When I heard about manga artist Kenya Suzuki being arrested for importing child pornography, I began to wonder if there’s something about manga that encourages such behavior. Manga has had several artists accused of possessing child pornography or engaging in sexual acts toward minors: Kenya Suzuki, the creator of Please Tell Me Gaiko-chan imported 6…
Author: Chris Kincaid
My Dress-Up Darling
My Dress-Up Darling surprised me with its heart and layers. I watched it on a whim, expecting the usual tired ecchi nonsense, but I quickly connected with the characters and how Darling develops those characters. Enter Wakana Gojo, the quiet and socially awkward high-school guy with a fascination with…hina doll craftsmanship! During his first semester,…
Impostor Syndrome
I suffer from Impostor Syndrome, and I am not alone. At least 70% of professionals report feeling Impostor Syndrome (IS) at some time during their careers (Gottlieb, 2020). Some time ago, Netflix approached me with an Anime Analyst position. This made my IS flare! After all, I can speak only toddler Japanese, and this job…
Why are Incels, Neckbeards, and Others Attracted to Japan?
Why is Japan the fantasy for the socially awkward? Why does its culture, its media, and its women receive so much attention from some online men? Since I’ve began to study Japan and the online social groups surrounding it, I’ve pondered these questions. I’ve wondered why generalizations and objectifications and misconceptions proliferate (Look at those…
Fact vs Truth in History
You’ve likely heard the phrase “history is written by the victors.” Because of this sentiment, historians feel skeptical about written histories sponsored by governments and winners of conflicts. In history, there’s also a tension between fact and truth. These sponsored histories may not be factual, but they are often truthful. After all, they explain a…
Examining Animation: Marin’s Smile
In this article, I’ll attempt to show you an exercise I used to do when I was working on my animation undergraduate degree. The exercise has you take an animation sequence and tear it down, drawing its keyframes (main points of motion) and some of its important in-between frames. Since Marin from My Dress-Up Darling…