Research papers follow a regular structure that helps you find what matters for your project. Most papers have the following sections: Abstract – the summary of the study and its findings. Literature – a sketch of background information and where the study’s hypothesis fits in this literature. Methodology – a breakdown of how the study…
“My Japan,” A World War II Anti-Japanese Propaganda Film
My Japan takes an interesting tact with how it tried to spur Americans to buy war bonds. The film claims to be a captured Japanese propaganda film aimed at demoralizing Americans. The film was, in fact, produced by the War Finance Division of the United States Office of War Information in 1945. The film uses a…
I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, Too
The title of the story says it all. Isekai stories have long focused on power fantasies, of one-upping everyone who had ever slighted you. The story encourages catharsis and vicariousness with a hero who is a “nice guy”. Despite his niceness, he’s a geek, fat, ugly, or otherwise socially inept, especially with women. Of course,…
Yes, Public Libraries Censor Manga…Sometimes
I live in a rather conservative region–the type of region that professes to follow Christian values while many people have a brood of kids, all with different last names, and where people have no qualms about shooting someone for theft. You know, possessions are more important that a life after all. To be fair, there…
Why Do Anime Characters Always Get Colds [and Collapse from Them]?
You know the scene. It starts with a sneeze or a chill, usually after being caught in the rain. Next, the character collapses into unconsciousness. Sometimes this happens in the classroom; other times it happens during some emotional event, such as a kokuhaku. The character’s friends and love interest rush to their side. They call…
Kokuhaku, How to Confess Your Love the Japanese Way
Kokuhaku, or love confession, isn’t easy to research. People take contemporary cultural practices for granted; such practices aren’t studied until they fall out of practice. If you do a web search for kokuhaku, you will find many articles, but I aim for academic or newspaper sources. These are scarce. In any case, like so many…