I watched My Next Life as a Villainess on a whim. I had been deep in my revisiting of various past anime series and needed something new. The new anime season has been thin with COVID-19 related closures and other events hampering production schedules. My Next Life offered a different look on the isekai genre….
Category: Anime
This is Your Brain on Anime. Any Questions?
Teen brains sit on an important stage of brain development. Adolescence isn’t just a cultural construct; it’s a period of drastic rewiring. I will be using Robert Sapolsky’s book Behave (2017) for the following facts. Remember too that research focuses on averages. At the start of adolescence, teens have more gray matter than adults. Gray…
Who am I? Amnesia as an Anime Plot Device
It seems as if every other anime character is getting clocked on the noggin’ and getting amnesia. Amnesia has become a fairly common plot device with many advantages and disadvantages (the main one: over use!) According to the Mayo Clinic, amnesia “refer to the loss of memories, such as facts, information and experiences. Though forgetting…
Inuyasha: The Best Anime for Beginners
I’ve often thought about what the best anime is for introducing people to the medium. Many anime are great for people who hate anime. But what about those who are curious but find anime strange? What about those who find the tropes of anime and the jokes confusing? What is the best anime for them?…
Beastars Impressions (Season 1)
At first, I avoided Netflix’s Beastars. Despite my background in 3D animation, I’ve come not to like it. I prefer the look of traditional animation. Perhaps because 3D is overdone now. Back when I got into it, Toy Story was out. I also avoided Beastars because I’m not into furries! Actually, the character designs troubled…
Considering Anime’s Moe Trend
Moe designs dominate anime nowadays. The designs focus on cute girls with overly large eyes–even by anime standards–rounded faces, and pastel colors in hair and clothing. I’ve defined what moe is, but for a brief review: moe is a feeling of affection and fondness someone has toward a fictional character. Character designers have hit on…