Portrait of Hell.
The masterpiece from the middle of Ryunosuke Akutagawa's career.
Set in the medieval period,
its protagonist is a Kyoto painter named Yoshihide.
"Episode 7"
Yoshihide was the finest painter in the city,
but was shunned for his looks and arrogant attitude.
But he had one thing he loved in his life: his daughter.
One day, his noble patron orders him to paint a portrait of hell.
Yoshihide can only paint things he's seen,
so he tortures his students in an attempt to depict hell's torments.
But the centerpiece of the painting,
the scene where a woman is to be burned by the fires of hell, stymied him.
A while later, Yoshihide is summoned by his patron.
He finds his daughter tied up inside a carriage.
He does nothing to save his daughter from the flames. He simply watches.
Thus, the portrait of hell is completed, and it is said to be a masterpiece.
That sounds just like Ryu.
Damn it!
Why can't I delve inside?
We've never had a situation where no one could delve before.
Normally, the tainted book would call to someone, who could delve.
If that's not happening...
Perhaps the book doesn't want anyone to stop its destruction.
Is that possible?
The protagonist of the story, Yoshihide,
reflects in a sense Ryu's ideals about novels and art.
Ideals?
An absolute devotion to art, which separates art and life,
and is willing to sacrifice everything to write. To create.
That is the life he longed for.
But he failed to realize it,
and denounced his old works with a ferocity greater than anyone.
Ryu once debated his friend Junichiro Tanizaki in a series of magazine columns.
"1927"
"Literary, All Too Literary"
There is one thought that is always in my mind these days:
do novels really need dramatic stories?
Whether a story is truly "artistic" is something I greatly doubt.
Removing the interesting aspects of a story
means abandoning what makes novels unique.
Don't readers look to novels to give them a taste of the extraordinary?
And more than anything, Ryunosuke Akutagawa,
haven't your own books drawn more readers than
any others with the prospect of fantastic stories?
Perhaps.
But that's why I think...
...the words I wrote cannot form a true novel.
And so the author denies his own novels?
Is that such a bad thing?
It's out of character for him.
For him to come to hate his own works later.
I'm very curious to know what caused such a change of heart.
Hey! Dazai!
This has never happened before.
A reincarnated author's book was tainted, and its author swallowed up...
"Portrait of Hell" Is the Taint just that strong?
Or...
Dazai?
What do you want?
No! Stop!
What are you doing?
What else?
I'm going to save Akutagawa-sensei!
You can't!
The book has to call you before you can enter!
We won't know until we try!
Stop! Or it will taint you too!
You...
There's lots I want to say to Ryu too.
I can't leave it to just you!
Listen to me for once, Ryu!
Both of you!
What?
Where are we?
Akutagawa-sensei?
You're both very stubborn.
So please...
My book...
Where are we?
Inside the book, presumably.
What a filthy man.
I'd rather not look at him.
--He's always so gloomy. --Ryu!
--Who knows what thoughts are going through his head... --No, that's...
I see.
He's turned into Yoshihide, the protagonist of the book?
Father!
Oh, you came to get me?
Yes.
Dinner's ready.
What do we do?
If we lead this book to its proper conclusion, we can save the book.
So I'm going to...
Well, let's see what you can do, I guess.
Excuse me!
Coming!
Hello.
I'm a traveling painter of no renown.
Yoshihide-san, I've heard of your skill and have a request.
--Please make me your student. --I refuse.
I'm not interested.
Please leave.
Come on! Please!
I'm a big fan! I'm begging you!
I'll do your chores and stuff!
No.
--Please! Please! --Dad, he seems to really want it.
Why not make him your student?
--Way to go, daughter! You're smart! And pretty!
--If you say so... --Way to go, daughter! You're smart! And pretty!
Hooray!
Great, huh?
Thank you.
It's thanks to you...
I don't know when the Taint will try to interfere.
So the safest thing to do should be to stay by his side.
He lives with his daughter?
Sensei...
Do we have to climb up this high?
That looks like a good spot!
We're going all the way up there?
I was told to paint birds flying in the sky.
So you came all the way up here?
I can only paint what I see.
Only after seeing it can I make it my own.
And only then can I turn the image in my mind into a picture.
Make it your own?
It's the only way I know to paint.
This makes no sense...
It's not supposed to be such a peaceful story!
Is the story's development being stopped?
If that's possible...
I knew you'd be there, Taint!
Wait!
Intruder! Get him!
Where is he?
Don't lose him!
Follow him!
Who is it this time?
I already have a student.
You seem happy.
Where'd he go?
Work's going well.
Your daughter is all smiles.
Nothing dramatic happens, but it's a good life.
What are you trying to say?
A peaceful life with no story.
Maybe this is what you really wanted to write.
Huh?
Tell me, Ryu.
If you regret writing this story...
What?
You!
That hurts. What's wrong with you?
I knew something was off!
Why did you delve when you hated Akutagawa-sensei's books?
I don't hate them. I criticized them.
You intend to erase them, don't you?
Erase his books because you don't like them!
In his last years, Ryu hated his past works and their emphasis on stories.
But that doesn't mean...
This Portrait of Hell is like a curse
that Ryu created to devour himself.
Are you really Shiga?
Or did a Taint take you over?
I can't let you get near Akutagawa-sensei!
I'll protect this book!
Do whatever you want.
Wait!
Father!
Our lord wants your daughter.
Feel honored.
Father!
Wait! Don't take her!
Father!
Yes. This is what should happen.
What's wrong?
Get closer to me.
Is there something you want?
I'll give you anything you want.
I want nothing.
A folding screen?
Yes.
It seems your daughter misses her father deeply.
I thought that perhaps she would feel less lonely if
she had something her father painted.
What sort of painting would you like?
Hmm... Hell.
I want hell.
Hell?
Yes. Paint me a scene of misery and terror from the depths of hell.
You're the finest painter in Kyoto.
You can do it easily, right?
So you're going to paint it for him?
Yes, I will.
If I make him something of incredible quality,
perhaps he'll give her back.
I'm going to do it.
Sensei...
And I need your help.
Come with me.
Huh?
Why?!
I told you.
I can only paint what I've seen.
The folding screen needs a painting of a sinner being tied up by hell's demons.
I know that, but...
I want more of an expression of pure suffering!
It's digging in! It's digging in!
Is this necessary?
Is this really necessary?
I want more suffering!
Damn it!
Come closer.
I told you, I'll give you anything you want.
What upsets you?
What do you want?
I want to return to my father.
Lord!
The painter...
What?
You can't paint it?
What do you mean you can't paint it?
I want to paint a girl being burned by hellfire in the center of the screen.
But I can only paint what I've seen.
That's not an excuse.
I can't do it, and that's the end of it.
But you could if you saw it, right?
Yes. But...
Very well.
I'll help you, then.
Th-This is...
Be thankful, painter.
I'll show you a scene from hell.
Father!
Father! Father!
Help me, Father!
Father!
Wait!
Where are you going?
You... What are you doing?
Go back, Sensei.
This isn't right.
What are you talking about?
What kind of father would let his daughter burn?
But this story...
Thank you, Father.
For saving me.
I love you...
A gentle father who saves his daughter.
What's wrong with that? What's bad about that?
It's this story that's wrong.
It should disappear.
There you are...
What is this?
Get back, Akutagawa-sensei.
Akutagawa?
You're going to burn and die, and never even be painted.
Too bad, delver.
I was a little worried,
but it seems to have cut you just fine.
You...
You screwed up big, kid.
If you knew, you should've helped!
Yeah, right.
No way in hell you were going to listen to a word I said.
We didn't finish our discussion, Ryu.
If you regret writing this book, I'm fine with that.
After you finish a book, you think you're the greatest writer ever.
And then the next day is filled with drinking and regrets.
And on the third day, you love it even more.
I criticized your books, Ryu.
But I've never wanted them to disappear.
Ryu, even if Portrait of Hell is, to you, a curse,
it's still a part of your soul.
So...
Don't let your guard down!
It's hopeless.
If the girl gets away, the story is...
I won't let that happen!
Ryu!
Look closely!
"Portrait of Hell"
Thank you, Dazai-kun.
No, it wasn't me who saved your book.
It was Shiga.
"Portrait of Hell"
Literary Gourmet!
"Forget about Katsu Sandwiches and Think of Girls."
You like sandwiches, right, Tanizaki-kun?
"Katsu Sandwich: A filling meal of crispy katsu and plenty of shredded cabbage between toasted bread." The combination of katsu sandwiches and coffee is delicious.
"Katsu Sandwich: A filling meal of crispy katsu and plenty of shredded cabbage between toasted bread." And there're other things I recommend too.
What's that?
A sandwich of sausages and cucumbers...
I find it so tantalizing...
Why high heels?
This feels like we can't broadcast it...
--Look at this ripe, juicy cucumber... --Akutagawa-sensei, let's call off the broadcast!
--Like the curves of a beautiful woman... --Stop! Stop! Stop!
--I can't take it anymore! --Stop! Stop! Stop!
No more!