Endless Myth and In the Realm of the Senses
— Cosmic Myth and the Limits of Bodily Expression —
The novel Endless Myth and In the Realm of the Senses (directed by Nagisa Oshima) move in completely different directions, yet both can be understood as works that confront the limits of expression.
One pushes toward the limits of the cosmos, infinity, and existence.
The other confronts the limits of the body, desire, and social taboo.
At the time of its release, In the Realm of the Senses provoked intense debate.
This comparison includes that historical and cultural context.
1. Form of Myth: Infinite Structure vs. Extreme Experience
Endless Myth is a mythology of infinite expansion.
Through multiverses and omniversal structures, it explores existence itself as a system.
In contrast, In the Realm of the Senses is an intensely focused experience.
The narrative narrows almost entirely to the relationship between two individuals, amplifying desire to its extreme.
In short:
Endless Myth: myth expanding toward infinity
In the Realm of the Senses: experience condensed to an extreme point
2. Domain of Expression: Cosmos vs. Body
Endless Myth operates in an abstract domain.
Time, dimensions, and infinity form its core themes.
In the Realm of the Senses is grounded entirely in the body.
Desire, sexuality, and physical sensation become the central language of the work.
Thus:
Endless Myth: limits of abstraction
In the Realm of the Senses: limits of the body
3. Characters: Structural Entities vs. Beings of Desire
Characters in Endless Myth are often positioned within a cosmic structure.
They function as parts of a larger conceptual system.
In In the Realm of the Senses, characters are driven by desire.
They move beyond social roles and become embodiments of pure impulse.
4. Historical Controversy: Art or Pornography?
In the Realm of the Senses sparked major controversy upon release.
Explicit, unsimulated sexual content
Crossing perceived boundaries of cinematic representation
Conflicts with censorship laws and legal systems
In Japan, legal and censorship issues led to complex production and distribution circumstances, including completion and release abroad.
The film became a central case in debates over whether it should be considered art or pornography.
5. Limits of Expression: Challenge or Transgression?
Endless Myth challenges conceptual limits.
It explores infinity, the structure of existence, and what lies beyond comprehension.
In the Realm of the Senses challenges physical and ethical limits.
It blurs boundaries between sexuality, violence, and representation.
The key question becomes:
Is this a challenge to the limits of expression—
or merely an act of excess?
6. Essence of Myth: Structure vs. Impulse
Endless Myth presents myth as structure—
a system of infinity and existence.
In the Realm of the Senses presents humanity as impulse—
driven by desire and instinct.
Conclusion: How Far Can Expression Go?
Endless Myth and In the Realm of the Senses represent two radically different approaches to the limits of expression:
Endless Myth: pushing the limits of conceptual understanding
In the Realm of the Senses: pushing the limits of physical and ethical representation
The former challenges the limits of comprehension.
The latter challenges the limits of depiction.
And this comparison leads to an unavoidable question:
How far should expression be allowed to go?
Is confronting limits an act of art—
or does it risk becoming transgression?
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