BANANA FISH
Banana Fish - Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
Easter Eggs
The series title, "Banana Fish," is a direct reference to J.D. Salinger's 1948 short story, "A Perfect Day for Bananafish."
Salinger's story explores themes of post-war trauma, materialism, and the loss of innocence, culminating in the protagonist's suicide. This reference foreshadows the series' own exploration of trauma and its tragic conclusion, with Ash Lynx paralleling the story's protagonist, Seymour Glass.
The final episode is titled "The Catcher in the Rye," another famous work by J.D. Salinger.
Salinger's novel is famously about protecting innocence, a central theme in Ash's relationship with Eiji. Ash's ultimate decision to die can be seen as a sacrifice to protect Eiji's innocence and ensure he is never targeted again because of his connection to Ash.
Ash explicitly discusses Ernest Hemingway's short story "The Snows of Kilimanjaro."
Ash compares his own life to that of the leopard in the story, which dies on the mountain, unable to get back down. This reveals Ash's deep-seated fatalism and his belief that he is doomed and cannot return to a normal life. Eiji's rejection of this comparison becomes a key point in their relationship.