Un ultimo saluto al maestro Kon.

Il 24 Agosto 2010 è morto il regista d’i animazione giapponese Satoshi Kon. Nel suo campo era uno dei migliori, destinato probabilmente a diventare un grande artista, ma il destino ha voluto che si spegnesse all’età di 46 anni, troppo presto per un uomo che alla sua arte aveva ancora tanto da dare.

Personalmente mi sono sempre chiesto in questi anni di grandi morti come avrei reagito alla notizia della scomparsa di uno dei miei artisti preferiti, oggi quando è arrivata ho avuto modo di scoprirlo. Nella mia personale top ten dei registi Kon occupava ed occupa ancora una delle prime posizioni, sapere che non potrà fare altri film per confermarsi uno dei miei Big devo dire che è doloroso.

Ho amato ognuno dei suoi anime, mi sono innamorato delle atmosfere cupe di Perfect Blue, un film che farebbe capire anche alla testuggine più deficiente che i “cartoni animati” non sono affatto roba per bambini.

Stalker, assassini brutali e scene di stupro in un film d’’animazione non sono quello a cui noi occidentali siamo abituati. Satoshi Kon però ci ha sbattuto in faccia una verità, con un film che fu un successo internazionale, ma oltre a questo ci ha mostrato quello che l’’animazione può realmente fare: tutto.

Con Millennium Actress e Paprika, Kon ha aperto le porte dei sogni, andando ben oltre quelli lucidi di Amenabar, confondendo la realtà con un mondo che ancora nessuno è riuscito a spalancare alla realtà.

Ha portato l’’immaginazione nell realtà irreale propria dell’’animazione che in un film live sarebbe stata se non impossibile da realizzare, una semplice brutta copia in computer grafica, imparagonabile alla matita di un disegnatore.

Ci ha regalato poi un magnifico film natalizio, un inno alla gioia in versione niponica per delle feste che da tanto non vedevano un film degno a rivitalizzare uno spirito natalizio sepolto dal dilagante consumismo: Tokyo Godfathers.

Sono soltanto quattro i suoi lungometraggi, film che dimostrano l’’amore di Kon per un cinema di qualità e di ’intrattenimento, facendoci capire come fosse un regista aperto a ogni aspetto e funzione della sala cinematografica.

Con un occhio a occidente e il cuore sempre in patria, come dimostra la lunga sfilza di riferimenti alla storia del cinema giapponese realizzata in Millennium Actress attraverso la vita dell’attrice Chiyoko.

Indimenticabile anche la collaborazione col cantante e compositore Susumu Hirasawa le cui colonne sonore hanno dello straordinario, a partire da Millennium, Paprika e l’’eccezionale anime televisivo Paranoia Agent, l’’ennesimo inchino alla forza positiva-negativa del sogno e dell’’immaginazione.

Io posso solo consigliare i suoi film, l’ho sempre fatto e continuerò a farlo, è giusto che venga ricordato anche dalle generazioni future.

Fausto Vernazzani

Sul suo sito ufficiale Kon ha scritto un ultimo post per dire addio al mondo, su questo sito (http://www.mroutside.com/?p=58) ho trovato una traduzione parziale di quanto aveva scritto.

Volevo condividerle con quelli che passano di qui, le parole di un uomo vicino alla morte sono sempre paradossalmente quelle più vive.

“It was an unforgettable May 18th this year. At Musashino Red Cross, I received the following information from my cardiologist: “The pancreatic cancer is in it’s final stages and has spread all over your bones. The most optimistic estimate is that you have six months left to live.” I was with my wife at the time. We had no idea how to react to this sudden, ridiculous revelation. I tried to think deeper into myself than normal. It’s easy to say “Well, I’ve gotta go sometime,” but this was still too much, too soon.

 

Certainly there were things that could be seen as a sign of things that were to come. Two to three months before that day, I had a searing pain all over my back and leg joints among other places and I was unable to move my right leg to the point where even walking became a terrible chore. I went to acupuncturists and chiropractors, but, when that proved ineffective, I underwent under more precise methods like MRIs and PET scans which suddenly gave me the fateful results. When I finally noticed death at my back, I could do nothing against it.

 

After the doctor’s prognosis, my wife and I tried to search for ways that could extend my life. Then and there we became motivated. I also received support from trusted friends and some of the strongest, incomparable people. I refused cancer medications, deciding instead to wager on believing in a slightly different worldview than most. It felt more my style and the right course to reject “the usual path.” In any case, I think I just can’t go with the majority. I feel the same about medical care. Realizing something on the other side of modern medical care, which is mainly about figuring whatever apparatus to use, I felt “Well, why the hell not try to extend this life my own way!?” Using sheer willpower and making a film are the very similar. In fact, the disease was progressing every day.

 

On the other hand, I am partially accepting of the realities of daily life in my viewpoint. I pay my taxes on time, after all. I don’t know much about the high life but I’m a respectable full member of Japanese society. So, besides trying to maintain a worldview to extend my life, I’m sorting something like “Preparing to die a proper death.” Not that I got anywhere close to that. One thing I ask is that my the two friends in whom I placed my trust make a company to protect the copyrights of the few works of Satoshi Kon. Another thing I ask is that a will be made to spread my few possessions evenly amongst my family with due haste. Of course, I expect there to be no inheritance complications but, I ask there to be not a single disturbance to my wife, who remains in this world. That will allow me a small connection of comfort as I journey to the other side.

 

Relating to formalities, given that myself and my family are terrible at paperwork and preparation-related matters, I was helped by my wonderful friends at speeding up the process for us. I was thinking that on that day, in a critical state from the pneumonia, I would just give my last autograph on the will while in a blurry haze then just give in to death for the time being. “Ahhh… I can finally die.” At any rate, two days ago, I was taken to get emergency care when taken to the Musashino Red Cross, only to be taken to the same hospital within a day of that. As expected, that’s when I got that full examination. The results were complications as a result of pneumonia and pleural fluid congestion. When I asked him directly and got his terribly clinical answer, I have to be thankful in a way. As I asked “Wait a minute… one or two days… if I go past that I got plenty of time this month right?” I thought “Something like a weather report I guess,” but the situation was urgent. That was July 7th. It was a cruel Tanabata day, I tell you.

 

With that, I quickly resolved myself. I wish to die in my home. This might be my last great inconvenience to the people around me but, I have been able to be granted that escape home. Thanks to the tireless efforts of my wife, and the “Has he given up?” attitude of the hospital, it has in fact and indeed been helpfully cooperative, along with the enormous support from outside clinics, and many frequent coincidences that I can only think of as blessings from heaven. I can’t believe there are just so many coincidences and inevitabilities in this real life. This isn’t Tokyo Godfathers after all.

 

Well then, to all those who read these long, sprawling sentences to the end, thank you very much.

 

With gratitude to all the good that exists all over the world, I lay down my brush.

 

Now then, if you’ll excuse me.

 

~Satoshi Kon”