A DVD copy of Spirited Away has sat in my room for over a month, still shrink-wrapped. I’ve wanted to watch it for years—or, should I say, re-watch it. I first saw it when I was twelve, before I knew what anime was. I hated it. It was dark and bizarre, and I didn’t know what… Read More Annalyn’s Corner: Spirited Away, Anime Heritage, and Christian Heritage
In the United States and Canada, Christmas is considered one of the single most important events of the year. However, in Japan Christmas is a much smaller holiday. Growing up in the US, I was always excited about Christmas, because it meant that I would have time off from school and every three or four… Read More Christmas in Japan
When it comes to watching anime as a Westerner and relying on subtitles, there are a lot of things that simply don’t translate well across the language and cultural barrier. Usually, this does not hinder our enjoyment of the media. The general meaning still gets across. The subtitles will often change what is literally being… Read More Lost in Translation
When it comes to watching anime as a Westerner and relying on subtitles, there are a lot of things that simply don’t translate well across the language and cultural barrier. Usually, this does not hinder our enjoyment of the media. The general meaning still gets across. The subtitles will often change what is literally being… Read More Lost in Translation
Is there a specific characteristic that sets great anime protagonists and heroes apart? While there are perhaps plenty of common traits they share, one that really just out is their ability to be themselves even when being yourself isn’t cool. Naruto Uzumaki provides us a good example of this funny trait. The Naruto manga is… Read More Naruto and Futaba Just Don’t Care (and Neither Should We)
Japes, our Anime Today columnist, has written a number of articles about the intersection of Christianity and anime for his other blog, Japesland. He is editing and resposting a number of these entries, including the one below, to Beneath the Tangles. Several days ago I wrote a piece that I titled “(Superficial) Christianity in Anime“,… Read More (Real) Christianity in Anime
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