It’s been just about 4 years since I joined Beneath the Tangles at the invitation of Charles. But as you could already guess from the title of this post, all things must come to an end. While this may be unexpected to some, I can say that it is something that has been on my mind for many months. Since I’ve joined, there have been changes to the blog’s content, its audience, and also myself and my own interests. After a lot of thought and discussion with others, I decided that my writing is no longer the right fit for Beneath the Tangles.
From a superficial point of view, a blog that “connects anime and Christianity” may fit me very well. However, I feel my interests are too otaku for this blog and the majority of the audience. I don’t just follow anime and manga but also visual novels and seiyuu and games and radio shows and the Japanese fans. The things I like and want to write about are often not the things you like and follow. This simply means that the audience I want to write to is not really the audience of Beneath the Tangles. As such, while I will no longer be writing for this blog, you can definitely expect me to continue blogging.
I still intend to write things that connect the otaku fandom to the Christian faith. However, I want to do so by fully showing off my otaku side, and this means I will often write things as a fan, for fans, without relating to spiritual content. I hope that doing so will show everyone how otaku interests and Christian faith can co-exist peacefully without compromising each other. Such a writing style will ideally reach out to people through their otaku interests, much like what Beneath the Tangles tries to do for anime fans. So for those who will miss me here, you will still be able to read my writing adventures in the future. Thanks to everyone who has and continues to support Beneath the Tangles as I think Charles will once again be doing some great things here even without me. And with that, it’s time to board the Nana Express.
I can see why you would leave, but it’s still too bad. You were one of the two chief voices for VNs on this website (with Japes being the other). I mean, where else could I expect to find a Christian perspective on Saya no Uta, of all things?
Maybe I’ll just have to start reading your blog.
Heh, Saya no Uta is a great example of just how different of an audience my writing/interests tends to address. I hope you find my new blog to be an interesting place of Christian perspectives on VNs.
You’ve been a consistent member of this staff for a while and I’ve always appreciated the insight you bring to the table. Wishing you well in your next ventures!
Thank you!
Good luck with the blog – I’ll miss all your writing for the site.
Thank you!
Kaze, we’re going to miss you! You did so much to sustain this blog and help it grow during your time here, and I believe you helped our readers, too, to think in different directions with your unique posts on content (media-wise and spiritually) that was out of the norm for them (and certainly for me). I’m looking forward to your the posts on your new site, which I think is going to be amazing, as it won’t be as restraining as this site. Take care, best of luck, and God bless!
Thank you so much, not just for these words but also for inviting me to join years ago. It has been a great experience, and even though I’m leaving, I’m glad to have been a part of this unique blog. I look forward to see how you continue to grow the blog now that you’re back as well.
I guess this is a Moon Sakuya moment, then.
It was you who introduced me to the VN world, and I´ll remember your Rewrite articles (and, along with Medieval Otaku´s, your opinions convinced me to give LOGH another try). I´ll visit your new blog. My gratitude, may God always bless you, and farewell.
I’m very happy I helped at least one person into the world of VNs! It’s such a unique medium, and while it certainly has its unsavory parts, I think the advantages it has in storytelling makes it worth it.
Your a deep and detailed writer Kaze, so I am looking forward to your new posts! I hope to learn some new stuff myself, as I know little to nothing of VN and other media outside of anime and manga (Japanese related) 🙁
Also, I find it very interesting that you studied at Tokyu U, so I would be cool to read about your experiences there. Of course, that university is mentioned in several anime, but I myself would love to read on how that was for you. God bless.
I get that question a lot, but it’s not anything different from a regular university haha. Aside from the language barrier, it was just take classes, do homework, take tests, and do research, same as what I would’ve done in the States. Actually living in Japan is way more interesting than the university 😛
Ah ok, thanks. Yeah, I guess it just seems a little like a fantasy from watching anime and other things. I can’t wait to one day visit Japan 🙂
[…] of our staff members, Kaze, has said his farewells to Beneath The Tangles and is writing his own blog now. In this post, he covers Sakura no […]
While I respect your wishes I wish you would stay, I am a lurker and never comment but I always really enjoy reading your posts. I am not interested in many things that are popular with the Western fan community like sports anime and Attack on Titan and our tastes are similar. Your contributions are really appreciated by me and other otaku types that I have shown BTT too, we are just shy about commenting. (:
Thank you! It means a lot to know there are people who appreciate what I have to say, even if you’re lurkers. I’m always happy to know there are others who share my interests on a deeper level. You can always check out my new blog too which will be more personalized 🙂
Bit of a bummer now you’re gone, but I can (probably) see why though. Same as
angelicstarbeat, I feel our interest are quite similar, Nana being my favourite Japanese singer and being a fan of visual novels since 2008. Will miss having your thoughts here on this site (though I don’t always agree with it!). God bless on your future endeavors =)
Woah wait Nana is your favorite Japanese singer? How are we not friends? Hehe, and you’ve been reading visual novels for longer than I have, so you probably actually know more than I do! Nothing wrong with disagreeing; it’s nice to have differing opinions on things.
Aye the first song I heard (Innocent Starter) got me totally hooked, it’s what made me decide to pick up the Nanoha series (except Vivid); till today it’s still among my favourite songs, together with Sacred Force and Bright Stream.
Unfortunately I can barely speak/read Japanese, so my repository of VNs were limited to English or English translated ones. Back in those days VNs were extremely niche thus I mostly get them off from renpy, insani and the occasional all-ages DVDs from Jbox, Hirameki (defunct) and mangagamer. Kids today won’t need to go through such pains with the explosion of VNs on Steam XD.