Robyn Paterson's Blog, page 21
January 27, 2016
Romance of the Three Kingdoms Podcast
Romance of the Three Kingdoms has captivated me ever since I tore through my copies of the Moss Roberts translation (so long, they split it into two volumes). Part history, part mythology and part fiction, Luo Guanzhong’s epic has been a staple of Chinese culture since the 14th century, and is one of the four must-read books of Chinese literature. This epic story covers the breakup and subsequent reunion of China during the Three Kingdoms period from 169 AD to 280 AD, and is a story of heroi...
January 25, 2016
Xianxia- The Fantasy Genre that’s Dominating Chinese Web Fiction
A little over a year ago, I noticed a Chinese name, Douluo Daolu, on the “top 20 manga” of the site Mangafox.com, which I thought was unusual to say the least on a site dedicated to Japanese manga. The site does have Korean and Chinese comics, but to see a translated Chinese one reach a serious English readership (which required tens of thousands of reads a month) made me quite curious. So naturally, I did what I always do when I’m curious- I checked it out! As it turned out, Doulu Daolu was...
January 24, 2016
Xianxia- The Genre that’s Dominating Chinese Web Fiction
A little over a year ago, I noticed a Chinese name, Douluo Daolu, on the “top 20 manga” of the site Mangafox.com, which I thought was unusual to say the least on a site dedicated to Japanese manga. The site does have Korean and Chinese comics, but to see a translated Chinese one reach a serious English readership (which required tens of thousands of reads a month) made me quite curious. So naturally, I did what I always do when I’m curious- I checked it out! As it turned out, Doulu Daolu was...
January 22, 2016
How Koreans get their Web Novels
Yesterday I had a long and fascinating chat with a recently arrived Korean international student about Korean webnovels. Webnovels (books written specifically for the web) are extremely popular in Japan, China, and of course South Korea, and have become a gateway for new and rising authors in those countries. Recently, I’ve found myself reading some (fan translated) Chinese Webnovels (more on this in another post) and so I was curious as to what Korea’s market was like.
The student told me a...
January 18, 2016
DNA Podcast Episode 007 – Welcome to Cyberpunk
In this episode Rob and Don discuss the ways in which the reality has come to mirror Cyberpunk fiction. It’s 2016, and in the 1980’s Cyberpunk promised us Netrunning, Posergangs and Rockergirls! What did they get right? What did they get wrong? We also discuss why AKB48 are the perfect girl group, For-Profit Prisons and the glorious show that is Max Headroom! So jack into the net and let your avatar soar into the Department of Nerdly Affairs!
January 17, 2016
2015’s Top Chinese Web Novel Authors
It’s very easy to forget that about a third of the planet reads only in Chinese, and that doesn’t mean they’re reading translated works from English sources. (As might be egocentrically assumed by a Western audience!) In China, (and Asia in general) Web Novels (serialized web fiction) are extremely popular, and their authors can not only have tens of millions of readers, but also become extremely rich due to profit-sharing with the web-novel hosting sites. (Something that Wattpad has yet to...
January 6, 2016
DNA PODCAST 006 – A NEW YEARS LOOK AT 2015 AND 2016
Rob and Don are joined by their friend Chad to discuss the nerdly films of 2015. What was awesome? What barely made the grade? And what didn’t the trio like from 2015? Then we forge on into 2016, and discuss why a new film version of The Little Prince excites us more than Batman v. Superman, why Yo-Kai Watch may or may not be the next Pokemon, and why Pokemon GO! may result in kids getting a little more than just fresh air! All this, and a heaping helping of Nerd Rage are waiting for you in...
December 25, 2015
One-Punch Man
The best anime/manga of 2015 is undoubtedly One-Punch Man, and as a result it’s spawned a lot of fanworks, especially of it’s awesome opening theme. In honor of this godly work, I’m going to post of a few of the better ones here. If you want to see the anime, you can watch it for free in the USA (or with VPN browser plugin) on Hulu, or the rest of the world on Daisuki.net (which is free, but requires registration).
The Actual Opening:
An analysis of the Ppening:
English Cover of the Opening...
December 18, 2015
Podcast- Department of Nerdly Affairs Episode 005- Star Wars Memories
Rob and Don explore the effects that Star Wars has had on their lives, and the culture around them, as they’ve grown up. Comics, cards, toys and the origins of Don’s Beilert Valance action figure are all explored in this episode of the Department of Nerdly Affairs.
December 4, 2015
Podcast- Department of Nerdly Affairs Episode 004- Satanic Panic
Rob and Don explore the Ritual Satanic Abuse panic that gripped America during the 1970s and 1980s and how the game Dungeons and Dragons became wrapped up in it. Then, in the second half of the show, the pair dig deep into the cinematic roots that laid the groundwork for Satanism’s grip over the American psyche of the period. All this and 2000 Maniacs are waiting for you in this episode of the Department of Nerdly Affairs.
Rob
