Rashomon and other stories (1952)

Paperback

Language: English (Original in Japanese)

Author: Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Translator: Takashi Kojima

Few of us would know Ryūnosuke Akutagawa as the man who wrote Rashomon. A story immortalized on silver screen by Akira Kurosawa.

For the majority of us who don't bother to see credit titles, Akutagawa is a legend of Japanese literature, he is called the "Father of Japanese short story". He has a premier Japanese literary award named after him. A legend who lived in the late 1800’s and committed suicide 35 years later.

This book has 6 stories. The first two are the ones which Kurosawa made as Rashomon, In a groove and Rashomon. Every line of these two short stories you read brings before you Kurosawa’s movie, frame by frame. At the end of it you are confused if you want to praise the literary brilliance of Akutagawa or the faithful adaptation Kurosawa gave us (which by itself is an amazingly great movie).

Yam Gruel, the next story has some good humour in it. It is about a low ranking Samurai waiting for an opportunity to have his favorite yam gruel. And it has what you can call, a moral of the story. The next story “The Martyr” is a story about an orphan raised by Jesuit priests. “Kesa & Morito” , the next story is told in the form of a monologue of Morito and then Kesa. It is a story of a man who has to kill someone at the behest of his lover, whom he doesn’t love.

The last story, “The Dragon” is the story of a priest who by spreading a rumour about a dragon wants to go one up with his fellow priests because they make fun of his large nose. The story reminds one of the famous NFDC (India) animated promo against rumour from the late 1980’s.

The stories showcase how humans react when they come face to face with lust, greed, poverty etc. A special mention should go to Takashi Kojima, the translator of the stories. Amazingly written, super dooper read.

Most recommended.