Question: Do you know why there are so few serious anime that focuses on the Yakuza and Burakumin? Answer: As a foreign observer, I can only speculate, so guess I shall. Although never as common in anime as within Japanese live-action, yakuza have appeared prominently, albeit occasionally, in anime since the early 80s. Even in […]
Dec 26, 2022 • Subscribe
More like this
Ask John: Why Isn’t there any Lone Wolf & Cub Anime?
Ask John: Why hasn’t a Lone Wolf and Cub or Lady Snowblood anime ever been produced despite their tremendous influence? Answer: The Kozure Okami manga, known internationally as…
Are There Any Anime About Art?
When I say art in this context, I mean painting, pottery, those types of mediums specifically. There’s anime that deal with a lot of different arts forms and…
Ask John: What Separates Ecchi and Hentai Anime?
Question: In your opinion, when does an anime crossover from using sexuality as a narrative tool such as in Kiss x Sis, Aki Sora, School Days, Kodomo no…
Kiss x Sis, Kodomo no Jikan, Megazone 23, Mezzo, School Days
Ask John: Why is the World Fascinated by Japan?
Question: As they say, “Imitation is the highest level of flattery” so what exactly is it about Japanese culture that compels foreigners to emulate it? What qualities does…
Why are anime boxsets so horrible?
This week’s piece doesn’t have much to do with Canaan in particular, but is a burning question that has been on my mind for a while now. I am…
Why are Anime Figures so Expensive?
As an Australian, I’m used to anime merch being rather expensive. It’s always in USD and AUD is always a lower dollar. Shipping prices to Australia are insane.…
Why are Anime Girls so Horny?
Anime girls are horny because they are written by men who want to fulfill male fantasies. /EndTopic. See references below. Nah, there’s a lot more to the true…
Ask John: What Makes Certain Anime Evergreen?
Question: In your opinion, how is it that certain ideas in anime can last generations without becoming stale while others fall by the wayside? What separates something like…
Ask John: Do Unconventional Baseball Anime Exist?
Question: Maybe I’m overthinking a small word choice, but when you wrote “conventional baseball anime,” I had a thought. Does unconventional baseball anime exist? I suppose we could…
Ask John: Why is Sailor Moon Such an Iconic Success?
Question: What makes Sailor Moon such an iconic global franchise among anime fans, despite other magical girl anime sharing similar traits such as action-oriented plots, drama, in-depth world-building…
Why Are Anime and Manga So Obsessed With “Blue Spring”?
It’s partially a language thing, partially something else…
Ask John: What Makes Fantasy Anime Universally Loved?
Question: What exactly is it about anime that delves into the mythical that engages viewers on a global scale? Why has this form of storytelling persisted to the…
Ask John: Is Black Representation in Anime Increasing?
Question: Don’t know if you recently watched Netflix’s Yasuke (it could have been better) which was created by LeSean Thomas who also had notable projects in Legend of…
Ask John: How Much Will AI Impact Anime?
Ask John: With the upcoming Black Jack manga being “co-produced” by Artificial Intelligence, what role do you believe Artificial Intelligence will have in anime production? Especially considering that…
Ask John: Which Anime Have Opinions Reversed On?
Question: With the passage of time and changing circumstances, do you believe certain disliked anime have been vindicated? Answer: Less than two generations ago anime was such an…
Why International Anime Co-Productions Are So Rare
International interest in anime has never been higher, but the production committee system and small government funding windows are a roadblock.
Writing Prompt: Why Are Anime Eyes So Distinct?
Welcome to Anime Rants. I haven’t done a random writing prompt in a while, but this week I’ve had a little more focus and motivation. The trouble was…
Why Are Slice-of-Life Anime So GOOD
Despite me enjoying the genre, I'll never be able to comprehend why it's so good Check out my channel: https://youtube.com/@cydthemanic Anime Used: Gabriel Dropout Hitoribocchi no Marumaru Seikatsu Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun Shirobako Jujutsu…
Asobi Asobase - workshop of fun -, Gabriel DropOut, Hitoribocchi no Marumaruseikatsu, Beyond the Boundary, Nichijou - My Ordinary Life
Japanese Subtitles on Yuri Studio’s “Why Are There So Many Schoolgirls in Yuri?””
With many thanks to translator Mimmy Shen, we now can offer Japanese subtitles for our Yuri Studio video, “Why Are There So Many Schoolgirls in Yuri?” To enable,…
Why do I like the Yakuza series so much?
The Yakuza series was an unexpected revelation to me. At first I wasn’t sure about it. Yet I decided to try the series, and all my expectations were…
There are SO MANY romance anime THIS SEASON 🤯 #shorts
This winter season 2022/23 has so many romance anime - it's incredible! Tomo-chan is a girl, The icy guy and his female colleague, the angle next door spoils…
Why Anime Sci-Fi Space Wars are so Interesting
I talk about Space Wars as shown in anime. Strategy, Villains, Space Combat, Sci Fi Weapons, Mecha, and I kind of just go off the cuff about what I…
Zillion, Banner of the Stars, Armored Fleet Dairugger XV, Blue Gale Xabungle, Space Battleship Yamato
Why Is There So Much Anime Streetwear? | Get In The Robot
Fashion is an ever-evolving way to express yourself. Anime fans know we’ve come a long way from the days of buying the only Naruto shirt at Hot Topic,…
Attack on Titan, Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, My Hero Academia, Naruto
Why It Works: What Are the Best Anime About Anime?
This week I’m once again diving into Eizouken-adjacent articles, as I use the show’s unique production focus to shamelessly promote some of my other favorite anime, like Shirobako…
Ask John: Has Commercialism Reduced the Artistic Integrity of Anime?
Question: Do you think that the commercialization of anime has hindered its artistic integrity? Answer: The art form now recognized as anime has always been a commercial product.…
Ask John: Who Will Influence the Future of Anime Development?
Question: In light of the recent losses of influential manga artists such as Kentaro Miura, Kazuki Takahashi, Buichi Terasawa, Takao Saito, Kazuhiko Kato, and Kazuo Koike, which current…
Ask John: Can Anime Be As Empathetic As Live-Action?
Ask John: One of the reasons anime is popular is how relatable the characters and narratives are. We are empathetic and sympathetic due to them drawing upon real-world…
Aichi Prefecture: What’s Good (and Not So Good) About Traveling There?
With overtourism rocking Japan, people are looking for less crowded places to visit. A new survey rates how Aichi Prefecture stacks up.
Anime Monsters are the Scariest There Are
RJ Writing Ink’s Picks for Terrifying Monsters in Anime Halloween is the time of year where people embrace the macabre and monstrous, and anime is filled with some…
Anime Monsters are the Scariest There Are
RJ Writing Ink’s Picks for Terrifying Monsters in Anime Halloween is the time of year where people embrace the macabre and monstrous, and anime is filled with some…
There Are No Great Anime Awards
One last rant on awards before we move on to something else.
Why is Anime so Cringe?
Why is NASCAR so cringe? It’s not, the people who watch it are. Same with anime, it does nothing bad on its own. If you have to ask…
Why is Anime so Cringe?
Why is NASCAR so cringe? It’s not, the people who watch it are. Same with anime, it does nothing bad on its own. If you have to ask…
Bugshrugs: So Why Anime, Then?
In the anime Twitter sphere I’m a part of, there’s been a lot of discussion lately about animation. More specifically, about the role animation should play in the…
Why are Harem Anime Popular?
Most harem anime I’ve watched follow a template. A gaggle of various girls chase a guy with little personality and an aversion to making decisions and touching female…
Why I Blog About Anime, Japan, and Tokyo
Life takes funny turns. Way back in 2003 I really wasn't terribly interested in Japan or anime or manga. This is even though I had grown up...
Golden Kamuy, Naruto, Red Baron, Saga of Tanya the Evil, Gasaraki
Anime Numbers – 1: How many anime are there?
Anime numbers is a series dedicated to analysing statistics related to anime production. The first piece looks at the number of productions.
Jujutsu Kaisen – Why are the boys all so HOT?!
I don’t think I’ve been very subtle about my newest obsession, which I sometimes think about. I mean, it’s ok if my fellow weeb friends know I can’t…
Ask John: What Makes Golgo 13 A Beloved Japanese Classic?
Given that Japanese audiences tend to prefer cuter lighthearted fare and mecha, what exactly makes Duke Togo (Golgo 13) a classic in Japan? Answer: Creator and illustrator Takao…
Harem Anime Are Not Polyamorous So Shut the Hell Up About It
Harem anime are not polyamorous. This seems to be a common misconception, but the genre is, by and large, not polyamorous. I suspect this misconception comes from harem…
Playing Some Yakuza 0 And Talking About Future Projects
Alright, let's try this streaming thing again! Gonna be playing some more Yakuza 0 and will probably talk a bit about the upcoming projects I have planned on…
There are two shows this season about girls who don't talk
Actually, there are at least two girls in Senryuu Shoujo who can't talk. P.S. Spoilers.
Why Is Anime Suddenly So Popular?
A discussion on the exploding popularity of anime in Western countries. Is Japanese pop culture the new fad for corporate America and big tech companies?
And Yet, You Are So Sweet~
Volume one starts with Maaya, Kisaragi confessing to her crush. He painfully rejects hers then blasts her on social media, what a jerk! While Kisaragi is complaining to…
Anime that are just So Foxy!
Mysterious, flirty, energetic, playful, and mischievous, there is something just so fun about fox characters! Everyone knows about the great fox spirit in the anime Naruto, but there…
why are we human? | Cyberpunk Anime
Cyberpunk, an offshoot of science fiction, or sci-fi, is often defined by a few core aspects; cyberization, dystopian settings, adapted technology, and a general "style over substance vibe"…
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Ergo Proxy, Ghost in the Shell, PSYCHO-PASS
Are there any anime you revisit every year?
What title do you rewatch every year? If it’s a series, are there certain specific episodes you go back to or do you binge the whole thing? What…
Ask John: Should Creators Be Allowed to Alter Their Prior Works?
Question: Do you believe when an anime creator or mangaka releases a work to the public that it’s final? Should an artist be able to go back and…
Why Anime Characters Get So Sick from Colds and Flus?
Learn why anime characters get so sick from colds and flus, and what this trope means for the story and the culture.