Banana Fish, Vol. 18

BANANA FISH #18

by Akimi Yoshida

Nature made Ash beautiful; Nurture made him a killer!

VICE NEW YORK IN THE 80s...

Nature made Ash Lynx beautiful; nurture made him a cold ruthless killer. A runaway brought up as the adopted heir and sex toy of  “Papa” Dino Golzine, Ash, now at the rebellious age of seventeen, forsakes the kingdom held out by the devil who raised him. But the hideous secret that drove Ash's older brother mad in Vietnam has suddenly fallen into Papa's insatiably ambitious hands--and it's exactly the wrong time for Eiji Okamura, a pure-hearted young photographer from Japan, to make Ash Lynx's acquaintance... Epic in scope, and one of the best-selling shojo titles of all time in Japan, Akimi Yoshida put an electric shock into the genre and gained a huge crossover audience through Banana Fish 's stripped-down, non-stop style.

Donning the uniform of a doctor, Ash visits the hospital where Eiji is being treated. Ash is alarmed by Eiji's condition, and in a shocking turn of events, makes an alliance with a man from his past. It's time for him and his crew to make their move on Golzine, and the streets will once again be filled with the stench of blood.

Genres: Manga, LGBT, Comics, Graphic Novels, Crime, Queer, Fiction

184 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 1994

About the author

Akimi Yoshida (Japanese: 吉田秋生, Yoshida Akimi) is a Japanese cartoonist from Tokyo, best known for her manga series Banana Fish.
Yoshida studied at the Musashino Art University in Tokyo and made her professional debut in 1977. Despite serialising her works in shōjo manga (girls' comics) magazines, most notably in 'Bessatsu Shōjo Comic' and 'Monthly Flowers', during the 80's she developed a visual style akin to the aesthetics of shōnen manga (boy's comics) of that era, contributing significantly to creating a bridge between these two traditions. This is particularly evident in her international best-seller Banana Fish (1985-1994), a thriller set in New York City blending action and homoerotic romance. Among her other major works are the series Yasha (1996-2002) and Umimachi Diary (2006-2018).
Yoshida's comics have received a number of accolades in Japan, including three Shogakukan Manga Awards (1983 and 2001 in the category 'shojo', 2015 in the general category), an Excellence Award for manga at the Japan Media Arts Festival (2007) and the 6th Manga Taishō award (2013).

Reviews

[Lauren Lanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

So close to the end and I’m scared. 11/10 for emotional damage (and shaking in my boots at the prospect of the famed “tragic ending” that’s coming next volume).

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I'm surprised. I wasn't expecting this volume to wrap up like it did. Um, can't really say much without making spoilers ... Lots of action, some plot twists, some unexpected surprises ... In fact, it seems like all that's left is for the "fat lady to sing" and I can't see how that is going to fill up nearly 180 pages. Maybe there is hope for that happy ending that I'm not really expecting. Hey, I can hope. 

[Carlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

And what if I choose to pretend this is the last book in the series? What then?

[Nea Poulain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este volumen fue para prepararme para la lloración.

[Kirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the payoff is in this volume. The next volume will just be tying up loose ends.

Christ above, this series was solid. It started off with this great atmosphere, NYC in the 80s. Sweltering heat, the projects, the gritty side of the city that they’ve tried to clean up cosmetically since. This fictional world was set in a time when I was just a child. But I can feel its history.

The characters were pretty solid as well. Ash is one of the only “perfect” characters I have ever not hated with a knee-jerk reaction. Not sure exactly why, but he just worked for me. I guess probably it worked because it wasn’t tied up in too much toxic masculine bullshit. I think it is the hetero sexual conquests of the classical “perfect” male characters that annoys me so much. This dude wasn’t too interested in that, and I’m glad no time was wasted on trying to “develop” the character by showing that he just loves to bang ladies. That shit is so droll 🙄

So yeah, there are homosexual elements, but even that remains exclusively romantic. The only references to sex are usually in the context of rape, so this can be tough for some readers. It is all addressed in a very careful and emotionally sensitive way. Rape isn’t just tossed around. The severity of it is carefully considered.

I believe the author is female, and it shows, because everything is considered very carefully at its core this is a book about all kinds of human relationships, and that is what makes it so good.

It was great to see everything tie up nicely. It was a good book. Almost had a tear in my eye. In part that’s because I’ll miss these characters. In part because it feels like I’m saying goodbye to a part of my childhood by leaving the timeframe in which the series takes place.

[seven]

loved all 18 volumes of this series . ended abruptly but i’m glad it’s a happy ending .

[autumn wind · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Whenever he was around me.. it was like, all his goodness and trust and warmth would come flooding into my body and I could feel it filling me up."

I'm not ready for the last volume 😭

[jemi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Por fin esos bastardos recibieron su merecido...

[✨Anahí✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Por fin murieron los demonios de Ash (literalmente), era hora de que esté en paz aunque sea por un instante.😞

[Favii · Rating 5 out of 5]

Por mi bien emocional deberia dejarlo aquí :(((

[mydarlingreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blanca going straight for the kill shot at Yut Lung with, "It seems that over your lifetime you have learned only to hate, and never to love." OUCH but hella true though.
"Taking that Japanese boy away from Ash, means creating another one of US, you know. One more wretched being unloved and unloving, whose only sustenance is hatred and nihilism. Rather than hatred and be triumphant, Ash chose to love and be destroyed.... One who does not love cannot BE loved, either. Ash at the very least knows what it is to love." I'M NOT CRYING OVER THIS NOPEE!!
OMG. So this is where the painful Sayonara moment comes from in the anime?!?!?!?! fuck this shit. I'm crying so much. ASH!!! Eiji!!!
I swear to god if Max dies or is left in the hands of Dr. Mannerheim I'm going to riot.
Well, fucking hell. I can't believe Golzine just gets marked like that. what that hell. wait did they just leave him there to die? nice.
Foxx thinks he has the upper hand but he's still underestimating Ash's will to live and will to fucking escape and be used as a puppet.
"I want to see you. I wish I was with you. Right now." FUCK
I'm reading so quickly because I wanna get to the end of this drama.
HOLY FUCK FOXX GOT A HEADSHOT FROM GOLZINE?!?!? HE'S STILL ALIVE!?!?!?
Wait Golzine just dies because of blood loss and falls into the explosion?! wow. ok.
I love how Sing is the one to slap some sense into Yut Lung and finally get him straight that he shouldn't be focusing on taking the things he doesn't have from Ash who clearly has had a worse life than Yut Lung has had. It's out of jealousy and that's never a reason to do something as wishing someone dead.
"Whenever he was around me it was like, all his goodness and trust and warmth would come flooding, into my body and I could feel it filling me up." I'm crying oh god.
I hate it here.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

As much as he hated to admit it, he needed Blanca’s help. So, he went along. But, Ash went to see Eiji one last time, and said, “Sayonara.” Eiji wasn’t having it when he woke up. But, Ash escapes. He got his gang to infiltrate the new building Golzine has going. Gunfight insues as Ash presses through to rescue hostages, the rest of his pals, that are held in this new mental health facility run by none other than the notorious Doctor Mannerheim. He was to use Banana Fish to reduce to zombies, automatons. Treachery, explosions, and Ash came out on top.

[T.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Go on, Ash. You may never see him again. Go while you can."

So much happens in this next-to-last volume of Banana Fish! Wrongs are righted, lovers are reunited, revenges are enacted, and Sing lands a laugh-out-loud smack on Yut-Lung! "Same to you, buddy!" This saga has been an epic soap opera worthy of prime time, and if this was the end it would be pretty satisfying with the exception of a few loose ends, most notably Ash & Eiji.

Exctited but scared for the last one. Hang on, bananas! The danger and the heartbreak may not be over yet.

[Robert Hudder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This seems to be coming to a climax earlier than I thought. I wonder if I have misjudged how far this book goes. There seems to be a lot of pages in the last volume waiting.

Anyway, we get another rat in a trap like set piece. It delivers well, and works well for being able to contain and focus the attention. While one or two of these set pieces seemed a bit too contrived, they mostly worked. Bravo on the author for this.

[Greta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm gonna pretend that the series ends here and the next two volumes don't exist hehe... but yeah I'm curious what will happen now that all the big enemies have disappeared.
Sing and Yut Lung prove to be my favourite characters and I really love their interactions.
many moments of Ash talking about his feelings for Eiji without explicitly talking about romantic love, what pain!

[Mafer ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, definitivamente estoy deprimida. Leí el manga luego de ver el anime y pensé que no me iba a llegar tanto como el anime, pero fue mil veces peor, de verdad espero que Eiji logré alcanzar la felicidad, despues de todo lo que pasó.

[Sharlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.70 - Average
Fast pacing that lead to a few plot holes like Ash remaining conscious and Golzine being there at that moment. Blanca is the star of this volume. Sing and Yut Lung would be good as partners in crime.

[Sirop Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh gosh...


I'm not going to lie I feel sorry for Yut-Lung..


Blanca and Sing are an absolutely brilliant duo!!


And tbh I've never enjoyed the death of a character more than I enjoyed the death of Foxx and Dino

[Miriam García · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este bien podría ser el final, pero...

Muchas cosas se resuelven en este volumen, es increible la acción y el drama y tiene momentos muy satisfactorios. Solo queda saber lo que bien podría ser el epílogo de Ash y Eiji. Necesito saber ya.

[Ashley E · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like for my own sanity I should maybe just stop here....

[nerea · Rating 4 out of 5]

mentally drained..not prepared for vol 19

[Aleja Uribe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ay amigos, que triste todo. Solo diré que Sayonara. 😭😭😭

[Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cap 94 - 99

let me cry alone😔💖

[Neoralisa Medrano · Rating 5 out of 5]

:")

[alanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It seems that over your lifetime you have learned only to hate, and never to love. I was once the same way. Although in my case.. I didn’t even hate. I simply had no feelings whatsoever.”

[Naya · Rating 4 out of 5]

nose como alguien puede crear algo tan hermoso y triste a la vez, este manga es tan crudo

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10

[anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

one volume left and i’m scared out of my mind

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I said I was about to read something from which I wouldn’t recover…I was so right

[paola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yut mi vida, siempre te amare y protegeré, sin importar nada