Super-Frog Saves Tokyo

The short story, “Super-Frog Saves Tokyo,” written by Haruki Murakami, is a third person narration that shows the story from the main character, Katagiri. Murakami uses third-person limited point of view throughout the story to make the reader understand the Katagiri’s feelings and thoughts during the story. Katagiri is a hard worker, who is unrecognized by the people he helps, that has gained his own voice and position. He feels unwanted and not important, but an unexpected event arises and makes him question reality. Murakami’s use of tone and irony makes the reader experience the same kind of feeling that Mr. Katagiri goes through in the story. Haruki Murakami shows in the story that humanity desires recognition, but the fulfillment of recognition

In the story, the frog uses the battle to show the credit that Mr. Katagiri desires. Murakami uses situational irony to show the reader that Katagiri doesn’t need validation, by not showing the battle he missed. Frog reassures that Mr. Katagiri was a huge help in the battle, but Mr. Katagiri denies this appreciation because of his belief of him not doing anything. Mr. Katagiri believes when he does something that deserves recognition, then he should get recognition, but when he encounters a situation where he believes he didn’t do anything and gets recognition, he denies it. Mr. Katagiri says, “‘but I had an accident in the evening-- something totally unexpected--and they brought me here.’ Frog gave his head a slight shake. ‘I know. It’s OK. Don’t worry. You were a great help to me in my fight, Mr. Katagiri’” (Murakami 8). Mr. Katagiri feels like he isn’t worthy of the appreciation, but he also doesn’t believe the recognition is real. He feels that even though he didn’t do anything and is being recognized, he feels like this appreciation is ridiculous. Mr. Katagiri gets the fulfillment of recognition, but the reward of it doesn’t seem right or believable, “‘I don’t get it,’ Katagiri said. ‘I was unconscious the whole time. They were feeding me intravenously. I don’t remember doing anything in my dream’” (Murakami 9). His reaction of the appreciation that Frog gives him, seems wrong and

Murakami was able to successfully portray this idea with the use of irony and his tone in the story. The use of irony shows the reader that recognition isn’t important and is often seen as something to be important. The use of tone in the story shows the reader that recognition shouldn’t be important and it is ridiculous, by not taking it in a seriously manner. Tone and irony in the story accomplishes Murakami’s theme to show the