I rarely find a comedy anime that strikes me as funny. Most have amusing moments amid the tired, over-trod comedy tropes (nude jokes, breast jokes, and the like). but few strike me as funny. Hinamatsuri made me laugh quite often with its antics. Of course, the show has structural problems and over-uses some of its…
Category: Anime
Ranma 1/2, Does it Hold Up Today?
Ranma 1/2 is an old sit-com style anime from 1989 to 1992. It follows a martial artist named Ranma, his dad, and the family of his fiance Akane. Ranma and his dad fall into different cursed ponds when training in China. When dosed with cold water, Ranma turns into a girl. His dad turns into…
Horimiya: Surprisingly Subtle
Horimiya appears to be a standard high-school rom-com, but it quickly shows how it is more. The series focuses on how people have hidden sides to their personalities that slowly reveal to those closest to them. The main characters Hori and Miyamura develop a relationship while discovering these layers. Hori is a popular, head of…
What if Anime Wasn’t Japanese?
“What if” questions usually fall into speculation and aren’t that helpful. What if anime wasn’t Japanese? The question likely isn’t that helpful because Japan has stamped its culture on animation as we think of it. Anime has influenced how animation is done throughout the world, perhaps even more than Disney has influenced animation in recent…
Eureka Seven: Psalms of Planets Revisit
Eureka Seven was the first article I wrote for JP 10 years ago. The anime originally debuted in 2005-2006, and it was my favorite anime. I enjoy coming-of-age stories, and Eureka Seven layers them on. You have Renton and Eureka. Both come-of-age and develop a relationship with each other. Renton moves from a whiny, spoiled…
Considering Violent Media and Killing
People have a built-in resistance to killing, but this resistance can be overcome through various methods. During World War II, only 15-20% of American riflemen fired at the enemy. This included men faced with Japanese banzai charges and other situations. Most people would rather die than kill someone else (Grossman, 1995). People often bluster about…