Banana Fish – Ep. 15

Sadly, I’m not progressing as fast as I’d like. First world problem, I know but I can’t help but be a little peeved. Oh well, progress is still progress.

• Got to love that barely anyone believes Ash is dead.
• Wow, Eiji was pretty badass with how he escapes Yue-Lung; jumping out of a window and taking one of its shards as a weapon.
• I haven’t really given much thought about the dynamic between Yue-Lung and Ash but it does make sense once this episode sheds light on it. Both men lived very hellish lives and while they’re both killers as a result, their respective sense of compassion is practically night and day.
• Admitting to Golzine that you exposed his schemes to the public and saying Ash is a surrogate son? Max, why must you wave that death flag so much?
• Another cartoonish mad scientist? I thought you learned your lesson with Abraham, Banana Fish.
• Oof, I definitely didn’t need to know what happened to Shorter’s brain. Why you got to do this to me, Banana Fish?
• Oh, so that’s where Alexis went. The guy straight up disappeared a couple episodes back. As dark as his fate is, it seems rather fitting.
• Honestly, there’s too much plot convenience in this episode. Saying that Golzine’s associates just so happened to have improved the effects of Banana Fish offscreen is a really cheap way to make the drug more of a threat. That some minor character tells the scientists they can’t experiment on Ash after Golzine fails to issue the same order really gives the impression that the writers realize they wrote themselves to a corner with this mental hospital situation.
• Got to love that Golzine passes up on yet another easy opportunity to kill Ash. Goodness, he’s so particular about how he wants his former protegee dead.
• Finally, Sing is going to learn the truth about Shorter’s death from Eiji. I doubt he’ll completely forgive Ash but surely this means he’ll officially be an ally.
• Evenly split about how Ash begins his breakout. On one hand, him acting all flirtatious and horny with the guards is really indicative of the original manga’s age. On the other hand, Ash making such faces combined with Yuuma Uchida’s higher pitched delivery compensates greatly.

Overall, I’d say this is the first episode in a while where I have mixed feelings. It’s not enough to make me lose faith in Banana Fish and this far in, I’m finishing the anime anyway. I do hope things pick up next episode though.

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