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Suzume: when not to stick to the formula
I’ve started to think of the three most recent entries to Makoto Shinkai’s filmography as the “Natural Disasters” trilogy. your name and Weathering with You both tell very…
A reflection on KajiFes 2023
The Budokan arena probably doesn’t need any introduction, being one of the world’s most prestigious venues. Even though it’s not the biggest, newest or even the most well-suited…
The art of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
I was hoping to buy a thirtieth anniversary edition of the Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream album on vinyl but, for some reason, I’ve yet to find such a…
Why Gunbuster has one of the best anime endings ever
Here be spoilers. I’m not doing a deep dive into the whole show here, because better minds than mine (I’m looking at you, Jonathan Clements, and I recommend anyone…
Meet me at Paradeplatz: thoughts on FictionJunction at AnimagiC 2023
It’s been four years since I’d last had a proper holiday, so I incorporated my visit to the AnimagiC 2023 convention into a European city break trip that…
On Haibane Renmei: life, loss and redemption
By almost any measure, Haibane Renmei is odd. Perhaps because its creator came from a different type of artistic training from most people in the anime and manga…
Consolation: a Tenth Anniversary Retrospective
Well, here we are. Kalafina’s fourth full-length LP, Consolation, is now a decade old. At the time of its release the band was enjoying more success and a…
RPM Challenge 2023 production notes
The RPM Challenge is inspiring, because it gives me an objective and a set deadline to fight procrastination, but it’s also frustrating because I don’t feel that I…
Thoughts on the Kalafina 15th anniversary, The Music and band longevity
On January 23rd 2023, Kalafina’s debut single, Oblivious, turned fifteen years old. It was also five years since their tenth anniversary concert at Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan arena, which…
Never mind the BSOD, here's Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
As a science fiction geek, I have a particular fondness for the cyberpunk genre. I only recently tried to seriously ask myself why after watching the new streaming…
Flying under the radar: Macross Zero
In ongoing media franchises, one advantage of a prequel is that it can appeal to both long-standing fans and new viewers who can experience everything in chronological order. Macross Zero…
Sturgill Simpson’s Sound and Fury: making art, not friends
One of my favourite albums of the past few years was recorded by a country artist. I know. This will probably only surprise you if you knew me…
Spy x Family first impressions: who knew that subterfuge and murder could be so wholesome?
Older fans of any medium can sometimes feel burned out by over-used tropes. When this happens, I try to take a step back and give myself a break…
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop: a heartfelt tribute to young love and old records
Released internationally in 2021, Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop somehow slipped under my radar. I expect that it would have gone down a storm in cinemas and…
Thoughts on Heaven’s Feel part 3: Spring Song
This was a very difficult article to write. It’s so damned hard to give an objective opinion of one instalment in a series, because everything rides on how…
The otherworldly charm of Kaiba
Masaaki Yuasa is one of those directors with an instantly-recognisable style that, whether or not you personally enjoy it, you have to admire it for being such a…
Why Tokyo Godfathers is my favourite Christmas movie
We all know the “is Die Hard a Christmas movie?” meme, but I find it more fun to ask for recommendations of other “alternative” festive films. While The…
A Tenth Anniversary Retrospective on After Eden
Ten years? Already?! Realising that After Eden was released a full decade ago today was one of those “OH F*** I’M OLD T_T” moments, honestly. I know that…
Looking back on the Kalafina Progressive single and the 2009 Closed Premium Live
Of all the singles in Kalafina’s back catalogue, Progressive is a particularly interesting one. It wasn’t a movie or TV tie-in, so I guess that the record label…
My thoughts on Evangelion 3.33 + 1, minus spoilers
I didn’t plan to write this. I didn’t plan to spend one of my rare weeks off work as yet another geek, out of doubtless many others, writing…
Natsuhiko Kyougoku and the tradition of Honkaku mystery fiction
“There’s no such thing in this world as an uninteresting book. Any book is interesting; and not just when it’s new. Even books you’ve already read can be…
A restrospective on Red Moon
Firstly, I’d like to thank all the people who responded to my previous article for your kind words. Writing on an old-fashioned style blog makes you wonder “is…
A retrospective on Seventh Heaven
It’s strange to be commemorating the release of one of my favourite albums on its thirteenth anniversary when thirteen isn’t even a very round number, but it seems…
The Queen’s Gambit may not be a commentary on neurodiversity after all, and why that’s okay
A lot has been said about how a surprise TV hit during a pandemic was a story about a board game that can be played indoors. Maybe the…
Thoughts on Rascal Does not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
I recall a fan review of the old SF classic Gunbuster on a now-vanished website that described it as something that “has no business being this good.” While…
Keiko First Live K001, “I’m Home”
Thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic that has hamstrung the entire live music and travel industries, it’s been a rough year for music fans and performers alike. Second only…
Getting your gambling freak on with Kaiji and Kakegurui
At the time of its original broadcast, the anime adaptation of Kaiji felt like a breath of fresh air…albeit air that carried a waft of sweat, cheap booze,…
Some belated thoughts on Wakana’s first solo album
The challenges faced by the former Kalafina and FictionJunction vocalist in releasing her solo debut
An analysis into Kalafina's remastered All Time Best
A deep-dive into comparing the dynamic range and overall loudness of the remastered songs with the original CD recordings
Thoughts on Fate/Stay Night: Heaven's Feel, parts 1 and 2
A late addition to a multimedia franchise, these animated films are somewhat different from their predecessors, but amongst the strongest Fate adaptations to date