This week I’ve got a review of a book about film history, covering the history of Japanese Animation.
Book Review: Anime – A History
The Anime Music Videos Playlist and Commentary
In the previous episode of the Anime Explorations podcast, I mentioned that this month’s episode is going to include some discussion of Anime Music Videos, in memoriam of the creator of the medium, James Kaposztas, passing away this past year. I had put together a playlist and had some notes on each of the videos, so in advance of the episode, it’s only appropriate to embed it here, along with my comments on each video selection.
If you’d like to join the conversation in the next episode, please E-mail animeexplorationspod@gmail.com, with your comments, and they may be read on the show.
Vlog: Kumoricon 2023 Con Report
Anime Explorations Episode 14: Tsukhime (2003)
It’s time for the inaugural installment of Nasuvember, as we take a look at the first anime adaptation of a work by creator Kinoko Nasu: the 2003 version of Tsukhime.
Anime Only Connect!
One of the things that I was introduced to while watching the 2023 Desert Bus for Hope was the British game show “Only Connect” – with several fan-made games submitted over the course of the week. So, I created my own anime-themed one – and as of this writing I don’t know if it will get picked. Whether or not it does, I figure I’d post the link to my slide deck here! If it does get picked, I’ll also post the video as soon as the Desert Bus Video Strike team posts the video on the Desert Bus YouTube Channel.
Read moreEpisode 13: Vampire Hunter D (1985)
For the first episode of our 2nd year, and for the spooky season, we take a look at the 1985 adaptation of Hideyuki Kikuchi’s first novel in the Vampire Hunter D series.
Anime Review: Spy Classroom Season 2
Spy Classroom Season 2 is one that is a lot more serious than the first season. It’s not to say that there isn’t a large quantity of slapstick, some comedy around the members of Team Lamplight’s personality foibles, and more development for some of the other members of the group – that’s definitely there. However, it does make an attempt to be more dramatic than last season, with varying degrees of success.
Read moreAnime Review: Ayakashi Triangle
So, this anime is a little less “spooky” and a little more “fanservice-heavy”, but it’s a series that also involves the Yokai, which are used in both spooky and silly contexts, so I feel okay including this more recent series, Ayakashi Triangle, into my Halloween reviews.
Read moreAnime Review: Synduality Noir
Of the Summer 2023 anime series, Synduality Noir is the other of the series that I’d almost describe as “horror adjacent” – in this case not because of the inclusion of traditional gothic horror monsters (Werewolves, Vampires, etc.), but rather because of a few of the elements introduced later in the series.
Read moreAnime Review: Undead Murder Farce
I’m starting off my October horror reviews with a mystery horror anime – Undead Murder Farce.
Read moreAnime Explorations Episode 12: Shirobako
It’s time to get further into the weeds when it comes to how anime gets made.
Read moreAnime Review: TONIKAWA: High School Days
Tonikawa: High School Days is a short 4 episode miniseries that basically makes up one miniature arc. I don’t know where the manga is at by comparison, so I don’t know if this is a case where the studio is waiting on the next arc to wrap before continuing with the story, or what. But what I do know is that this is a nice, warm and cozy little morsel to tide us over until we get the next arc.
Read moreAnime Review: Memories
There’s sort of a Big Three list of anime anthology films that are frequently recommended, all of which have Katsuhiro Otomo involved to some degree or another – Robot Carnival, Neo-Tokyo/Labyrinth Tales, and Memories. I’ve seen Robot Carnival a couple times in the past (and should probably give it a review here), and I got to see Neo-Tokyo as part of the OVA film festival at the Hollywood Theater in Portland. After that screening, they announced their next event would be a screening of Memories – so I had to finish up the hat trick.
Read moreAnime Explorations Episode 11: Record of Lodoss War (OVA)
This month we talk about the Record of Lodoss War OVA – with some tangents to the novels, the Actual Play, and the Chronicles of the Heroic Knight OVA (and also Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth).
Read moreWhere I Play Deedlit In Wonder Labyrinth: Part 7 – Firewalking
I learn that Salamander will let Deedlit go through Lava.
Read moreWhere I Play Deedlit In Wonder Labyrinth: Part 6 – Backtracking
We get the double-jump, and also some cryptic statements from Etoh.
Read moreWhere I Play Deedlit In Wonder Labyrinth: Part 5 – Spirits of Wind & Fire
We have boss fight number 3 against Djinn & Efriit.
Read moreWhere I Play Deedlit In Wonder Labyrinth: Part 4 – Arch-Rival
We have a run-in with Pirotess and our second boss fight.
Read moreWhere I Play Deedlit In Wonder Labyrinth: Part 3 – Serpent
We fight our first boss.
Read moreWhere I Play Deedlit In Wonder Labyrinth: Part 2 – New Verb
We get a bow, and run into Slayn & Ghim.
Read moreWhere I Play Deedlit In Wonder Labyrinth: Part 1 – “You Wake In A Ruin…”
Deedlit awakens in some ruins, starts to explore, and is taunted by Karla.
Read moreAnime Explorations Episode 10: JoJo Part 3 – Stardust Crusaders (Battle in Egypt Arc)
It’s time for the final showdown with Dio!
Read moreAnime Review: Mobile Suit Gundam: Witch From Mercury Season 2
This season had the second halves of not one, but two very LGBT-ish anime from Bandai/Sunrise, and a lot of worry about whether these would be able to stick the landing. Let’s start with the mecha series: Mobile Suit Gundam: Witch from Mercury, Season 2. There will be some spoilers.
Read moreAnime Review: Sorcerous Stabber Orphen – Final 2 Seasons
The last two cours of Sorcerous Stabber Orphen went back-to-back, feeding directly into the other, at a total of 24 episodes (which was the same length as the previous seasons of the show) but with two different subtitles – Chaos in Urbanrama and Doom of Dragon’s Sanctuary. The two series are somewhat mixed in quality, but they go one into the other to such a degree that it’s hard to talk about them in isolation.
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