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Kureha Tsubaki and flower language in Yuri Kuma Arashi
The white lily (shirayuri/白百合) is the third image to appear in Yuri Kuma Arashi. First the anime opens with what we learn later is a bear alarm — resembling a tornado or earthquake siren — next, an...
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Visual bookending in Land of the Lustrous (change as shown through scene...
The opening moments of Land of the Lustrous feature an isolated Cinnabar huddled on a rocky outcropping. After a moment, they begrudgingly say that it’s time for work. Cut to the daytime, where...
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“Loved ones will always watch over you”— letters in Violet Evergarden and A...
“Is this emotionally manipulative?” is a question frequently asked regarding Japanese animation. I first heard it regarding Clannad — particularly in relation to Kotomi Ichinose’s narrative arc, but...
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I joined the police force and all I got was this inconvenient robot —...
Sometimes you begin excitedly telling a story to friends only to realize halfway through the telling that it’s not a particularly interesting story. Yelling “Trotty too hottie” at Trot Nixon over the...
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Phosphophyllite’s encyclopedia — knowledge and obsession in Land of the Lustrous
“It is that very frankness of yours that is needed for this task. I am counting on you.” -Master Kongou to Phosphophyllite, Land of the Lustrous, Episode 1 In the first episode of Land of the...
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The Golden Bough and Darling in the Franxx
From its first episode, Darling in the Franxx uses flower language and plant genetics to frame the entire series. It’s not subtle about any of these trappings, which continue to appear in each passing...
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Stepping back into the Steins;Gate time machine
In 2009, I began watching anime as it currently aired. It wasn’t long before I was writing about it. My first year of blogging was full of horrid, weekly recaps that described what happened, maybe...
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Violet Evergarden on the power of the written word (and more Victorian-era...
The finale of Violet Evergarden is superfluous to the emotional narrative of the series. Violet’s personal journey towards understanding what love means — and learning empathy in the process — ends in...
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The Cactus Flower and revisiting flower language in Darling in the Franxx
In previous posts, I’ve written about flower language in Darling in the Franxx, including floral reproduction, basic genetics, and the names of the plantations themselves. The series’ use of...
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Break in to Break Out: the perfect Persona 5 adaptation
The opening moments of the Persona 5 video game set the player’s expectation for a stylish, visually-immersive experience. Sayo Yamamoto’s opening animation showcases callbacks to her work on the...
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Determinism and . . . horse girls? — Uma Musume Pretty Derby
“Horse girls. They were born to run. They inherit the names of horses from another world, whose histories were sometimes tragic and sometimes wonderful, and with that, they run. That is their fate. No...
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Fan culture and growth in IDOLiSH7
In the double-feature of IDOLiSH7‘s anime debut, hapless newbie producer Tsumugi Takanashi books an outdoor venue that seats three-thousand for her rookie group, IDOLiSH7. Despite hard work handing...
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To be a center — Shoujo ☆ Kageki Revue Starlight Episode 1
“The normal happiness, the pleasures of a young girl, all burned away to aim for a distant twinkling.” -Giraffe, Shoujo ☆ Kageki Revue Starlight, Episode 1 Karen Aijou is teased by her classmates for...
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For Eiji— with Love and Squalor (Banana Fish first impressions)
“What happens to who?” “The bananafish.” “Oh, you mean after they eat so many bananas they can’t get out of the banana hole?” “Yes,” said Sybil. “Well, I hate to tell you, Sybil. They die.” “Why?”...
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The Star Knows — Junna Hoshimi’s dueling stage in Shoujo ☆ Kageki Revue...
Junna Hoshimi wakes up earlier than her classmates. The sun is just beginning to filter through the windows when she walks outside for her morning run. Her roommate, Nana Daiba, is still asleep. On...
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Position Zero, This is Tendou Maya: establishing the Takarazuka status quo in...
Before we ever see her duel in full, Shoujo ☆ Kageki Revue Starlight tells us that Maya Tendou is already established as the revue’s top star. Maya’s first appearance not only introduces her as a...
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Shoujo ☆ Kageki Revue Starlight and the Mystery of Daiba Nana
Height frequently decides one’s fate in the Takarazuka Revue, if not definitively, then at least in setting would-be Takarazuka stars down a certain path. Only those who become otokoyaku (the...
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Our “Starlight”— more Takarazuka influences in Shoujo ☆ Kageki Revue Starlight
“Starlight. It’s the story of goddesses drawn by the glow of the heavens. We can fight and argue and disagree but there are ties that bind us together. Yet, we may just as easily be pulled apart,...
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Shoujo ☆ Kageki Revue Starlight, sparkles, and the comic relief episode
Tomohiro Furukawa’s overarching direction of Shoujo ☆ Kageki Revue Starlight is an interesting cycle of influence. Furukawa worked alongside Kunihiko Ikuhara on Mawaru Penguindrum and Yuri Kuma...
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Let’s only walk on the flower road: in defense of Kaoruko Hanayagi
“I’ve been there before so I understand what you’re going through Hanayagi-san. For those who pursue us and those who support us, we have the duty to become the very best versions of ourselves.” -Maya...
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