Dragon Ball Z is a show that needs little introduction among anime fans. To say that Dragon Ball Z (DBZ) is influential is a gross understatement–had Dragon Ball Z never been published, modern anime–specifically Shonen–would look nothing like it does now. While most readers here are probably familiar with DBZ’s storyline, for those who aren’t…
Tag: Anime
JapanPowered isn’t just about anime (even if the bulk of it is). You can find all different types of anime in this section.
Akira: Changing the Face of Anime
Akira is important for anime both in the West and in Japan. It seems odd, but Akira’s predecessor isn’t another anime. Rather, Akira is the child of Godzilla. So what does the teen angst of Akira have to do with the giant city smashing Godzilla? Both Akira and Godzilla show the influence of World War…
Mighty Atom and Tezuka’s Production System
Any series that looks at the most influential anime must talk about Osamu Tezuka’s Mighty Atom (Tetsuwan Atomu) or Astro Boy as we in the West know it. Astro Boy laid the groundwork for anime and manga storytelling, production, and all other aspects of the medium. While it was not the first Japanese animation, Tetsuwan…
Objectification of Women in Anime
Where does enjoying beauty become objectifying? What does it mean to objectify a woman? A man? Does anime do it? What does it mean to objectify someone? Objectification is defined as when a person is regarded as an object. There are 10 aspects to objectification (Papadaki, 2014). I will use Shinji from Neon Genesis Evangelion…
Bleach–A Critique
I wrote a critique of the anime One Piece a couple of weeks ago. I was pretty critical of it, and of Shonen in general, during that article. In the interest of fairness, I decided to cast the same critical eye on an anime that I actually enjoyed. After all, it is easy to take…
Maoyu
Maoyu Mao Yusha (Demon King and Hero) can be described in a word: rushed. Enter Hero (yeah that is his name). Hero is humanity’s greatest warrior, akin to something you would find in Final Fantasy game. He is able to demolish entire cities and armies with his magic abilities. He was sent to vanquish the…