i

Is it time to rename this anime 'Japanese Pop Culture No Video'?

Danny Choo recently stated on his blog that he was adopting the term ‘Japanese Pop Culture’ to refer to what was previously known as the Otaku Subculture. He said that this was because: (more…)

So... if the story says I'm a senior, but I LOOK like I'm 10, and my story was written yesterday, am I 17 years, 10 years, or 1 day old? What about, I'm a CARTOON you morons!

So many of you are aware of the Christopher Handley decision by now, where apparently customs officials opened up a package from Japan addressed to Mr. Handley which contained manga depicting minors ‘engaged in sexually explicit acts and bestiality’. Last week our intrepid manga fan was handed down a six-month sentence for violating the US Protect Act, which which outlaws cartoons, drawings, sculptures or paintings depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and which lack “serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.”

(more…)

The Hierarchy of Disagreement. Learn it. Use it. Live it.

During the past year or so, upon returning from the hallowed halls of the Judicial System to the Wild West of Otakudom, I have been subjected to many arguments from people who think calling someone “GAY” is equivalent to scoring some sort of metaphysical point. Coming from a line of work where precision of argument is of the utmost importance, I would like to disabuse these people of their delusions.

(more…)

Eeek! They're leveling faster than me! Keep them AWAY!

So I ran across a public Plurk the other day that said:

“People who started later then me in WoW [World of Warcraft] are now higher level then me. ^^; Guess that’s the price of having a life. Good thing there’s a level cap.” (lol)”

(more…)

Azumanga is totally better than Lucky Star so SHUT YOUR TRAP!

So the other day on Plurk Magnetic Rose, who always has her finger on the pulse, called my attention to the recent Anime Expo mass resignation fiasco. A couple of days later another friend of mine gave me the inside scoop into the whole Alice and Rabbit Multiply mess.

(more…)

So which type of otaku neglects personal hygiene?

(more…)

Now that we've discovered what makes our fans tick, let's saturate the market with substandard product!

I love reading Seth Godin’s blog. I’ve been a fan ever since I watched his TED talk and read Tribes. Today he wrote a post about the evolution of every medium:

(more…)

One of this year's valuable lessons.

I will always remember 2009 as the year I flew off the rails.

(more…)

Greetings, readers. Let me briefly interrupt the stream of slander, gossip, and self-aggrandizement that you have grown accustomed to, in whatever field of local interest you are usually tuned into. I beg your indulgence, for I have something to say.

(more…)

Haruhi, you're doing it wrong. Festival time is definitely not supposed to be the same thing over and over again.

At Cosplay Mania, I wandered convention hall, no longer Cliff, lawyer, obedient son, Filipino citizen. For that moment in time, I had become Lelouch: deposed Britannian royalty, student, revolutionary, enemy of the state.

(more…)