The Executioner and Her Way of Life – Episode 1
A yuri fantasy series that looks like a gem and is well worth going into unspoiled.
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Ya Boy Kongming! – Episode 1
Come for the plot, and absolutely stay for the plot because Ya Boy Kongming is one part humor, one part historic isekai, and all around heartwarming and fun.
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Chatty AF 159: Dear Brother Watchalong – Episodes 8-15 (WITH TRANSCRIPT)
Vrai, Mercedez, Chiaki, and special guest Diana continue their watchalong with episodes 8-15 of the quintessential anime melodrama, Dear Brother!
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Unsung Heroes: The women of The Heike Story
The creators of The Heike Story go a step further beyond tribute with the character of Biwa: by presenting her as the epic’s original author-performer, the anime adaptation places the theme of female agency front and center in what is otherwise a male-centric work.
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In the Name of Art: Academic burnout in Blue Period
The detrimental effect of academic burnout can be easy to overlook. While the media has had a hand in normalizing these behaviors, stories are starting to crop up that examine the issue critically. Blue Period is an excellent study in the behavior that leads to burnout and the consequences that follow.
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Kotaro Lives Alone – Episode 1
As an initial vibe check, I’d describe Kotaro Lives Alone as “deeply odd, but potentially (???) charming”.
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Love, Agency, and Androids: A Chobits Retrospective
Chobits uses its post-humanist storytelling to ask questions about the highly personal relationships that humans can develop with something that looks human or shares human qualities, but can never exactly be human. Because the persocoms are almost all built to look like young women, it also creates a space to ask questions about gender roles in relationships and how those perceived as female can be literally objectified. At times, Chobits presents a very compelling and empowering narrative around love, personal choice, and sacrifice. Yet, simultaneously, Chobits fails to reckon with the very questions it raises.
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The real-life adventures of teen racer Noda Juju adapted by manga creator Inuwashi
Noda Juju is a prodigy in the racing circuit and has gained an immense following over the years due to her popularity as a race car driver in Japan. She started to drive small cars when she was 3-years old and gradually began competing against adults in tournaments. When she met manga creator, Inuwashi in 2021, she was excited at the idea of adapting her story into a manga series on YouTube.
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Chatty AF 158: Dear Brother Watchalong – Episodes 1-7 (WITH TRANSCRIPT)
Vrai, Mercedez, Chiaki, and special guest Diana begin their watchalong of the quintessential anime melodrama, Dear Brother!
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Clothes Make the Guardian: Fashion and femininity in the Sailor Moon franchise
The silhouettes and clothing styles from the original 1990s Sailor Moon anime, as well as the manga, are consistent and intentional. What is feminine becomes something powerful. Unfortunately, this idea doesn’t carry through to much of modern Sailor Moon media. The new adaptations betray the purposeful fashion of the original series in a way that undermines the story’s overall gender commentary.
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Mirror, Mirror: Ouran High School Host Club and reflections of twin identity
One of the most clever anime/manga series of the 2000s, Ouran High School Host Club is best known for the gently satirical way it engages with classic shoujo tropes, with its characters performing and overexaggerating certain traits for an audience of squealing female clients. It examines twin tropes through Hikaru and Kaoru, playing up certain stereotypes while dismantling others, and creates a more human portrayal of twin identity than most of the media it parodies.
