History has two different and related types: small and big. Big history is what you learn in school. It’s the major events of the past: the American Revolution, World War II, the Thirty-Years War, Sengoku Jidai, and so on. Big history usually has some sort of date you needed to memorize. Small history sits on…
Author: Chris
Summer 2023 Anime Review Round Up
New anime seasons don’t always interest me. I usually look through the new releases on various streaming platforms, but I don’t follow the release schedule. I don’t use MyAnimeList or anything of the sort. Usually, I read through the descriptions of new releases and give the first episode a watch if the description grabs my…
6 Ways to Date Like a Samurai
Okay, the title of this article is a bit misleading. Samurai didn’t date as we do; they had arranged marriages. But there are many stories of samurai romances and dating in Japanese folklore. Although samurai were warriors, until the Edo period, they were expected to balance their war-skills with softer skills like flower arranging and…
My 2023 Horror Film List, Snacks Provided by TokyoTreat
When I saw TokyoTreat had a Halloween box, I didn’t hesitate to request one. October is one of my favorite months because of the shift to autumn, at least when the weather behaves, and the spooky season. It’s the first month since March when I feel better. Heat makes me feel terrible. So to celebrate,…
Hagakure: the Art of the Samurai
The Hagakure appears obsessed with seppuku when you read through it. In the book, Yamamoto Tsunetomo collected myriad accounts of samurai from Saga domain along with various proverbs and lessons. Tsunetomo lived during the long peace of the Edo period as a custodian of Lord Mitsushige’s books. He worked from theory, which is why seppuku…
Berserk Deluxe Edition 1 Review
Long-time readers know I’m not usually much of a manga reader. I prefer to read prose. But I’ve been needing to expand my reading, so I jumped into the first deluxe edition of Berserk. Berserk fans won’t be happy with me. I can summarize my reading of first volume in a word: meh. It’s not…