So – is anime saved? For now, the jury is out and the bag is mixed. OP: “Viva Namida” (ビバナミダ “Viva Teardrops”) by Yasuyuki Okamura There are many unusual things about Space Dandy, but perhaps the weirdest for me is this: it’s definitely the first time I’ve seen a TV […] Read more
“Timeless” is a good word for Mushishi, in more ways than one. Various year-end anime polls like to include a category for “world-building” or some such description, and it’s hard to imagine Mushishi not coming out on top any time it’s eligible to compete. It’s truly remarkable how seamlessly I […] Read more
The end is surely in sight now, and maybe in more ways than one. We’ve reached the endgame stage of the Qin-Wei war now, and whichever side is going to emerge victorious is going to do so in very short order. There are lots of interesting storylines emerging here (just […] Read more
Cats everywhere. Just another lazy day of wandering about Shitamachi. This time it’s Gokokuji, which of all Tokyo’s most important temples is the closest to me. I took the 25-minute walk up there today and snapped some more pics (along with a few at a small but picturesque temple I […] Read more
That episode was a long time coming, and not because of the New Year’s break. OP 8: “B.B.” by The Yatou 2014 starts off on a very strong front for Uchuu Kyoudai, which is nice to see because it’s 2013 was a step down from the first three cours. This […] Read more
Yep, Blood Lad still entertains the heck out of me. Blood Lad is a sadly under-appreciated series, and something of a poster child for what’s wrong with the anime industry these days. It only got 10 episodes from Brains Base, which was just barely enough time to scratch the surface […] Read more
It’s not a dream, apparently. I always suspected Mushishi was one of those shows that was more popular in the West than in Japan, but we’re getting a second season this April. Just like that, Spring became one of the best prospective anime seasons since… Well, since Spring 2012. Mushishi […] Read more
Is that unambiguous enough? Since I’m topping old series recommendations for the new year, why not the ultimate recommendation for the ultimate anime? Original post date 7/3/2010. I’ve watched an awful lot of series, movies, OVAs. Been impacted by many of them, moved by many, changed by a few. Certainly […] Read more
I love the newly born year in Japan. Hatsumode is the tradition of visiting a shrine or temple to pray during the first three days of the year, and one which Japanese folks overwhelmingly observe, irrespective of their daily spiritual inclinations. There’s a strong element of family and community to […] Read more
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. To be honest, I’m pretty much of the opinion that if I never see another “He was a normal high school boy living a normal life until she showed up…” anime it’ll be too soon for me. It’s probably not much of […] Read more