Recently I picked back up my copy of Akuragawa's short fictions, Rashomon and Seventeen Other Stories. His most well known to the west is obviously In A Bamboo Grove, or better known as the film Rashomon directed by Akira Kurosawa.
Anyway I have enjoyed so far Rashomon, In a Bamboo Grove, and I am completing the third story, The Nose.These and three other stories, I have not yet read, are part of his collection titled A World In Decay. Now Rashomon, the short story, pretty much is straight forward on this theme. Yet the next two In a Bamboo Grove and The Nose, seem a little more abstract on this theme.
So has anyone read any of these stories by Akruagawa? I love to discuss them and find out what other peoples interpretations are on them.
Ryunosuke Akutagawa and his work
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Jet_Jaguar
- Shugyosha<Student Warrior>
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I have that book too. Haven't read the whole thing yet (only about the first third), but what I've read so far is interesting. I think my favorite story so far is "Dragon: The Old Potter's Tale." I would say that the book is worth picking up if you have any interest at all in Japanese literature. The cover artwork by A Drifting Life writer/artist Yoshihiro Tatsumi is pretty nice too.
If you're interested in reading a different translation of "In a Grove," this book includes one:
http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Japan-Japa ... 420&sr=1-3
According to the Kurodahan Press website, one of their upcoming volumes of Kaiki: Uncanny Tales From Japan will include a story by Akutagawa. The Japanese title of the story listed on this page came out of Google Translate as "Bizarre Reunion":
http://www.kurodahan.com/mt/e/catalog/j ... .html#more
In addition to Kurosawa's Rashomon there are a few other film adaptations of Akutagawa's work, including an adaptation of "Hell Screen":
http://www.animeigo.com/products/samurai/portrait-hell
If you're interested in reading a different translation of "In a Grove," this book includes one:
http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Japan-Japa ... 420&sr=1-3
According to the Kurodahan Press website, one of their upcoming volumes of Kaiki: Uncanny Tales From Japan will include a story by Akutagawa. The Japanese title of the story listed on this page came out of Google Translate as "Bizarre Reunion":
http://www.kurodahan.com/mt/e/catalog/j ... .html#more
In addition to Kurosawa's Rashomon there are a few other film adaptations of Akutagawa's work, including an adaptation of "Hell Screen":
http://www.animeigo.com/products/samurai/portrait-hell
"It doesn't matter whom you are paired against;
your opponent is always yourself."
-Nakamura (via Joe R. Lansdale's Mucho Mojo)
your opponent is always yourself."
-Nakamura (via Joe R. Lansdale's Mucho Mojo)