The first half of the novella, which focuses on Mikage adjusting to life in the Tanabe household after her own loneliness, was my favorite.
Told from Mikage’s point of view, the novel’s deceptively simplistic language and casual, conversational tone unfolded into profundity at unexpected moments. Since my introduction to Kitchen through Undertale was frankly unsettling, the book was unlike any of my expectations – and I enjoyed the book for what it was much more.
The unconditional support of this found family, and her passion for cooking, guide Mikage down the path to healing after loss. A young man named Yuichi Tanabe unexpectedly invites her to live with him and his transgender mother, Eriko. Kitchen follows a young woman, Mikage Sakurai, who struggles with grief after her grandmother’s death leaves her alone in the world.
It just took me about two years to get there. That is one hell of an unsettling statement, and I knew that I would eventually have to read this book. Do they both wish for death? That means their love will end in hell. I see two lovers staring over the edge of the cauldron of hell. Upon encountering two characters who begin dating in a pacifist run, the narrator says: Screenshot from introduction of Undertale.Ĭonnecting Kitchen to any of this madness is a single quote found exclusively in the no mercy route. These differing approaches have enormous consequences for the world, the player, and even the narrator (whose identity is a popular topic for fandom debate). Others embark on a no mercy run that emphasizes the traditional mechanics of RPG games: you defeat enemies and increase your stats. Most players adhere to the pacifist route, where you spare and befriend the various monsters you encounter on your adventure. A fairytale premise (a human child falls into an underground world of monsters and must find their way home) combined with loveable characters, hilarious japes, and challenging yet simple gameplay made for one of the most sincere gaming experiences of recent years. Undertale, “the RPG game where you don’t have to destroy anyone,” was first released in 2015 and became an internet sensation. However, I actually found Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto – and came to love it before ever reading it – through a video game. I wish I could say that I picked this book up because I’m trying to read more literature in translation (true), or because of its reputation, critically acclaimed in Japan upon publication in 1988 (also true).
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