Yukio Mishima

[Anonymous No.11192385]

Just finished pic related as my first mishima

Anyone want to talk about it/him?

Also should I read his other works first or is it cool to just jump into the sea of fertility books?

[Anonymous No.11192400]

If you want to know more about his early life, then read confessions of a mask. Temple of the golden pavilion is a good read too. I wouldn't say you need to read his other books before sea of fertility though.

[Anonymous No.11192404]

>>11192400
Thanks for the reply dude. I'm just asking because I bought "sailor who fell" and the first volume of sea of fertility and was wondering if there was any preliminary reading for the latter.

[Anonymous No.11192405]

Such a good cover-watch the movie

[Anonymous No.11192416]

>>11192385
Really good book, I gotta say I love Mishima's mix of tenderness and brutality. I am not sure about the symbolism and what each character represents though. Was the sailor a reflection of Japan post WWII?

[Anonymous No.11192418]

>>11192404
Seconding Confessions of a Mask. I think it's still my favorite of his. Although I haven't read them all yet, so idk.

[Anonymous No.11192420]

>>11192385
one of my favourite novels, behind Temple of the Golden Pavilion.

That bit with the cat had me on the verge of tears it was so beautiful.

If you enjoyed Mishima, know that he is heavily indebted to a love of Georges Bataille. But I personally am not big on Bataille's fiction. His theory is where he shines. Get an essay collection of his.

[Anonymous No.11192543]

>>11192385
The Sailor was my first Mishima too. I needed more wave-based post-war Japanese literature and his book The Sound of Waves was very satisfying. It's not as disturbing (although there is a rape attempt midway) and it's overall a very gentle teen romance that I wish I read when I was younger. I don't think I've read many books that made me feel younger or envious of my teen years. Plus the small island setting with lighthouse is cozy as fuck.

Anyone seen the Paul Schrader film about Yukio Mishima? Criterion just released it in the UK and I'd like to see it sometime.

[Anonymous No.11192584]

>>11192416
I think the sailor is a symbol for the abandonment of traditional Japanese culture for westernised culture

Fusako represents westernised Japan, and her son and his friends represent people loyal to older pre-war Japanese ideals (also represented by the sea I think). So Ryuji, by abandoning his role as a sailor to marry Fusako, is a symbol for the decay of the pre-war cultural order

I read this book at the same time as reading girard's Violence and the Sacred which probably coloured my perspective. But I can't help but see the end of the book as the gangs attempt to revitalise the old cultural order through a sacrifice. And the weird mutual desecration and admiration of Ryuji is key to that

[Anonymous No.11192693]

>>11192543
yeah that film is 10/10

[Anonymous No.11192984]

>Anyone want to talk about it/him?

Can we talk about what a qt he was?

[Anonymous No.11193657]

>>11192385
Promotes animal cruelty 0/10

[Anonymous No.11193741]

>>11192584
I'm not the most attentive reader but i think her son is more complex then just people who are loyal to older pre-war Japanese conventions as i felt that the reader was meant to be shocked at all of his actions maybe the son represents the people who think they think are following pre-war powerful ideals while in truth they just being lead into brutality from false nihilistic leaders the leader of the small gang

i also think the leaders erosion of there personal identity is important maybe it suggest the the removal of nationalistic identity allows for great brutality against your fellow country men

[Anonymous No.11193901]

>>11193741
I'm honestly not sure. That would be how I'd interpret it, but reading about Mishima personally, I'm not sure if he really does mean to endorse the behaviour and attitudes of the gang. He was a very odd dude in a lot of ways.

But I think you're right in that the gang leader is someone we're supposed to be sceptical about

[Anonymous No.11193917]

>>11193657
How does it glorify the killing of the cat you ridiculous fuck

[Anonymous No.11193924]

>>11193917
Not him but I think the book is ambiguous about the killings that take place. They are seen as valid paths to some sort of "glory", and are like I said earlier in the thread basically ritual sacrifices

[Anonymous No.11193928]

>>11192405
>>11192405
>-watch the movie

[Anonymous No.11193934]

Mishima looks like that blonde haired Asian guy from Buzzfeed who tries expensive stuff. Anyone else see it?

[Anonymous No.11194470]

is Sun and Steel a good book to start with?

[Anonymous No.11194490]

>>11193934
who?