On the whole, this episode went a long ways towards reassuring me that Kotoura-san knows what’s it doing. This is a funny series, in both senses of the word. It’s usually funny when it tries to be funny, and it’s funny in that it’s weird – the tonal composition is […] Read more
I’ve finally broken down and, for the first time in my life, bought an Apple product. I think I saw a flying pig outside my window this morning. So I’ve finally gone over to the dark side and bought my first Apple product ever (a Macbook Air). As I’m still […] Read more
Why isn’t there ever a Panda on my train? It seems funny to start a post by saying that this was definitely the least funny Shirokuma Café ever, and have it be a positive one – but it definitely will be. We’ve seen this show go the serious route on […] Read more
It’s New Years again already? As matsuri go, Ta’Asobi (“Rice field play”) has a pretty good history – about 1,000 years. Japan, like other Asian nations, is celebrating the lunar new year at the moment, and that also represents the beginning of planting season (if you recall, Setsubun is actually […] Read more
It seems obvious that things are rushing along at a brisk pace on Bakuman these days, because there’s a very discernible sense that each episode is really two episodes in one. Whatever happens before the break would probably have been a full episode in prior seasons, but the order has […] Read more
And so ends the Haruka Arc – or was it the Kanata Arc – and I can’t imagine anyone could complain about a lack of drama now. I have a few issues with the way things were wrapped up here, truth be told, though I suspect they’re more with the […] Read more
In the immortal words of Jerry Seinfeld, “It’s so nice when it happens good.” Yes, the above could certainly be applied to our heroes in this episode – it was a good time indeed to be Ashirogi Muto. But I selfishly speak of myself instead, as it’s one of the […] Read more
Wait a minute – just where did Kana pull that second sea cucumber from? Ho-hum – another week, another sterling example of Minami-ke Tadaima. I wasn’t sure anything could make me laugh as hard as the whiteboard scene in Zetsuen to Tempest, but this ep came pretty darn close. And […] Read more
What a fascinating country this is. A little belatedly, here are some pics and videos from a trip to the Ryoguku Kokugikan, the national sumo stadium in East Tokyo. Sumo isn’t an element of Japanese culture than I know all that well, honestly, but it’s a very deeply ingrained part […] Read more
Who knew the scariest opponent Killua has faced so far would only have one arm? I know some of the manga audience has been complaining about the pacing of “Greed Island” in this version, but for me it’s been rock-solid – to be honest if I didn’t know what I’d […] Read more