Christopher Kincaid's Blog, page 58
April 9, 2017
What does “Please Notice Me, Senpai” Mean?
Few Japanese words dominate otaku lingo as the word senpai. Senpai, often mispelled as sempai, sometimes appears more as punctuation to speech than a proper honorific. It also has a distinctive submissive flavor. Senpai (せんぱい or 先輩) is an honorific used to address someone who is superior to you in status. Honorifics are parts of […]
April 2, 2017
Under the Cherry Blossoms
I don’t normally do promotional posts like this, but it’s tough to keep up with a regular blog writing schedule when posts require a fair amount of research. So think of this post as a way for me to rest while still telling you I have a new book available. I don’t believe in veiling […]
March 26, 2017
Sex in Anime and Manga
Sex is one of the most powerful and controversial words in the United States. People blush and giggle. People wince. It is a taboo subject that sells everything from cars to dollies. Sex is a sin, and it is an obsession in American society. All of this influences how sex is perceived by American manga […]
March 19, 2017
Yona of the Dawn
Yona of the Dawn takes place in a fictional kingdom of either the Heian period or in China. The dress and names have a distinctly Chinese style, which is rather unusual for anime. The Heian period of Japan featured a strong interest in Chinese culture. The elite classes–this period was before the samurai–adopted Chinese mannerisms […]
March 12, 2017
Why do Anime Characters Yell Their Names and Attacks?
Anime characters sure yell a lot. They yell their names or demand to know their opponent’s names. They yell their attacks. Wind Scar! Anime fans don’t think too much of it, but for those new to the medium this is just weird. However, there are a few reasons why anime has these conventions. Manga’s limitations […]
March 5, 2017
Organizing and Presenting Manga and Anime
The best way to get to know someone isn’t in conversation. Instead, look at their bookshelves. Your books and DVDs reveal much about your personality, interests, and tastes. My bookshelves are a little messy and eclectic. You will find everything from history to religion, from science fiction novels to video games on them. As books […]
February 26, 2017
The art of benshi: The voices of silent film
At the end of January, I had the privilege to witness a benshi performance, which impressed me immensely. Finally, it led to me writing this blog post. So, what am I actually talking about? In Japan, silent films were never truly silent Western audiences may be faintly aware that in the first cinemas, at least […]
February 18, 2017
Considering Japanese Incest, Cultural Obsession, and the Book The Six-Foot Bonsai
Recently, I’ve read a memoir written by Stacy Gleiss that shares her experiences with an abusive Japanese husband and her immersion into Japanese culture. I’ve considered doing a standard book review, but it’s difficult to critique a memoir. By their nature, memoirs share intimate details about a person’s life that I don’t feel right critiquing. […]
February 12, 2017
What is a Postmodern Anime? What Does Postmodernism Mean, anyway?
Postmodernism is one of those stuffy words you see thrown around the Internet. It’s slapped on architecture, education, movies, and even anime. But what really is postmodernism? How can an anime be postmodern? Despite it’s name, postmodernism has nothing to do with being modern. I rather dislike the word modern because every age thinks itself […]
February 5, 2017
Keijo!!!!!!!! Review
I loathe fan-service. The only exception to this was Kill la Kill, but with that series the fan-service was satirical. So when I started watching Keijo!!!!!!!! –I think I counted the right number of exclamation marks in the title–I often asked myself “What am I watching?” I’ve seen the popularity of the show in my […]
