Hiroko Utsumi directs the episode with passion and energy the episode covers a lot of ground introducing key plot points and players with a snappy, blink-and-you-missed-it pacing and strategic, creative transitions. (Unfortunately, I can’t say Akimi Yoshida was the only mangaka doing that in the 80s and 90s.) Toshiharu Mizutani’s art direction is worth to mention too: he creates a dangerous, decadent but occasionally vibrant urban atmosphere while also making it look like people actually live there. The designs of the people of color is already a huge improvement over the manga, which depicted black people–big white mouths, skin’s colored unflatteringly–in a way that invokes older racist caricatures. there’s so much Good Boy energy concentrated here I feel healed just by looking at them

I’m very pleased with the designs of main characters Ash and Eiji too: one is cool, stylish, with almost perpetually lonely eyes the other is impossibly soft and cute. Her characters are vibrant and modern while also preserving some retro vibes–I’m particularly fond of the character’s 80s round noses and soft, textured lines. I’m a huge fan of character designer and animator Akemi Hayashi, so of course that I’m in love with her designs. I’m interested, however, in seeing if this adaptation improves things from the source material, so I will bring up the manga if I feel the episode made remarkable changes in the framing of a scene, the portrayal of characters, and so on. If you’re following the anime without having read the manga, these will be safe to read after you finish the episode in question. I also firmly believe that adaptations should stand on their own, so these weekly write-ups will focus on what’s actually in the episode. I’m not here to make speculations, though. It’s unclear whether or not this adaptation will make the changes necessary to address some of its most questionable elements, but some things are just so rooted in the story that I’m not expecting them to be changed. I’ve written a primer in the past where I mention some of the problematic aspects of the story, including its depictions of race and queerness. I’m a huge fan, I mean.īefore starting, it’s important to remember that Banana Fish is intrinsically a product of the 80s it’s practically impossible to truly remove its roots–even if you modernize it. My life has known no peace ever since I read this godforsaken manga, and now that I’ve seen the first episode of the new show you can bet, dear reader, that I’ve been unable to think about anything else. The summer season is finally here! And it is indeed a perfect day for Banana Fish.

Banana fish