August 6, 1945 marked a turning point in human history. August 9, 1945 left no doubt. Humanity had entered the Atomic Age. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagaska burned itself into the memories of the Japanese and the Americans. In many regards, the rise of the atomic bomb, and later the hydrogen bomb, gave…
Author: Chris Kincaid
Writing Japanese Katakana by Jim Gleeson
One of the keys to learning Japanese is stroke order and drilling until each stroke is second nature. Jim Gleeson put together a wonderful workbook that lets you do just that. In a short introduction, Gleeson outlines the different strokes needed to form each letter, and he briefly provides a history lesson about how kana…
Am I a Weeaboo? What does Weeaboo Mean Anyway?
My goal for JP is to cut through some of the mistaken ideas anime and manga fans have about Japan. As I dug around the net and academic databases researching for this article, I wondered if I really do meet my goal. Or, perhaps, I only add to the preponderances of misinformation and mistaken ideas…
The Sunshine Award Nomination
Thanks to Rekari over at Shooting Star Dreamer for the Nomination! These blog awards are a great way for bloggers to get to know each other. This is my first award nomination. “You like me! You really like me!” Reka gave me 10 excellent questions, but excuse me a moment. “Where was that dang-fangled thing…Blasted…
The Meat Head: Looking at Shonen Heroes
I have a bit of a bias toward shonen. I often write about shonen anime and themes. Frankly, it is because most shojo stories do not appeal to me. Another reason is because most imports we see here in the States are of the male variety. So that being said, it is time for another…
Japan’s Warrior Women
The one characteristic that sets women apart from men has shaped how women are treated in most societies. No, I am not referring to boobs. There is something about childbirth that relegates women to the role of property in most agricultural societies. Perhaps it is because most agricultural societies have the idea of land ownership…