Death and the Maiden

source: Pixiv

We occupy a rather unique niche on this world in that we’re the only ones blessed with the capability of pondering our own finitude. It grants us the perspective of reckoning with our mortality, a bitter balm for the weight of knowledge.

Universal Fatherhood and Pessimistic AGE

The Gundam franchise is an excellent source for strong male characters and it’s no accident so many of them are fathers or surrogate fathers. Even if we’re unaware of it, as men, most things we do in life are measured and compared against the lives of our fathers if only by ourselves. As I looked at the two current flagship shows of Gundam, AGE & Unicorn, I see two very different perspectives on the same idea. Spoilers ahead!

Moretsu Pirates Episode 2

If the first episode was a promise, then this second one was a lesson. If there was anything in particular that stood out this week, is this show’s emphasis on the idea of responsibility. It pervaded every pore of every scene in this episode, and as if to emphasize that the deftness of the storytelling in the first week was no fluke, proceeded to inform characterization, plot, and dialogue all at once.

Colloquium: Usagi Drop

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vucubcaquix: I’ve heard rumblings that the ending to the anime of Usagi Drop came off as weak, however, I don’t think that it was. With its focus on loose teeth and where an adult’s free time goes to once they become a parent, Usagi Drop ends with the same light touch that was characteristic of the adaptation as a whole. With this light touch and its subtle characterizations, the show lent itself to long discussions late into the night over various forums about the actions, decisions, and attitudes of its various characters. I will have to note here, that we may touch upon the manga that Usagi Drop is based on, which means addressing the controversial ending. Here’s a spoiler warning for those who don’t wish to be affected by the manga’s ending.

Diary of a Manga Lived: Dreams, Parental Pride, and Twin Spica

“Asumi, your dad wasn’t angry because you took the test on your own, or even because you didn’t tell him anything.

He was angry because the little girl who used to talk about her dreams has vanished.”

-Lion, Twin Spica Volume One

Tiger & Bunny 17: The Perspective of the Absent Parent

Parents are a tricky thing in Japanese animation. How often is it that one finds the main protagonist alone with nary a parent in sight? There’s a certain measure of narrative sense in this, since the presence of either or both the parents could hinder the premise and progress of certain series aimed at an older teen/young adult demographic right from the outset. But like with a lot of other things, Tiger & Bunny approaches this well-worn trope with a measure of sophistication and nuance.