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Although it debuted at a time when it wouldn't have been able to become mainstream in the West, it's widely regarded as one of the best crime manga in Japan.
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The Plot of Banana Fish
Before becoming an anime, the series began as a manga from Akimi Yoshida...
This reputation has been revitalized in recent years, following the 2018 MAPPA anime adaptation.
One of the most notable elements of Banana Fish is its homoerotic nature. Shonen-Ai vs. Ash is also the sexual plaything of a French mob boss, which both keeps him out of, and puts him into, trouble.
Along the way to discovering what the odd phrase means, Ash befriends rival gang members, and a pair of investigators from Japan.
This subtle romance has made many people consider the series to be an example of the ever-popular Boy's Love genre, while just as many see it as the opposite because of it. This makes sexuality, particularly homosexuality, a chief part of the storyline, even if any actual consummation is pretty much exclusively non-consensual. Said "romance" is accentuated by the various tender moments between the two, namely their frequently being held in each other's arms.
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Another focus in the series is sexual exploitation, mostly in the form of rich older gentlemen essentially coercing young boys into sex trafficking.
This stems mainly from its more realistic look at relationships and real-world issues, as well as having a focus beyond mere smooches. This still ties somewhat into the shojo and arguably Boy's Love genres, but certainly looks at things in a much less idealistic fashion.
Whether the series is a Boys Love tale itself, it's undeniable that Banana Fish has become a huge influence on that genre.
The story follows a young street thug named Ash, who, after a series of mysterious events, begins investigating the meaning behind the phrase "banana fish." Ash tends to his mentally ill older brother, who came home from Vietnam severely impaired after going ballistic, and stating the same "banana fish" term. This reputation has been revitalized in recent years, following the 2018 Mappa anime adaptation.
One of the most notable elements of Banana Fish is its homoerotic nature.
Before becoming an anime, the series began as a manga from Akimi Yoshida that ran from 1985 to 1994, amassing almost 20 tankobon volumes.
It circumvents the trappings of this art style by being focused on rather gritty crime, complete with hard-boiled detective elements, action sequences and shootouts.
The central relationship between Ash and Eiji is never made out to be explicitly romantic, in spite of Ash kissing him early on in the series as part of a ruse.
Ultimately, it might be up to fans to decide for themselves.
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Although it debuted at a time when it wouldn't have been able to become mainstream in the West, it's widely regarded as one of the best crime manga in Japan. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual.This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. Shonen-Ai vs.
Banana Fish is known for its inclusion of both shonen and shojo elements, as it has an art style more associated with the latter, despite being categorized as the former. That has led many to question whether the romance was merely a subplot, or if it truly defines the genre of Banana Fish.
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Despite not being an official Boys Love series, Banana Fish has several cross-genre elements that were influenced by BL. Here's how, despite not being classified as BL, the series still ranks as one of the most prototypical and mainstream examples of it.
RELATED: Boys' Love vs. What ensues is a story of gang warfare and street crime in a derelict New York, a look into the America's attempts to topple foreign powers, and perhaps one of the most understated same-sex romances in manga, at least at the time.
This meant that the young male characters were all drawn as being particularly lithe and handsome, if not outright cute.