This is a guest post by Zach Weaver. “What other convention can you just stop in the middle of the road and talk to someone you just met?” That sentence perfectly described Midoricon 2013. I’m not sure what the guy’s name was that said it, but it came up in a conversation with him while…
Category: Culture
Anime Blogging and Copyright Considerations
American copyright law is a beast! The regulations are complicated and often confusing. Because I am a librarian by profession, I thought I would demystify some of these legal wranglings. First, the usual disclaimer: this article is by no means legal advice or a legal guide. It is for informational purposes (there, no one can…
A Look at Gender Expectations in Japanese Society
Gender roles are often something we don’t think about. We are socialized as guys and gals to behave in certain ways and often don’t realize it. Our media reflects these mores. Anime, like any other medium, reflects the expectations society has for its members. Aspects of anime, such as a girl cooking a bento for…
Iconic Skirts. The History of Japanese School Uniforms
They are a famous symbol of Japanese culture…odd since they were modeled after French and Prussian military uniforms. The Japanese school uniform is everywhere in manga, anime, and how we think about Japan. The uniform held many meanings throughout the 20th century. It started as a way for Japan to show other nations how upright…
Japan’s “Missing Million” — The Hikikomori
Most of us here in the US have probably come across people we would classify as “hermits”. That is to say, they barely leave the house, tend to be introverted, have few friends, and generally pass through life trying to be noticed as little as possible (weirdly enough, this might give them a kind of…
The Way of the Gods: Shinto and its Impact on Japan’s Strange Folklore
Delving into the world of folklore as much as I have, I’ve come across a lot of very strange beliefs. While weird beliefs aren’t limited to Japan, not by a long shot, the Japanese certainly don’t disappoint when it comes to bizarre critters. I’ve often found myself wondering why and how so much weirdness came…