Where are the women? The recent Japanese diet elections have continued the country's long stint as among the world's least gender-balanced governments.
Nov 8, 2021 • Subscribe
More like this
Birdie Wing, Continued, Continued
It’s not that often that I write a review and mere hours later, everything I said was *completely* wrong, but Birdie Wing has done it, by golf! Golf…
The (Lack Of) Value in AI-Translated Manga
AI translation was going to be pushed by companies eventually, but I didn't expect a prominent series like this to be the guinea pig.
Recent Reads in Manga
It’s been awhile since I’ve done something other than a review of manga. So I figured a bit of a reading list update was in order. I have…
Politics in art and the value of escapism
Warning: it’s a real load of bullshit this time. I talk about politics, angry people on the internet, and the end of the world, and it’s probably a…
Politics in Warren Ellis’s Transmetropolitan
In this year’s Labour Day / Warren Ellis blogpost, we’re going to examine what might be considered his chef d’oeuvre, Transmetropolitan (penciled by Darick Robertson and published…
Park Closure and Strollers Highlight Hurdles of Raising Kids in Japan
A park in Japan will close thanks partly to one resident - and it has some up in arms about the country's hostility towards parents.
Birdie Wing, Continued
The first “season” of Birdie Wing was an absolute triumph that didn’t so much come to an end, as just stopped. ^_^ And now what was being called…
Tower Politics in Play – Tower of God Episode 11
Anaak is in life threatening danger.
Weekly Round-Up, 13-19 September 2023: Women in Politics, LGBTQ+ Communities in Hiroshima, and New Seven Seas Publisher
AniFem Round-Up BL Manga Artist Aiba Kyoko on Industry Demands, Artistic Growth, and Writing About Young Carers We talked with Aiba-sensei about her influences, observations of changes in…
The Best Cast In Recent Shonen.
Hell's Paradise might have the best cast in recent shonen. Let's talk about it with my guest @BrokenRonin Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/maskedasura Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/masked_asura Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_masked_asura/?igshid=OGQ2MjdiOTE%3D Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@themaskedmanyt?_t=8ZLL7iPa77m&_r=1 ► "Copyright Disclaimer, Under Section 107…
Recent Watches in Dramaland + a Movie
I’m back with another one of these round-ups. I’ve actually been watching a ton of dramas to pass the time in the past few months but I didn’t…
The Best Character In Recent Shonen.
Gabimaru from Jigokuraku or Hell's Paradise is in my opinion the best character I've read from recent shonen. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/maskedasura Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/masked_asura Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_masked_asura/?igshid=OGQ2MjdiOTE%3D Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@themaskedmanyt?_t=8ZLL7iPa77m&_r=1 ► "Copyright Disclaimer, Under Section 107 of…
Politics in Warren Ellis’s Desolation Jones
In mid-2005, i.e. between Iron Man: Extremis and Freakangels, Warren Ellis launched Desolation Jones together with artist J.H. Williams III (colours by José Villarrubia). Originally planned as an…
Monster Politics
Bobby Pickett's next big hit! My Hero Academia 240 - 1:24Food Wars 315.3 - 17:57EDENS ZERO 58 - 40:04Mission: Yozakura Family 1 - 50:13Beast Children 13 - 60:06Samurai 8…
The Promised Neverland, The Seven Deadly Sins, Black Clover, EDENS ZERO, My Hero Academia
Weekly Round-Up, 1-7 December 2021: Trans VTuber Love, Cupid Parasite, and Lack of Women at Nintendo
AniFem Round-Up The AniFem Store Grand Opening! We’ve finally opened our store, with a variety of merch we hope y’all enjoy. A Double Edged Sword: Reconsidering Moe Through…
Women supporting women in the manga of Kaoru Mori and Mari Okazaki
We live in a society, where, especially girls, grow up hating their looks because that’s profitable for capitalism. They turn into insecure individuals in a heteronormative model where…
Blue Archive #01 — Lack of Military Intelligence
That's far too much bad anime for one day. I've had past enough for now. I'll deal with the crow show from yesterday later. I need to……
Overview of New Highlight Attractions and Changes to See in Tokyo 2024
Tokyo is one of those cities that changes constantly. If you haven't been back every year, the changes tend to stack up over time and you c...
31 Days of Japanese Women in Translation
Just in time for August and Women in Translation Month, here’s a list of resources about Japanese women writers for listening and watching.
This Week in Anime - The Politics of RWBY: Ice Queendom
Nick and Chris check out the series reimagining, its attempts to discuss racism, and its sick references to Cool Boarders 2.
Politics in Warren Ellis’s Iron Man: Extremis
Although Warren Ellis has actually written quite a few mainstream superhero comics for Marvel and DC, they are not the kind of comics that he is usually associated…
Staff Highlight: Takehito Koyasu, the Voice of Gym Ghingham
It’s Turn A Gundam‘s 21st anniversary! Last year was its big 20th, so I figured I’d do something smaller for this year’s anniversary. I’m temporarily reviving my staff…
The elections in Japan 101 : regime change or LDP 🎉 party
Imagine Japan as a stage and the LDP as the lead actor, playing the same role since 1955, almost like a Broadway star who refuses to age out…
Evil Doppelgängers in Anime and Manga (or Lack Thereof)
The evil doppelgänger is a classic trope of fiction. I’m drawn to simple stories in this space, ones that revel in what makes these counterparts nefarious, and how…
Continued discussion of IGN's Top List (Part 2)
When a major outlet wants to make a big list such as this, it's vary hard to not comment on it... Part 2 of 2 Their List: https://www.ign.com/articles/top-25-best-anime-series-of-all-time #Shorts #IGN…
I Continued to Drink and Watch Anime in 2019
Well who thought I would ever be writing a third one of these? Don’t be shy, raise your hands. No one huh? Yeah… Me neither. But here I…
The Economics of Prophecy: Dealing with Guild Politics in Another World
By Norafukurou and Rei Shichiwa. Released in Japan by Legend Novels (Kodansha). Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Hikoki. I have to admit, if you…
Podcast Highlight: WHAT IS NADESICO?! #shorts
Chloe decides to try and bring up the topic of Nadesico, all hell breaks loose! (This is a highlight from the latest Chaotically Queer podcast episode!) ------------------------ Twitter: Chloe: @ChloeSunfloraVA Jazzy: @LadyJazzington Missy:…
31 Women Writing in Japanese
August is Women in Translation Month (#WITMonth). RJL brings you a list of 31 of the most important women writing in Japanese after the Meiji Restoration of 1868.…
Women Samurai in Japanese History
Return to the world of samurai and learn about the women warriors who defended homes and created long-lasting legacies.
Recent Readings of Queered Holmes And Watson
In 1926, John Watson, friend and confidant of Sherlock Holmes, was shot by “Killer” Evans in the the story the Three Garridebs. What Holmes says in the moment…
Project Scard #02 — Continued Monologuing
Stay a while, and listen. Impressions: Don't let my decision to put up caps of this mislead you. I'd place this show at a pretty distant fourth…
Review: To Be Continued (2023)
To Be Continued 了不起的夜晚 China, 2023, colour, 2.35:1, 107 mins. Director: Ma Kai 马凯. Rating: 4/10. Comedy-horror set one night in a film studio is let down by…
5th Blogiversary Week: Politics in a Creator’s Works
Hello one and all. Welcome to my fifth blogiversary week. During this week five years ago, Mechanical Anime Reviews was somehow born. You know, if a blog can…
Pandemic highlights Japan’s historical lack of leadership and management
By Chihiro Kai "My evaluation of the Japanese COVID measures is that they are purely optimism based with no evidence, no grounds, as well as with very much…
I hate you — Flower language in Wonder Egg Priority (continued)
Wonder Egg Priority is a show that knows its flower language. The series has used specific flowers to introduce it’s second and third episodes in previews as a…
TheOASG Podcast Episode 184: Lack of Licenses, Lots of Weird News
Show Notes 0:00: As both Justin and Helen ponder the large episode number count, the two then discuss what they’ve been up to — and it still involves…
Hikawa Ryusuke’s Akira Article(jp)
Hikawa Ryusuke is probably the most famous Japanese anime critic. He wrote an extensive article on the anime industry before and after Akira, articulating what lead to Akira…
Mobile Police Patlabor, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Kiki's Delivery Service, Urusei Yatsura, Dallos
JP Heads to YouTube…Kinda
Actually, JP isn’t going to be on YouTube, but my new channel, which starts today, is called “Tales from Old Japan”. The idea is to release video-book readings…
JP Turns 10 Years Old
Ten years is rather old for a blog, especially one that happened by accident. While I was aware of anime and watched it on Toonami, I didn’t have…
JP Heads to YouTube…Kinda
Actually, JP isn’t going to be on YouTube, but my new channel, which starts today, is called “Tales from Old Japan”. The idea is to release video-book readings…
Recent Manga Vibes #1
Lots and lots of reading this year has occurred already.
Women of Xal Now Available
Women of Xal , by Plot Twist Studios is a game I remember promoting in 2017 and at long last the project has left early access and is…
My Favorite Women of Anime
International Women’s Day was this past Sunday and ever since my hiatus I have been excited to take the opportunity to praise some of my favorite female characters.…
Chainsaw Man and Women in Refrigerators
WARNING: HEAVY CHAINSAW MAN SPOILERS The manga Chainsaw Man by Fujimoto Tatsuki recently concluded “Part 1” of its story, and having heard fans both real and virtual praise…
Miyazaki’s Marxism – The Politics of Anime’s Legendary Director
Hayao Miyazaki began his career as a Marxist, but by the mid-90s, that all had faded away. What impact have those politics had on his works, what do…
The politics of 80s anime: the 198X controversy
A common narrative of Japanese social history and anime history holds that, starting from the 1980’s, the Japanese population has gotten increasingly distant from politics. The rise of…
Beyond Manicheism : the politics of Brand New Animal
It’s probably no secret by now that most of the work done by the Hiroyuki Imaishi-You Yoshinari team contains some sort of political commentary ; however, when looking…
Our Last Crusade #09 — Continued Monologues
And now we stand and explain our powers and motivations to each other. Impressions: Really? Both of them spend about half the episode explaining their powers to…
Kyokou Suiri Episode 4: "Talk about a lack of personality…"
In the first episode, what I thought Kyokou Suiri would be was a show which I greatly enjoyed every episode. The characters were unique and amiable while the…