Behind The Nihon Review

You are browsing the archives of 2010 June.

No other show really comes to mind when I watch Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Of course, it’s a space opera. Along with the likes of hit series Space Battleship Yamato and the original Mobile Suit Gundam, LOGH is arguably a powerhouse in terms of its influence and fame. But if there’s one thing that’s [...]

It’s hard to put my finger on exactly what it is I find so delightful about Working!. I’ve always been a fan of the slice-of-life moe comedy genre, ever since the Azumanga Daioh days (yes, yes, I’m aware of the debate over the definition of “slice-of-life” but I’m not going to weigh into it here, [...]

Continuing from where I left off before, because the list just got too damned wordy, I want to instead focus on the more volatile pieces of anime fandom that piss me off. Unlike the first five items, which are just general fan pissing contest annoyances, these next five are much more serious. My friends and [...]

I have been a fan a very long time. I have seen the best of times and the worst of times when it comes to the anime phenomenon in America. I have seen new generations of fans spring up every few years, bolstered by the explosion of anime available on television, for retail purchase, in [...]

For once, rather than viewing otaku as a cultural product of Japan, I want to take an alternative viewpoint by analyzing otaku behavior through a different lens. I will present evidence for thinking that each and every one of us can become an otaku, and that the so called cultural origins of otakuism, in particular, [...]