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[Translation] Shoji Kawamori on AKB0048, Part 2
We pick up where we left off last time with Shoji Kawamori’s interview on creating AKB0048. In this part, the questions focus primarily on the casting process for the main voice actresses, turning...
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The Top Anime of 2016
At long last, it’s here! To be completely honest, I found myself a bit wearied at the prospect of embarking on the great voyage that creating these posts always is, but once I actually got to the...
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Kurokami, Kumagawa, and Christ: A Christological Interpretation of Power in...
How about a little theology along with your Nisio Isin manga? I. The Fascination of Medaka Kurokami as Divine Medaka Box, although I don’t really know how, was one of the first dozen or so anime I ever...
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On the Garo Movie and the Nature of Visual “Storytelling”
In which the practice of taking copious numbers of screenshots justifies itself. I don’t want this to be thought of as an analysis piece, but as the continuation of an evolution of perspective I’ve...
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Aniwords – What’s the Deal with Kemono Friends?
I make my return to writing feature articles for Crunchyroll with an extremely topical question—why the heck is everyone so obsessed with Kemono Friends? If you’re curious about the most popular show...
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Macross 7, Episode 10: Old Men Can Dream Too
Mylene can’t believe it, and neither can I. This episode was AWESOME. Coming off of episode 9 in which Mylene gives life to a burned out songstress older than her (the Sheryl to her Ranka) through her...
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Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale Review
I’m not dead! I’ve just been spending a lot of time writing up some egregiously long posts, one of which is finally out! It’s a review of Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale, the SAO movie that finally...
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You Must Save Yourself Before You Save the World: Tycho Science Leaves...
In the end, neither the genki girl nor the tsundere can keep up with the super idol mecha pilot. Let’s clear one thing up right away: this is not a matter of declaring a best girl. I will not insult...
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Thoughts on the Winter 2017 Anime Season
Without question, this is the definitive take on the season. Let’s not bury the headline—I finished exactly three shows from this season. We’ll get into my thoughts on each shortly, but as those of you...
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I Haven’t Seen Evangelion, but I Will Someday: What I’m Looking for When I’m...
This serves as your official notice: I have not seen Neon Genesis Evangelion. Now you can stop being surprised by that fact. No matter how many people I tell that I haven’t seen Eva, it seems there are...
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Aniwords – Why I Want to Show “your name.” to Everyone I Know
If going long weeks between posts is what it takes to put out things I can be this proud of, maybe it’s an okay trade-off… I don’t know how many of you fair readers have seen your name. (Kimi no Na...
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What Are We Talking About When We Talk About “Empathy” in Media Criticism?
A long-overdue thought on a certain trend in the way we talk about anime. I’m sick of hearing people say certain anime are about “empathy.” It has nothing to do with the shows themselves, and...
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Aniwords – The Best Anime Families of Spring 2017
I’d been noodling on the family dynamics in Alice to Zouroku for weeks when I suddenly realized, “Hey, there are actually a fair number of shows about family this season! And I’m watching, like, all of...
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Re:Creators Remembers Love for Magical Girls and Impresses the Hell Out of Me...
A threshold has been crossed in Re:Creators. I will admit that I have been treating Re:Creators with kid gloves to this point. Part of that is on me, and part of it is on the show for taking so long to...
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BLAME! and the Faces of Hope
The future may not be so dark after all. I’ve entertained myself lately with pondering on what the predominant “theme” of the BLAME! film is. The movie, I feel, invites interpretation through a...
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Aniblogger Podcast Survey
Hello, nice reader people! I’m thinking about starting a podcast featuring myself (obviously), as well as other anime bloggers from around the web. I’m still in the planning and brainstorming phrase,...
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How Gatchaman Crowds Challenges Our Need For Heroes
It’s #HeroWeek over at Crunchyroll, so I’m pitching in with a couple of essays on my two favorite superhero anime of the last few years—Gatchaman Crowds and Concrete Revolutio. Up first, Kenji...
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How Concrete Revolutio Redefines the Meaning of Heroism
Crunchyroll’s #HeroWeek continues on, and so does my series on my favorite hero anime of the last few years. With Gatchaman Crowds already tackled earlier this week, now it’s time for a show that made...
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4 Years of Mage in a Barrel
Exactly four years ago, I made my first blog post on the blog that would later become Mage in a Barrel. After all that time, it’s hard to think of any other personal projects that I’ve stuck with so...
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Wrapping Up the Spring 2017 Anime Season
As is our custom around here, it’s time to take a look back at the shows of last season before the new one hits (actually, it’s already here but oh well). I’ve been watching seasonal anime for a while...
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