Aoi Bungaku Series

For a long time now, the psychology genre has been dominated by the likes of Elfen Lied, Higurashi, Monster and Requiem for a Phantom. All these anime looked at psychology as the mindset of a murderer or the troubled past of the protagonist, and there were also shows like Death Note, which focused on the psychological warfare of two geniuses. This has been the way anime have defined the psychology genre for years.

But, as always, along comes a player that changes the way the game is played.

Aoi Bungaku Series thrusts you into the shoes of the protagonists and synchronizes their brain to yours. ... It gives you a spectacularly detailed insight into their thoughts and feelings, all while following an intense storyline.

The show is the anime adaptation of several literary masterpieces in Japan (much like Ayakashi Classic Japanese Horror), some of them dating back to the late 1920s. ABS portrays six such immortal classics, each of them highlighting the complex and fickle nature of the human mind. Except for the first arc, each arc lasts only two episodes. Writing an in-depth analysis of each of the stories would be giving away too much and might ruin the experience. If you want absolutely no spoilers, then I recommend you do not read the MAL synopsis either, as it contains nearly half the story. Here’s a quick breakdown of the basic elements of each of the stories, while keeping the spoilers to a bare minimum:

(NOTE: Each arc is a completely different story, are in no way interrelated and can even be viewed as a standalone anime. That’s the primary reason why I’m reviewing each arc separately.)

1. No Longer Human – This classic, written by Dazai Osamu, focuses on a psychotic and troubled mind – that of a congressman’s son. Set in 1929, this dark and gloomy arc was the longest, lasting four episodes, which proves to be more than enough time to let the viewer unravel the protagonist’s twisted perceptions of society and how he bears the pressure of being crushed under the weight of his own ego. Drenched with sadness and yet pregnant with hope, each of those four episodes is memorable to say the least. After watching this arc, you understand why No Longer Human was the defining work of the author and the most read literary piece in Japan.

2. Under Cherries in Full Bloom – Probably the most bizarre two episodes of an anime I’ve ever seen in my life. Ango Sakaguchi, the author, tries to tell a tale of how people need to speak their minds in order to live a peaceful life. However, his idealistic approach on decadence falls short in this anime adaptation, because of unnecessary humor, inappropriate chibi animations and dreadfully boring jazzy songs. The sudden light-heartedness and lackadaisical pacing feels like a fish out of water after watching the melancholy and sorrowful No Longer Human.

3. Kokoro – Natsume Soseki is considered the Charles Dickens of Japan for good reason. I felt like I was drifting along in a sea filled with the characters’ emotions. When I talked about this anime being the game changer, I was mainly referring to this arc. It weaves a bittersweet story of love, lust, trust, jealousy and friendship.

4. Run, Melos! – “Is it more painful to wait, or to make someone wait?” The most straightforward story of the lot. The storyline is very basic and is about a playwright’s life, as he spends his life waiting for his childhood friend to come and meet him. Once again, this was written by Dazai Osamu and is the retelling of a Greek legend (Damon and Pythias), the overall theme of the arc being unwavering friendship. As I said, it’s a very simple story and it can get a tad predictable, but since it lasts for only forty minutes, it’s an enjoyable ride.

5. The Spider’s Thread – What starts off as a brutal Assassin’s Creed anime, ends up as a crude moral story that is far too short to convey any real message. While the basic idea of Ryunosuke Akutagawa was to entertain children with this novel, the anime adaptation is aimed at a much more mature audience because of its gore and profanity. A good story, but 20 minutes proves to be too short to convey the author’s ideals.

6. Hell Screen –Penned by the same author as Spider’s Thread, Hell Screen succeeds exactly where The Spider’s Thread fails – it gets its point through in a single episode. This arc is about an artist and his struggle to paint his masterpiece, much like O.Henry’s “The Last Leaf”.

The animation in this show is one of the best I’ve ever seen, if not the best. The show features some of the highest production values to date. It’s also one of the very few anime that managed to use CGI well. The generous use of the morose red in the first arc, No Longer Human, was what contributed to the eerie atmosphere of the anime.

The soundtrack is great. While the instrumental pieces were fitting, the series doesn’t have an OP and the ED was not very good.

As far as content warning goes, this show is rated R17 for a reason. Not only does it feature a large amount of blood, gore, sex and profanity, but it also contains strong messages about the society, which younger audiences will neither understand nor appreciate.

But when it’s all said and done, Aoi Bungaku Series is not a show that will ever have universal appeal. Due to its complex nature and dark atmosphere, this show will most probably never see the light of the day.

[ THE WRAP-UP ]
Aoi Bungaku Series is one of the darkest and most complex anime out there. Not only does it show ‘psychology’ in an entirely new light, but it also provides an artful insight into Imperial Japan. Excellent animation and a strong soundtrack make sure that this anime is technically sound. Being an adaptation of six different novels, each arc is bound to have a different impact on the viewer, but maintain an overall consistency in the intensity of the storyline. Aoi Bungaku Series is definitely not for everyone and is made for a limited audience. If you don’t like the first couple of episodes, then I don’t think you’re going to like the rest of the series either. Those looking for happy endings or lighthearted storylines are not going to be impressed with this one. However, if you’re in the mood for a dark, depressing anime about the world’s cruelty and a gripping psychological anime, then Aoi Bungaku Series might fit the bill. Individual story ratings given below:

No Longer Human – 9/10
Under the Cherry Blossoms – 7/10
Kokoro – 10/10
Run, Melos! – 8/10
The Spider’s Thread – 8/10
Hell Screen – 9/10

Overall : 9/10

The book is always better than the movie, and that holds true for this anime. I haven't read all of the stories that are adapted in this anime (I've read Kokoro, the stories by Akutagawa, and parts of Ningen Shikaku), but the ones I have read are portrayed very differently from what is actually written. For example, the adaption of "Kokoro" cuts out over half of the book and highly skews the way the audience perceives the characters. This series can be sort of dangerous to a western audience, that has no idea of what the original stories are about. However, the anime is definitely ... focused towards, of course, a Japanese audience (which are highly familiar with the stories and what happens) so the staff in charge of the anime has more flexibility to interpret the story in a way that is different from what is actually written. So main point: just because you have seen the anime don't expect that you can have an intelligible conversation about Japanese literature because what is presented may not be what the story is actually like...

Encouraged by this all positive voices, I decided to check is it really worth to meet mentioned title. Aoi Bungaku, known also as Blue Literature caused in me wave of disgust than delight on epic masterpiece, which it is praised in every possible way. I’m not sure I watched exactly the same anime…So, it’s time to tell about concrets…

It might seem those 12 episodes escaped my memory but, unfortunately, mistake. First history called No Longer Human / Ningen Shikkaku, which was written by Dazai Osamu was literally zenith of everything. Some people search in it biographical conditions, but if that so, author must had ,,interesting” ... life. Peculiar visions, schizophrenic tendency – yes, it difficult to be bored. Finishing this arc, I really haven’t known what creators have on theirs mind. After turbulent was about ¾ anime to the end…

Second - Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita – or In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom says about some woman and rogue who lived in the mountains, it takes place a few centuries ago. If I’m right, it something doesn’t right, does it? What is in this era do all the technical innovations, known only our generations. We should write history textbooks another time. What’s more, that woman was really…scary. She tricked her lover – love is blind, whatever. Only positive? They keep a hog which can speak. Since then I want to a have hog as a pet too.~

Together, there are a six stories, but what’s up with the rest? You must see on your own. If, despite its flaws won your hearts, it’s still right. In my opinion it bring only disappoint. This, many facepalms and full of curses hurled at the characters? Highly individual matter.
Very confused, Aya.