A bill passed from West Virginia’s House of Delegates and to the state’s Senate. The bill removes protections from public libraries, schools, and museums, holding librarians and curator…
Feb 25, 2024 • Subscribe
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Godzilla: The East and West Dilemmas
I have seen this topic get a bit heated from time to time and recently it really got deep into my head. This is very much because of…


Batman Ninja and the East-West Discourse
Blog about anime and manga
Afro Samurai, Batman Ninja, Batman: Gotham Knight, Death Note, Ghost in the Shell
The West Wing
It seems like I am forever playing catchup with my sources of entertainment. Half a decade after The West Wing finished airing, I finally took the time to…
Ikebukuro West Gate Park – 06 – Knights and Shadows
Ikebukuro is a town of balance, and that balance ensures peace. But one otherwise ordinary night, a group from the G-Boys Hiroto Faction are pulled from their van…


Tumbling Over TRIGUN: Exploding Frontierism and the Wilder West
All of life’s journeys come with meetings, partings, and reunions. – Meryl Stryfe Upon finishing Trigun (1998), Trigun: Badlands Rumble (2010), and Trigun Stampede (2023) for the first…
Ikebukuro West Gate Park
The ingredients for a simple but effective crime thriller are here, which may make wonder why you have heard so little about it. The reasoning becomes apparent: despite…
When a Cat Faces West and Reincarnated as a Sword
The White Sox went into last week needing a sweep of the Cleveland Guardians to win the...
IKEBUKURO WEST GATE PARK REVIEW — WHAT IT IS AND ISN’T
The current anime season is coming to an end so this post might count as a recap, as well as my observations and general thoughts on the show.…
When a Cat Faces West and Reincarnated as a Sword
The White Sox went into last week needing a sweep of the Cleveland Guardians to win the...


How the West Was Lost
A visit to cowboy-themed attraction Western Village after it goes the way of the buffalo.


Bounty Arms: Going Data West
Uh-oh. I haven’t written about Bounty Arm s in over a year! That’s perhaps understandable, since an unreleased PlayStation action game from ...
Ikebukuro West Gate Park – 01
「北口スモークタワー」 (Kitaguchi sumoukutawaa) "North Exit Smoke Tower" I’d like to think there was something to this franchise that made it such a hit.


RPG Review: Horizon Forbidden West
So in a surprising turn of events, I decided to play an American RPG but only because it came free bundled with my PS5. 😂 As usual Kanade’s…


East Palace, West Palace (Intro)
Text of an intro given at the Barbican Cinema, 29th June, 2023


EP 49: The Uncharted Forbidden West
Dad Needs To Talk shares thoughts on The Uncharted Movie, Horizon Forbidden West and why dad life about to get even busier.
First Look: Ikebukuro West Gate Park
Ikebukuro: where you will apparently never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. In this violent and crime-ridden district, where yazkuza and youth street gangs rule…
Ikebukuro West Gate Park – Episode 1
It’s not a terrible premiere, but it felt like the series was more interested in throwing us into the chaotic world of Ikebukuro without establishing why we should…


West of Loathing Review: SpaghettiO Western
West of Loathing was originally released in 2017, by developer Asymmetric Publications. It is a spinoff of long-running web browser MMORPG Kingdom of Loathing, and maintains similar mechanics,…


First Impressions: The West Wind Brigade
The West Wind Brigade was one of the most enjoyable factions from Log Horizon. Enjoyable enough to net them a spin-off series of their own!
First Impression: Ikebukuro West Gate Park
Ikebukuro is a thriving commercial and entertainment district northwest of downtown Tokyo. But beneath the rich veneer lies a seedy underbelly of gangs and drugs. Makoto Majima, despite…
First Impression: Ikebukuro West Gate Park
Ikebukuro is a thriving commercial and entertainment district northwest of downtown Tokyo. But beneath the rich veneer lies a seedy underbelly of gangs and drugs. Makoto Majima, despite…
Review: Journey to the West (2021)
Journey to the West 宇宙探索编辑部 China, 2021, colour, 16:9, 116 mins. Director: Kong Dashan 孔大山. Rating: 5/10. Mockumentary about a nutty alien-hunter who wants to find the meaning…
First Impressions – Ikebukuro West Gate Park
I'd like to think there was something to this franchise that made it such a hit. Read more


Mou Ippon – Episode 11 – Aoba West Meets Their Match and Rinka’s Secret Crush
Episode impressions of Mou Ippon Episode 11 as now that Aoba West managed to take down Nishikiyama despite some challenges with Megu, they are preparing to meet their…


Ikebukuro West Gate Park – Sweet Summer Child
Ikebukuro West Gate Park looks like it might be fun to visit but I don't think I would want to live there.


What’s It Like Living in West Tokyo?
Do you want to move to Japan? Discover West Tokyo: vibrant neighborhoods, modern and trendy shops and plenty of serene green spaces.
Ikebukuro West Gate Park – 08 – Soft Landings
The stinger for this week is only a few moments long: a toddler playing with a toy plane falls off a balcony and lands in a bush. He’s…


#50.5 First Thoughts on Gun Blaze West
Does this western manga go south? David and Jordan give their first thoughts on the Shonen Jump manga Gun Blaze West. Listen in as they give an…
Getting by in Ikebukuro West Gate Park
Gangs, drugs, underground life, immigration issues, shady deals, single mothers trying to stay afloat, and many more. For a title like Ikebukuro West Gate Park (shortened as IWGP),…
Ikebukuro West Gate Park – 03 – Chasing Views
Like myself, Majima Makoto is the age where he missed out on the big YouTube content creation boom, and marvels how people can make so much money off…
Review: THE GOOD WITCH OF THE WEST
This year things will be especially witchy at The Manga Test Drive. Witches can take all sorts of shapes in the world of manga, including ...
Review: THE GOOD WITCH OF THE WEST
This year things will be especially witchy at The Manga Test Drive. Witches can take all sorts of shapes in the world of manga, including ...
Anime Taste Testing: Ikebukuro West Gate Park
A PSA on Japan’s stance against drugs. Remember kids, weed is evil!


#50.5 First Thoughts on Gun Blaze West
Does this western manga go south? David and Jordan give their first thoughts on the Shonen Jump manga Gun Blaze West. Listen in as they give an…
500 Word Game Reviews: West of Loathing
My family didn’t have internet access until I went to university, but even before then I was obsessed with it, and would get online as much as possible…


Sun Protection Culture: Japan vs The West
Learn the Japanese approach on how to best protect your skin against harsh rays.


Thunderbolt Fantasy: Bewitching Melody of the West
It is always a delight to return to Thunderbolt Fantasy. The production’s puppet theatrics are genuinely entrancing, and Gen Urobuchi is to my mind one of the greatest…
Anime Taste Testing: Ikebukuro West Gate Park
A PSA on Japan’s stance against drugs. Remember kids, weed is evil!


Japan's Anime Taste Compared to the West
What anime do Japanese people enjoy? What Anime is popular in Japan? These are questions I answer as I had taught English in Japan and my students were able…


East Loves West: Harlequin-Style Romance Manga
Even before a certain author made the astute observation that a young man in possession of a fortune must be in want of a wife, romance has been…


When A Cat Faces West Volume 1
Dad Needs To Talk reviews When A Cat Faces West Volume 1 by Yuki Urushibara who is also known for the anime/manga Mushi-Shi
Wanting Wings: Her and Her Two Month Romance Coming to the West (NSFW Warning)
I mentioned this on Twitter but it kind of feels like a long time since Mangagamer announced a yuri title. Maybe they did recently (OshiRabu I think) but…


Interview: Zero Escape's Kotaro Uchikoshi on Ever 17 and Never 7 Finally Coming West
Newly available to Western gamers, Uchikoshi talked to us about the evolution of his themes, his popularity overseas, and how COVID changed his thoughts on sci-fi themes.


Interview: Zero Escape's Kotaro Uchikoshi on Ever 17 and Never 7 Finally Coming West
Newly available to Western gamers, Uchikoshi talked to us about the evolution of his themes, his popularity overseas, and how COVID changed his thoughts on sci-fi themes.


East Meets West #25: Little Nemo .vs. Slumberland
Last November, I learned that Netflix released a live-action adaptation of Windsor McCay’s Little Nemo comics, and my first response was “What?” It seemed odd that producers would…
Ikebukuro West Gate Park – 09 – Trouble in Paradise
There is a lot to sift through this week, but I’ll give IWGP this: there’s no other current show that makes people sitting at tables and talking quite so…


Anime Series Like IWGP: Ikebukuro West Gate Park
Ikebukuro is a haven for violent gangs, and also the home to Makoto Majima. In order to protect his friends, Makoto mediates different disputes. However, when things go…
Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens, Heaven's Memo Pad, Ikebukuro West Gate Park, Maji, No Guns Life


ADELTA’s BL VN UUUltraC Coming to the West
MangaGamer is bringing ADELTA's kaiju filled BL set in the 1970's, UUUltraC would be to PC in the West!
Ikebukuro West Gate Park – 07 – Mars (Enterprises) Attacks!
“Everyone’s so worried about me…What am I, a little boy?” I doubt the people warning Makoto are doing so because they think he’s a kid, but because there is…
Ikebukuro West Gate Park – 05 – The Golden Land
IWGP has done a great job mixing up Majima Makoto’s cases-of-the-week thus far, underlining how valuable someone with his skills and relationships can be to a diverse array…