Every culture is unique, and all people are different. Each one of us has our own voice, our own thoughts. Some things, however, are common across all cultures, all eras, all countries. One of these is our endless, unrelenting creativity. Princess Arete is not famous for being a thrilling or well-paced movie, but the story… Read More Princess Arete and the Magic of Creativity
While watching episode one of Gamers! one of the first things I thought was, “This feels like Genshiken: High School.” It’s a kinder, softer version of that anime about a club where otaku can share just how otaku they are. On a more specific level, Keita reminds me a bit of Kanji; both are cautious,… Read More Gamers, Genshiken, and a Group Where You Belong
Reiner is so very confused. At one point in episode 34, after joining with his partner, Bertholdt, to kidnap Ymir and Eren, he complains about how he needs a break and promotion from the military. The problem is that Reiner isn’t a soldier; he’s the enemy, but he’s lived as a soldier for so long… Read More Attack on Titan, Episode 34: Who is the Enemy?
I absolutely understand the need for teamwork. As any shrewd person, I pronounce myself a “team player” on resumes and at job interviews. But while I can exist within a team, I thrive on my own. Well…at the very least, I enjoy being on my own much more than than being part of a group… Read More Whale Hunt: Navigating Through Challenges in The Boy and the Beast and Re: Zero
Attack on Titan has been moving at a breakneck pace this season – it’s been quite a thrill ride. And it’s been much better than I thought it was going to be (though perhaps, as I mentioned on Tumblr, this is because I’ve kind of forgot how the story unfolded in the manga). This… Read More Attack on Titan, Episode 33: The Danger of Community
With my new StarStruck column, I can sometimes talk about Japan-based media outside of anime. So today, I will be talking about a character from Fire Emblem: Awakening. One of my favorite games of all time, Awakening is the 13th game in the Fire Emblem series and the game that brought the franchise out of obscurity and made it into one… Read More StarStruck: Fire Emblem Awakening – A Priest, a Scientist, and a Church
When you have several game companies come together to make a game, magic happens. It’s occurred with Kingdom Hearts, King of Fighters, Marvel vs. Capcom, Smash Bros., and an obscure title called Project X Zone. This is one of those Japanese titles that didn’t get much advertisement because of how many uncommon characters are present. It’s… Read More Project X Zone: The Unified Body
Volume thirteen stands as the most interesting of Isuna Hasekura’s three “Side Colors” volumes of Spice and Wolf so far. This volume features a novella about the shepherdess Nora and her dog Enek. From her adventure with Lawrence at Ruvinheigen in volume two, she gains the capital necessary to enter a seamstress apprenticeship program. However, her… Read More Examining Light Novels: On Female Deacons
Last month, I started thinking about all the reasons anime characters get into sports—or any type of hobby or commitment, whether a school club, a job, or something as life-changing as religion. I’m the type who’s reluctant to make changes or try something new until I’ve thoroughly researched it and am fairly certain I won’t… Read More Annalyn’s Corner: Sports Anime and Joining the Team
The eleventh volume of Spice and Wolf includes a set of two short stories and a novella. Like in volume seven, the two short stories remind me of something an author might write for his eyes only in order to get to know the characters better. I have decided to put off reading the novella… Read More Examining Light Novels: Latin in the Middle Ages