Zac McCray’s Reviews > Rashōmon and Seventeen Other Stories > Status Update
Zac McCray
is on page 20 of 320
2. In a Bamboo Grove: The true inspiration for Kurosawa’s Rashōmon, it’s incredible how much Akutagawa can fit in so few pages. This type of legal-proceedings tale is easy to tell as a he-said, she-said blame-game, but the Japanese mindset here highlights shame, honor, and the blending of the two that often convinces us that we’re at fault for the bad things that happen to us.
— Jul 20, 2026 05:24AM
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Zac’s Previous Updates
Zac McCray
is on page 37 of 320
4. Dragon - The Old Potter’s Tale: A fairy tale for all of us on the personal repercussions of deceit and an ahead-of-its-time cautionary tale on the means and ends of viral fame. Also, I’m beginning to think Akutagawa had a big nose.
— Jul 23, 2026 06:54PM
Zac McCray
is on page 27 of 320
3. The Nose. A Shel Silverstein-style story of each man’s vanity. Fittingly, there was no excess length to this one—every word rang true, even in the silly(ish) situation. Also, I want Gonzo to play the priest in the film adaptation.
— Jul 22, 2026 06:34AM
Zac McCray
is on page 10 of 320
1. Rashōmon: A short, surly tale of justification during desperation, it’s an interesting choice for the title of the collection. However the detailed setting serves as an overarching context for Akutagawa’s stories. It’s also interesting that Kurosawa chose to call his movie (though based mostly on the next story) Rashōmon, when he really only used it as the setting for his film’s intro.
— Jul 19, 2026 03:29PM