What are the different narratives buried in each of the chapters?

[Brian]

So I kind of picked up a little late on the fact that each chapter had something different from the primary narrative,and each seemed to be set off with a special symbol before diving into or out of the nested narrative (at least in my edition the symbols also appeared on the title page of each chapter). I only noticed this structure during chapter 6:Kaiten , which had the suicide mission torpedo pilot's diary. Then I looked back and think I noticed some other nested narrative in each chapter (at least those with symbols on the chapter title page, and I believe one did not). So let's identify them and determine if there's some importance to them. Or do they just serve as interruptions to everyday life, just as our dreams come in between each day of our lives?

I hope to come back to fill this out better and discuss the meaning with you other readers but I'll post what I have so far now!

Chapter 1: PanOpticon
Symbol: square
Nested narrative: different imagined schemes of convincing the lawyer to reveal eiji's father's identity?

Chapter 2: Lost Property
Symbol: four diamonds in diamond pattern
Nested narrative: flashback to childhood with Anju, when he made a deal with the thu set god to become great soccer player on exchange for anything the god wanted to take (apparently Anju)?

Chapter 3: Video Games
Symbol: 69 sideways
Nested narrative: games and the virtual human software?

Chapter 4: Reclaimed Land
Symbol: yin yang
Nested narrative: eiji imagines meeting his end at the hands of the yakuza thugs he's met

Chapter 5: Study of Tales

Chapter 6: Kaiten

Chapter 7: Cards

Chapter 8: The Language of Mountains Is Rain

[Megan]

Near as I understand, each chapter is interspersed with an alternate experience of reality, and is an exploration of different states of perception.

1: Fantasies
2: Memories
3: Videogames
4: Nightmares
5: Stories
6: Journals
7: (Debatable)
8: Dreams

I don't think the novel is about daily interruptions so much as it's about coping mechanisms, escapism, and acceptance.

[Ellen]

Pedestrian wrote: "Near as I understand, each chapter is interspersed with an alternate experience of reality, and is an exploration of different states of perception.

1: Fantasies
2: Memories
3: Videogames
4: Night..."

I just finished the book & I found your post very helpful. I agree about the subject: the narrator is finding his identity and coming to terms with the loss of his sister and his relationship with his parents, himself, and his past. And often he copes by attempting to escape.

[Ken]

The "69 sideways" is an astrological/astronomical symbol. It's Cancer the Crab.