Astral Season, Beastly Season

by Tahi Saihate, Kalau Almony (translator)

Astral Season, Beastly Season is the debut novel by Japanese writer Tahi Saihate. The story follows Morishita and Yamashiro, two high-school boys approaching the age in life when they must choose what kind of people they want to be. When their favourite J-pop idol kills and dismembers her boyfriend, Morishita and Yamashiro unite to convince the police that their idol's act was in fact by them. This thrilling novel is a meditation on belonging, the objectification of young popstars, and teenage alienation.

Genres: Fiction, Japan, Contemporary, Japanese Literature, Thriller, Literary Fiction, Horror

117 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 16, 2015

Reviews

[Henk · Rating 3 out of 5]

The utterly bleak world of Japanese high school, full of cram school, isolation, idol worship and serial murder. Like Normal People meets The Silence of the Lambs.
To want to criticize others, to look down on others all just to be confident in yourself.
Youth is a mess of a season, impossible to live through without criticizing both the self and others.

In the first part of Astral Season, Beastly Season we read a letter of a high school boy who tells us of the obsession with an J-Pop idol gone wrong. He and his classmate find each other in an ever more immoral plot to exonerate her of a murder. How they come to their deeds is maybe not fully understandable, but their backgrounds is rendered by Tahi Saihate in such a manner you can see them as something more than just obsessed and crazy.
High school and being different is definitely not conducive for mental health to say the least.
This mental health theme is elevated in a more quiet second part, where classmates of the aforementioned boys reflect on the repercussions of the events now a few year in the past. Many questions remain with them and there is truly no such thing a collateral damage, as many lives have been shattered by offhand, random choices made in the first part.

A fascinating book, with razor-sharp and poignant observations on growing up.
If anything more long-form of Tahi Saihate is published in English I'd definitely would want to read it - 3.5 stars.

Quotes:
He was a good guy. Apart from being a murderer.

We looked down on others for plenty of reasons. I, too, judged others and was judged, and it was through that process that we won our identities.

In the end, it really doesn’t matter what kind of person you were back in your school days. Everyone looked down on someone else to make themselves feel better. Thinking, I’m different, was, more than anything else, our greatest commonality.

The world is a cold place, and without question, interpreting that coldness as pain is itself a form of arrogance. I want to continue to write characters who set their fingertips aflame with that arrogance and continue to reach for something.

[emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

'When do we first realize that youth is, or was, a season of discrimination? Where do we first find that out? It’s the most nostalgic part of youth because it is itself a sign of our foolishness. To want to criticize others, to look down on others all just to be confident in yourself. Youth is a mess of a season, impossible to live through without criticizing both the self and others. But in youth we criticize both ourselves and others in their full humanity. It’s only lonely adults that call others less than human.'

The first half was nothing to shout about, prose too simple and the entire thing was predictably composed. But the second half is where it starts to get a bit more interesting, carrying more substance. This reminded me of Mieko Kawakami's Heaven, except written from the perspective of a different batch of teenagers. Personally, I prefer Saihate's storyline/plot, but it was a bit messy and it didn't finish very well. Plus, I didn't really get the addition of the 'idol'/pop-star. It felt almost ill-fitting to the narrative. It seems pointless to have it in the novel if Saihate was not going to develop the character further or at least use it as some kind of 'tool' for the plot itself . Could have done without it . Rather disposal/unnecessary. My guess is that it is there as 'clickbait' since the pop-star/'idol culture' has gained far more interest recently than it has ever been before.

'...whether you’re right or not has nothing to do with me. It doesn’t matter which of us is right. Just because you’re correct doesn’t mean you have the right to hurt someone. That’s all I know. You hurt me, and if that makes the pain, the burden of college entrance exams, and the fact that you still haven’t gone to college go away, then that’s fine. But you shouldn’t be dragging righteousness into this. You shouldn’t be trying to force the responsibility for the emptiness you hate so much onto me either. It’s not the place for you to be justifying your own violence. Righteousness has absolutely nothing to do with violence.'

It can get overly preach-ey at certain points but I wonder if this was a translation issue? I like how Saihate explores the lines of 'ethics'/'morality' more deeply than Kawakami did. Both novels, in my opinion, are extremely character-driven (which isn't usually the kind of novels I go for). Because I like my prose with a bit more play on 'style', and a bit more 'poetic' qualities woven into it, I wasn't moved by the writing itself. Saihate's novel is told from the perspectives of multiple narrators and it can become quite confusing especially because of how disorganised the speech arrangement(s) was. Unlike Last Winter We Parted (readers have complained about the messy dialogues in that one), this one, for me, was a bit more difficult to 'follow'. The characters didn't have very distinct/unique personalities - so they end up overlapping one another.

'We were heading to Kyoto. We would take the bullet train to Kyoto Station. From there we would take our luggage to the Japanese-style inn we were staying at. After eating lunch, we’d all ride a bus to Kiyomizudera Temple and Kinkakuji Temple. Then we’d go back to the inn, eat, bathe, and sleep. The only thing our group mattered for was where we’d sit on the bus, and I was with Morishita the whole time. I could hear Taeda and Watase’s stupid laughs, and Watase’s sickly sweet voice when she talked to Aoyama. Aoyama was visibly bored.'

There is nothing extraordinary about the 'trip' the teenagers took, except for what happened at the end of it which was not disclosed until after the trip. But I enjoyed reading about Kyoto, and how Saihate portrayed Kyoto in the eyes of a bunch of teenagers who lacked the appreciation for the place. So self-absorbed and constantly in need of cheap thrills/stimulation that they can't even pay any attention to anything that was happening around them. It was so different to my own experience(s) of Kyoto. To be so unimpressed and indifferent to the charms and allure of Kyoto was something previously unimaginable to me. Regardless, I do think Saihate captured the essence of 'youth' rather well. Unlike many other writers who tend to romanticise it, Saihate has portrayed 'youth' as it is - in its primal, truest, and most uncomfortable forms.

'Aren’t you different in school? I asked. She usually seemed like, like she just wanted everything she didn’t care about to die. And like she’d even been granted permission to feel that way.'

'Watase' was probably the most interesting character, or at least the one that stood out the most; and the second half is written in her perspective. Even though I seem to be praising the second half quite highly, I still think that it is a bit underdeveloped. The entire thing basically revolves the killing spree of a teenage serial killer, yet neither the serial killer or the 'victims' are central to the story. Saihate explores the effects of the events on the people who are not involved in the 'criminal acts'. The novel picks up on how little 'people' actually care about the 'death' of others. 'Rather you than me' mentality. It's more likely that 'people' will become hyper-protective of themselves and then direct their uncontrolled frustration and rage towards someone else who probably doesn't 'deserve' it. The infectious nature of 'violence'. Violence breeding violence, almost like. Perhaps, a sequel to this novella would be fantastic. I'd surely be keen to read it if Saihate decides to write one. Overall, I'm glad to have read this. I'd read anything Honford Star publishes. They seem to always choose the most unconventional and fascinating writers that the 'Western' literary industry lacks.

'"Well, when...got arrested, you know I was happy that you survived.”

It seemed like the plants were dissolving into the air.'

[Stacia · Rating 3 out of 5]

As Fight Club (by Chuck Palahniuk) and Popular Hits of the Showa Era (by Ryū Murakami) were to the 1990s, so this book is to the 2020s.

The earlier books I mention tackle the nihilism & violence of a generation groping for meaning. This book updates the same nihilism & violence to the modern day with an emphasis on celebrity stan culture. It feels like a tip of the hat to Ryū Murakami as well as an extrapolation of his work & themes.

Disturbing & unsettling with some brutal realities buried deep in the characters, life's hard pressures eventually form tiny diamond chips of truth as the teens navigate life, death, & the path to adulthood. "Thinking I'm different was, more than anything else, our greatest commonality."

This is a strong debut novel especially recommended for fans of Fight Club & Popular Hits of the Showa Era.

Some other quotes:

"Most of the people I met in college take everything seriously and have experienced things like love and friendship as slightly worse versions of what's portrayed in comic books. I describe my past like they do when I talk about it. I never say anything like, "My best friend was killed by one of our classmates." Basically, I try not to ruin the mood."

-----

"There are things you can't look at if you want to keep living. It's only natural that you must avoid those people who try to keep looking directly at the things we must not acknowledge."

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"It was much later that I noticed a hole had painlessly opened up in the middle of my heart, as though my body were trying to split itself apart."

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"When do we first realize that youth is, or was, a season of discrimination?"

-----

"But in youth we criticize both ourselves and others in their full humanity. It's only lonely adults that call others less than human."

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is causing me some conflicting emotions. Although it is unique and extremely raw, given what occurred, it also seems rather unrealistic. I initially thought the first tale reminded me of "All about Lily Chou Chou," but I quickly broke off myself from that thought. I was determined to give this book no less than 4 stars because it appeared to be so beautiful in my head, but after reading the second tale, my opinion was slightly changed.

[makayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

a fever nightmare

[elio · Rating 5 out of 5]

i have so many thoughts !!!!!!

[Steven Green · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not entirely sure what I’ve just read. Like, I have no idea if it was good or not. There was probably a lot lost in translation so I don’t want to be too mean, but I’d say that I had no idea what was going on for 80% of the time.

[itselv]

so pointless yet full of hunting, depressing depth. What a cold and truly thought-provoking one.

somehow, it triggered me, I don’t really know what exactly broke me there, but I’m not angry. At the end of the day I kinda discovered a bit more about myself. you could say it’s a blessing in disguise, next time I hope it’ll come with less disguise, or none at all.

might reread this one in the later years just to see how I will feel about it. a painfully breathtaking and wrenching experience, one that’ll stay fresh in my mind for a long while.

This is a very particular kind of favorite, a traumatized one, doesn’t happen too often, and I am glad.

Trigger Warnings: murders, gore, suicide mentioned, obsessive parasocial relationship, blackmailing.

[natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an unusual and unsettling treat this book is.

The book begins as a letter written by Yamashiro to J-pop idol Mami Aino (who Yamashiro is obsessed with) after he hears on the news that she is a suspect for the murder and dismemberment of someone named Yu-chan. The book unfolds as Yamashiro and his fellow classmate Morishita try to take Mami’s fate and the justice system into their own hands.

This book is very dark— it features a lot of objectification and obsessive language about women which whilst uncomfortable to read, painted a horrifying picture of the two school boys obsessed with an idol who seemingly transcends humanity. It explores themes of love, humanity, obsession, youth, and questions whether people are inherently evil.

This book fell a bit short from five stars for me because I felt at times the writing was choppy, and it became harder to follow as I got further into the book. This book has 2 sort of distinct parts, and I felt if it has been solely the first part, it would’ve had more of an impact. Other readers may feel differently since the later parts of the book explore philosophical themes more in depth, but as always, I prefer an understated book so the reader can assemble their own interpretation of the words as they read. That being said, I adore books that are original and unlike anything I’ve ever read, and I was completely engrossed in the story.

Astral Season, Beastly Season will be enjoyed by fans of translated literature and those who enjoy a dark, psychological thriller.

It was such a pleasure to read this book because it felt very original and sharp, and I can’t wait to see what others think of it.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me a reading copy.

[bweadbun · Rating 2 out of 5]

felt like i was having a stroke (2.75)

[Emily & daughter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course, the cover. As expected, Honford Star.

The first section felt really novel to me. I’m sure I’ve consumed similar stories (both true and fictional) but the simple, straightforward prose did it for me. but as it went on, it lost some of its freshness. What happened to our stars and horrific beasts? I did enjoy the read, and it’s true that seventeen is a treacherous time.

[billyhs · Rating 3 out of 5]

probably even a 2.5 but i am feeling generous

a classic case of judging a book by its cover ...... Great cover tho

[Emma Lisk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the two short stories being different perspectives at different times - over all good book

[Kimberly Ouwerkerk · Rating 4 out of 5]

As you grow up, you discover who you are. It is often not as simple as being right or wrong and most people are not purely good or bad. There are many nuances and Tahi Saihate has captured them well. What someone is to others is not the same as what that person is to you. When that is the case, what do you do with your feelings?

Beginning as a lighthearted tale of adoration and obsession, the story soon takes on a darker tone. Let me illustrate the mood with a quote from the second story: “My empty, dried-out organs gurgled and swayed on the chair. That was my heart’s attempt at beating. My best attempt at living.”

I love you because...
The boys are big fans of an idol in a J-pop group. Their reasons for supporting that person are different than you might expect. They like her because she tries. There is some wishful thinking in the fact that it is enough to not be good at anything but work hard. The effort they put in to protect her is not implausible, especially if you’ve ever seen obsessed fans. If not, try visiting a fan store of a J-pop group in Tokyo.

The first story is addressed to the idol. As you read this story, keep in mind that the ‘you’ is the idol, and not the person to whom the narrator is talking or the reader. This can lead to temporary confusion. The formatting both helps, and doesn’t help, because even though the narrator’s part of the dialogue is formatted differently, you sometimes unconsciously associate the ‘you’ with someone else. In a sense, this extends the worship beyond the book itself.

Objectification
Astral Season, Beasly Season is about adolescents who grow up to be either a beast or a star. Two terms that hold more meaning than you might think before starting this book. The strong connections between the global idol and the popular kid in the classroom, and between the anonymous fan and the invisible kid in the classroom got me thinking. I will probably re-read this book to re-examine the thoughts I had while reading.

It is through elements like these that Astral Season, Beastly Season shines brightly, even in the dark of night. In so many ways, this book is well written and translated. Every character serves a purpose. The moral struggle is real, often more for the reader than for the characters.

[John Ballas · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It was much later that I noticed a hole had painlessly opened up in the middle of my heart, as though my body were trying to split itself apart.”

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So hard to pick a favorite part of this book, but the tone shift between the two parts was really good. Also, the cover is so incredible…

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would u rather have an ‘astral season, beastly season’ son or a ‘the season of righteousness’ daughter

[zoé · Rating 1 out of 5]

it felt like it wanted to tell so much but ended up telling nothing...

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite James’ insistence I would hate this I finished it in just under 3 hours and enjoyed it lots.

some spoilers but nothing suuuper crazy that you couldn't infer from the blurb

The first half unfolds through a letter from Yamashiro to Mami, the idol at the heart of everything. He details the murders committed by Morishita, the classmate he was drawn to through their shared fixation on her. Yamashiro is both a passive witness and a complicit participant, his words oscillating between contempt and adoration for Mami—criticising her while ultimately confessing his love. His voice is unsettling, unreliable, and dripping with contradictions, making his perspective one of the novel’s most compelling aspects.

The second half shifts to a journal entry from Watase, the best friend of one of Morishita’s victims and part of the same friend group. Through her reflections a year after the events, as she reconnects with an old crush and meets another victim’s eerie older brother, the novel shifts from feverish obsession to something more introspective. It’s an interesting structural choice, though I found myself wondering if Mami’s perspective might have been a bit more interesting, trying to understand her choices, the impact of the events are also the boys' attitudes towards her as a young girl beyond the binary of obsession and indifference.

Still, Astral Season, Beastly Season lingers. Not perfect, but sharp and well worth the read.

[Annie Tate Cockrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisted the heck up. This book follows high school students who are wrapped up with an intense fandom / obsession and are led to murder because of it. The story gets really dark but because of the dry writing style it doesn’t hit with the shock factor that I expected it to. The book is broken up into two parts - the first part from the POV of a high school age boy during the time of the murders and the second part is from the POV of a high school age girl after the murders have all taken place. The book is about fitting in, obsession, friendship, but all taken to extremes.

[Maike · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptional novel.

The Prose
The prose is wonderful and rich, I could clearly see that the author is known for her poetry, the wordcraftsmanship is beautiful in translation as well, and I kept underlining phrases that struck with me.

"I felt like my heart flipped upside down, turned inside out, that my blood was spurting from my body and falling to the white floor, that I had vanished. My empty, dried-out organs gurgled and swayed on the chair. That was my heart's attempt at beating. My best attempt at living."

The Plot
Now, I get why many people might leave this novel dissatisfied. As often in Japanese fiction, the story does not aim to give a concrete answer, or a nicely wrapped up ending. If you want a clearly spelled out reasoning, you will not like Astral Season, Beastly Season. Things are left unclear, there are parts left confusing you, and characters do not tell you why they act a certain way.
However, this is also what I love so much about this book. There is so much going on in so few pages. Things are said between the words and Saihate does not shy away from building her thesis question through the eyes of a cold and obsessed teenage boy. Who truly is a Beast and who a Star? And can we truly tell? Does it even matter? What is more important, character or action?

This is a novel to reread again and again, I am sure I can pull out a new idea each time.
This is also another Japanese novel on the themes of isolation and loneliness in todays youth, and a point of view we rarely get to explore in discussions about hikkikomori and otaku.

In conclusion: Please read Astral Season, Beastly Season, I hope for more translations by this author.

[bianca *‧.₊˚*੭*ˊᵕˋ੭.* · Rating 1 out of 5]

me llamó muchísimo la atención el argumento y vi que era cortito así que decidí empezarlo. empezó bien, interesante, me gustó que este escrito en forma de carta, pero fue cayendo en picada hasta que las últimas 40 páginas directamente se me hicieron insoportables. siento que hubo mucho potencial desperdiciado. el protagonista que escribe la carta no es una voz tan interesante como podría haber sido el amigo que comete los crímenes. hay mucha repetición de lo mismo. y esa segunda parte inentendible que no le aporta nada nuevo a la trama¿?? no sé, muy raro. siento que podría haber sido un libro increíble pero se quedó cortísimo en muchos aspectos.

[tega · Rating 3 out of 5]

the book was alright. i wish the themes about idolisation were explored further because the book had SO MUCH POTENTIAL. like it showed how putting idols on a pedestal and thinking they could do no wrong can lead to harmful effects from the fans. and even knowing the idol killed someone, there’s a relative morality when it comes to the type of person who committed the crime. i felt like this book had potential but it was wasted and resulted in a big pile of nothing. even after reading the afterword this book felt pointless.

[janeee :D · Rating 3 out of 5]

i like how this provided testimonies for different povs before and after the climax

[Ginny Darke · Rating 4 out of 5]

this shit is, was, and continues to be bananas

[Gabi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book at Golden Hare because of the cover which reminded me of some Spirited Away artwork. Safe to say the disturbing description physically jolted me -- this is not a casual read! Saihate explores the twisted perspective of high schoolers watching a series of murders happen in their town, emphasizing the toxic infatuation fans can develop for musical idols and the extremes those feelings can lead to.

It was a quick read (although felt choppy, maybe a creative decision) but which left me reflecting on the many, many pitfalls of teen culture (and society as an extension). There's one phrase which stuck to me from this book which seems to be the author's own: "youth is a season of discrimination". This idea that judging others, developing hierarchies and egos, is what creates our first, immature personal identity. "I'm a good (read: better than others) student or athlete or daughter or gamer etc etc."

Eventually, we learn it's not how we compare to others but simply the actions we take with our lives that truly make up our identities. I'm a reader because I read. I'm a runner because I run. Not because anyone else is better or worse than me (although comparison is often promoted in the workplace). Anyway, glad I picked this up and discovered a new author! A theme within this novel is "objectification" plus it's written by a woman so I'll give it a pass, but I'm ready to read Japanese literature beyond its seeming fascination with high schoolers and particularly high school girls.

[Niki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teenage awkwardness, ennui and a longing for finding your place in the world taken to their absolute extremes. It wasn't exactly what I expected, I was expecting more of an 'idol culture' critique (been into those lately, though not with much success), but it was still pretty good.

3,5 stars, rounded down for now because I don't think this'll stay with me in the future. I really, really like it when books include more than one character's perspective of an event. It really makes each character's priorities and beliefs shine.

One star was knocked off because the ending dragged and dragged to an absurd degree. I thought it'd never end.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, the first act was 5 stars. I love it and wish there was more of it. Second act was 2 stars, sadly.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Idol and intrigue,
Choices and consequences,
A lack of remorse

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Emzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 this was INSANE but in a good way

*edited my rating to 4 stars, only reason why i didn't do so before was that the book made me feel like i was going crazy

[Anja · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*