Yukio Mishima

Overview

The video is an enthusiastic introduction to writer Yukio Mishima, pairing a short biographical overview with reflections on three of his novels: Confessions of a Mask, The Sailor Who Wrote the Sea, and The Golden Temple.

Main themes / plot of the video

• The presenter opens by saying they’re “in awe” of Mishima’s work—and equally of how Mishima’s personal beliefs show up in his writing.
• Mishima is framed as a complex and extreme figure: a celebrated Japanese author who repeatedly received Nobel recognition, but also someone who clung to deeply controversial ideas about Japanese cultural preservation, war, and especially death.
• A key through-line is that Mishima wasn’t only writing about these ideas—he believed them intensely enough to act on them in real life.

Highlights / key reactions

• The most dramatic moment is the presenter’s description of Mishima’s 1970 final act: he led a private militia, attempted a coup by forcing a base commander to gather the garrison, gave a speech, then committed seppuku (ritual suicide).
• The presenter emphasizes this as proof of his extremity and sincerity—while clearly stating they’re not endorsing his views.
• The speaker repeatedly notes that Mishima’s work blends fiction with his life, making the stories feel symbolic but also disturbingly grounded.

Book-by-book recap

1. Confessions of a Mask

• Presented as the author’s first major success and the best starting point.
• Plot: the story follows a withdrawn boy living with a sick grandmother, whose fantasies grow increasingly sexual and violent.
• The presenter highlights the book’s obsession with death and violence, connecting it to Mishima’s worldview (including the idea of wanting a “dignified” death tied to war).
• Recommendation: the speaker suggests it mainly as an entry point—not as a “standalone” read for everyone, since it’s tightly bound to Mishima’s themes.

2. The Sailor Who Wrote the Sea

• Described as famous for a reason and “open to interpretation.”
• Plot: a boy’s widowed mother has an affair with a sailor; the boy and his friends initially admire the sailor as heroic, but later notice unsettling changes as he settles into shore life.
• Reading experience: the presenter warns not to expect a straightforward explanation. Readers should sit with it and ask, “What did I just read?” and “What does it mean?”
• The book is praised as short and quick to read, yet lingering in meaning.

3. The Golden Temple

• Called the “best” (most impressive) thing the presenter has read so far.
• Plot: Mizoguchi, bullied for his stutter, escapes into stories his father tells about the Golden Temple in Kyoto, eventually becoming a temple novice.
• His fascination becomes a consuming obsession with the temple’s beauty, and as conflict rises, his attempt to preserve it pulls him toward an “interesting” but unhealthy path.
• Themes emphasized: beauty, obsession, and destruction. The presenter also notes how difficult it is to summarize the book without spoilers, while stressing its symbolic weight.

Overall takeaway / vibe

The video sells Mishima as both an artistic genius and a morally complicated, intense figure. The presenter’s main “performance” is a reverent, wonder-struck tone, often repeating that these books are seductive, symbolic, and emotionally challenging—requiring time and personal interpretation.

Personalities mentioned

• Yukio Mishima (primary subject)
• Mizoguchi (main character of The Golden Temple)
• The narrator/presenter (unnamed in the subtitles)