From “Memoria” to “Unrealistic” and “MONSTER”: A Conversation with Eir Aoi

Few artists have become as closely associated with anime music over the decade and a half as Eir Aoi. Since her breakthrough with songs like “Memoria” (Fate/zero), “Innocence” (Sword Art Online), “Genesis” (Aldnoah.Zero), and “Hello Hello Hello” (A Couple of Cuckoos), she has helped define the sound of countless anime memories for fans around the… Read More From “Memoria” to “Unrealistic” and “MONSTER”: A Conversation with Eir Aoi

Something Genuine Season 2, Ep. 4: Hana Hope on Music, Identity, and Finding Her Voice

For the fourth episode of season two, I had the pleasure of speaking with singer-songwriter Hana Hope. Anime fans may know Hana from her work singing themes* on Spice and Wolf, Fate/Grand Order, and most recently, my favorite anime of spring 2026, A Hundred Scenes of AWAJIMA. But while her music first drew me to… Read More Something Genuine Season 2, Ep. 4: Hana Hope on Music, Identity, and Finding Her Voice

Reader’s Corner: Thank You for Taking Care of Our Boy Banri (Vol. 1), Sentenced to Be a Hero (Vol. 1), and I Made Friends with the 2nd Prettiest Girl in My Class (Vol. 3)

It’s a big week for new manga releases—and we’ve got reviews for a bunch to share with you (along with a new manhua, too)! Undead heroes, an idol fan who’s a hitman, a tyrant actor, and a lady who turns into a cat are just a few of the characters who rule our reviews this… Read More Reader’s Corner: Thank You for Taking Care of Our Boy Banri (Vol. 1), Sentenced to Be a Hero (Vol. 1), and I Made Friends with the 2nd Prettiest Girl in My Class (Vol. 3)

Something Genuine Season 2, Ep. 3: Hijabi Cosplayer Ani on Navigating Faith and Fandom

One of the goals of Something Genuine is to introduce viewers to people whose stories might challenge our assumptions about fandom. This week’s guest, Ani, does exactly that. Ani is a cosplayer, content creator, and anime fan who has built a following through her creative approach to cosplay as a hijabi. But what struck me… Read More Something Genuine Season 2, Ep. 3: Hijabi Cosplayer Ani on Navigating Faith and Fandom

Reader’s Corner: Billy Bat (Vol. 1), cocoon, and Double the Trouble, Twice as Nice (Vol. 3)

We go back—way back—for today’s Reader’s Corner, with the release of two manga taking place in the 1940s: the volume one rerelease of Naoki Urasawa’s Billy Bat and the one-volume manga about the heroic Himeyuri schoolgirls during the Battle of Okinawa, cocoon. Reviews of other new releases are also below. Check them out and let… Read More Reader’s Corner: Billy Bat (Vol. 1), cocoon, and Double the Trouble, Twice as Nice (Vol. 3)