A new season of Haikyuu!! started this weekend. This volleyball anime hails from Production I.G, the same studio that brought us Kuroko’s Basketball, and it’s equally pleasing to watch. Hinata Shoyo never fails to put a smile on my face—even comedy anime rarely lighten my heart the way this kid does. But this week, his teammate Kageyama… Read More Annalyn’s Corner: Befriending the Kageyamas in Our Lives
In a recent episode of The Rose of Versailles, Oscar’s coldness towards the now Queen Marie Antoinette struck me as too severe. Since her rescue of Marie Antoinette, the queen has always held Oscar in esteem, and she uses her new authority to pour favors onto Oscar’s lap: she raises Oscar to the post of regimental… Read More Examining Old School Anime: Honey Catches More Flies than Vinegar
Yes, I’m returning to Kuroko’s Basketball. The power was out last night, so I couldn’t catch up on new shows, and I was forced to use a topic that I’ve been thinking about since before last season ended. Spoilers ahead. I’ve written before about why Akashi’s approach to basketball is wrong. But there’s another aspect to… Read More Annalyn’s Corner: Akashi’s Dysfunctional Approach to Relationships
Friendship fascinates and amazes me at every stage. Actually, most types of relationships fascinate me, because I don’t completely understand them. Still, I understand at least two things better than the Generation of Miracles: First, relationships should never be purely utilitarian. Even if we’re on a team with specific goal—whether in a sport or at work—we must… Read More Annalyn’s Corner: The Importance of “We”
I’ve been meaning to watch Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakama-tachi (Okami-san and her Seven Companions) for a while. This twelve-episode anime draws heavily on fairy and folk tales, and my love for these classic stories never dies. I finally watched it this past week. It was… decent, once the narrator’s voice stopped annoying me. The title… Read More Annalyn’s Corner: Ookami-san and a Favor that’s Impossible to Return
In December, I watched Croisée in a Foreign Labyrinth for Anime Secret Santa. I was struck by the way the main character, Yune, reaches out to those around her. She feels free to love and serve others, while her guardian, Claude, is held back by fear and social convention. Freedom and love are strong themes in Croisée, and for good… Read More Annalyn’s Corner: Free to Love
Rivalry is a funny thing. Through competing (and often losing) to someone who’s your equal or better, you can become stronger than you ever thought you might. Episode 8 of Your Lie in April (Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso) is all about the rivalry that Takeshi and Emi both have with Kousei, and how those… Read More Your Lie in April, Episode 8: Rivals
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