A review by nmcannon
Blue Bamboo: Japanese Tales of Fantasy by Ralph F. McCarthy, Osamu Dazai

emotional lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

While his novels crack New York Times bestseller lists, Dazai Osamu-san was also a short story writer. These stories are harder to find translated into English, but I was happy to read all the library had available, including the Blue Bamboo collection.

In addition to being an excellent translator, Ralph F. McCarthy can write a brilliant introduction. McCarthy explains he was inspired to compile this collection because  No Longer Human and The Setting Sun’s fame sometimes outshine Dazai-san’s other writerly talents. The “suicidal mime” and mental illness-spiced tragedy are only parts of Dazai-san’s body of work. As the stories within prove, Dazai-san can write old-fashioned romance and fantastical fairy tales with panache.

I read each story slowly, mostly to avoid my personal failing of hating short story collections, haha. McCarthy adds his and Dazai-san’s commentary to each fiction, which was an eye-opening treat. There’s more than just tragedy here. There is joy, romance, and absurdity. Below is a list of stories and a few thoughts:

  • “On Love and Beauty” + “Lanterns of Romance” are frame narratives centering the Irie family, who play a story-building game. Each family member adds a short portion to a story, and at the end everyone votes for who added the most intriguing contribution. “Lanterns of Romance” is a notable point of literary history. The family retells the story of Rapunzel–but goes on to describe her troubles adapting to royal life. McCarthy says “Lanterns of Romance” is the first ever “what happens after the HEA” type story in Japan, possibly the world.
  • “Cherry Leaves and the Whistler” hit me RIGHT in the sibling feels.
  • “The Chrysanthemum Spirit” aka “Tale of Honest Poverty” is Dazai-san’s retelling of a folktale from Liao Chai Chih I by Pu Sung-ling. This one made me chuckle. It’s like the fairy tale equivalent of “That’s absurd!” “You’re absurd!” “That’s absurd!!!!”
  • “The Mermaid and the Samurai” is part retelling of Ihara Saikaku’s work, part parody of melodramatic samurai films and plays. They really are like this, huh. Dazai-san inserts an underlying question of what’s the point, and cost of, such delicate honor.
  • “Blue Bamboo” is another Dazai spin on a folktale from Liao Chai Chih I. The conclusion of the tale–that it is better to be human and work towards a better life–warmed my heart. Interestingly, Dazai-san published this story first in Greater Asian Literature because he wanted Chinese readers to enjoy it.
  • “Romanesque” is from The Final Years and one of the more famous short stories. An older Dazai-san commented that he thought the story was overly silly, but I think it is the correct amount of silly. I wheezed in laughter. I also think Tarô the Wizard (who accidentally made himself beautiful according to out-of-date beauty standards), Jirôbei the Fighter (who wants to fight somebody, even has catchphrase ready, but people are too intimidated), and Saburô the Liar (a murderous rogue who writes students’ essays for them) would go on a great tabletop campaign.