Abstract
In this paper the theoretical relationships of my term "Coexistent Narratives" and side-by-side narrative positions are
analyzed in three scenes from Ozu Yasujiro's film "Tokyo Story": 1) The narratives of the old couple at the Onomichi
home, who sit beside each other, are compared to dialogic narratives that operate from opposite positions. 2) The
processes of change that narratives undergo are analyzed in the scene where three old friends, at a Tokyo bar, shift their
positions from being opposite to being beside each other. 3) The transitional processes by which the old couple change
their narratives from dissonant to harmonious are analyzed in the scene where they occupy side-by-side positions at the
Atami hotel and at the seashore.
The following features in relation to three key concepts were identified through comparison of Coexistent Narratives
and Dialogic Narratives: 1) The relationship with self and other: a common and mutual subjectivity is contrasted with
the subject-object relationship. 2) The words, phrases and rhythms in the conversations: similarity and repetition are
contrasted with dialogue and competition. 3) The changing process: a shift from tuning to harmony is contrasted with a
shift from struggle to harmony. The concept of "Coexistent Narratives" is likened to "Kasane (coordinate) colors",
which are associated with what is similar, with parallel repetition, and with coordinate matching, seasonal timing and
transitional forms of movement.
