Kyousuke is back, yet again. He lies over the table of the school canteen, tired—more so than he has ever been. The Refrain route, the last one, is about to begin. It is the last chance: Life, death, friendship, the past, the future, love and treason are all going to play out now. If only he… Read More Kyousuke Natsume and Meeting the Crucified Christ (II)
What do you do, and how do you move forward, after you’ve experienced a bittersweet, youthful love? Happy-Go-Lucky Days, currently streaming at the Asian Pop-up Cinema Festival, examines these questions through three stories, each particular in a variety of ways, but all connected by same threads of sadness, joy, and maturation. Those who have read… Read More Review: Happy-Go-Lucky Days
“I’ll be here until you’re able to ride those waves alone.” Several years ago, I attended a family wedding in Hawai’i. The trip ran through my birthday, and as if a vacation to paradise wasn’t enough, I was gifted a ticket for a surfing lesson. I was excited and terrified at the same time—compounded by… Read More In Life and Love, Ride Your Wave
Yuna, whose best friend has just moved out of town, leaving her in crisis, is timid, sensitive and credulous, and terribly embarrassed that her first love was Prince Philip from Sleeping Beauty. Akari, who has just moved to her block, is adventurous, messy and loud, quick to fall in love but also headstrong and rational,… Read More Two Kinds of Love in Love me, Love Me Not (Vol. 1)
As the Demon Slayer manga nears its conclusion (spoilers ahead), it returns, in spirit, to the series opening—to Tanjirou’s thoughts of home. Muzan Kibutsuji, unable to survive the sun, has passed on his demon power and his own spirit to Tanjirou, who has started to succomb to the invasion. As Giyuu prepares to kill him,… Read More Demon Slayer Chapter 203: Memories of Home
In this episode of the TangleCast, David, Peter, and Holly analyze an anime that’s as appropriate as any to look at this month—Your Lie in April. In particular, they investigate what makes the series so emotional, focusing on a cast of sacrificial characters, the power that music has to move people, and how love can… Read More TangleCast 76: The Role of Music and Love in Your Lie in April
Jeskai Angel continues our Holy Week series on anime and disability by examining a condition that might quality as the latter, but which as he mentions, can certainly be significantly disabling. Shame is an extremely common result of being abused, and it can happen with any kind of abuse: physical, emotional, sexual, etc. Shame isn’t… Read More Nice Shoujo Protagonist You’ve Got There…Shame If Anything Happened to Her
Good morning! If you’re like me, I’m sure you all have been inundated by updates from various organizations through this time of pandemic. I don’t want to add to the pile, but I feel it necessary to let our readers know that we’re here for you during this time. After all, part of our very… Read More Loving God and Loving the Otaku Community Through COVID-19
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so what better time to talk about love? Our podcast team takes a look at one of the most popular romcom anime of recent years, Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, and especially at the communications problem at the center of the series. Join David and Holly as they share their… Read More TangleCast 71: Nozaki-kun and Communicating Love
Day 7: Love I want to start this anime post by referencing a non-animated movie I recently watched. About a month ago, my husband and I saw Breakthrough, a Christian film based on the real-life events of a boy who survived a drowning by a miracle alone. This movie struck a very personal and deep… Read More 12 Days of Christmas Anime: Tokyo Godfathers