AniFem Round-Up
Dekin no Mogura: The Earthbound Mole – Episode 1
A supernatural comedy that’s probably only going to click with an extremely niche audience.
Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra: World Conquest Starts with the Civilization of Ruin – Episode 1
A comparatively grounded isekai premiere with a protagonist setting out to do right by some of the fantasy world’s most downtrodden.
Uglymug, Epicfighter – Episode 1
The only ugliness to be found is in Shigeru’s volcel actions and this premiere’s treatment of his body and physicality.
Nyaight of the Living Cat – Episode 1
“What if the zombie apocalypse made you a cat” makes for one of the most delightful premieres this season.
See You Tomorrow at the Food Court – Episode 1
It’s just two girls chilling out and talking, which might be relaxing or dull depending on the viewer.
There’s No Freaking Way I’ll Be Your Lover! Unless… – Episode 1
It’s “part time girlfriend” premise is fun and joyously silly, but its frenetic pacing might not be for everyone.
Dealing with Mikadono Sisters Is a Breeze – Episodes 1-2
This might collapse into a harem show, but right now it’s nice to see the focus on making each sister distinct and highlighting their bonds from the start.
Solo Camping for Two – Episode 1
A lackluster premiere that features the two most irritating people AND a sexual assault threat for comedic effect.
Kamitsubaki City Under Construction – Episodes 0-1
These episodes unfortunately throw so much information and stimulus at you that it’s hard to get a grip on what all this means or why it matters.
Beyond AniFem
Global Anime Challenge Unites Industry Veterans to Mentor Aspiring Animators and Tackle Crunch Culture for a Healthier Future (Anime News Network, Isaiah Colbert)
Group interview considering the challenges of creating healthier working conditions for anime creators.
In the West, there’ve been instances where fans have seen Japanese animators take to social media to highlight harsh working conditions, particularly in the production of popular shonen anime. Has this kind of public discourse influenced the industry in Japan? Do you think the Western perspective on anime labor conditions is an unfair “armchair” read, or does it accurately reflect the challenges Japanese animators face? What changes would you like to see in the industry to create a healthier work environment for veterans and newcomers alike?
NAKAME: The working conditions in the anime industry have become a hot topic on social media, drawing attention from people outside the industry. The fact that such questions are being raised is a sign of the influence of social media.
From a compliance standpoint, studios and companies can no longer ignore these voices. Undoubtedly, this is having a certain impact on the Japanese anime industry. However, whether this is working positively is another matter. The industry’s problems are structurally deeply rooted and cannot be solved in the short term. Addressing the issues superficially could have a negative impact.
Many of the issues spoken about on social media are based on personal experiences. In some cases, the individuals themselves are sometimes at fault. Relying solely on one-sided claims in online discussions can be risky. That said, while each studio has its own circumstances, I feel that there are many common long-term challenges across the industry as a whole.
SAITŌ: I believe that what everyone is picking up on social media is true, yet at the same time, it represents only one side of the whole story. Such voices are prominent among the production sites of anime adaptations of popular shonen manga, because the creators who work on these titles are in the limelight. I often feel that the concerns and statements voiced contain nuances beneficial to the speaker.
A more serious issue is the struggles faced by those not in the spotlight, whose voices go unheard. As the industrial and consumption-oriented aspect grows stronger, and as long as talents are brought into the anime industry on an ad-hoc basis, these issues will persist. What’s more important is whether the industry and society as a whole can respect individual creators. However, there is also the challenge of whether creators can mature into responsible members of society.
BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2 Takes Us Beyond Happily Ever After in this Exciting Otome Sequel (Blerdy Otome, Naja)
The sequel was recently released on PC and Switch.
I could not talk about BUSTAFELLOWS without talking about my girl Teuta, sis is a goddess! I loved Teuta in the first game, but she really shines in the sequel. She may be just 21 years old, but she is confident and self aware in ways I wish I was at her age. Because of her age I was afraid that she would get steamrolled by the much older, more experienced LIs, but just like in the first game she isn’t afraid to stand her ground. She is always clear about her needs and wants and she does her best to be understanding of her partner’s needs in return. (Even when they don’t deserve the grace she gives them.)
Despite some gripes about how the romance is handled in BUSTAFELLOWS Season 2, I really feel like Teuta has great chemistry with each of the love interests. Teuta fulfills a different role in each relationship that brings out the best in her partner. Whether they need someone to confide in, someone to help them lighten up, or someone to take charge—Teuta is ready to fill that need. I genuinely loved watching the relationships grow and change in Season 2.
Of course, Teuta has her own struggles outside of her attachment to the love interests in the sequel. She is still reeling after the events of the true ending, especially with the fall out that occurred in her personal relationships. On top of that new career demands are forcing her to shift how she approaches her writing as she struggles to come up with story ideas. Sis is going through it in Season 2, but through it all she never gives up and pushes through. Part of what makes Teuta such a compelling character is that her personal struggles are relatable; we’ve all at one time or another had to juggle work, a social life, and romance. So, it’s easy to see ourselves in Teuta and empathize with her journey.
Melonbooks Dōjinshi Store Chain to Halt Visa/Mastercard Payments on December 19 (Anime News Network, Joanna Cayanan)
This is an older post, but it’s worth emphasizing as part of a pattern given that there have also been reports of tightening restrictions regarding adult games on Steam.
Dōjinshi store chain Melonbooks announced on Friday that it will suspend the use of Visa and Mastercard payments starting on December 19. The chain encourages customers to use JCB and American Express cards or other payment methods on its online shopping service for items shipping after December 19.
Melonbooks added that its physical store branches are working to resume Visa and Mastercard payments sometime after mid-December. Additionally, the chain plans to introduce a new in-store payment service called Melob Tenpo Kessai (Melob Store Payment). The service would allow customers to submit payments at a physical Melonbooks store for orders made on its online shopping service.
Japan trying AI-assisted storytellers to pass on war-time memories (Japan Today, Peter Masheter)
It’s difficult not to feel concerns about the project despite the article’s optimistic tone.
There, the network for families of war dead worked with him to create an AI-assisted console featuring Tamako Noda, who is now in her 80s and lost her mother in the bombing of the city on June 18, 1945. Since 2024, the console has been exhibited at the Hamamatsu Reconstruction Memorial Center.
Academics see value in bridging the gap between objective and subjective history.
“Any initiative to preserve the hibakusha’s stories is welcome, but there is nothing more effective than a survivor showing you the feelings around the facts,” said Mioko Tokuhisa, a peace studies researcher at Musashi University’s Comprehensive Research Organization.
“Still, memory is not necessarily reliable, and many survivor recollections overlap with those of others they knew,” she said, adding the initiatives offer a “chance to present the convergence between historical record and memory.”
Despite the moves, no one involved in the projects sees them as a complete replacement for hearing a survivor’s testimony firsthand. The Kanagawa prefectural government stressed the projects have a long-term focus, with no plans to replace living storytellers.
Nishioka, too, is not ready to hand over the reins to his AI-enhanced counterpart yet.
On the Nagasaki bombing’s 80th anniversary on Aug. 9, he will become the oldest person to read the pledge for peace at the city’s ceremony.
Women in broadcasting feel at the mercy of male bigwigs (The Asahi Shimbun, Midori Iki and Saori Kuroda)
Includes detailed discussion of sexual harassment.
An independent investigative panel’s report about rampant sexual harassment and abuse at a TV broadcaster was described by some media outlets as “shocking.”
But for one woman in her 30s, the report’s details revealed nothing new. In fact, it brought back memories of her own horrible experiences as a TV announcer.
“Reading the panel’s report left me heavy-hearted,” said the woman who formerly worked for a major TV network. “This was just like what happened to me.”
The report resonated with many women who have experience in the broadcasting industry.
The panel of legal experts was commissioned by Fuji Television Network Inc. to look into allegations that TV celebrity Masahiro Nakai engaged in sexual misconduct against a TV announcer.
The report, released in March, concluded that Nakai sexually assaulted the woman. It also said sexual harassment and abuse were rife in Fuji TV working atmosphere, and female workers, including announcers, were expected to tolerate sexual advances from VIPs.
The woman in her 30s who worked at a different Tokyo-based broadcaster said a well-known TV personality harassed her when she was in her second year at the company.
Are NFTs a Viable Collaboration for Creating Anime? (Anime News Network, Jeremy Tauber)
Taniguchi Goro has unfortunately been on the NFT train for a while now.
Weirdly enough, despite the company making NFTs their bread and butter, they were barely discussed here at the panel. Not that they entirely shied away from it, but it was only brought up a scant few times, with emphasis given that the ultimate goal of Azuki was to work together with the fandom and the community. Xu introduced Azuki as something that started as an NFT collective but was in the process of expanding to other avenues, and talked about how creating NFTs helped his company navigate the hurdles of licensing and copyright that arise during the creative process. Taniguchi even used an example of Nintendo suing doujinshi artists because they used Pikachu in their work, with Xu following up, saying how NFTs served to counter such unfair copyright feuds.
“One of the reasons why we decided to make this original Azuki project into an NFT collection is because we can embed copyright rights and commercial rights into the NFTs themselves,” Xu said. “If you own that NFT and the character that it represents, then you have full rights to it. And so for a lot of artists in our community, they can do the fan art of these characters, and we like that. The owner of that character will commission work from these artists. I think that’s one way these NFT owners own a part of Azuki. It’s a win for owners and artists.”
Indeed, Xu’s commentary was laced with faint praise and intrigue in working with the fandom and seeing it grow. As the self-appointed “creative team for fans,” they gave advice to aspiring animators wanting to break into the industry, invited people to hang out in the Discord, and discussed the promise and challenges faced by younger generations. One of their talking points concerning the younger generation of animators and the transition from drawing by hand to digital proved intriguing.
VIDEO: Recommendations of short shoujosei manga.
VIDEO: Trends of language self-censorship on YouTube.
VIDEO: Interview with artist Kiana Mai.
VIDEO: Podcast discussion of Mermaid Scales and the Town of Sand.
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