I was spurred on to read this after hearing about MAPPA's plans to adapt this earlier this year. I'm glad I did because this was a hell of a ride. It's certainly aged a bit in terms of the art and whatnot (hence the updating), but goddamn, the story and characters are timeless in their beauty.

[Story - 8]

While we start off with the pursuit of what 'Banana Fish' actually is, it's really a story centered around the push-and-pull between teenage hoodlums and their overbearing adult counterparts on both sides of the law. Considering this is set in 80's NYC, this lends itself to a lot of pulpy action and social commentary (whether by accident or by intention) regarding racial profiling, the sexual abuse of children, struggles in crime journalism, and so on/so forth.

The pacing's fairly solid: it doesn't take too long for the story to get moving along, but it does take a break in the back seat around the second act. However, this was only to allow the characters to get a breather from the grimness of their realities, and thus go under rather believable development thanks to (completely rational/logical) melodrama. Fortunately for the thrill-seekers, this second act isn't as long as the first act, so it takes very little time for the third act to begin. When it does, be prepared for WAY more twists and turns than before, with copious amounts of action and angst. This all pays off rather splendidly in the denouement, but even that stands by itself as a fitting conclusion for a tale of this caliber.

By itself, the manga is fairly strong, but there are a couple of drawbacks that are typical of this genre. It holds up to the test of time in some areas, but others do not; Some of the lingo/slang terms are rather stereotypical or callous, and both discussions & portrayals of rape can be awkward despite its universal depiction of the act as vile and inhumane. In these moments, the characterization (which will obviously be discussed below) helps salvage the title's reputation. Collectively, this title will be sure to stick around with you for a while thanks to its interesting take on themes, good pacing, and a splendid blend of crime action, mystery, and romance.

[Art - 7]

Admittedly, the art really sticks out as the defining trait of Banana Fish's age. Yoshida's art style certainly develops over time (especially in terms of character design and shading), but the minimalist aesthetic is a mainstay.

The action is alright most of the time (you can tell who's who + what they're doing, and it moves very fluidly), but there are certain pages that could have used a good re-draw to better clarify what exactly is going on. One could say the same for some of the settings, especially those that take place outside of NYC in the 'countryside'. While I do enjoy seeing settings represented in a 'minimal' manner, Yoshida's variant makes it hard to decipher just what exactly is going on sometimes.

However, character design is king here. From the teenage beauties such as Yau-Si and Eiji to the hardened looks of Max and Dino, Yoshida absolutely nails their designs in terms of conveying each character's core traits. Ash's look, however, is the most vital of these designs. His beauty is genuinely unmatched within the title (and perhaps amongst similar titles), which wonderfully contrasts his character forged from the consequences of having such looks. This is all further boosted by how timeless the fashion is; Sure, sometimes there are a couple of 'dated' looks, but this WAS published in the 80's. Otherwise, it's perfect for helping the designs convey the core traits, along with inspiring part of my wardrobe.

[Character - 9]

Characterization in this title is especially appropriate for this genre and demographic. The melodrama is perfectly......melodramatic, but within reason. The angst is heartbreakingly-convincing, and occasionally universal in nature. The humour, while occasionally crude, certainly lightens the mood and reminds you that not everything has to be so dour and grim in crime fiction.

Ash Lynx is easily one of the more compelling protagonists I've seen in recent complete reads. His arc of slowly opening up emotionally and recovering from the many traumas he's experienced is beautifully realized with confusing mixtures of rage, grief, and fear as his relationship with Eiji Okumura develops. By the end of the story, Ash is a completely different person than he was at the beginning, both for the better and for good reason. Eiji himself warrants some gushing for his arc of coming out of the shell of anxiety and growing into a fine young man. While he may not do a lot at first, he certainly rivals Ash in terms of Action Hero by the end of the story. His actions in the short story in Volume 19 is absolutely heart-wrenching in its frank portrayal of how people deal with loss, along with its consequences.

The antagonists, however, are hit-or-miss. Colonel Fox and Arthur are just glorified henchmen, while Golzine is irredeemable yet charismatic. Yau-Si is probably the only major antagonist I genuinely enjoyed: between his startingly-sympathetic monologues inspired by his tragic past to his cool and collected nature, he was probably the only genuine match for Ash in my opinion.

The supporting cast is all right for the most part: Max Lobo is a decent surrogate-father who helps Ash stay on track (and laugh) and Ibe is alright as a guardian but is there for the comedy really. Shorter Wong and Sing Su-Lin are great foils for Ash, yet are even greater for being completely different types of people. My favourite, however, would have to be Blanca: A KGB defector and probably the closest person besides Max that Ash has for a father, he embodies the effortless calm that Ash definitely aspires to be. While his time in Banana Fish is short, it is ultimately sweet for both the reader and the people around him.

[Enjoyment/Overall - 9/8]

This was a genuinely great read. It's not perfect, but those blemishes are (mostly) attributed to the time it was being published in initially. I would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone looking to try reading older titles, especially those that prioritize amazing characterization.