Banana Fish Episode 21 Review: The Undefeated

We are entering the final stretch of the series, with just three more episodes left until what promises to be a thrilling finale. We see Ash and the Banana Splits facing their toughest obstacle yet. There’s no rest for the wicked and with a new opponent taking the stage, Ash will have to use everything in his arsenal to come out alive… or will this finally be the end for Ash and co. Find out in this week’s thrilling episode, ‘The Undefeated’.

Japanese Title: 敗れざる者

Plot

Ash and Eiji managed to escape Yut Lung, but when an injured Sing shows up at their hideout begging for their aid in helping rescue his men, the pair gears up for yet another showdown. Meanwhile Yut Lung and Sing’s right-hand man, Yuen-Tai Lao team up to take down Ash once and for all.

Episode Highlights

Background Details: I mentioned this early on, but the background details are what make or break a series. In BANANA FISH, the streets of NY come alive thanks to the small touches that give the city a grungy lived-in feel. Case in point, the graffiti in this week’s episode was on point, breathing life into the various locales in this week’s episode.

Gay Bar: In order to get some dirt on one of Papa Dino’s associates, Ash and Max infiltrate a local gay bar, under the guise of a gay couple… and it’s just as awkward as you’d imagine. But, the chemistry between Ash and Max is undeniable, vacillating between light-hearted teasing to some genuinely heartwarming moments.

Purge By Fire: After obtaining some illicit photos of Ash and the other children Dino exploited, Max and Robert make plans to finally get justice for the victims. Ash offers to have them use only his photos in an effort to spare the other victims any pain. But, in one of the most moving moments in the episode, Max takes Ash’s photos and burns them, urging the younger boy to forget the pain of his past.

Themes & Trivia

Meaningful Title: All the episode titles have been references to novels and short stories by famous American authors. This week’s episode is no different, borrowing its title from the 1927 short story by American author Ernest Hemingway!

Omamori: They are Japanese amulets (charms) sold at shrines and temples that are said to provide luck and/or protection to the owner. Eiji is seen holding one that he received from his sister; his omamori is for granting luck in love.

Comments

It’s the final countdown. With only a handful of episodes left in the series, everything is starting to come to a head. Dino and Yut Lung have doubled their efforts to take down Ash and the rest of the Banana Splits. Despite their best efforts, everything is going downhill fast, and yet that’s when this series really shines. When things look dismal, the heroes come back stronger and better than before, but, unlike their previous foes, Colonel Eduardo Foxx is on a whole different level. Ruthless, cunning, and sadistic, he lives for the hunt and with Ash in his crosshairs, he’s just found a formidable opponent.

With so many characters gearing up for the final showdown the tone of the series has taken a shift. This is where the winners will be determined, and not everyone is going to make it till the end of the road. In a series where anything goes, the stakes are at their highest!

The Carp on the Chopping Block Jumps Twice

All the carefully woven plot points of the series are finally coming to a head as BANANA FISH enters its final three episodes. The stakes are higher than they’ve ever been and it’s anyone’s guess where the series will end (unless you’re like me and you’ve read the manga).

I’ll be back next week with another BANANA FISH review, but in the meantime, be sure to check out MANGA.TOKYO’s other amazing Fall 2018 reviews!!

NEXT TIME: As I Lay Dying (死の床に横たわりて)