INDEX
Examining the Struggles of BUTTER‘s Characters and the Different Forms of Comfort They Seek
In Japan, I feel like the book became a topic of discussion partly due to its connection to real-life events. However, on a more personal note, it made me reflect on the question, “What does a comfortable life mean to me?” through the three characters—Mariko Kajii (Kaji Mana), Rika, and Reiko. The different interpretations of comfort for each of them are particularly captivating. How did you approach creating these characters to explore these contrasts?
Yuzuki: Thank you for asking such a thoughtful question. I often get asked, “Do you have a message for all the women who are going through hard times right now?” and it really makes me think. As a writer, I wish I had those words to share, but part of why I write novels is because I don’t always have them. When it comes to writing about feminism and women’s rights, there’s often pressure to present an idealized version of someone who can save all women. This can make it difficult for some to identify as feminists. I can’t just say to someone who’s struggling, “Read this book”… so, I really appreciate this question.
For Rika, what she finds comfort in is success—she believes that’s what will bring her peace.
As a reporter for a weekly magazine, she’s relentlessly chasing after success by securing exclusive stories.
Yuzuki: She mistakenly believes that success will bring her comfort. But that’s not the case. Deep down, she feels responsible for her father’s death, and confronting this belief is what I think will lead her to a more fulfilling life. Specifically, it’s about understanding that dying alone isn’t something to fear, and realizing that she can live independently and happily until the end. It’s also about trying to live the way her father did, only to find out that it’s not necessarily an unhappy life. Perhaps, for her, true happiness lies in independence.
How about Reiko, Rika’s close friend, who is skilled in cooking and dreams of having a family?
Yuzuki: Reiko has complicated feelings toward her parents, so she sees creating a family as a way to find comfort. But in reality, her true comfort comes from being surrounded by partners and friends who respect her as a whole person, not just for her sexuality. While she focuses on the idea of family, I believe that Reiko could find her ideal life even outside of that structure.
As for Kaji Mana, she rejects women and believes that being adored by men is what brings her comfort.
Kaji Mana, the gourmet imprisoned in Tokyo Detention Center for allegedly killing three men after a series of marriage scams, has repeatedly spoken about the pleasure she gets from serving men.
Yuzuki: She thinks her sense of comfort comes from being detached from the struggles of other women. However, in reality, what Kaji Mana really wants is to make women say, “This is delicious! So delicious!” with her cooking. She isn’t trying to satisfy men’s appetites. What she wants is to use the money she’s taken from men to host and delight women, and there’s likely a maternal aspect to this desire. She craves the excitement of women praising her and saying, “As expected from Kaji Mana!” That’s why I believe Kaji Mana really liked Rika, who followed her food recommendations exactly.
Through their conversations in prison, Kaji Mana is essentially hosting Rika.
Yuzuki: Yes, that’s right. But since she can’t cook, all she can do is talk. For someone who loves cooking, being unable to make food is extremely frustrating, so Kaji Mana vents her feelings onto Rika. However, as Rika starts actually trying the dishes Kaji Mana recommends, she becomes happy, and I think she starts to see Rika as a true friend.
But once Rika starts getting closer to Reiko, Kaji Mana gets upset. It’s at that point that she thinks, “I’m really going to make her pay.” But honestly, I don’t think Rika will ever find another friend like Kaji Mana—someone who listens to her, follows her suggestions, and gives her honest feedback.
What was striking is how each character’s sense of comfort differs, even in terms of looks and appearance.
Yuzuki: Yes, their backgrounds are so different that their sense of comfort varies too. Rika, for example, has a low sense of beauty. In fact, she feels uncomfortable with her own attractiveness. On the other hand, Kaji Mana doesn’t think she’s unattractive at all. Her definition of beauty is “being abundant.” Being a rich, abundant woman is what she finds beautiful. In fact, Kaji Mana is the most free from the pressures of lookism.
Indeed, despite what society says, she firmly held onto her beliefs about beauty.
Yuzuki: Rika is tall and slender, and in her all-girls’ school, she was seen as a “prince” type. However, as she starts gaining weight, she begins to understand the kind of looks Kaji Mana has received throughout her life and what it means to maintain self-confidence. So, it might actually be Reiko who struggles the most with lookism. She is tormented by the gap between her own self-image and how others perceive her.
