Once, a few, few weeks ago there were two old man. One served in World War II, losing many friends to the Japanese. The other old man was drafted just as World War II ended, and he fought not against the Japanese soldiers. The man who lost friends, Clyde shall his name be, had walked…
Understanding Japanese Talismans, Amulets, and Good-luck Charms
Talismans, amulets, and good-luck charms appear throughout anime. Japan isn’t unique for having these–every culture has their own version–but Japanese charms have become a bit more international with their appearance in manga and anime. Some work similar to the American lucky-rabbit’s foot. Others are rather different. Talismans and other charms overlap with toys in Japanese…
Understanding Culture Blindness
A fish doesn’t notice water. You can’t see the forest for the trees. Whenever I visit Amish country, as we call the areas where the Amish live, I’m struck by how a group I’m familiar with can seem foreign to others. If you don’t know, the Amish is a religious group that eschews owning technology…
Examining the Rising of the Shield Hero Controversy
Well, it looks like anime has another controversy on the order of Goblin Slayer’s episode 1 content issue. Across various review websites, such as MyAnimeList, people have spoke out against Rising of the Shield Hero because of a plot device used in the first episode. Rising of the Shield Hero looks to be yet another isekai…
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai Review
As I wrote in my first impression, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai surprised me. Instead of the schlock I expected, the story had one of the best sets of characters in 2018. I’m a bit saddened that the publisher didn’t think the story could’ve succeeded without such a fan-service focused title. But…
The Madness Behind Goblin Slayer
I’ve addressed the controversy surrounding the first episode of Goblin Slayer. I’ve also seen (as likely you have) plenty of articles that speak about the status of women in the series. “Rotten Chivalry: The Role of Women in Goblin Slayer” at UEM struck me as one of the best. But the articles also ignore the…