No. No, no, no, no, no. For once, I will step out of my normal realm of being ironic and trite to give a solid argument on something that has been bothering me for the past few weeks. Hunger Games v. Battle Royale “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins and “Battle Royale” By Koushun Takami […]
Popular-Inconsequence
Examining Japanese pop-culture in respect to cross-Pacific relations
Falling birth rates and infantile otaku culture
March 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment
I’m more of a Western gamer when it comes to my video gaming habits. I guess I just never got into the Moe-blob romance and tsundere masochism my friends have enjoyed (though I did play a few dating sims in my day). If I had to choose, I’m much more an “action games” person. That, […]
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 […]
TokyoPop’s closure a tale of destiny
April 15, 2011 by 2 Comments
I’m not a fan of TokyoPop, and this entry may be read as just one blogger’s loud-mouthed harangues on the grave, but this end is a lesson to be learned and the closing act of a tragedy. I will not deny where credit is due. TokyoPop is one of the most influential presences in the […]
Whoops!
April 8, 2011 by 2 Comments
While it serves as a point of bereavement for many people (mostly just the unwitting and misinformed investors) that, “Yu-Gi-Oh’s” licensor, 4Kids Entertainment has not only lost its license to the English release of its popular show about adults playing children’s card games (on motorbikes), but filed for full blown bankruptcy, there’s hope at the […]
Junji Ito’s Gyo to become an anime
March 30, 2011 by 2 Comments
Little girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice. Little boys are made of snips and snails and puppy-dog tails. Junji Ito is made of Maggots and offal and kitty-cats. I discovered Junji Ito as a young high schooler browsing Borders. It was there I discovered the magic of “Uzumaki,” a few years […]
My Little Love of Ponies
March 19, 2011 by 6 Comments
I was born in the ’80s. I was brought up by the miracle of ’90s era-parenting: television. I was a fan of “Cow and Chicken“ and “The Rugrats;” I wanted to be a part of the “Round House“ and “All That“ casts; and, damn it, I really hated Barney, Barbies and My Little Pony because […]
Reflecting on diversity in video games through the LA Riots
Editor’s Note: An edited version of this post was published in the May 4, 2012 issue of the Nichi Bei Weekly. Who here remembers the Los Angeles Riots of ‘92? I certainly don’t. I was 4 (and now you feel old). LA burned following the acquittal of the four police officers charged in the beating […]