorter being awesome. That’s not a crime. I swear.

BONES! I think. I forget. I get their names mixed up. 8( Where’s the other one? You can’t be Ash’s power trio with just the two of you! (I guess Shorter’s there too. Q vQ)

Totally just took this screencap because I’m basically an embarrassing parent who likes to show of their kid. Lookit Shorter. Isn’t he awesome?

Nooooooope.

Nooo, no no no.

Marvin you idiot, Golzine said alive. Your Papa Dino? Remember him?

Nooooope.

For fuck’s sake, noooooooooo.

SOMEONE FUCKING KILL MARVIN FIRST.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. SKIIIIIIPPER. Q AQ

Skiiiiiiiiiiiippeeeeeeeeeeeer...!!!!!!!!!

KILL HIM.

Ash, what black voodoo magic did you do to get that car going??? You didn’t turn or put in any keys, you certainly don’t have the fancy electronic keys on you. What the hell? Did some lazy mafia asshole leave their fancy electronic key in the damn car?

ASH STOP LEAVING SHORTER BEHIND FOR FUCK’S SAKE!!!

I love how this implies the cops are on good terms with Shorter.

Shorter, did you even tell them where you were heading??? You’ve got a smartphone now!!! Use it!

Shorter...

Because you were stupid enough to shoot Skipper. All you had to do was not shoot.

CMLKSDFMLDSF. DINOOOOOOO.

Because people aren’t pets, Dino!!!!

Trust your instincts, Ash! Turn back!!

He honestly deserved worse.

Ash....

*sigh* I’m so smitten. That’s gorgeous. (Sorry, Ash.)

Jenkins and Charlie will believe you, Ash! But...

Obligatory corrupt cop Evanstine won’t let them help you. This is his jurisdiction. 8(

Oh, Jenkins. Charlie. You’re gonna regret it...

Another asshole who deserves his face punched in.

Is no one going to dress Ash’s wound? It’s still Eiji’s tourniquet there. It’s gonna get infected you shithead.

Fuck oooooff.

Oh look, someone who needs to slip on a pickle, fall, crack their head on the counter, and die face first in their own piss. That’s you, Evanstine!

Please. Die horrifically.

Ash... Q nQ

Please don’t take it personally, Jenkins... Skip just died in his arms... he was framed for murder... and a scumbag just ambushed him with his past...

Cmkalsdmfklsadf. DINOOOOOO.

We’re so blessed, guys! So much plot this episode!

Charlie... don’t do this. Please... don’t.

Oh, Charlie. You’re so earnest. You’re still so pure. Q AQ

And Ash... takes after his middle name. He is jaded. He knows better. He knows Dino. How do you indict someone with so much money, power, and influence? He has judges in his pocket!

And Charlie...

And an intermission from my previous thought because boy howdy am I still swooning over these gorgeous visuals. *blows even more kisses Mappa’s way*

Back to my previous train of thought: ...Charlie can’t give up.

Ibe’s face, though. It’s the face of a dad going “son, could you please stop putting yourself in dangerous situations I’ve already gotten fifteen new grey hairs and I’m only 30 please don’t do this to me.” Poor Ibe. That’s exactly what Eiji’s gonna do.

Charles Dickinson: Poster boy for Not Givin’ Up, We’re Taking Dino Golzine Down the Right and Proper Way, Just Believe in Us Ash!

Noooooo, not with the emotional blackmail, Charlie! (Besides, as much as I love Ash, preeeetty sure Eiji was incidental. He was chasing after Skip, wasn’t gonna let Eiji, an innocent civilian get caught in the crossfire of a gang war, and at no point did he risk Skip’s life. He contemplated his own, but never Skip’s.)

What a cute bird. Q vQ <3 <3 <3

*clutches chest* Eiji. Why.

Skipper... you will never be forgotten.

DAMMIT WHY IS NO ONE HOLDING MY HAND??? I NEED EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.

THE FUCKING ART DIRECTION. CMKSLDMFOWEMFDSLF. MAPPA NEEDS TO BE ARRESTED FOR MURDER. MY MURDER.

It’s okay, Eiji, I wouldn’t be able to, either... Q AQ

Seriously, how is that even remotely legal????

Fuck Golzine and his connections. Fuck him with a power saw.

*intense feelings about later volumes and how this relates to both Ash and Eiji* CMSKDLFLSDFJLSDJFOEWIMSFD. *strangled dying manatee noises about foreshadowing*

*lies on ground, emotional and useless*

Hnnnnnnnnng, that’s just gorgeous. Ominous, but gorgeous. u 3u <3

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand prison wardens are also in his pocket. Seriously, Charlie, do you not see why Ash is the way he is?

There’s also a brand new ED, but I’m seriously emotionally drained after the OP and Skipper... It doesn’t really have anything particularly foreshadow-y or relevant that my dead soul can see. It’s lovely and a nice end to an emotionally charged episode. I’m going to just quietly cry into my pillows now.

<<Episode 1 Masterlist Episode 3>>

#Fandom: Banana Fish #Banana Fish #Nanner Fish Liveblog #spoilers #tw: spoilers

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ladyosen · 6 years

Text

Banana Fish, volume 9

Spoilers

CW: violence, references to sexual abuse

-Ash demands that Arthur fight him man to man, fairly and Arthur agrees. The weight of tension hangs between them and when Arthur asks if Ash knows why he hates him, he says yes, but plaintively says it’s not his fault. Arthur acknowledges it, but also says he just hates him more. My god just give me the deets already.

The fight is intense and it’s obvious that Arthur has the advantage over Ash in terms of stamina. Ash wins and kills Arthur bloodly, just in time for Eiji to see, but it’s obvious that he doesn’t feel like a winner, even though he’s being cheered on by the gangs.

It makes sense. Like Ash said, he never wanted this, but it happened anyways.

He also yells at Eiji to go back to Japan, saying he doesn’t want him to see this. He’s killed another guy in front of Eiji and this time far more violently than he did Shorter. Ash is obviously terrified of being hated by Eiji, but unfortunately their almost destined friendship keeps putting them together, which inevitably means Eiji seeing this violence.

-Everyone gets arrested and Sing calls Ash “one died hard mother-” Cain just seems like boggled over Sing though. He’s probably wanting him to shut up.

-We also see some of Ibe’s internal conflict as he waits at the airport. Taking Eiji back to Japan might be safer for him physically, but mentally, it’s taking him back to that place of pressure and isolation. Then Max and Ibe see the news, which is a horrible way to find out about what happened.

-Sing and Eiji meet for the first time as they are both sprung from jail. Sing thinks this must mean Eiji has some weight to throw around, lol. Of course, their savior is Yut Lung, look snappy in a suit. He snarks Sing for finding yet another way to insult his honor. Eiji gets rougher treatment unfortunately. Sing also thinks to ask that Yut Lung get Cain out awwww.

We get to Yut Lung’s and Hua Lung comes out looking very unwell. Banana Fish I’m guessing. Sing is horrified when he realizes Yut Lung is behind this, despite his hatred of the Lee.

Sing is kind of a young prodigy and naive, but it’s obvious he’s in over his head.

-Yut Lung talks with Eiji, his unwilling guest lately and gives him a blunt run down of what’s going on and the dangers Ash faces including Dino coming back.

When Eiji wants to run to Ash, Yut Lung hilariously insults and attacks him, saying he’s useless to Ash. Eiji’s strangely flattered instead of offended. This is the first time someone has treated him as an enemy, the first time he’s been treated as an actual player in this.

Yut Lung is just annoyed and then notes that Eiji either inspires a desire to protect in people, or else people want to crush him. Yut Lung is very much the latter. He also notes that Eiji is innocent and doesn’t understand that some people are just malicious. And then he utters “what am I going to do with you?” The last words you want to hear in a convo like this.

Go I love Yut Lung. He’s also drawn really well here. He’s both jealous of Ash’s attachment to Eiji and also Eiji’s purity But even if his motives are selfish, he is making a good point. Eiji really is taking this situation too easy.

-Also apparently Ash is really popular with the nurses at the hospital. A little too popular.

-We see Ash being given a number of IQ and psychiatric tests, possibly because of his likely upcoming case, as he’s now turned 18. We see Antonio and Charlie talking. Antonio notes that it’s unreasonable to expect an abuse victim like Ash to respect authority.

-The bad guys are still at it and some of them are not so loyal to Dino. The senator and his cronies need Ash dead, now. Fortunately, despite his wounds, Ash is ready for assassins.

They do get Ash remanded to a mental hospital though, despite Antonio’s best efforts to stop it. This new story arc is going to be worrying.

-Meanwhile, Eiji has been aggressively trying to escape and is being fioled every time. Still, Yut Lung is actually impressed by his spirit. He also ends up sitting with a sedated Eiji for quite a while.

-Ash is smart enough to realize the fbi agents who are escorting him to the mental hospital are not who they say they are because they are too well dressed. Seriously, did Dino train up a spy? wtf

-When Max confronts a drunk Charlie about what happened to Ash, we learn why Max was in jail. His boss was a good cop who went crooked and tried to kill Max when he refused to join him. Max ended up leaving the force and keeping his boss’s secret. It’s an important point though: corruption in the police is everywhere and Charlie has been far too naive. He assumes that his ideals are everyone’s. He doesn’t understand what Max and Antonio do. Or at least he didn’t until now.

Charlie pulls himself together and the two begin the hunt for Ash.

-A stunner happens when it’s announced on the news that Ash is dead and it sends shockwaves throughout the cast. Obviously he is not dead, but still I’m interested in how the cast is going to move forward from here on, assuming they buy this news.

God things got nuts all over again. The introduction of the Dr and the mental health facility have introduced a new and needed case. We’ve lost an villian with Arthur’s death and Dino isn’t back yet, so we need a new trial to over come. This should also tie in pretty well with other ideas in the story.

#banana fish #banana fish manga spoilers #banana fish spoilers #joy's write ups

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silverquillsideas · 5 years

Text

My thoughts on the ending of banana fish

Banana Fish ended on the 20th, and then onward, a lot of posts have been made regarding the ending and what people thought about it. I’ve seen mostly negative posts, where fans were openly hostile to the ending and I get where they are coming from. There was the occasional positive response, and I understand their views too.

My stand on BF and whether the ending was justified falls on the grey area. I tend to oscillate between hating the ending, and liking it for being a powerful, emotional, and haunting experience. Why can’t I decide? Because I’ve got questions I just can’t justify in my head. I can’t come to a reasonable conclusion because of the loose ends that I feel were left in the manga by the author.

This is not meant to be an emotional rant, please bear in mind. I finished the manga back in July, and I’ve had months to ponder over these questions, and reached no conclusion.

Hence, I’ll just place the specific issues I personally had, and hope that, I’ll eventually figure out why it was created the way it was.

I’ll divide this post in 3 parts :

1. The events leading up to Ash’s death

2. Ash’s choice to die

3. The role that other characters played, and why the author chose to ignore their “fates” if you will, and only deemed it necessary for ash to meet his end in that way

I’d like to thank @angofwords, @lynxash @yoru-no-gaspard @ash-callenreese @saishii , with whom I discussed this over months, and finally @shu-kaku, who practically kicked me in the butt to get me to write this post, because I wouldn’t shut up about the arguments :’D

Also, to @zaenaris and @soso1777, my replies have been abysmally late, but here is what I had planned to say in response to you both.

A. THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO ASH’S DEATH

The battle at Mannerheim’s institution finished with Dino, Foxx and Mannerheim dying. Blanca, Sing, Ash, Cain, and all the gang members return safely, with few casualties on their side.

Afterwards, there were clearly two days before the manga ended : Day 1 , where Sing confronted Yut Lung, and Ash and Blanca talked in the park.

Day 2 : where Eiji leaves for Japan, Sing gives Ash the letter, Ash gets stabbed, the story comes to an end.

My question is regarding the behaviors of the characters in these two days, or rather, how Yoshida-sensei chose to write them.

Firstly, Sing Soo Ling, the very competent gang leader, who knew that his brother, hell bent on hating Ash for being a “monster who killed Shorter” and apparently on the mission to “harm Sing” , was missing, never once thought of tracking him down? Provided he had two days at hand? Sing had cleared his animosity with both Ash and Yut Lung, and I’m pretty sure, as a gang leader, he had conveyed both these details to his underlings. Therefore, it’s unlikely, that Lao, could NOT have heard it from at least one person in the gang (even if he was not a part of it anymore, I’m sure he had people close to him), if not from Sing directly. Lao was the only family member Sing had in the Chinese gang, so it seems a very far stretch that he would not have made any effort to get him back in the ring.

Ignoring the above question, assuming Sing was very busy, or the question escaped his mind, my second problem, Lao Yen Tai.

He was under the impression that Ash was a deadly enemy to Sing. His goal : kill Ash anyhow, even if he died in the process, so that Sing could be saved.

So, on that day, he followed Ash around (there is no other way he could have known Ash was at the library)

This is him spying on Ash and Sing talking in the reading room :

Ash and Sing then went outside, and argued loudly for sometime. Lao, of course, followed them, and saw Sing and Ash yelling at each other. Sing ran away, very much unharmed, and alive, after yelling at Ash Lynx’s face. Lao saw the whole thing.

So, my question is, Lao DID NOT come out of nowhere, he was observing the whole exchange. If Ash Lynx was bent on killing Sing, or fighting him one on one, he had plenty of room to do so, but he didn’t. so, why didn’t Lao, go after his brother, and try to clarify the situation before going at Ash on a suicide mission? The excuse that he was “scared and confused and wanted to protect Sing” breaks down here. Logically speaking, Lao should have followed Sing, instead of going at Ash with a dagger. But Yoshida mysteriously chose to overlook this.

Third question : the blatant disregard for reality, in the following situations :

1 A gunshot going off, no one comes to investigate

2 Ash drips blood all over the staircase and goes back to the reading room

No one notices

3 A human being bleeds out, sitting in a chair, in what I’m assuming is the Rose Reading room of the NYPL, which is very much NOT CARPETED and no one notices the blood (~3 to 4 L of bleeding is needed for an average human to collapse and die) in fact, in the screenshot I see, there is NO BLOOD, running out on the floor, not even a single splotch.

Very interesting choice on both the author’s and animators’ parts

4 Also, since the anime time-line is the present day, I’m assuming there will be stuff like surveillance cameras present, so, my question is, what were the security people doing?

The readers are expected to keep the sense of reality suspended for all of the above points.

B ASH’S CHOICE TO DIE

First off, I’m a staunch believer, that Ash wasn’t suicidal, and that he didn’t actively go out and seek situations that would put him at risk of dying. I don’t know how the fandom views him as, but to me, Ash is an extremely resilient human being, and he wouldn’t give up his life just like that unless something major was at stake.

Ash says in ep 13, at the pier, that “there were times I felt that death would be a better option than what I was going through at those moments”

This is not the statement of someone who was trying to give up his life willingly, but only considering that choice under extreme situations. Ash had gone through a lot, more than any one of us, and especially me, who has had zero experience of depression or CSA or trauma of that nature, can fathom. And of course, there were times he felt that death would end his suffering, but also, he had a strong desire for survival and freedom from all that he was going through, and the goal to get revenge on those who had wronged him.

In Angel Eyes, he says this to Shorter, and I think that’s proof enough of how Ash was ready to bend his horrible destiny to his favour and survive whatever he was going through.

With all of that out of the way, I’ll point out the reasons which (according to me), served as his reasons to choose to die:

Why Ash did not seek medical help/call out to someone : Ash’s legal status was still that of a criminal, a gang leader, and whatever might have been his reasons for committing those crimes (ie -for survival), the law wouldn’t see him as anything but that.

The reason Blanca prevents him form going after Eiji to the hospital after he is shot, is precisely this :

There would be too many questions about who he was, what he did, etc, and invariably, the police would’ve been called on him by the hospital staff, since he was technically being treated for a potential homicidal would (a stab to the abdomen). Ash would’ve been questioned by the staff, asked for records, etc. If the police got involved, he’d have been taken into custody after being recognised. Even if Jenkins and Charlie stood up for him, and his status as a victim in the Club Cod trials was taken into account, Ash would not have been able to escape some sort of legal penalty, imprisonment or otherwise.

On further questioning, the names of his accomplices, ie, Eiji, Blanca, Max, even Sing, would come into the light. That was a mess I’m sure Ash wanted to avoid.

Any sort of contact with legal or law enforcement was a big no no in Ash’s current situation, and remember that the police were already looking for Ash at that time, and how Eiji refused to give them his location.

Let’s assume that Ash goes to the hospital / is taken there by people who saw him bleeding out, and he is eventually tried for his crimes. His case is widely publicised, since he is the biggest witness/victim in the Club Cod case. The Corsican foundation was still active, and Ash Lynx was still a successor of Dino Golzine, who had previously bought legal custody of Ash from the state of New York, which means, Ash’s identity as A J Callenreese, was no longer valid. The Corsican hotshots would still come after him, one day or the other, in order to go after Dino Golzine’s empire.

I’m excluding petty gang violence from being a threat to Ash, since at this point, all the major street gangs of NYC were Ash’s allies.

The Govt officials being tried by the court were also potential enemies. Club cod trials would mean more exposure of the politicians, more risk of Ash being the target of thugs or assassins in revenge (like it happened before with Kippard, where he sent the female assassin after Ash in the hospital)

Considering all of this, it’s obvious to me why he didn’t want to drag his life on, especially after the stabbing was done.

A more poetic explanation would be : to keep Eiji safe. It’s needless to elaborate. Ash had already made up his mind that he would remove himself from Eiji’’s life altogether, since he couldn’t risk putting Eiji in the position where they would have to look behind their backs all their lives, or be on the run, or worse still, his enemies tracking back to his friends, including, Eiji, Max, Sing, (or even Blanca), to hold them as leverage to get back at Ash.

Yes, I do agree that his decision was majorly influenced by this wish to keep Eiji safe, forever, by choosing to get himself out of the picture, but only because he was put into the place of choosing in the first place by the author.

I don’t agree with stuff like destiny, or fate, or paying for your actions because of a mysterious force in the universe decided so, because all of those are apt for ballads and fairy-tales, not real life. The above were reasons I could come up under realistic settings. In an ideal black and white worlds, all crimes are punished and all wrong doings are judged fairly, but not in the world we live in , and certainly not in Banana Fish’s world, where the “good guys” paradoxically suffer much more than the “bad guys”.

I’ll also don’t agree with Yoshida on Ash having to “pay for his crimes, as he had blood on his hands, so he had to die” mindset that she allegedly had. If that logic is applied, then I don’t see why she applied it selectively to Ash and not to Banca, Yut Lung, or Sing or any other person involved in gang life.

Instead of that, I’ll see Ash’s death as his choice, and his alone, not because he had to pay, but because he had decided to let go of all this continuous tug of war with his life and end it on his own terms. I don’t think Ash would’ve liked to suffer alone, all his life, in imprisonment by the state (if he was caught), or being held captive by another Golzine/Foxx wannabe.

I respect and agree with his choice, even if it’s not possible for us to ever know for sure why he did it.

C. THE ROLE OF OTHER CHARACTERS

The best possible outcome for Ash’s story, as I see it, would be taking up Blanca on the offer, or at least, if not go to Caribbean, then let Blanca provide him means to remain in NYC in a safer way.

Blanca is an anomaly in Yoshida’s world. He’s the only person who mysteriously remains alive, despite being an assassin, and committing perhaps even more crimes than Ash. He not only escapes his work related enemies, but the entire USSR (during 1980s) and manages to remain under an alias/ second identity. He escaped from the Kremlin, and its ruthless organization, the KGB

If living such a double life is possible in Yoshida’s world, then why did the author not find a similar way out for Ash? It looks a feasible option to me at least.

Second comes Yut Lung. His situation is made prey clear in the manga. The whole fiasco with Banana Fish was cleared up, the Lees died, Yut Lung got his revenge, and struck up a potential friendship / truce with Sing. It’s made clear that he repented his decisions to go after Eiji, or to get Ash to acknowledge his worth as a rival, by whatever means he could.

He let down Sing and Blanca by how he acted, who were the only two positive influences in Yut Lung’s life at that point. He would not have gone after either Ash or Eiji afterwards. So his status as Ash’s enemy was nullified.

The options open to Ash at that point (if the very stupid Lao fiasco did not happen) :

1. Live his life as a gang leader, and always stay on the lookout for his life from his enemies

2. Remove himself slowly from the violent life and maybe assume a different identity like Blanca did to escape all of that for good.

But under no circumstances can I see Ash and Eiji reuniting immediately after the canon events. Anonymous communication, or though friends like Max or Ibe-san, that I can picture, but not ash risking Eiji’s safety by meeting him. Not until years have passed, and Ash’s life became somewhat stabilised, if that were even possible.

It would have hurt, sure, but his unnecessary death could be avoided.

TL;DR :

My point is, I wouldn’t have been confused by Ash’s death or even agreed with it, if only it had been written in a more natural fashion, in accordance with the rules Yoshida set for the ENTIRE manga. She wrote Ash to be a superhuman being, dodging bullets from automated weapons, surviving gunshot wounds that would be fatal on other people, and being able to completely override the effects of anesthetic drugs, in the final battle at Mannerheim’s (as a med student, that is one fact the I find ridiculous, only because its so unrealistic, and impractical) and lots of other fantastical characteristics.

So, his death at the end felt like the author had already decided on having a certain ending, and then lazily arranged the characters and scenarios to fit her choice.

That’s why, my stand on the ending will remain ambiguous, because I cannot accept all these logical fallacies and call the ending realistic or well thought out. Did it pack a punch and make me cry? Yes. Was it haunting and emotional? Yes. But was it a justified or logical ending? No.

The decisions on Ash’s part were consistent with his overall characterisation, but not the circumstances which lead him to make that choice. The arguments that “Ash’s past will definitely catch up to him one day, so death was the best option” is pretty ambiguous. Even if it did, choosing Lao to stab Ash as an example of it, was poorly thought out in my opinion.

The points I wrote above are subject to faults, of course. This is just one way to look at it. Feel free to counter my points, I’m not a US citizen, and I don’t know how politics, law or gang life works there, hence, my reasoning is based off common sense and parallels under similar situations. Maybe I am wrong in certain aspects too. I’d love to hear what you all think.

#banana fish #ash lynx #eiji okumura #bananafish #asheiji #blanca #sing soo ling #lee yut lung #analysis #textposts #banana fish meta #yut lung #akimi yoshida #banana fish manga #banana fish anime #long post

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