In 2019, Shinji Aoba broke into Kyoto Animation studio (also known as KyoAni), sprayed gasoline, and ignited it. He escaped to the nearby train station before collapsing from the burns he also sustained. Witnesses reported (BBC, 2019): “A person with singed hair was lying down and there were bloody footprints,” a 59-year-old woman living nearby…
Category: Otaku Culture
How to Not Sound Like A Weeb
How does a weeb sound? That depends on vocal cord size, lung capacity, language, and–okay, the question deals with the words and references people use. First, what is a weeb? I’ve written an article that defines what a weeb is and how to not be one. But to summarize, weeb is short for the slang…
Men Live in Despair. What Can Be Done?
It’s no secret that many men struggle with depression and despair. This desperation has many factors, such as lacking a sense of purpose. The problem also isn’t new. History likes to move in rhyming cycles. Each era stands unique yet still follows a cyclical pattern that Romans called the saeculum. This includes the current troubles…
The Value of (Re)watching and (Re)reading
How often do you revisit an anime or a book? With new anime and books coming out at all times, we can get stuck on the new-and-shiny. But rewatching anime and rereading books can offer a deeper appreciation for something you enjoyed in the past. Of course, it can also lead you to ask “why…
Gift Ideas for the Anime/Manga Fan in Your Life
Gift giving can be difficult. Sure, you could fall back to a gift card, and while few dislike gift cards, there’s not as much thought or feeling in them as with a selected gift. Giving a gift that aligns with a person’s interests provides a nice way to support those interests too. I will start…
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…