My labored breathing struggles to find a rhythm as I toss and turn in my bed. Comfort twists through my shoulders as I find a restful position on my back, the most difficult position for me to breathe. A cold thought wriggles into my warm sheets: what if I close my eyes, and they never … Continue reading Akira Toriyama, Death, and Memory
anime
Rediscovering Anime: The Boy and the Heron (2023)
Few creators are as inscrutable as Hayao Miyazaki. The serious, weary persona the Japanese animator wears in interviews is a harsh contrast to the dream-like worlds and charming characters found in his films. An outspoken traditionalist, Miyazaki has extolled the merits of hand drawn animation over computer generated visuals, and the results speak for themselves; … Continue reading Rediscovering Anime: The Boy and the Heron (2023)
Rediscovering Anime: Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem (2003)
The early 2000’s was a wild time for digital media. The onset of commercially available video editing software, particularly Windows Movie Maker, brought video editing into consumers’ hands, and many aspiring editors thought to pair their favorite anime with popular English language music in a now widely recognized form: AMVs. AMVs, or anime music videos, … Continue reading Rediscovering Anime: Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem (2003)
Movie Club: Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
For Movie Club this week I decided to get into the spirit of the season by bringing my favorite Christmas movie to the table. To be frank, there aren’t many holiday films that I enjoy. I've never really connected with the ways it's traditionally depicted in media, but whenever I'm in the mood for a … Continue reading Movie Club: Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
Movie Club: Paprika (2006)
Satoshi Kon was a masterful storyteller, and his name is renowned among anime enthusiasts. Kon has a distinct lifelike art style that manages to be both true to life and successful at capturing the frantic anime energy that’s familiar to the genre. His stories are heartwarming human experiences that plumb deep into the psychology of … Continue reading Movie Club: Paprika (2006)
Movie Club Double Feature: Shin Godzilla (2016) & Shin Ultraman (2022)
This week for Movie Club I watched two movies on my way back from Japan. On the flight home I had the opportunity to watch Hideaki Anno’s Shin Godzilla (2016), and the film he wrote after it, Shin Ultraman (2022). While Shin Ultraman is helmed by a different director, Shinji Higuchi (co-director of Shin Godzilla), … Continue reading Movie Club Double Feature: Shin Godzilla (2016) & Shin Ultraman (2022)
Movie Club: One Piece (Live Action) – Season One
I remember a friend in college asking me over a decade ago if I thought there would ever be a live action One Piece adaptation. “Not a chance,” I answered, confidently. “It’s too goofy, there’s no way they could pull off the special effects.” So many live action anime adaptations fall short of the mark … Continue reading Movie Club: One Piece (Live Action) – Season One
Movie Club: Memories (1995)
This week for movie club Mikel picked an awe-inspiring anthology from Japan: Memories (1995). Clocking in at just under two hours, Memories is an animated collection of manga short stories written by Katsuhiro Otomo, creator of Akira and Steamboy. The film is divided into three segments, each directed by a different person: Magnetic Rose directed … Continue reading Movie Club: Memories (1995)
Movie Club: Belladonna of Sadness (1973)
The following review contains descriptions of sexual content. I love suggesting animated movies when it’s my turn to pick for Movie Club. I am seldom more captivated by film than I am when watching animation, and I love learning the stories about the production that goes into making an animated feature. I had heard about … Continue reading Movie Club: Belladonna of Sadness (1973)
Sam Wolfe is alive 