Op-ed

The Shape of a Villain

By Nobantu
On 09/02/2019
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The Shape of water is an engrossing film with an unusual storyline. The film takes place at period of time in the USA when differences of race, gender and sexuality were volatile. The running theme is “othering” of blacks, women, homosexuals and so-called foreigners.

Blindspotting Has Its Own Blind Spots

By Nobantu
On 09/02/2019
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Blindspotting is an artistic response to the Black Lives Matter movement, gentrification, identity and self-reflection in the USA. Daveed Diggs and Rafeal Casal’s chemistry plays well with the contrast of the main subject matter.

Why Sci-Fi/Fantasy Movies Aren't As Well-Watched as They Should Be

By LeratoEnchanted
On 09/02/2019
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Movies are wonder and both true escapism and a reflection of what it is to be human. You'd imagine fantasy movies being the ultimate experience and go-to for movie-goers, as they contrast our core morality of being human against the expansiveness of our imagination, and intrigue of what lies beyond.

Fun With Names: Kuchiki Rukia (朽木ルキア)

By hoshi-kun
On 24/10/2018
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Welcome to Fun With Names, where I will be picking apart the names in anime to find their hidden meanings and significance. Today, after a fairly long hiatus, Fun With Names will zoom in on Kuchiki Rukia, one of my favourite characters from my favourite anime/manga - BLEACH. The character is quite popular among fans of the series and her creation predates that of any other BLEACH character. Trivia aside, Tite Kubo has a poetic approach to his creations which gives each element a hidden beauty that can be discerned with a little bit of effort. The names of his characters are no exception.

The Dark Knight Rises: A Perfect End

By LeratoEnchanted
On 12/10/2018
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Nolan's Batman trilogy has no doubt brought with it a new perspective of superhero movies where the genre is pushed into more serious, gritty territories than ever before. Nolan's crime epic is undoubtedly a gamechanger. Before the trilogy, superhero movies weren't as big and well-regarded as they became after Nolan grounded the genre, bringing a more realistic, worldly feel to it than just another boom-bam, fight-scene infested, trunks and colourful constume wearing event.

Fun With Names: Yukinoshita Yukino (雪ノ下雪乃)

By hoshi-kun
On 26/09/2018
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Welcome to Fun With Names, where I take apart the names of characters, places, concepts, etc. in anime to show how they connect to their respective universes! Today, we'll be looking at Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru (My Youth Romantic Comedy is Wrong, As I Expected) character Yukinoshita Yukino, one of the three main characters of the series. Since the full name is a total mouthful, I'll be using the alternative name, Oregairu, in reference to the anime. A quick note - when referring to Japanese names, I keep the naming convention as is, so the family name will come before the character's given name whenever I refer to the character with her full government name. This anime has a few characters who, like Yukino, have their first name in their surname, as you may have noticed.

Fun With Names: Esdeath

By hoshi-kun
On 12/09/2018
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Welcome to Fun With Names, where anime names get broken down to reveal some form of shining brilliance! Today, we look at the ice-princess herself, Akame ga KILL!'s Esdeath! The play on words that the name "Esdeath" is, is quite a simple one as far as Japanese is concerned and it follows the same pun blueprint as the series' title (which I may or may not break down at some point in the future). The anime is notorious for its treatment of its characters, but I won't say much in order to preserve the sense of novelty for those who haven't seen Akame ga KILL!.

Fun With Names: Uzumaki Naruto (うずまきナルト)

By hoshi-kun
On 29/08/2018
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Welcome to Fun With Names, where I look into the various names in anime and pick apart their significance in relation to the respective show! Today, I'll be looking into a well-known Shounen protagonist, the host of the Nine-Tailed Fox, Uzumaki Naruto! Naruto is an incredibly popular title and many people cite the anime as their first taste of the medium. With a lengthy lifespan and a spin-off show currently airing, the anime is considered one of the legendary "Big Three" of the Shounen Jump magazine, the other two being BLEACH and One Piece. Naruto's name is peculiar, but unsurprising given how often authors of Shounen titles tend to crack the most jokes through the names of their characters.

Fun With Names: Sibyl System

By hoshi-kun
On 22/08/2018
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Don't you sometimes wish you could see into the future?

Welcome to Fun With Names, where I will be picking apart the various names in anime to find out what greater significance they may have in the series' context. Today: the Sibyl System from Psycho Pass. This one didn't take very long to uncover, but it is one that could go unnoticed. Since I'm into various kinds of mythology, I appreciate this particular name for the instantaneous "Ohhhhh, right" it produces when one puts the pieces together.

Fun With Names: Michiko Malandro

By hoshi-kun
On 15/08/2018
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Welcome to Fun With Names, where I will be picking apart interesting names in anime! Today's interesting anime name is Michiko Malandro, one of the titular characters of the awesome anime Michiko to Hatchin (Michiko e Hatchin)! Produced by the now-defunct Studio Manglobe (RIP), Michiko to Hatchin is a beautiful anime I'd recommend to everyone and their dog. Partly because I adore Manglobe, the studio that gave us Samurai Champloo and Ergo Proxy too, but more because the anime is, like, totally badass. Michiko to Hatchin shows us the journey of a mother/daughter pair travelling the crime-infested, heat-scorched land of Diamandra in search of someone from their past.