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Blue Literature Series

Also known as Aoi Bungaku Series

青い文学シリーズ

Anthology series adapting six modern classics of Japanese literature:

No Longer Human (Ningen Shikkaku) by Dazai Osamu — A high school student becomes lost and alienated. Despondent and aimless, he falls into a cycle of self abuse, depression and drugs that taints his life for years. Told in three chapters, each chapter deals with a different point in his life and the final chapter leaves him standing alone — an empty and hollow caricature of his former self.

In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom (Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita) by Sakaguchi Ango — A love story between a 12th-century woman and a mountain bandit who abducts her.

Run, Melos! (Hashire, Melos!) by Dazai Osamu — An updated retelling of a classic Greek tale of the story of Damon and Pythias. Unwavering friendship is the most prominent theme of this retelling. Despite facing hardships, the protagonist Melos does his best to save his friend's life, and in the end his efforts are rewarded.

Hell Screen (Jigoku Hen) by Akutagawa Ryuunosuke — A famous artist is commissioned by a great lord to create a series of paintings depicting scenes of the Buddhist Hell. The artist is unable to paint scenes that he has not seen himself, prompting him to torture and torment the Lord's staff to create his imagined images of hell. His creative efforts taint the household, as the story descends into madness and destruction.

Kokoro by Natsume Souseki — A 1914 tale of a young man's life journey during the Meiji era. The work deals with the transition from the Japanese Meiji society to the modern era, by exploring the friendship between a young man and an older man he calls Sensei. It continues the theme of isolation developed in Souseki's previous works, here in the context of interwoven strands of egoism and guilt, as opposed to shame.

The Spider's Thread (Kumo no Ito) by Akutagawa Ryuunosuke — The Buddha Shakyamuni chances to notice a cold-hearted criminal suffering in Hell. But this criminal did perform one single act of kindness in not stepping on a spider in a forest. Moved by this selfless act, Shakyamuni takes the silvery thread of a spider in Paradise and lowers it down into Hell, but it falls upon the criminal to seize the opportunity and pull himself out — if he can.

TV anime, 12 episodes, Fall 2009, MADHOUSE. Episode guide with the official trailer and links to licensed services. Studio MADHOUSE. Genres: Drama, Psychological, Romance, Thriller. Season: Fall 2009.

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Characters and voice cast

Staff

Rankings on AniList: #27 highest rated 2009, #21 most popular 2009, #7 highest rated fall 2009, #8 most popular fall 2009.

AniList members score Blue Literature Series 73/100. On their lists: 2,115 watching, 14,589 completed, 29,598 planning to watch, 1,878 dropped; 572 favourites.

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Episodes

  1. Episode 1: No Longer Human - Chapter 1: Double Suicide in Kamakura
  2. Episode 2: No Longer Human - Chapter 2: Ghost
  3. Episode 3: No Longer Human - Chapter 3: Society
  4. Episode 4: No Longer Human - Chapter 4: New World
  5. Episode 5: In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom: Chapter 1
  6. Episode 6: In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom: Chapter 2
  7. Episode 7: Kokoro: Chapter 1
  8. Episode 8: Kokoro: Chapter 2
  9. Episode 9: Run, Melos! - Chapter 1
  10. Episode 10: Run, Melos! - Chapter 2
  11. Episode 11: The Spider's Thread
  12. Episode 12: Hell Screen