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11:00 p.m. - Friday, Jul. 22, 2011
Aoi Bungaku Review (10/10)
*The Following anime is SEINEN which means it is meant for an ADULT, MALE audience. Though all genders can enjoy it, I advise children under 17 get parents permission and all that jazz, though I think even children as young as 13 could enjoy it, depending on upbringing...*

Animejournal is back with the horror genre and this time I'll be reviewing Aoi Bungaku. I will separate this review into it's individual stories rather than reviewing it as a whole. It has six stories, most of all of them written by different writers. They are based on some modern Japanese classical literature. Reminds me of Ayakashi (you can look in older entries for that one).

1. No Longer Human

No Longer Human focuses on a young male who is struggling to find his place in society. He's wasting away, struggling to maintain his talent as an artist and stay in his father's good wishes so the money can roll in, at the same time, he involves himself in a movement to get more jobs, as the era is around the Great Depression and WWII. He also gets involved with several women to help himself feel more human. He begins to fight between the "monster" he claims to be and the "human" he wants to be. This story is very satircal. Really, all of the stories are. It is a twisted and mind-boggling story. I enjoyed this story. I am still lost as to who he eventually became, but I somewhat see that it doesn't matter. This story teaches the viewer that society expects us to act a certain way, which defines us as "human". It's such a deep story. It's an excellent watch and good for a beginning story. It reminds me of so many other tales though. The main character is the archetypal youth, and the people in his life shape him, especially the women, who somewhat make his life worse. It in itself gets a 9/10.

2. In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom

This story is one of my favorites. It begins with a bandit who is so skilled at what he does that he runs the mountains and forests from which he lives. He's a bit barbaric, living a rugged life and collecting many wives. He's in fear of only one thing: a cherry tree in full bloom. One day, he meets a woman who is so beautiful that she causes him to kill her protectors so that he can marry her. But this woman is no ordinary woman, and she uses her wiles to get everything that she wants...which includes the lives of many people. This story is quite comical actually. This author is genius at turning a horror into humor, which made the story ironic in a way. It's a bit funny and at the same time so horrific. 10/10 from me.

3. Kokoro

This story takes place in 1914. It is a story about a young man who is friends with an older monk. He admires the older monk and his strength and faith. But the young man realizes that his older friend struggles with having no shelter and food, so he invites him to stay. The story then turns downhill for the two friends who both end up being in love with the same girl. It's a story of the "test of faith", loyalty, and how women can turn two men against one another. It's told two ways, one from the young man's side and the other from the older man's side. This story was pretty good. I felt so disappointed in the monk in some moments, but when I think about it, what truly made his character were his weaknesses. This was quite an interesting story. I've never seen a story told this way. The characters were interesting themselves. Of course, love triangles exist in every anime, and the good-looking guys always get the girls, right? The deeper truth is when the end never comes out the way it was meant to be planned. The final lesson I got is that women can drive men to suicide. 9/10.

4. Run, Melos!

This was my favorite story. The story is about a play writer who struggles to write Melos, a greek tragedy of friendship, because the tragedy is such a reflection of his own life. The man has deep sorrows in his past that deals with the betrayal of a friend of the past. I love this story. One of the very few good stories where it doesn't involve some woman. It's quite an extraordinary story, unique, and reminds me completely of Mouryou no Hako in animation and style. Even the music reminds me of that anime. It can't be helped considering they're both made by Madhouse. It's psychological and paints such an interesting picture of male emotion. It's my favorite, truly. Most animes can't touch the glory of this unique story. 10/10

5. The Spider's Thread

This is about a murderer who kills people just because he can. This man shows no fear, and no remorse and gets a kick out of putting fear in others. Of course, his killing spree ends up catching up to him, and the king puts him to death, sending him straight to hell. While in hell, he is given a second chance through the spider's thread. This story is mesmerizing and just completely fascinating. It's complete genius. I enjoyed it. It's quite interesting and artistic. It has an abstract way of showing the murderer and his journey of punishment because of his sins. I enjoyed it. The main character took me by surprise for a minute. I would've liked to know more about his history, as he seemed like a wanderer with no place to go. 10/10.

6. Hell Screen

This continues where The Spider's Thread left off. An artist, the greatest artist in this country, has the always made beautiful depictions of the king and his city, but the king's "beauty" is a fake to the artist. The king is really a cruel man, much like the murderer, and the artist is tired of ignoring it. So when the king orders the artist to complete a big project, the artist chooses this time to give a depiction of how the king and his city truly looks. I absolutely loved this story. It shows the mind through an artist's eyes. It truly is artistic in itself. It brings out the horrors of leadership and how art is a tool that depicts that horrific history. Loved the story. The character was also interesting. Of course the king was one of the most interesting of characters. I like that the main character had a kind of steam punk look about him. 10/10.

Overall, Aoi Bungaku is a great anime to watch. It might be a bit too much for children, but adults can easily grasp some concepts and see the satire in it. There's something in here for everyone in my opinion. There are many different types of stories told by different authors. They are truly classic tales. This anime doesn't disappoint. That's why it gets a 10/10.

~Over and Out~

 

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