Attachment to passionate desires are oddly the most hurtful things in life, despite appearing to be the most rewarding. In particular think about the times when you could not have what you felt you really wanted. It’s kind of like the lyrics to one of my favorite songs by The Smiths, I Want the One I Can’t Have. (some of the lyrics are at the end of this posting) It is when love becomes attached to a certain outcome that it becomes dangerous and we have all been guilty, some of us more than others. As the old saying says, if you let anything go and it comes back it is meant to stay is completely true. But what if love, or desires, does not come back around or can’t find an avenue to reciprocate? And I am talking about more than just romantic love… goals, dreams and aspirations are also in play in this game. Love then turns to pain… and maybe the best story, myth, fable, whatever you wish to call it that shows this idea of pure attachment leading to detachment is The Little Mermaid and it is Toei’s 1975 production that sets the standard for me.
Desire can be a dangerous thing, particularly in our times. Constant barrages from various media sources, store shelves, seeing supposedly successful people in our everyday lives and meeting expectations from our cultural upbringing can often cloud us with desires that are not our own. Even an attractive fellow human can seem quite distant to get to know. Yet what the heart wants often can’t be denied. I consider love to be unconditional acceptance, but there are too many conditions and prerequisites sometimes with relationships, dreams, passions, etc. Sometimes we realize things a little too late and we have to learn from the disappointment that we can’t always have what we ‘think’ we desire. … one question to ask is this my desire, or is this something I see in others that I feel I have to have as well?
Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid is one of the greatest romantic tragedies of all time. Forget the white washed version Disney has used as happy ever after propaganda selling the fate that love conquers all, Toei’s 1975 release is more pure in direction to the heartbreak and sacrifice of the original story. A young mermaid, Marina, who is idealistic and full of hope and desire sells her self to go after a dream, a dream of meeting a prince who she only saw once. Sacrificing her voice to achieve human legs she joins the human world and meets her beau, but he does not have the same feelings of attraction towards her as she does towards him. Plus, she has no way to confess her feelings since she became mute. To reverse this situation her sisters sacrifice their hair to obtain a knife to kill the prince to break Marina’s debt to the Sea Witch for granting her a human form. Marina has the opportunity to return to the sea with her voice and tail and live her life as she once did… but she is not the same girl as before. She decides instead to sacrifice herself by accepting her fate by becoming sea foam and takes her life in place of the prince’s knowing she is in a no-win situation. … I cry every time at every viewing.
There is so much in life no matter what circumstance, or whatever marketing others may say indirectly, that I have come to realize that I can’t have exactly what ‘I want’. A portion of it yes in whatever ways I feel comfortable, but if I was wiser as a youth, and braver, and pursued the heart then it could have been possible, or maybe not. But then, if I would have attained what I thought I wanted, desired, could I handle the responsibility and live unconditionally? Life and love can be at times cruel and makes me wonder is that are we destined to discover there are boundaries we can’t cross in our lives and the best we can do is watch some one else take the prize either that may be rightfully their’s in the first place (or not depending on nepotism), or pursue as best we can within the constrictions and day by day remind ourselves that we are doing the best we can with what is available. … I am doing my best by choosing the later of these two options. And in my own way I find out over time what is really important and dear to me.
“On the day that your mentality catches up with your biology… Cause I want the one I can’t have and it’s driving me mad… It’s all over, all over my face.” …
Lots of love always goes to Disney’s version. I remember when it was brand new in the theaters and eventually home video, wearing out VCRs all over the place. Ariel defined a generation as Disney came back strong after years of releasing films that did not attach significantly with audiences. And that’s because films need to make a lot of money to be successful? In any case my sister was all over the Disney release. And I though now wait a minute, didn’t we see this years earlier? And it looked a lot better (anime art style bias on my part). That and Ariel gets to, in the end, win? WIN! Life happily ever after? Uh, Disney, did you read the source material at all? Did Hans Christian Andersen ever write a happy story? I am sure he did, but every one I have read sure goes with the standard I know well.
I often think about how much trauma I was subjected to as a child from entertainment. Trauma may not be the right word, maybe a dose of reality outside of a rose tinted fantasy that we all at some time must face the tragic. Watership Down, the death of Optimus Prime and Marina’s final moment all left their mark or memory, but Marina’s is personal. To sacrifice one’s own life knowing that you can never make the other person return the love that one has for another is quite moving. Not to the same extent, but sacrifice is very powerful theme that I love in other anime: Night on the Galactic Railroad, Mawaru Penguindrum and even the end of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam with Kamille’s loss of sanity.
Truth, in time, can never be hidden. Facing one’s own issues and honoring another’s decision is often painful, but a critical part of growing up. Death is never an answer, but often the experiences we know we can never fulfill end up in a way killing a part of us inside. Accepting these events, though necessary, is never easy. Such is the value of what many consider only simple a ‘fairy tale’ or ‘children’s story’.
The Classic Anime Museum 
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