A review of "To Die," a personal doujinshi by Rin Satsuki, who presides over the circle Cat Plaza, titled "An ultra-detailed, grand treatise on 'Luca-peria' like nothing you've ever read before!"

"To Die" is a doujinshi filled with respect for director Luca Guadagnino's film "Suspiria," and
in the simultaneously released film review doujinshi "Eiga no Hitorigoto" (Movie Monologue),
Alex (pseudonym) concludes as follows.

This (Luca-peria) is no longer even a remake film!!!
It's a doujinshi by an otaku (Luca Guadagnino) who is obsessed with the original work!!!

"Suspiria" is a horror film produced by Dario Argento, and the "Suspiria" produced by Luca Guadagnino is called "Luca-peria" among enthusiastic fans.
There is a discrepancy between enthusiastic fans of "Suspiria" and enthusiastic fans of "Luca-peria" regarding "what exactly 'Luca-peria' is to 'Suspiria'."
Enthusiastic fans of "Suspiria" berate "Luca-peria" by saying, "That's not 'Suspiria'!"
while enthusiastic fans of "Luca-peria" retort,
" 'Luca-peria' is a secondary creation doujinshi of 'Suspiria,' so it's only natural that it 'doesn't look anything like it.'"

Rin Satsuki is at the forefront of enthusiastic fans of "Luca-peria,"
but a source of worry for Satsuki is that "Dario Argento does not hold 'Luca-peria' in high regard."

If we assume that "Luca-peria" is a secondary creation doujinshi of "Suspiria,"
the displeasure of the primary creator, Argento, is a serious matter.
This is because secondary creations absolutely cannot exist without the primary creation,
and the displeasure of the primary creator is directly linked to the survival of the secondary creation.

I recall manga artist Yasuko Aoike observing the lively state of Comiket

"Why don't those kids draw their own manga?"

and asking that question.
In other words, she is questioning when the day will come when (those kids) will move on from secondary creations, which are in a very weak position,
and devote themselves to primary creations that no one can complain about (= the day they draw their own manga).

Even if you say that to me.

The root of an otaku's power is the "feeling of liking something,"
and the production of secondary creation doujinshi is a part of expressing love for the "object of one's affection."

Returning to the subject

Anyway, while Satsuki's heart aches over Argento's displeasure,
the reason Satsuki took the step of publishing the tertiary creation doujinshi "To Die" for "Luca-peria"
is to counter the chorus of everyone saying in unison, "'Luca-peria' is difficult."

" 'Luca-peria' is not difficult!"
" 'Luca-peria' is such a wonderful work!"

is what she is trying to assert.

If "Luca-peria" is a secondary creation doujinshi, then this book can be called a tertiary creation doujinshi.

In this book, "Luca-peria" is divided into 7 chapters,
and detailed explanations are provided for the parts called "difficult" in each chapter.
Furthermore, two chapters are devoted to a treatise on the work as a whole and an afterword.

In these days when "doujinshi" is often thought of as "manga doujinshi,"
the first half of this book is filled with written treatises.
The second half contains two tertiary creation comics, the first being a story about Griffith, and the next being a story about Suzy.

What moved me the most in this book was
the question, "Is it not allowed for a film to have waste?"
For example, in a certain zombie movie, there is a scene where a zombie and a shark fight underwater.
If you think about it logically, you don't need such a scene,
and if you think about it efficiently,
it would be better to have the protagonists head quickly to the island where the strange plague is spreading.

But you know.

Thanks to the zombie and shark fighting underwater, that zombie movie,
will never be forgotten for all eternity, right?
It became a one-of-a-kind movie, right?
She is saying that in the parts that were cut and discarded by prioritizing logic and efficiency,
there might have been the originality
that makes that movie what it is.

I have read your treatise,
but there is "something I just don't understand."

Is Anke, played by Jessica Harper,
truly a symbol of Klemperer's love and salvation?

At the foundation of Satsuki-san's work, there is a 'trust in humanity,'
and I get the impression that you hold the view that
a married couple can ultimately understand each other, even if they have their ups and downs.

However, at the foundation of Luca Guadagnino's work, there is no 'trust in humanity,'
and it seems to me that Jessica Harper appeared at the end of 'Suspiria'
solely for the 'administrative procedure' of killing Helena Markos
and passing the 'power' she had seized
on to the current Susie Bannion.
There is no room for 'love' or 'salvation'
to be involved in an 'administrative procedure.'
The witches in 'Luca-peria' are the embodiment of bureaucracy,
and perhaps 'administrative procedure' is what is valued above all else.

The 'first thing' the current Susie Bannion did
after inheriting the 'power' from the previous Susie Bannion
was to erase the memory of Klemperer.
This is because the current Susie Bannion is now Klemperer's 'legal wife,'
so she erased the memory of the 'ex-wife' Susie Bannion first,
and I suspect she carried out the 'administrative procedure'
of establishing that Klemperer is 'my property.'
When a marital relationship changes, the 'first thing you do' is file paperwork at the government office,
and if you don't clarify the 'legal rights,' problems will inevitably arise later.
I think this is a very witch-like way of thinking
in the 'Luca-peria' world, where 'administrative procedure' is paramount.

I humbly believe that 'trust in humanity' and bureaucracy
are incompatible concepts.

Another point is regarding the 'meaning of Griffith's death.'
Satsuki-san, you discuss the 'meaning' at length,
but I believe there is 'no meaning' to a 'person's death.'
Just as there is no meaning in the death of a single worker ant in an anthill,
on a global scale, there is no meaning in the death of a single person.

However.

When my father died,
my younger sister said, 'Father is watching over me from above the sky.'
At the time, I dismissed it as 'cheap sentimentalism,'
but there had been a deep rift between my father and my sister while he was alive,
and by thinking 'Father died and became a Buddha,' my sister was finally able to move forward.
In other words, my father's death 'had meaning' for my sister to live healthily.
I am sure that Griffith's death also had meaning for someone to move forward.

I'm sorry for being so cheeky.
But without your detailed treatise, Satsuki-san, 'Luca-peria' would have
remained a 'movie I couldn't understand' for me forever.
I believe the only reason I could be so cheeky is entirely thanks to you, Satsuki-san.
I sincerely thank you for giving me the opportunity
to think about 'Luca-peria' for such a long time.

You can purchase it via mail order here.

I humbly believe that 'good things should sell like hotcakes.'