The premiere episode of Tearmoon Empire blew me away—so much so, that I’ve already written about it! But there’s still more. Not only do we have Mia’s story, the very picture of what it is to be born again, but we also have Anne’s, and it is this servant girl’s story that shows us what… Read More Grace in Tearmoon Empire: Escaping the Zero-Sum Game
Where is the line between lying and living by faith? When is deception an expression of aspiration, and fakery, of hope? Although these things are at opposite ends of the moral spectrum, on the surface, they can sometimes look alike. After all, as the writer of Hebrews said, “faith is confidence in what we hope… Read More Oshi no Ko: Grace for the Liar
Arisa is the second most popular waitress at Maid Café Vamp. Yes, that’s right, second. She was first, but then was supplanted by an actual vampire, Midori, when the latter joined the establishment. But that’s still pretty good, right? Second is nothing to scoff at. To be honest with you, if I was the second… Read More Call of the Night: Sick, Lonely Humans (and Vampires)
Human beings have two responses to anxiety and crisis situations: to freeze up and do nothing, or to get busy—and I mean really busy. Or as Brené Brown and other mental health professionals term it, under-functioning and over-functioning. Sadly, this fundamental difference in responses to stress is the stuff that often tears relationships apart, rendering… Read More Lycoris Recoil Ep. 9: The Grace of a Friend
As fans well know, Non Non Biyori is a show punctuated by pauses. In fact, many of the top comments on Crunchyroll have to do with viewers who’ve checked their internet connection or refreshed the page mid-watch, thinking that the stream must have stalled. These “frozen moments” are unique to the anime adaptation of the… Read More Summer of SoL: Non Non Biyori & What Happens in the Pauses
Nothing short of world peace is hanging in the balance as Anya Forger sets off for her first day of school. As if the typical pressures of a first day—making a good first impression, finding her way around a new place, and figuring out where to sit in the cafeteria—weren’t enough, Anya knows (thanks to… Read More SPY x FAMILY & the Glorious Tension at the Heart of the Gospel
When I was a child, I dreamed of having a scar on my face or maybe across my chest. It would be the mark of an adventurer, of someone cool and courageous. But the act of getting the scar? I wasn’t interested in that. One day, though, it did happen. I took a tumble off… Read More Scars: From the Battousai to the Cross (to You)