Old Souls: Constructions of Erotic Realities and Hot And Steamy vol. 1 (NSFW)

Note: This post discusses explicit sex in an explicitly sexual work, and includes images which are not safe for work.

It ought be fairly clear that most pornography is not an accurate reflection of reality. But perhaps more interestingly, different pornographic works inhabit realities which are vastly different from each other. When they divorce themselves from real-world sexual mores, erotic texts are often freed to reinvent sexual morality from scratch.

This is true to all fictional works up to a point, but the dissonance between how strongly sexuality is highlighted in pornography and how often guarded or shameful it is in reality makes the departure consistently, explicitly more noticeable. That said, so long as the author inhabits the real world and real sexual mores, their departure from those mores is clearly marked as a departure.

I Like Pictures – on Liking Pictures

So, it’s finally my turn. Let me tell you a story about how I like my pictures.

For Certain Definitions of ‘Favorite’

Generally, I try to come from a straightforward place when I talk about “favorite”. Years ago (like 10 or 15), I came to this decision when people asked me about my favorite movie. It remains The Princess Bride for the simple reason that it’s the one movie that I’ve seem more times than any and can always be convinced to watch. When I went to assemble my list of top anime, this didn’t work as easily. If we list the the works I’ve seen the most, it goes something like this:

1. Iria
2. Slayers OVA
3. Read or Die OVA
4. Hikaru no Go
5. FLCL

This is not my Top 5 list. When it came time to make a Top 5 for Anime-Planet’s list features, I made a different call. But why? I’m not entirely sure. When I look at the list above, I am struck by how many of those things are solid, easy-to-watch OVAs that can sort of be chewed up in the space of a day, which explains why I watch them so much.

Quantifying the unquantifiable: A Golden Drop In the Ocean

So, 2012 found me pummeling this corner of the internet with my presence on yet another blog, thanks to the magical compulsion power of vucub_caquix. Now he’s compelled me to do yet another deviant, uncharacteristic, and hateful act: a top 5 post. So let’s skip the ado and get on, in no particular order.

On the 7th Day, Lily Awaited

When you think about someone’s favorite anime, one of the first factors you consider might be bias. Someone’s favorite anime might be Toradora!, and yet you, the reader, run away from romantic comedies like the Apocalypse is actually real and “romcoms” are Satan, or his minions, trying to make your brain melt out of pure, horrifying boredom.

Since our interests might be conflicting, let me attempt to explain the circle of hell that I presently guard. Or, as you’d call it, my taste.

Quantification of Art and Commodification of Identity in the Postmodern Age: A Forensic Exploration

Ichigo Mashimaro

Planetes

Heartcatch Precure

Sengoku Collection

Hidamari Sketch

Oh, that was easy.

Relationships, Chemistry, & Favorite Anime

The task of collating favorites is both an exciting and an onerous endeavor. The excitement is in sharing what you love; the burden is in setting limits, in the cherished tales left unspoken. What sets these stories apart? What magic endears them to our hearts–renders their characters our close friends, their experiences our own–that these few deserve mention above all others? I could chart each objective quality–from writing to editing to cinematography to sound–delineating the success of each ingredient in delivering the recipe’s divine flavor. But I must admit I’ve always lacked the attention and capacity for such detail. So, glancing at the garish plastic adorning my bookshelf, I asked, “What do I love about stories? What spurs my hunger for the next tale to devour, cel by cel?” And, as I eyed the titles before me, my mind’s eye conjured images of their characters–the interactions between them–that move us  to laughter, tears, or a simple smile of pleasure at a tale well told.

So, here are a handful of my favorite anime, with an eye for the relationships that spoke most deeply to me. I hope you enjoy!

Secret Santa: Fireball & gdgd Fairies

The Secret Santa Project is run by the good folks over at Reverse Thieves, and this year, I was faced with the task of watching and reviewing at least one of the following: AKB0048, Fireball & Fireball Charming, and gdgd Fairies. I chose the latter two, which are both short shows.

Fireball & Fireball Charming

“I shall cease to be human, Jojo!”

My top five shows this time I think about it. All roads lead to Maison Ikkoku.

Source: pixiv

My task today is to lead you through a list of my five favorite shows. This is something that will benefit from both a little structure and a little rule breaking. First the former: this will be a path, a road if you will from one trait to another, tying the shows I love to each other. And the latter is fairly forgivable I suspect: a sixth show to start my journey from. Shall we?

Schnitzel with Noodles

Like everybody else here at Altair & Vega, I’m amazing at playing favorites: that is to say, narrowing down a list is a nigh impossible task. Nonetheless, I’ve managed to hammer out a list; the following five shows are those that have stood the test of time. Here, listed in alphabetical order, are a few of my favorite things: