Comet resident

Author: Yutaka Shimada
Translator: Lu Qiushi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features: The tragic trilogy "Infinite Canon" by the renowned writer Yutaka Shimada, known as the "Prince of the Japanese literary world," stirred a great uproar in Japan upon its publication due to its allusions to the romantic affairs within the Japanese imperial family. The second installment, "Beautiful Soul," was even banned for three years before finally being released. The trilogy's title, "Comet Dweller," metaphorically suggests the protagonist's love as distant and unattainable as a comet. Through the passionate yet sorrowful love stories of four generations of the "Madame Butterfly" family, the novel reflects the cruel mockery of time and fate toward people.
In the late 19th century, the young "Madame Butterfly" fell in love with an American naval officer but was ruthlessly abandoned. She ultimately took her own life, and their son endured immense suffering as he was caught between the warring nations of the United States and Japan. Their grandson, Kazuto, fell in love with a beautiful and gentle actress, only to discover she was the secret lover of General Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander of the U.S. occupation forces. The great-grandson, Ashi, became entangled in a "forbidden love," making it impossible for the lovers to be together.
Many critics have pointed out that the life experiences of the female protagonists, Nukawa Fumiko, in the trilogy closely resemble those of Princess Masako, the wife of the Japanese crown prince. It is evident that she was inspired by Masako, particularly in the second installment, "Beautiful Soul." The novel depicts Ashi traveling alone to the United States in search of his childhood sweetheart, Fumiko. Between hope and despair, his young heart finally blooms into a beautiful love story. However, Fumiko suddenly faces an impossible choice: the Japanese crown prince also falls in love with her, and the Imperial Household Agency relentlessly pursues her, forcing her to marry into the imperial family. Ashi uses his innate musical talent as a weapon to fight against the overwhelming power and tragic fate.
By the third installment, "Tragic Love of," Ashi flees alone to the distant Island, where he relives his sweet past love and unexpectedly encounters Fumiko. Yet, true love may only find fulfillment in the afterlife. Yutaka Shimada, an expert in music, chose "Infinite Canon" as the title for the trilogy, showcasing his ingenious creativity. A canon is a form of polyphonic music where one melody is imitated by another throughout the piece. "Infinite Canon" not only reflects the pervasive musical atmosphere throughout the work but also cleverly reveals the protagonist's tragic, cyclical fate.
In addition to using Masako as the prototype for Fumiko, Shimada also depicted the physical relationship between Ashi and Fumiko in "Beautiful Soul." It was already an open secret that Masako had experienced romantic feelings before entering the palace, but the Japanese media avoided discussing it as a taboo subject. Because of this, "Beautiful Soul" was banned for three years before being published, and Shimada nearly became a target of attack by Japanese right-wing groups.
In an interview, Shimada admitted that it would have been a lie to say he did not think of Masako while writing. However, he added that he had made some changes to the novel before publication to distinguish the protagonist from Masako. He compared it to the portrayal of the emperor in "The Tale of Genji," stating, "I hope everyone forgets the issue of the prototype and reads it as a love story." He emphasized that "Infinite Canon" could be considered his masterpiece, as he had attempted to create a modern version of "The Tale of Genji."
As a writer with broad literary knowledge, Shimada is not unfamiliar with Chinese literature. He has read works by Lao She, Mo Yan, and Bei Dao. Recently, he has been particularly interested in the story of Xu Fu and is collecting materials to write a novel based on Chinese history.
In "Comet Dweller," Shimada wrote about Harbin, China, but he clarified that these descriptions were fictional, as he had never visited the city. In November of this year, Shimada plans to visit China for the seventh time, revisiting cities like Beijing and Shanghai, once again stepping onto the land that inspired his creativity.