The interpretation of the Mermaid by Tezuka
Osamu (1964)
Before I start,
please note that I took a rather peculiar
approach to interpret the symbolism of the outstanding video produced by Osamu
Tezuka. I am a passionate reader of Carl Jung, who lays out incredible insight
on symbolism and archetypes (universal images present in the collective
unconscious). I apologize in advance in case my symbolic analysis is too intricate,
but I hope the reader develops some interest in Jungian psychology. I think it’s
brilliant. For example, he was the one who developed the idea of “introversion”
and “extroversion”.
Setting
An adolescent sitting on the beach of a
remote island playing with his own imagination. The protagonist saves a fish by
letting it free in its habitat. The act of letting the fish free synchronizes
with the free active imagination of the boy himself. Then, the fish transforms into
a mermaid, which stands for life and fertility within the ocean. The
protagonist has a romantic/playful interaction with the mermaid and brings it
home. In “reality”, however, he brought home a fish, not a mermaid. He tries to
persuade his parents to believe that the fish is a mermaid; it turns out to be
a mere “illusion” of the adolescent.
The society to which the protagonist
belongs forbids free-thinking, which is deemed as a crime. The protagonist is therefore
considered as an outcast, for he insists to have seen an authentic mermaid with
his own eyes.
Conflict
The protagonist struggles to identify himself
within the autocratic society, which bans liberal thinking. He is forced to undergo
reeducation programs, for the regime doesn’t accept deviating ideas. He is
obliged to forget his own imaginative creation, the beloved mermaid.
There prevails a conflict between society
and the individual.
There is a further dualism between “reality”
and “imagination”, whose line cannot be drawn correctly since it is questionable
whether the imagination cannot be regarded as reality subjectively.
Climax
The authoritarian regime conducts
reeducation programs, but the adolescent has solid confidence in remembering his
beloved imagination. One day, when he gazes at the fish tank, he sees a fish,
not a mermaid. Deluded by this, he brings back his fish to where it really
belongs, the sea. By letting the lost “freedom” free, he redeems the actual
freedom; the mermaid is “saved” and returns to where it belongs. Just like in
the beginning, the redemption of the fish restores freedom for both the fish
and the adolescent.
In my opinion, the ending signifies that
freedom prevails eternally and that it has a healing effect.
Symbols
・The unconscious. Water can be symbolized as the unconscious since
we can only see its surface but cannot see the depths. According to Jung, water
represents the origin of all possibilities, associated with birth, femininity,
and life.
・The Great Mother. The feminine symbolizes creativity,
birth, life, fertility, nurturing, and art.
・Ichthus (fish). The mermaid is a feminine
figure, standing for life and fertility within the ocean. Thus, I came across the term “ichthus”, which
is a representation of fish in ancient times. It’s a Christian symbol, and it might
signify the redemptive element of Jesus Christ Son of God Savior? I have no clear
idea about this, but it is worthy of further analysis.
・Pathology. Men in uniform represent pathological
authority, annihilating individual freedom.
・Hero. The protagonist as a courageous
challenger. Ambitious in redeeming the transcendence (mermaid).
Irony
The act of bringing the fish back to where
it belongs cultivates imagination for the protagonist, both at the beginning
and in the final scene.
Theme
Freedom of thought, romance, the
unconscious, totalitarianism, the feminine.
