I guess this is one story which might not appeal towards those looking for stereotypical romance, straight-forward plotting(where the storyline is easy to figure out and dumbed down for the masses) and modern manga storytelling where the plot, character interactions, the themes, etc. are often straight to the point and really easy to infer and figure out. It is also not for those who can't read a story without good art because the art here is the bare minimum and actually quite subtle and vague when delivering expressions, thoughts and so forth.
In Banana Bread, the hints are far more difficult to follow and everything from the characters' intentions, their thoughts, their interactions to even their motivations are often subtle and in between the lines. And it's not always what they say or do but rather what they don't, that actually tells you more about the characters themselves. It's not even like Endo short stories where it's deep and very thought-provoking but where the narration and most of the themes are laid out for you to figure out. In Banana, everything is like 5 to 10 times harder to think about and understand. And even worse, it is sheer hardcore mindfuckery(even crazier than Homunculus) and it is one of those titles where much of the story is vague and open to interpretation. In fact, I confess that it took me 2 times to read this manga to really appreciate everything about it. In short, treat this as a piece of literature and less as some manga story and you will do well in understanding it. 🙂
The plot itself:
Well, this is more like the "coming of age" story of an extremely eccentric character who is repeatedly forced to face reality and how she deals with life itself in her own manner. It is also about the effects her actions, thoughts, etc. have on others and in really strange manners. And yes, she really has a few screws loose because her very person is far more bizarre and crazy than almost any manga character I've come across.
Ira is an utter screwball who lives a life of fantasy where her words, feelings, thoughts and actions have NO repercussions on others and herself and where fantasies are supposed to become reality. She is child-like and innocent to the point of being delusional, oblivious, cruel and heartless.
And yes, I won't go into it but I consider her to be the most manipulative person in the story, even though she might seem really sweet and innocent.
And really, she has such bizarre and idealized notions of "daily life", "romance", "marriage" and "cohabitation" and so on that her family has completely resigned themselves to her behaviour.
! In fact, when her sister got married, she seemed quite pleased to actually be free from Ira.
Now, Ira's thoughts and behaviour might have been the type which certain adults would find "cute", "amusing", "sweet", "entertaining", etc. in a child but when such a person grows up into a teenager who still holds such notions and fantasies, well... they would be called "annoying", "foolish" or even "completely spaced-out". Such a person might even be seen as a heavily disturbed person suffering from psychological issues like "having severe problems distinguishing reality from fantasy", "inability to interact with others without reverting to escapism", "inability to think logically" and so on.
Throw in a cast of characters who each have their own problems and unique perceptions and you have got 1 hell of a story. And yes, most of them are pretty crazy too because they keep being strung along by Ira and her "fantasies". And in order to maintain a resemblance of normalcy in their daily lives, they have little choice but to play along. After all, you're dealing with someone who is exceptionally fragile and would collapse, should her "reality" be shattered.
Next, mix in psychoanalysis like Freud and "supposed theories about gender identity and sexuality"(which were all the rage in the 40s to 70s), contrasting themes of innocence and cruelty/fantasy and reality/different notions of romance/love etc., and you have Banana Bread no Pudding. 🙂
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