There are many little aspects in manga and anime that we Westerners miss because we have a different education system than the Japanese. One aspect we miss is just how strong Confucian values are present in some manga and anime. Naruto and Confucius spend a lot of time sitting under the same roof eating cup-o-ramen….
Category: Understanding Anime
It is All About the Hair: The Color of Normal
In our last look at hair color and character personality archetypes, we look at brown. Brown is pretty much the color of normal. Brown haired characters tend to be stable, consistent, and predictable. They tend to be the most likeable of the archetypes. Brown haired characters are fine with just being themselves and accept their…
It is All About the Hair: Black as Night
Black embraces all colors. Characters with this hair color can feature the characteristics of any of the other types (except, perhaps, white). Black has several characteristics of its own. Black hair is associated with power and accomplishment. Often, black haired characters will have latent powers or hidden natures. Men wear blacks suits to work and…
It is All About the Hair: Pretty in Pink
Pink is the most complex hair color. Pink comes in 2 main shades: light and mauve. Pink is actually related to purple, blue and also draws shades of red and white. Light Pink Pink is about promise. These characters are lively and have the potential for greatness. Pink is often a color for cute and…
Yaoi: History, Appeal, and Misconceptions
Yaoi, also known as Boy’s Love or 801, is an offshoot of shojo manga. Shojo is categorized by the primary audience: women and girls. Yaoi is focused on male homosexual relationships; however, it isn’t targeted toward a homosexual audience. That type of manga is called bara. Yaoi is different from more traditional shojo storylines since…
Rosario + Vampire Season 2
A new semester beings at Yokai Academy! Rosario + Vampire Season 2 starts over from the beginning with Tsukune meeting a new vampire (The driver of many of the season’s conflicts) the same way he met Moko in the first season. The story for season 2 is almost a completely fresh start. There are a …