Ecstasy constituie prima parte dintr-o trilogie intitulata Monologuri despre placere, lasitate si moarte, care mai cuprinde Melancolia si Thanatos. Personajul principal, Miyashita, este un tinar asistent intr-o echipa de filmare, aflat la New York pentru a turna o campanie de promovare a unui star pop japonez Aici intilneste un cersetor neobisnuit care ii da un numar de telefon din Tokio. Intrigat, Miyashita suna, iar la celalalt capat al firului se dovedeste a fi Keiko, o femeie misterioasa care nu accepta sa-l intilneasca decit cu conditia sa ia o pastila de ecstasy in compania unei „amice de incredere”. Acesta este doar primul pas pe un traseu ce il va duce spre experiente tot mai tari, culminind in sado-masochism extrem. Autorul acestui roman are propria viziune intelectualizata si estetizanta, care merge dincolo de senzational, scotind la lumina diferitele niveluri ce conduc spre distrugerea psihica si chiar fizica, dar si senzatia intoxicanta de libertate ce vine odata ce treci de zidul rusinii si iti ingadui sa te anulezi ca persoana. Iar Miyashita este prea hipnotizat de ceea ce i se reveleaza pentru a se putea opri.
Author
Ryū Murakami (村上 龍) is a Japanese novelist and filmmaker. He is not related to Haruki Murakami or Takashi Murakami. Murakami's first work, the short novel Almost Transparent Blue, written while he was still a student, deals with promiscuity and drug use among disaffected Japanese youth. Critically acclaimed as a new style of literature, it won the newcomer's literature prize in 1976 despite some observers decrying it as decadent. Later the same year, Blue won the Akutagawa Prize, going on to become a best seller. In 1980, Murakami published the much longer novel Coin Locker Babies, again to critical acclaim. Takashi Miike's feature film Audition (1999) was based on one of his novels. Murakami reportedly liked it so much he gave Miike his blessing to adapt Coin Locker Babies. The screen play was worked on by director Jordan Galland. However, Miike could not raise funding for the project. An adaptation directed by Michele Civetta is currently in production. Murakami has played drums for a rock group called Coelacanth and hosted a TV talk show.
