Blue Literature
Aoi Bungaku
HELL SCREEN
Akutagawa Ryuunosuke overwhelmed the world with his artistic writing.
Host Sakai Masato
But when the Taisho era ended, his days of agony began.
At that time,
"I-novels" derived from personal experiences became popular.
Akutagawa's works, which contained material from classical and Western sources,
were criticized as "artificial products" and "artificial flowers."
Akutagawa, as if responding to the times,
took on the challenge of an I-novel.
However, he did not receive the same critical praise as before.
In the second year of Showa (1927), on July 24,
Akutagawa Ryuunosuke committed suicide.
According to the suicide notes,
he said he had "vague fears regarding my future."
Here is a representative work of his middle period,
A work representing the middle of Akutagawa's life, published in 1918.
"Hell Screen."
This story describes a man who sacrifices everything for art.
It seems to foreshadow Akutagawa's own destiny.
They are evergreen because they are masterpieces.
"Hell Screen."
Please watch.
HELL SCREEN
This is wonderful.
A fine portrait full of diverse pleasures.
I haven't seen anything like it before.
My beautiful head was said to be impossible to draw.
You've painted it without getting a single strand of hair wrong.
Just as I'd expect from the best artist in the world.
Let me praise you, Yoshihide.
I am honored to do this work.
This is certainly fitting for our country, the place that perfected painting.
This is a great work, and it makes me proud.
That's right, Yoshihide.
You will paint an even greater work next.
A greater work?
I expect your skills to fill a big canvas,
with all the scenery in this beautiful country...
What happened?
You're too noisy!
The emperor is in the middle of a banquet.
Help me.
You're insolent.
Don't touch me with your dirty hands!
What a terrible thing.
Back off.
That's terrible.
What's the trouble?
They're interrupting the banquet.
Cut off their heads or something.
No...
It was terrible.
Those people didn't do anything wrong.
Damn it.
Mitsuki.
I've been creating art for many years.
Sometimes, I'm really disgusted through and through.
Father.
The Emperor always orders me to draw beautiful aristocrats,
or glamorous castles.
I have no clue at all.
I don't understand one bit...
the beauty of this country,
or what the Emperor calls beauty.
Father.
Mitsuki.
Soon, I might not be able to paint the kind of pictures that the Emperor wants.
When that happens, most likely...
it will be my final work.
Yoshihide, you've come.
I've summoned you here today for no other reason.
I want your next work to show your supreme skills.
Anyway, let's talk once we get inside.
It's too dirty here.
Make way!
Yoshihide.
Isn't this wonderful?
This magnificent and graceful form.
This is a sacred mausoleum where I intend my bones to be buried.
When it was complete, I'd intended to decorate it with treasures from all over,
but I've changed my mind.
Yoshihide, I command you.
Paint the sights of my country on this wall.
These beautiful people...
This beautiful city...
This gorgeous world...
Draw them as they are,
so that when I die, I can continue to rule over this country.
The sights of this country.
Understood.
Your humble servant Yoshihide will show you the epic work of his life.
Step aside! Step aside!
Bring fire.
It's a plague. Burn it.
Open the gate.
Hurry.
Father!
Where are you?
Step back, step back, step back!
Murderers!
He's still alive!
You murderers!
Shut up, you beggar!
It's a human pillar.
Father.
They buried that person alive in order to strengthen the wall.
Or perhaps...
it was to serve as an example to the slaves who worked here.
It's terrible.
Mitsuki.
Look.
This is truly...
This is truly... the world as I see it.
The construction's gone on for a long time.
It's finally done.
What's left is...
Yoshihide.
What is this painting?
I commanded you to draw the sights of this country.
Isn't this like a picture of Hell?
A picture of Hell sounds interesting.
This truly captures the sights of this country.
I, Yoshihide, have created the most epic work of my lifetime.
Daughter, why didn't you stop him?
This is a holy mausoleum meant to house my remains!
This is blasphemy against me! Rebellion!
You're also guilty!
Then decapitate my sinful body.
You can throw my corpse in the river.
You can bury me in these walls as a lesson to the rebels.
Drawn here is the plight of this country, as Yoshihide saw it with his own eyes.
It's the painting that the Emperor demanded.
The number one artist in this world, Yoshihide,
has created the epic work of his lifetime.
Both Father and I are prepared to sacrifice our lives for this painting.
Bring Yoshihide here.
That man has tried to oppose me.
I'll show him!
The death penalty...
The death penalty!
What?
He asked me to come?
Where?
Go where?
Go to Hell?
Go to the blazing inferno?
Who?
Who are you?
Who?
Hey.
I can't hear them.
I can't hear the suffering voices.
The sight of human suffering isn't like this.
The flames that burn through people...
The flames of Hell.
I...
I don't know... the real Hell yet.
What? You can't draw it?
That's right.
What? Are you pleading for your life now, Yoshihide?
That's unsightly.
No.
This life could end at any time.
I would not regret it at all.
There's just...
Stop it, you coward.
There's just one thing.
If I haven't seen something, I can't draw it.
I can't die without drawing that.
Then, what is it that you can't draw?
In the midst of the mausoleum,
I want to draw the the flames from the inferno burning in Hell.
And... in the midst of those flames...
In the midst of those flames,
a suffering human whose flesh is burning.
The attack of the flames' poisonous smoke,
and the sight of a human's agonizing death.
The distorted hair, the hands that reach for the skies,
the crimson rain of flames that touch the white skin.
I can't draw it at all.
Please.
Please let me draw that, whatever it takes.
If I can draw that...
There's no need to ask if you can or can't.
We'll do everything you requested.
Yoshihide, look carefully.
The person standing there is a female criminal who rebelled against me.
You know her too.
I will set fire to her now.
I will create the inferno of Hell.
Then, certainly, the flesh of that woman will burn,
her bones will be scorched, and she will suffer to the end.
Don't look away from the sight of her snow-like skin burning!
And the sight of her long hair dancing in the flames. Look carefully!
Set the flames!
Mitsuki!
A magnificent sight that will not be seen again for generations!
Mitsuki...
Father.
Draw.
Draw me.
It can't be...
Mitsuki.
Mitsuki!
bokutachi wa nanika wo sagashite mitsukedasu tame ni
In order to find something,
osoku okita asa demo
we open our eyes every day,
mainichi me wo samasu da
even if we wake up late.
it's not too late
It's not too late.
we say hello
We say hello.
chotto demo waratte
Smile, even for just a bit,
itsudatte konosekai wa anataga hitsuyou dakara
because this world will always need you.
it's not too late
It's not too late.
we say hello we say hello
We say hello. We say hello.