My Dress-Up Darling surprised me with its heart and layers. I watched it on a whim, expecting the usual tired ecchi nonsense, but I quickly connected with the characters and how Darling develops those characters. Enter Wakana Gojo, the quiet and socially awkward high-school guy with a fascination with…hina doll craftsmanship! During his first semester,…
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Why are Incels, Neckbeards, and Others Attracted to Japan?
Why is Japan the fantasy for the socially awkward? Why does its culture, its media, and its women receive so much attention from some online men? Since I’ve began to study Japan and the online social groups surrounding it, I’ve pondered these questions. I’ve wondered why generalizations and objectifications and misconceptions proliferate (Look at those…
Fact vs Truth in History
You’ve likely heard the phrase “history is written by the victors.” Because of this sentiment, historians feel skeptical about written histories sponsored by governments and winners of conflicts. In history, there’s also a tension between fact and truth. These sponsored histories may not be factual, but they are often truthful. After all, they explain a…
Examining Animation: Marin’s Smile
In this article, I’ll attempt to show you an exercise I used to do when I was working on my animation undergraduate degree. The exercise has you take an animation sequence and tear it down, drawing its keyframes (main points of motion) and some of its important in-between frames. Since Marin from My Dress-Up Darling…
What Makes Anime, Anime?
It used to be anime was animation from Japan. That was why in the old, pre-Internet days it was often called Japanimation. It was known for being stiff, but super detailed and naturalistic compared to the more cartoony and exaggerated American animation. Animation was, after all, for children. Then Akira and Ghost in the Shell…
Watanabe Kills the Great Spider
This week continues spooky October with another Watanabe and Raiko monster adventure. You can find modernized versions of these and other stories in my compilation “Tales from Old Japan.” During the time in which Watanabé was forming his plan to destroy the onis that lurked in the Oyé mountains, the brave Raiko fell sick, and…