Tsukune is a normal high school teenager. Of course, in the anime world that means abnormal events are on the menu. Tsukune is unable to get into a private school because of his poor grades. With help from his parents, he lands a spot at the Yokai Academy. Yokai is a class of monster in…
Brief Visual Anime History
Anime as we know it has been around in Japan since the Edo period…ok at least it draws it’s roots to that period. Ukiyo-e were woodblock prints. Ever heard of Katsushika Hokusai? His work is ukiyo-e. You can see many of the elements anime will draw from: the simplified yet expressive faces, the vibrant colors,…
Japanese Gestures
Japanese have many gestures that come off as strange to us Westerners. When we see ’em in anime and movies they can leave us scratching our heads. I couldn’t find some of the odder gestures, but I did manage a collection of the more common conversation gestures. Here is a low down on some of…
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster
11 March 2011 The Earth shifted off its axis between 10-25 cm that day. Off the coast of Tohoku, Japan the Earth heaved at a magnitude 9.0 and thrust up a tsunami that stretched 40.5 meters (133 ft) high and traveled 100 mph. That is as high as the 4 towers surrounding the Taj Mahal….
Shigurui: Death Frenzy
Shigurui: Death Frenzy is deathly serious, but I wasn’t expecting reach-into-your-stomach-and-pull-out-your-own-intestines serious. In one of the opening scenes a Daiymo’s advisor pleads with the lord not to hold a competition with real swords. To illustrate his point of what will happen to these promising young swordsman he reaches into his own seppuku wound and pulls…
Selling Dreams
Host clubs are a common element to Japanese night life. Host clubs are bars ladies go to hire a guy for an evening of drinking, conversation, flirting, and (on rare occasions) more. Hosts are guys aged between 18 – mid 20. They are expected to be “hot” with silver jewelry, tans, and charm. Basically they…