Princess TenTen and the Dark Skies By Setsu Shigematsu, illustrated by A. Das (Corona, Calif.: Guardian Princess Alliance, 2014, 38 pp., retail price $14.99; special GPA price $12.99 paperback) This fourth book in the Guardian Princesses series shows us how a princess who feels herself a misfit becomes a superheroine. Young Ten Ten is interested […]
Anime & Manga
Backlash as Scarlett Johansson cast in ‘Ghost in the Shell’ role
January 8, 2015 by Leave a Comment
LOS ANGELES — Scarlett Johansson has signed as the lead role in DreamWorks’ live action adaptation of “Ghost in the Shell,” Variety reported Jan. 5. Johansson, who is most recently known for her role starring in “Lucy” and as the Black Widow in Disney’s Marvel Studios films, will play the lead role in the film, […]
‘Princess Kaguya’ is the ‘Game of Thrones’ of princess movies
November 6, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The newest Studio Ghibli movie, “The Tale of Princess Kaguya,” is unlike any children’s film you’re likely to see this year — or ever. The fact that it has princess in the title, (and that it’s distributed by Disney), might suggest that it’s fun, escapist fare, but anyone familiar with the esteemed animation studio, and […]
A new take on ‘Tule Lake’
May 2, 2013 by 1 Comment
SAN JOSE — The Japanese American Museum of San Jose hosted filmmaker Michelle Ikemoto on March 30, as she discussed the process of making of her animated short film, “Tule Lake.” The presentation included a screening and a Q-and-A format session with audience members. Jimi Yamaichi, the museum’s director and curator, made opening remarks. “Tule […]
A place of their own
July 26, 2012 by Leave a Comment
OTAKU SPACES By Patrick W. Galbraith, photographs by Androniki Christodoulou (Seattle: Chin Music Press, 2012, 240 pp., $20, paperback) Patrick Galbraith is no newcomer to the otaku scene in Japan. A journalist by training and the author of “The Otaku Encyclopedia: An Insider’s Guide to the Subculture of Cool Japan” and one of the main […]
The beauty of youth
July 26, 2012 by Leave a Comment
LYCHEE LIGHT CLUB By Usamaru Furuya (New York: Vertical Inc., 2011, 328 pp., $16.95, paperback) Growing up is hard. Young boys face adolescence and their oncoming adult lives with eyes like those of a deer caught in headlights. In that sense, “Lychee Light Club” is a “Lord of the Flies” for the new century, as […]
‘Kids on the Slope,’ New Series by Director of ‘Cowboy Bebop,’ Now Streaming Online (legally)
April 21, 2012 by 1 Comment
The highly anticipated “Kids on the Slope,” the new anime series by Shinichiro Watanabe, is now available online through Crunchyroll. I caught the first episode last night, and I highly recommend it for just about all audiences, whether they’re into animation or not. The show takes place in 1966 in rural Kyushu and centers on […]
Buying American, Japan bashing in the post-industrial
January 20, 2012 by 1 Comment
UPDATE: It appears I was mistaken, and this was all just a clever ruse. I rescind my offer and reactionary knee jerk reaction. What? Something wrong happened on the Internet? Well LOOK OUT BLOGOSPHERE BECAUSE I’M A SHARK AND I JUST CAUGHT THE SCENT OF BLOOD. No, I’m not talking about SOPA or PIPA, which are […]
Hatsune Miku drives a Corolla
May 6, 2011 by 2 Comments
There’s something magical about American marketing strategies. It might have something to do with its strong culture that emphasizes might (wealth) makes right, and a general lack of doujinshi culture, but when you see something that’s typically driven by fans for fans in Japan, you can bet it’ll never grow to see the light of […]
Book Reviews of Inconsequence: Doctor and Daughter
April 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment
All I have time to do these days are book reviews. Well, the quake also put a damper on the anime industry, and I’m not so up for writing about stuff, anyway. And thus I come to #3 of Book Reviews of Inconsequence. Today, I’ll write about something with a Nikkei angle. 猟奇博士と生贄娘ドクター＆ドーター (Bizarre Scientist […]
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