Horimiya appears to be a standard high-school rom-com, but it quickly shows how it is more. The series focuses on how people have hidden sides to their personalities that slowly reveal to those closest to them. The main characters Hori and Miyamura develop a relationship while discovering these layers. Hori is a popular, head of…
“Don’t You Feel Lonely?”
Since my girlfriend of 4 years broke up with me over a year ago, people keep asking me if I am lonely. Blunt question! Lately, there seems to be an obsession with loneliness. News reports it as an epidemic. Since the pandemic started, doctors and other officials have fretted over loneliness as a mental health…
The Fox Brothers and Old Tanuki’s Trick Chapter 4
That evening the fox brothers approached the den of Old Tanuki. Kitsu tottered on his hind legs and fumbled with the small paper lantern they used to light their way. Mitsu balanced the tray with fewer problems. He was getting used to walking on his hind legs. No crows greeted them this time. At least,…
The Confessions of Lady Nijo
The Confessions of Lady Nijo is an example of Japan’s traditional women’s literature: the diary. Her father was the head of the Minamoto clan: Major Counselor Masatada, who served the Emperor from 1228-1272. Her mother was the niece of an Honorary Empress. Nijo herself was a lady-in-waiting and the concubine to the Retired Emperor Go-Fukakusa…
Neir:Automata, a Review of Its Themes
I’m an old school JRPG gamer. Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger still remain at the top of my list. I’m not much on action rpgs. I prefer menu-based combat. But when Neir:Automata went on sale on Steam, I bought it. It’s been a long time since an RPG grabbed me like Neir:Automata did. As…
The Possible Impact of NFTs
NFTs, or nonfungible tokens, have appeared throughout the news cycle recently. NFTs use blockchain technology similar to Bitcoin to make a certificate of authenticity for a digital item or to make what amounts to a digital trading card. A certificate of authenticity NFT basically states you own an original or serial-numbered copy of a digital…