Film director Hosoda Mamoru talks gender roles, parenthood, and identity in Japan
We asked director Mamoru Hosoda some feminist-relevant questions about his work in an exclusive interview ahead of the release of his newest film, Mirai.
We asked director Mamoru Hosoda some feminist-relevant questions about his work in an exclusive interview ahead of the release of his newest film, Mirai.
Is it okay to own another person? No, of course not. Yet here I am, wearing a collar around my neck.
Ask someone who plays fighting games to list trans characters and they’re probably going to struggle. It’s not exactly their fault, either: While indie games offer marginalized creators a chance to represent themselves and major Action/RPG franchises have worked to make their worlds more diverse, fighting games are one of the many genres lagging behind.
Love Live! has attracted legions of adoring fans, and you probably won’t be surprised to learn the core target demographic is straight men. So what is it about Love Live that attracts so many female and queer fans? And how do we as female and queer fans feel about being involved in a franchise that nominally accepts us but has not traditionally been for us?
As Gokusen was told and retold in other forms of media, its sheer audacity was intentionally dismantled and sterilized. Despite being a hardened gangster in the manga, protagonist Yankumi was stripped almost entirely of her gangster characteristics when translated to J-Drama.
Using both its fantastical premise and grounded characters, Natsume’s Book of Friends tells a story with strong parallels to real-world mental illness and trauma. But what really makes it special is that it’s far more interested in exploring the recovery process, offering hope to its viewers who are trying to do the same.
The Banana Fish anime has sparked discussion around the chaste love story between Ash and Eiji. While the language we choose as English-speaking fans to talk to one another is its own sphere, we here at AniFem wanted to highlight how Banana Fish has been received by Japanese LGBTQ+ fans as well.
Today’s Menu for the Emiya Family serves up monthly episodes about the characters bonding emotionally, having fun, and cooking for each other. However, as enjoyable as the show has been, “Bamboo Shoot Gratin” drew criticism from fans and reviewers alike over the way it depicted two characters, Sakura and Shinji Matou.
This is the story of an openly queer mangaka who really loves to write about women falling in love with other women.
While reverse harems often feature well-developed female protagonists, alluring love interests, and sweet romances, they can also fall into more harmful patterns of depicting passive girls trapped in abusive relationships. Typically, a reverse harem shows its best or worst features in how it portrays its female lead, love interests, and romantic encounters.
The Promised Neverland begins as a sharply crafted horror story, but it soon reveals itself to be a sophisticated critique on restrictive social practices—including the hellishly limited roles expected of girls.
All art, from cookie-cutter crime dramas to Nobel prize-winning novels, reflects the views and mores of its creators and the culture they grew up in. Whether intentional or not, DARLING in the FRANXX touches on one of Japan’s current political hot topics: the role of family and childbirth.
It was me, my mom, and my sister growing up. Like Velvet in Tales of Berseria, I was the middle point of the trio. Unlike Velvet’s family, it wasn’t the youngest I was worried about. It was the oldest—my mom.
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to work on the first full U.S. release of one of my favorite franchises ever: Mazinger Z. But while I was all-in for the cheesiness and monster-of-the-week action, I was caught on the back foot when it came to certain elements of the show.
The long-running live action series Kamen Rider has one core concept: the Kamen Rider, a masked superhero riding a motorcycle, fights a shady organization or evil force. However, in its 45-plus years of history, its treatment of women has been lacking, especially in the Heisei era.
Underneath Chise’s still demeanor and all her magic capabilities is a 15-year-old girl with barely enough energy to keep her head above the water. The Ancient Magus’ Bride dresses its narrative with sparkly romance, but Chise’s journey is far more personal. I know it, because it’s my journey too.
If you were to ask a layperson what an idol is, they’d likely think of the scandalous stories that come out of the industry. While these scandals shouldn’t be ignored, they often form the entirety of the discussion, ignoring idol content that doesn’t conform to such negative stereotypes and all the good that idols can do. To properly improve the industry, it’s just as important to promote the positive elements as it is to criticize the harmful ones.
Instead of focusing on suffering, dark magical girls can inspire young female audiences by showing that they have the power to overcome their personal pain.
It can be hard to find manga that shows both the struggles and joys of the awkward period of teen romance, especially if you’re not straight. That’s exactly why the Kase-san and… manga series is a breath of fresh air, a slice-of-life comedy that models what a healthy, queer romantic relationship can look like.
Throughout visual culture all over the world, sex and violence against women are constantly intermingled.