A review by geofroggatt
Star by Yukio Mishima

3.0

“Star” is a short story by Yukio Mishima. It was originally published in the November 1960 issue of Gunzo, a literary magazine published by Kodansha. The story centers on Rikio "Richie" Mizuno, a twenty-three-year-old actor disillusioned with fame and the film industry. He acts in a series of films where he plays a tough and hardened Yakuza gangster. Rikio prides himself for his appearance and physical build, and is adored by crowds of obsessive fans. This story was a brutal dissection of fame, and of the actor's realization that looks can fade. Star is an efficient, economical book in which ordinary life concerns are muted in favor of fashionable appearances. I liked how the story functions as a look behind the curtain of the film industry and celebrity culture, dissecting our ideas of fame and showing the cruel and grim reality of things. This book easily shows the masks and personas of celebrities and the artifice behind celebrities, how the real acting begins when the actors are off set. I think that this was a succinct and precise look at the shallowness and falseness of fame and the world of celebrities, but I also think that this short story didn’t say anything new despite the decent writing and good ideas. The one idea that I wish was focused on and expanded upon more was the idea of growing old and watching your youthful pride and juvenile beauty die. I liked the humbled mortality that the protagonist faced at the end, I just wish it was expanded upon and made more impactful. Overall, bleak and cynical, but had potential. I’d recommend this for readers who enjoy the themes of fame, persona, and celebrity.