“Pleasure” can have the feel of a dirty word sometimes in church culture, like it’s dangerously indulgent and carnal, or tainted with innuendo. But God himself takes pleasure, and he created us to do the same. In fact, he even designed it so that pleasure and delight would be a gateway to one of the… Read More Redeeming Pleasure in ‘Tis Time for “Torture,” Princess
Virtuoso animator Natsuko Minose faces her problems head-on, at least when they are literal monsters bent on destroying the world and wiping her and her comrades off the face of the isekai. She whips out her magical pegbar, sharpens her Hi-uni pencil, and gets to drawing the biggest, baddest, most OP defender she can imagine… Read More Zenshu’s Ultimate Exister and Falling (Back) in Love with Life
Puella Magi Madoka Magica is a cornerstone series for us here at Beneath the Tangles. It came out just a few months after Twwk kicked off this ministry, and has inspired rich, thought-provoking posts from many members of the writing team ever since. So, isn’t it time to move on? Why are we doing yet… Read More The Redemption of Homura’s Wish
Queen Abigail Friedkin longs for one thing only: to spoil her beloved daughter Princess Blanche and give her the best upbringing any child could dream of. But it wasn’t always that way. Abigail used to envy her daughter’s beauty. She would seize upon any opportunity to mistreat the child, whether by slipping needles into her… Read More Manhwa Review: Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom Vol. 1
What makes an exceptional anime? Is it a protagonist with a relatable journey as they go from zero to number one hero? Or is it watching an antagonist’s backstory unfold, only to find that it reminds us of our own? It’s true that protagonists can be inspiring, but an exceptional anime is not just about… Read More No One Is Too Far Gone: Heroes & Villains in My Hero Academia
Hatchan the Villain It’s during the Arlong Park Arc of One Piece that readers are first introduced to a group of fishmen who, led by Arlong, have taken over Cocoyasi Village, the home of Straw Hat navigator Nami. It’s a distressing development, as Nami had spent years trying to raise the funds to free her… Read More Newman’s Nook: The Parable of Hatchan
My social media feeds received news of a second season of My Next as a Villainess with near-universal praise. And why not? Season one was clever and funny, featuring a memorable, amusing, and sweet heroine (er, villainess). And after a ten episodes of a fairly predictable (if welcome) storyline, the season ended with a bang… Read More A Short Musing on Grace and Catarina Claes
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