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Hiking in winter in Japan
From isolated trails to distant interactions with curious wild macaques, here are our favourite things about hiking in winter in Japan.
This Week in Anime - Cashing In
Chris and Lucas dive into the Sargasso Sea of marketable plastic goodies and the all-consuming monster that is capitalism in the anime world.
That Lame Fight in In/Spectre
I’ve highly enjoyed the past few episodes of In/Spectre, but the battle of Steel Lady Nanase vs. Kuro has much for me to gripe about. If you haven’t…
Delicious in Dungeon: Adventures in Cooking
Greetings, fabulous people of the Internet! Hanime on Anime here, and boy, this was an adventure. Well, okay, it wasn’t that bad, in my opinion. But when even…
In/Spectre
By Andrew Osmond. Watching the series In/Spectre may put you in mind of one of the most prominent displays at the huge manga exhibition mounted at the British…
In/Spectre
An interesting mystery and exploration of truth with strong classically Japanese cultural spirits, albeit with somewhat shallow and annoying characters at times.
Filled In
Author: Ukari (translated with author’s permission, please visit their website to see the original Japanese works!) To say here is far, The post Filled In first appeared on Kowabana.
In Defense of Subjectivity in Anime Blogging
Having any sort of online communal experience is a weird thing. We all experience things in different ways so it can already be a little tough to understand…
In Search Of… Fafner in the Azure
Good morning and welcome to a New Year to all of you wonderful people out there in the Otakusphere. It is once more time to talk about my…
A Weekend in my Life (in Japan)
While the vast majority of my uploads these days are my diary entries instead of travel posts, I recently realised that I could make things even more personal.…
The Biggest THREAT in Made in Abyss
The biggest threat in made in abyss season 2, this new season of made in abyss leaves absolutely nothing out of the manga. Riko and Reg get the…
This Week in Games - Censorship in Japan
Jean-Karlo flips the perspective and looks at games that had to be censored before their Japanese release, from Abe's Odyssey to Lollipop Chainsaw.
Licensed in Silk – a Mixed Nikkei’s Journey in Studying Kimono in Japan
Newly licensed in the wearing of kimono, Rin takes a look back at what drew her closer to the traditional clothing - and to her own heritage.
This Week in Anime - Made in Abyss Ignites Firestorm in K-Pop Fandom
Chris and Steve revisit the dark fantasy series' controversy after several K-Pop idols come under criticism for watching or reading the series.
Day 6: Believing In Akko That Believes In Her That Believes In Magic
On the sixth day, on the sixth night, in the sixth celebration of the 12 Days of Anime I discovered some real magic. The magic of believing in…
Day 6: Believing In Akko That Believes In Her That Believes In Magic
On the sixth day, on the sixth night, in the sixth celebration of the 12 Days of Anime I discovered some real magic. The magic of believing in…
The Most EVIL Character in Made in Abyss
The most evil character in made in abyss: Wazukyan. He has done some very questionable things that led to what happened to the 6th layer in season 2.…
NO ONE is SPARED in Made in Abyss
Made in Abyss has some of the most ruthless character treatment in anime, you will not find any other anime that willingly puts so many good characters through…
Shipgirls in thighhighs: My year in Azur Lane
Once again, this isn’t the game review post I had planned next. That one is still on its way. But I can’t possibly post more than two proper…
Darling in the Franxx: A Lesson in Disappointment
If you haven’t gotten the hint from many of my essays for the last month or so, I have a weakness for mecha anime. It’s just such a…
This Week in Anime - Reincarnated in Another Column
Another season, another glut of isekai. Chris and Lucas do their best to tackle the unending pile.
Life in Japan Episode 1: Christmas in Kyoto
The start of a new KFC holiday tradition - Kyoto For Christmas. Read more
Review: In/Spectre Episode 1 Best in Show
Quick Summary In In/Spectre episode 1, “One Eye, One Leg,” Kotoko Iwanaga took one look at Kurou Sakuragawa and fell in love. She even saved his life, which…
Review: In/Spectre Episode 12 Best in Show
Quick Summary In In/Spectre episode 12, “She Who Defends Order,” Kurou Sakuragawa redoubled his efforts against Steel Lady Nanase, who made an incredible attempt to fight back. Ultimately,…
This Week in Anime - Getter in that Robo!
Old school mecha fan Jean-Karlo introduces Steve to the world of Getter Robo Arc, subterrainian dinos, insect troops, and how it's all one big metaphor for nuclear power.
Review: In/Spectre Episode 4 Best in Show
Quick Summary In In/Spectre episode 4, “Idol Dies by Steel Beam,” after their close encounter with Steel Lady Nanase, Saki Yumihara took Kotoko Iwanaga back to her apartment…
Review: In/Spectre Episode 11 Best in Show
Quick Summary In In/Spectre episode 11, “The Ultimate Fiction,” Kurou Sakuragawa had tried to grasp a future thread, but he found that by himself, he couldn’t reach it.…
Review: In/Spectre Episode 6 Best in Show
Quick Summary In In/Spectre episode 6, “Logical Fiction,” Kotoko Iwanaga put her prodigious experience as goddess of wisdom to work on the problem: Coming up with a more…
Exploring Survival and Morality in Alice in Borderland
When life takes an unexpected turn into a dystopian wonderland, Alice in Borderland (Imawa no Kuni no Alice) plunges viewers into a high-stakes survival game that is as…
Every Gunpla Kit Released in 2024: In Progress!
This year, we’re doing things a little differently at Gunpla 101. For the last 10 years, I have written a monthly update of Gunpla pre-orders and new releases.…
Star’s experience in Supernatural: Kyokou Suiri (In/Spectre)
Watch the trailer This series is about two unlikely people who meet in a hospital. Both have a secret that they can see yokai and spirits. The girl…
Vampire in the Garden (Vanpaia in za Gāden)
Another quick repost, one of my favs from 2022 – new stuff is hopefully not too far away :D
Review: In/Spectre Episode 2 Best in Show
Quick Summary In In/Spectre episode 2, “What the Guardian Serpent Heard,” Kotoko Iwanaga received a request to help a mountain serpent spirit resolve a complex problem, and she…
Review: In/Spectre Episode 10 Best in Show
Quick Summary In In/Spectre episode 10, “Dueling Factions,” Kotoko Iwanaga launched the second phase of her attack. While Kurou Sakuragawa fought Steel Lady Nanase to keep her occupied…
This Week in Anime - The Boys in Toyland
Coop and Chris explore the world of marketable plastic goodies and how anime can turn out to be a half-hour toy commercial.
Review: In/Spectre Episode 7 Best in Show
Quick Summary In In/Spectre episode 7, “Preparing to Conquer the Steel Lady,” Kotoko Iwanaga felt exhausted. On the heels of Steel Lady Nanase’s first confirmed murder, Kotoko’s mission…
This Week in Anime - (Shonen) Jump Right In
Coop and Lucas browse the Shonen Jump app to sort out the good, the bad, and the Fujimoto-flavored.
The Year in Japan's Rap in 10 Songs
plus a list of the 50 best Japanese rap songs of the year
Ikémen Villains: Wrapped in Wicked Romance in English!
The game is free to download, but you can expect microtransactions as a way to progress through the game.
I watched “Your Lie in April” in April
So I was planning to watch “Your Lie in April” for a while now but I decided to wait for April to come. I avoided this anime for…
Will Eat-in Spaces in Japan’s Combini Disappear?
FamilyMart has announced it'll shutter around a third of its eat-in spaces at stores. Will this move kickstart a trend?
The Eminence in Shadow – 02 – Toiling in Obscurity
Kagenou Minoru is hit by Truck-kun, then resurrects as Cid, the infant son of a noble family, while maintaining all the intelligence and awareness of his 18-year-old self.…
Review: In/Spectre Episode 5 Best in Show
Quick Summary In In/Spectre episode 5, “A Monster of the Imagination,” Saki Yumihara and Kotoko Iwanaga watched as Kurou Sakuragawa fought Steel Lady Nanase. Saki was beside herself:…
Review: In/Spectre Episode 3 Best in Show
Quick Summary In In/Spectre episode 3, “The Rumors of the Steel Lady,” Kotoko Iwanaga, with Kurou Sakuragawa by her side, concluded her business with the mountain serpent spirit.…
Vampire in the Garden (Vanpaia in za Gāden)
You know the very-real genre known as “not-quite-tearjerker”? Yep, that one – absolutely something real that you’d find in a video store, or in the list of categories…
Review: In/Spectre Episode 8 Best in Show
Quick Summary In In/Spectre episode 7, “She Who Spins Fiction,” Kotoko Iwanaga felt terrified. Not of an attack by the Steel Lady Nanase. Not because she was afraid…
#MeToo in JET: Verdict in Sexual Assault Case
A former JET Program participant who suffered sexual assault has won a civil lawsuit against Nagasaki Prefecture.
Review: In/Spectre Episode 9 Best in Show
Quick Summary In In/Spectre episode 9, “The Committee to Conquer Steel Lady Nanase,” Kotoko Iwanaga, from her seat in the back of the car, began her attack on…
Drowning in Faith
If the world around you was empty and dead, what would lead you to carry on anyway? Angel’s Egg (Tenshi no Tamago) is a 1985 anime film from Mamoru…