Quotes from Banana Fish

Shorter Wong: "Once you hit rock bottom, there is nowhere to go but up."
Ash Lynx: "You underestimate me. I have brought a pickaxe and I am ready to dig!"

War is always good business for those in power.

Yue-Lung: "Ash gives Eiji flowers every day. I wish you'd do that."
[next day, Sing gives Eiji flowers]
Eiji: "What?"
Sing: "I don't get it either, dude."

I know there's at least one person in this world who cares about me. Who doesn't want anything from me. Do you have any idea what that's like? I never did, not once in my entire life, until now. And that's worth more to me than anything else.

Come back safely. I'll be waiting for you, forever.

If I'm going to die anyways, at least I'll die trying.

Watergate is history, Max. Don't tell me you still believe the pen is mightier than the sword.

Stay with me... I won't ask "forever". Just for now, Eiji.

Shorter: "What a beautiful day in New York it is today."
Ash: "It truly is just the most beautiful day."
Shorter: "Eiji sent you a good morning text didn't he?"
Ash: "With a heart emoji!"

I already know you're a sick man. Hope the plane doesn't crash - with you on board, it'll go straight to hell. Not fair to the other passengers.

I'm sorry, Ibe, but believe me when I say this: I'll die before I let them lay a finger on Eiji.

Ash, I can't anymore. Set me free. I'm in so much pain.

Don't mind me... you guys need something? Some snacks? A condom?

Aren't there any decent parents in this world? It's not like kids get to choose them at birth, you know. And they can't exchange them if they turn out to be losers.

My words might not mean anything now, but just remember one thing. Even if the world turns on you, I'll always be on your side.

Logic's got nothing to do with it. Strength is all that counts. That's how it works on the street!

I wonder if I'm dying somewhere. I remember everything, but it's peaceful. I see it again, but there isn't any pain. Leave the weight of joy and sorrow alike down in that bed. That's how death lifts away, doesn't it?

I'm not afraid of death. People are funny because, of course, they don't know anything about death. They never experienced it and knew it was something to fear, but they fear it instinctively. There've been countless times in my life when I thought I'd be better off dead. That nothing could be worse than what was happening to me right then. At times like that... death looks sweet and peaceful, and unbearably enticing.

That guy always regarded me as a human being with a real heart, not some sort of tool.

Innocence can be more dangerous than guns sometimes.

If we don't fight back now, we'll forever be expendable tools.

You asked me over and over if you scared me. But I never feared you. Not once.

Look, sun's setting. Sunrise and sunset are about the only times this junkyard of a city looks good.

Ash,
I am very worried because I haven't seen you and I don't know if you are okay.
You said to me before, "we live in different worlds," but I am not sure if that is true. We are from different countries, and our skin and eyes are different colours. But so what? We are friends. Isn't that enough? What else do we need?
I am very happy I came to America. I made many friends here. Above all… I met you, Ash.
You asked me many times if you scare me. But I never felt scared of you, not even once, From the first time I met you.
Actually, I always felt that you are hurt, much more than me - that your spirit is wounded.
I know you are much smarter than me, and bigger, and stronger - but even so, I always wanted to protect you. Funny, isn't it?
But what did I want to protect you from?
I think I wanted to protect you from your future. Because your fate was sweeping you away, like a flood.
Do you remember telling me about the leopard in the Hemingway book? He died at the top of the mountain, and you said he knew he will never go back down. But I said you are not a leopard, and that you can change your future. It's true, Ash. You can change your fate.
You are not alone, Ash. I am with you. My soul is always with you.