One of my favorite authors of all time (if not my favorite) is Yukio Mishima. He is the man that tied his life story into his actual stories, and I can respect a man that can talk about his issues for over fifty novels straight. Also he was a bodybuilder for a while because he thought that writing was feminine, or representative of the chrysanthemum, and he wanted to train his body instead to be more masculine, possibly because of his lingering issues with femininity that stemmed from his grandmother taking him from his mother as a baby, locking him in his room, and making him play only with his female cousins so he had no idea how to interact with those of his same sex.

I don’t know what was going on, but I’m here for it. Just, Yukio Mishima. He’s my equivalent of a celebrity crush but for literary gods.

So I’m ranking his novels! I haven’t read all of them— honestly, I haven’t even made a dent in the novels that he’s published— so this’ll be an ongoing project that I’ll update as I keep going.

This’ll probably contain some spoilers, so you’ve been warned.

1. The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea

This was the first book I read of Mishima’s. It was required reading in my English class, and after I read it, I ran with it and never looked back.

Oh, Noboru you sweet murder baby. Oh, Ryuji and your internal conflict between being a sailor, the sea, glorious death, masculinity and marriage to Noboru’s mother Fusako, the land, a sedentary lifestyle, and spiritual castration. Both you and Noboru’s wondrous internal monologues never fail to entertain.

Moral of the story: keep Noboru away from cats, tea, and from imposing his values onto a man who just wants to get hitched.

2. Spring Snow

Most recent Mishima book I’ve read. It’s the first book in his famous tetralogy, The Sea of Fertility (I’m reading the sequel Runaway Horses right now and I just want a book buddy to talk too).

Basically, noble-born Kiyoaki is emotionally constipated and can’t get his feelings straight for Satoko. But it’s alright— He eventually decides he loves her. After ignoring her and her letters to him. After she gets engaged. After he ignores her and she gets engaged to the prince.

Predictably, things go badly after that. But wow is it impossible to tear your eyes away from this train wreck of feelings and treason.

Review for this book is here.

3. Frolic of the Beasts

Starring Yuko, Koji, Ippei, and violent assault, things get nasty almost immediately in this very ugly love triangle. Then things get nastier in the middle, and it gets nastiest at the end, but by this point, this was to be expected. There was never a ‘dial down’ button for Mishima.

4. Confessions of a Mask

Kochan just wants to read questionable material in peace without having a gay crisis every time he desecrates the image of St. Sebastian.

Spoiler: he gets no peace.

5. The Star

When you’re an A-list movie star like Rikio, you’ve only got a couple of jobs: act well, look pretty, make sure no one knows about your secret relationship with your ugly assistant, and make sure not to break apart at the seams as you try to differentiate between what is real and what is fake.

6. The Sound of Waves

A young fisherman called Shinji falls in love with a beautiful girl named Hatsue, but rumors are spread and their relationship is met with disapproval from Hatsue’s father, who later forbids Hatsue to meet with her lover.

Essentially, Shinji has to win the father’s approval, and he (SPOILER) does this with a demonstration bravery and swimming prowess.

There was an uncharacteristic and disappointing lack of blood.

Closing Thoughts

Just by looking at the summaries, there are some themes that pop out immediately. After all, Mishima wouldn’t be Mishima without the blood, lust, and graphic violence (but it’s beautifully written, I assure you).

I’ll just reiterate that I’ll keep adding to this list as I read more of his books. It’ll take me a while, but one day I’ll get through all of them. One day!

What is your favorite Mishima book?