The News Thread (for news that does not need a thread)

zappi said:
may I encourage you to read Schoolgirl, it's very short and yet is one of the best descriptions of being a teenager I've ever read

can also recommend giving his daughter Yuuko Tsushima's writing a go, Shooting Gallery is a collection of short stories & a good place to start imo
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You have persauded me: I shall finally give Schoolgirl a read. I think I was weirded out by the notion of Dazai writing from the perspective of a school girl. That said, his understanding of the human condition is such that he could put himself in the shoes of any outsider, or anyone at odds with the chains society places on us. The era and gender matters little.

And I was unaware Dazai had a daughter that became a famous author, using a pen-name. Her seemingly not relying on her father's fame, and carrying the weight of his death intrigues me. I'll circle back to her, after Schoolgirl. Maybelline.

...'Tis oddly fitting if, at journey's end, I were to read a novel about school girl(s), being an anime fan 'n all. Tho I daresay this book will be a different experience. T'would also be (a)ironically fitting given the most recent translation I own of NLH (I also own the pink version of the novel, yyyy pink) is titled 'A Shameful Life'.
 
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Aion (Retired) said:
Nothing against you sharing this - 'twas an interesting article to read, and reminded meee I own but have not read 'Schoolgirl' - but looking up... Bungo and seeing clips of Dazai as a bishie, in what looks like a reverse harem comedy/ANIME action thing made me cringe so hard I frowned. 'Tis displeasing.

Fyi, if you want to see Dazai's work in animanga, there is a way to do so that is neither A) in an isekai (holy shitaru, that 'genre' will stop at nothing) and B) whatever... Bungo is:

Method #1: Aoi Bungaku (aka Blue Literature). An anime that adapts various famous JP literature, including 'Run Melos!' (also by Dazai, and had an older anime movie). The first four episodes adapt 'No Longer Human'. It was made by Madhouse around the same time as Death Note, so it just so happens to both look AND sound similar; sharing the composer iirc. The internet has largely forgotten it as, like many of Madhouse's more seinen ventures, it likely sold terribly.
PS: This 'Aoi Bungaku - Saisho no Shin' AMV stayed with me, all these years, for anyone interested that cba to watch the anime.

Method #2: Usamaru Furuya's three volume manga, No Longer Human. This is a modern re-telling which just moves the time period to present day, via the conceit of Furuya stumbling on the blog of NLH's author self-insert protagonist, Yozo Oba. It's one of my favourite manga, although it does take a few liberties; namely with how it ends. It's mostly faithful and captures the mood of the novel, though.

Method #3: Junji Ito also did an adaptation of NLH, although his version is at best described as... loose given Ito used it to shoehorn in Tomie-style murderous women/comical horror as poor Oba sends every female mad with murderous lust. It is however set in the original time period the novel was, and some aspects such as the artistic depictions of Oba's fear of humans/their faces and his list of ten misfortunes were visualised wonderfully.

There was also a CG sci-fi movie - of all things - that even got a UK release. Never watched as assumed it'd be godawful. Do still own it, ofc. Just let the man rest in peace ffs. Plz.

Dazai wrote the template for all works that came later that deal with being afraid of people/society, and the severe depression that results from that disconnect. His novel was basically a suicide note to this end. Even things like Aku Hana, where the girls surrounding the protaginist pull him into despair, seemed inspired by it. So, TLTR: puk Bungo.
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I adore No Longer Human (even my pink one!!) and I feel that, the same way that Millennium Actress has the best final line from the protagonist in that story, No a Longer Human has the best final line from an observer character of the story. Short digression: I happen to be reading my first Natsumi Soseki novel: And Then (how can you resist that title?!), which I think you might like if you haven't already read it.

Thank you very much for the most informative methods #1 and 2, very much need to check these out now! I've got the Junji Ito manga but yet to read it, though I know now to temper my expectations, shocking that I still allow myself to get excited with anything referencing the Dazai novel. I absolutely and utterly do not know anything whatsoever about this sci fi cg movie you speak of (I am not ruling out that self-inflicted-brain-trauma-induced amnesia may be at work here). I haven't dared venture towards Bungo Stray Dogs yet, as am fearful of the amount of turning-in-graves that may induce and I don't fancy getting cursed by ghosts of authors past.
 
zappi said:
may I encourage you to read Schoolgirl, it's very short and yet is one of the best descriptions of being a teenager I've ever read

can also recommend giving his daughter Yuuko Tsushima's writing a go, Shooting Gallery is a collection of short stories & a good place to start imo
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Finished Schoolgirl the other day. 'Twas indeed short, covering one day iirc, so didn't take long. Given Dazai's despairing writing style, his vision of a teenage girl was not too dissimilar from Yozo Oba--perhaps that was the secret to his womanising ways~
There were moments that felt like authentic teenage angst, such as the heroine flip-flopping over hating her mom's social pretense to shortly thereafter wanting to make her happy. And the societal pressures she reflected on whilst on a bus - not wanting to smile at men, lest end up marrying - were presented with a scatterbrained emotional turmoil one could certainly attribute to a young girl. Maybelline.

Curious since you suggested I read, amidst me No Longer Human-ing: did it move you more than that, or did you find it more relatable perhaps? I shalt acquire Shooting Gallery.

Geriatric hedgehog said:
I adore No Longer Human (even my pink one!!) and I feel that, the same way that Millennium Actress has the best final line from the protagonist in that story, No a Longer Human has the best final line from an observer character of the story.

Thank you very much for the most informative methods #1 and 2, very much need to check these out now! I've got the Junji Ito manga but yet to read it, though I know now to temper my expectations, shocking that I still allow myself to get excited with anything referencing the Dazai novel.
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I too share some fondness for the first & last lines of NLH, tho with the observer character: are you are referring to the bar hostess/woman Yozo Oba stayed with? Her reflecting that he was a good boy - an angel - rather summed up his ways with women. Had to open my non-pink book to check.

For watashi/meee however it will always be the very first words, in the very pink translation. Despite Dazai and his troubles differing entirely from mine own, those few words were somehow comforting in a sea of emptiness; breaking the barrier between eras, nationality, gender and circumstance. And I wager many others felt that way. His final words held equal weight to anyone that has felt true depression: "Everything passes."
This you'll be happy to know somewhat redeems Junji Ito's version: his ending is truer to the novel (if ignore the whole 'traumatised by women trying to kill each other to be with him' silliness) in this regard, and I remember those pages/panels. Furuya iirc wrote that he struggled to end it as bleakly as the novel.

Mil Actress is one of my favourite films. Kon telling the story of an elderly actress through the movies she made and costume porn (aided by the Berserk composers unique brand of surreal/dream music), weaving past & present, will forever dazzle me. I did not in truth remember the final line but if the one found is the one, 'tis perfect for a film spent running and chasing through films/time: "After all, it's the me who was chasing him that I love."

PS: The CG(i) film neither of us have watched was done by the studio that did Sidonia/BLAM(E)/Ajin, if that gives a better frame of ref. I do believe it's set in some far future sci-fi dystopia. Yoza Oba travelled a long way from where he started~

Right, I'm off to my eventual suicide, sometime after re-reading the 'A Shameful Life' re-transaltion I wasn't as fond of/never finished. Until then, news post away~
 
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Aion (Retired) said:
Mil Actress is one of my favourite films. Kon telling the story of an elderly actress through the movies she made and costume porn (aided by the Berserk composers unique brand of surreal/dream music), weaving past & present, will forever dazzle me. I did not in truth remember the final line but if the one found is the one, 'tis perfect for a film spent running and chasing through films/time: "After all, it's the me who was chasing him that I love."

PS: The CG(i) film neither of us have watched was done by the studio that did Sidonia/BLAM(E)/Ajin, if that gives a better frame of ref. I do believe it's set in some far future sci-fi dystopia. Yoza Oba travelled a long way from where he started~

Right, I'm off to my eventual suicide, sometime after re-reading the 'A Shameful Life' re-transaltion I wasn't as fond of/never finished. Until then, news post away~
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I absolutely adore Millennium Actress, it makes a great double bill with Only Yesterday! My mum loves Millennium Actress as well, we watched it together (with the older English dub, I really like both English dubs), and she got really into it and thanked me for showing it to her :)

I loved the Knights of Sidonia manga but couldn't get into the anime and never finished it, I thought the visuals were quite nice, it was more the scripting that I didn't care for (the usual "the manga is better" complaints lol) XP

Don't eventually do it bruh we're all here for you (yes I know you are not serious and this is a reference to Dazai but felt the need to say that anyway)!
 
Aion (Retired) said:
are you are referring to the bar hostess/woman Yozo Oba stayed with? Her reflecting that he was a good boy - an angel
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Yes exactly, I loved how after a book full of the protagonist's negative opinion of himself and his life of much shame (I agree the opening line is a classic as well!), there was this light with different perspective being so glowing of the poor soul. I loved that juxtaposition and the end on an optimistic note...ish? (guess that's why I love EoE as well).
Aion (Retired) said:
His final words held equal weight to anyone that has felt true depression: "Everything passes."
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Indeed, and the one insurmountable and very evident truth in a life full of unknowns. Also that reality serves as the great equaliser to anyone who may look down on another: the eventual destination is six feet under for prince and pauper alike.
Aion (Retired) said:
'tis perfect for a film spent running and chasing through films/time: "After all, it's the me who was chasing him that I love."
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Exactly, I loved that insight that it wasn't the person that was the obsession but rather the chase and very fitting summary for the story indeed. Stunning movie and such a beautiful love letter to cinema as well.
RadFemHedonist said:
I absolutely adore Millennium Actress, it makes a great double bill with Only Yesterday! My mum loves Millennium Actress as well, we watched it together (with the older English dub, I really like both English dubs), and she got really into it and thanked me for showing it to her :)
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That is such a genius double bill idea, two amongst my favourite movies with aligning themes - I so have to do that double bill some day! I've never watched the dub now that you mention it, may give it a try next time I watch it if you speak highly of it.
 
Geriatric hedgehog said:
Yes exactly, I loved how after a book full of the protagonist's negative opinion of himself and his life of much shame (I agree the opening line is a classic as well!), there was this light with different perspective being so glowing of the poor soul. I loved that juxtaposition and the end on an optimistic note...ish? (guess that's why I love EoE as well).

Indeed, and the one insurmountable and very evident truth in a life full of unknowns. Also that reality serves as the great equaliser to anyone who may look down on another: the eventual destination is six feet under for prince and pauper alike.

Exactly, I loved that insight that it wasn't the person that was the obsession but rather the chase and very fitting summary for the story indeed. Stunning movie and such a beautiful love letter to cinema as well.

That is such a genius double bill idea, two amongst my favourite movies with aligning themes - I so have to do that double bill some day! I've never watched the dub now that you mention it, may give it a try next time I watch it if you speak highly of it.
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Keep in mind that I'm not the world's absolute most selective dub viewer - the English dub for Only yesterday is def excellent, for Millennium Actress I'd say the older English dub has better scripting and the newer English dub has more universally appealing voices, both are good in my opinion though and I've watched the film more than once in each English dub version - it's ironic that Satoshi Kon's work mostly had bad luck with English dubbing then this one film gets two really good ones! (Though I have no idea if he liked them tbf, IIRC he was not a big fan of dubbing films into other languages or at least the standard to which it was typically done in practice) :)
 
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