I’m late to the party, but I’ve finally watched KPop Demon Hunters. And while I doubt anyone needs convincing at this point, I will say that I think it’s worth checking out. It’s easy to see why it resonates so well with kids, but I find it accessible for people of any age who are open to heroines who are allowed to be goofy yet serious, a lot of musical numbers, and a message about a will that, for better or for worse, has been inherited across generations.
I’ll be spoiling the ending of the film, so here’s your warning.
The mix of Korean folklore and modern pop culture is an interesting place to tell a story about being afraid to show who you really are. In the lore of the film, Korean demon hunters have fought with both weapons and songs for generations, using their voices to create and strengthen an anti-demon barrier called the Honmoon. Rumi is the leader of the current generation, Huntrix, and she hides her greatest secret from even her teammates and friends: Rumi is actually half demon, and she wants to complete the Honmoon so she can be rid of her demonic side for good and finally stop hiding a part of herself, but begins to find her voice is faltering when she needs it most.
The Honmoon is one of the most interesting things to me about KPop Demon Hunters, because I think it does a great job of presenting both the good and bad parts of inheriting the actions and decisions of generations past. The Honmoon is a massive undertaking that has been continuously built up for dozens if not hundreds of years, and it has helped protect the people through hard work. However, it was built on the need for the singers who empower it to never show weakness, and this pressure is what causes Rumi to start breaking down. By the end of the film, she and the others remove the Honmoon and replace it with a new version that doesn’t place all the burden on the women and the need to project perfection at all costs.
I really like this metaphor because it doesn’t lump the actions of their ancestors as an unassailable legacy, nor is it purely a source of generational trauma. It is the product of decisions made in the past that were arguably necessary, helped build a foundation for descendants to survive and thrive, and ultimately helped Korea and humankind. But those choices are not beyond reproach, and naively following every aspect of them can harm people like Rumi who bristle against its pressure.
So KPop Demon Hunters lives up to the hype, and will likely end up being the Sailor Moon of a new generation of children. I can hardly think of a better work of art to carry that torch.
Apocalypse Hotel reminds me why I fell in love with anime.
Its story centers around the cutting-edge Gingarou Hotel, which is run entirely by advanced robots. Ever since a global pandemic forced the entirety of humanity off the planet, Acting Acting Manager Yachiyo and the rest of her fellow mechanized staff have been taking care of the hotel every day waiting for everyone to return. While they’re accustomed to getting zero visitors day in and day out, a guest of extraterrestrial origins suddenly arrives one day, setting the Gingarou Hotel on a long and path full of surprises.
Across 12 episodes, Apocalypse Hotel sets the bright and courteous spirit of hospitality against the darkness of its post-apocalyptic setting, drawing a sublime contrast that accentuates both growing hope and deep despair. Instead of going with a more self-contained format or taking a more serialized approach, Apocalypse Hotel treats each episode like a vignette along an enormously vast timeline. Some things remain the same, other elements reflect the fact that decades can pass between each episode, and the interplay between these two elements tells the story just as much as what’s happening on screen. I already love stories that appear episodic but are actually telling a greater narrative overall, and this series greatly succeeds at this approach.
The clever format is further supported by a gorgeous aesthetic and superb animation that’s both charming and moody. Whether it’s a festive dance number of an opening, characters maintaining the hotel daily, or even the occasional action scene, everything is depicted beautifully.
I think Apocalypse Hotel ends up being a great companion work to something like Frieren: From Journey’s End, which also similarly focuses on the long passage of time from the perspective of the long-lived. Whereas Frieren often looks at a past so full of history that half of it has been forgotten, Apocalypse Hotel peers into a future yet unknown and all its possibilities, all while focusing on the everyday of a surprisingly simple luxury establishment.
Fanfiction was a major part of my earliest online fandoms, and it was a way for me to explore my interests and meet fellow fans. While I no longer read them, I sometimes still think about the things that drove me: how it felt until then like no one else liked what I liked, and how so many works I loved had the most barebone details.
In the years since, fanfiction has become such a major force in nerd media. Putting aside the whole matter of fanfics transforming into wildly successful books and media franchises, there’s just no lack of titles to use for inspiration. What’s more, a lot of popular titles are so obsessed with continuity that there is no shortage of canon to mine. Things like Star Wars and superhero movies just love to fill in every last detail.
I think this is part of why AU fics might be so popular: There’s so much “official” information that it might be overwhelming. By putting something in an AU, perhaps you’re extracting the essence of what you care about most without having all the extra baggage of a messy storyline or a convoluted universe. It’s not really my speed, personally speaking, but I do find it fascinating just how this is almost the opposite of why I pursued fanfiction as a young person. I used to suffer from a dearth of source material, where shows might not even have a real ending, or games might not have any story details other than what was in the instruction manual.
Lately, I’ve had a bit of an itch to do some fiction writing. Maybe I should try it on some fanfiction first. Though if I do end up doing anything, I might decide to create a new pen name.
It took me a few years, but I finally got around to watching Season 2 of The Ancient Magus’ Bride, wherein the titular bride, Chise, attends a magic high school. I don’t believe I ever reviewed Season 1, but here we are anyway.
In other series, that might be the point where things fall into a comfortable routine and use the school setting to bring out the popular tropes. However, Ancient Magus’ Bride uses it as an opportunity for expanding the lore. Magic and sorcery are already portrayed in a fascinating and mysterious manner, and those qualities only grow stronger and deeper.
One of the most interesting things about this arc is the way it introduces peers for Chise. Until now, she has been surrounded by people significantly older than her, or beings far removed from humanity. But here we have teenagers close in age to Chise’s, each of whom have their own unique challenges but are shown as relatable for her. At the same time, the questions surrounding Chise’s own being only increase, and having your protagonist be a center of some of the enigmas makes for a compelling story.
I found the plot development engaging and hard to predict, and the ending made me appreciate the build-up even more. I’m ready for Season 3 with a renewed interest in The Ancient Magus’ Bride as a whole.
One of the most oft-recurring jokes about the VTuber company Phase Connect is that it’s actually a coffee store with a VTubing skin draped over it. It defies common sense as a business strategy, yet somehow they stay afloat. What kind of fool would buy coffee beans just because there’s an anime girl slapped on the front?
Me. I’m that fool.
And apparently, I’m not alone. At Anime NYC in 2024, all the coffee was sold out by the time I got to their convention booth. The following year I was more fortunate, and I managed to get a bag of the Ember Amane custom roast. I wanted to get the Dizzy Dokuro beans as well, but failed to take into account that her Dizzy Dizzy Coffee jingle would be so effective at getting people to buy hers in particular. Lesson learned.
It helps that I happen to have gained a greater interest in coffee in 2025. Thanks to a gift from a friend, I was encouraged to start trying to make coffee at home, and it’s put me on this little journey. Phase Connect coffee dovetails neatly into this new minor hobby. Also, I decided to buy specifically at Anime NYC for a reason: I didn’t want to see what the tariffs would do to an online order (and because it’s psychologically easier for me to excuse a weird purchase like this when I’m on the show floor).
As for the Ember coffee, the official store describes it as follows:
Fiery and fun loving, the Ember inspired coffee has some very warm red notes. The coffee bean chosen to match Ember comes from Papua New Guinea. This coffee has nice stone fruit flavours and a fiery spirit with a slight floral note to match Ember’s feminine charm.
In making it, I used the following equipment.
A Kingrinder P2 hand grinder
An electric kettle
A Bodum French press
A Bialetti moka pot
I utilized James Hoffmann’s French press method and a simplified version of his moka pot method. The first differs a bit from the more standard approach by using a finer grind and a couple extra steps, and the second is unlike typical moka pot recommendations in that it uses almost-boiling water and a lower flame. I went with a ratio of 30g of beans to 500g of water for the French Press, and then 30g of beans to 270g of water for the moka pot.
The resulting coffees were relatively light and mild. I first tried it black, and It had an initial strong acidity, but that sourness faded quickly and transitioned into a smooth and pleasant finish. Perhaps due to my untrained palate, I couldn’t quite taste all the things the description mentioned when drinking it black.
But then I decided to brew some more and tried the coffee with other ingredients, like oat milk, butter and salt, and skim cow’s milk. While the first two tasted all right (and resulted in a relatively less harsh drink overall), it was the cow’s milk that made a big difference. That “stone fruit” flavor in the official description, previously hard to detect, really came through. While I didn’t try it with 2% or whole, I assume it would be even better. This applies to both the French press and the moka pot.
Was it worth the cost? Well, if you’re trying it just for the beans, you can get something about as good without the waifu tax that transforms 225g of beans for a $40 USD purchase at a convention (or $35 USD plus shipping, etc. when ordering online). However, the resulting coffee is not bad or disappointing by any means, and you are just getting a better quality product than buying some Dunkin’ or Starbucks. Even my amateur-ass self could make some tasty cups of joe with these beans, and I think the Ember Amane blend is quite good for people who might typically be averse to coffee, provided you use dairy milk of some kind.
I don’t think I’ll end up trying the entire Phase Connect coffee line, but I just ordered the Dizzy and Clio blends (along with the Phase Invaders Wish album). We’ll see how they turn out.
Shounen series are often built on their appealing characters. Many feature a large cast so that each fan can find their favorites, with each character having a different aesthetic, personality, and power set. But some titles will subordinate other aspects of storytelling to prioritize “rule of cool” above all else—if something serves to make a work more awesome and thrill fans, logic and consistency can take a backseat.
One title that immediately comes to mind is Bleach, while the biggest example in recent memory has to be Jujutsu Kaisen.
The ridiculous popularity of Jujutsu Kaisen is undeniable. Putting aside the 11 wins last year at the 2024 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, it both sells well and occupies a huge chunk of the current fandom mindshare. It also attracts fans of all genders, ages, and walks of life. When I look at the characters, it feels like each one is meant to be the coolest person in the world to a specific type of audience. This isn’t inherently bad, but it’s such a major aspect of JJK that I think it can detract from the series.
Examples:
Gojo Satoru is like half the characters in Naruto because he has special eyes. In many ways, he’s Hatake Kakashi x2: Gojo doesn’t just cover one eye but both. His power set is based on infinity and negative infinity or something, and it’s appealing to people who want a guy who can have his hands in his pockets while warping reality and minds. Combine that with his svelte figure, pale complexion, and of course beautiful eyes, and you have someone who is effortlessly stylish.
Fushiguro Toji takes a different angle. Rather than have the biggest, baddest power, he’s basically an amoral, barrel-chested Occult Batman with the demonic equivalent of a utility belt. For those who value being the supposed underdog and winning through sheer hard work and tactical prowess, Toji is the epitome of a character they can get behind.
Nanami Kento is a straitlaced guy in a business suit who looks like an office worker—because that’s what he used to be. He’s stoic but kind, and his powers invoke the concept of overtime to power him up while also using math ratios to create weak points. For those who see a caring and reliable individual as the truest example of greatness, Nanami fits the bill to a tee.
Okkotsu Yuta is basically Ikari Shinji from Evangelion if he became strong and determined (and is literally voiced by Ogata Megumi).
In these cases and more, nearly every character in Jujutsu Kaisen feels like what you get if you asked 100 people to each write their own power fantasy + ideal partner. There’s a real thrill to it all, but I think it can come at the expense of a coherent narrative, often feeling like too many things are tacked onto each character without any sense of moderation.
I often see people praising different aspects of Jujutsu Kaisen. They’ll talk up the action. They’ll praise the characters. But I almost never see anyone praise the plot or the storytelling. “Rule of cool” turns into “ruled by cool,” as if the series is a highlight reel. That’s sometimes all it takes for a shounen series to succeed, but I do end up wanting more.
The new year is upon us, and one of the most stacked anime seasons in recent memory is upon us, particularly when it comes to sequels. I’m still trying to catch up on shows from 2025, so I hope I can keep up with everything.
Speaking of being behind on things to watch, I’m going to finally watch KPop Demon Hunters. I literally saw kids dressed up as the characters for Halloween, not to mention knowing more than a few who adore the film. Will I be drawn into the Kpop vortex as well?
And once again, a huge shout-out to my patreon members, especially the names below. I hope the new year has good things in store for you.
I would dedicate a post just to my entry, Lamprey Man, but there are rules against posting it elsewhere, so all you’re getting is a link.
Long-time readers of the blog might recall that I’ve long been a huge Mega Man fan, and even posted some Robot Master art/designs in the past. Even if I don’t get picked, just getting to enter is reward enough.
Who would have thought 2025 would turn a one-off Enemy of the Week from the original 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam into one of the coolest characters in anime in 2025? Challia Bull didn’t even get to appear in the Gundam movie trilogy! But now he’s seen in a whole new light as a force to be reckoned with, not only for his Newtype powers but also his shrewd mind and wealth of experience. Even his Mobile Armor, the Kikeroga in the GQuuuuuuX universe, became one of the most interesting mecha designs of the year.
Best Aspiring Scholar
Jolenta (Orb: On the Movements of the Earth)
The entire cast of Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is worthy of praise as richly defined characters who reflect the complexity of humanity and its relationship with knowledge. I’ve decided to highlight Jolenta in particular, however, because of her added challenge of being an intelligent and inquisitive young girl who was stymied not only by the prevailing religious beliefs of her time but also the sexism that permeated even the sacred halls of scholarly thought and education. Yet she defies those barriers, puts her life and well-being on the line for the sake of expanding human knowledge, and becomes something unexpected yet far greater: a revolutionary figure.
Best Puppet Protagonist
Shāng Bú Huàn (Thunderbolt Fantasy)
They don’t make ’em quite like Shang Bu Huan, both literally and figuratively. Not only is he the face of a Taiwanese-Japanese co-production for a fantasy-genre puppet-theater series, but he also calls to mind the stoic and witty action heroes and manga protagonists of decades past like John Matrix and Kenshiro. I think what’s ultimately really impressive about the so-called Sword-Plundering Nemesis is that in a series full of charismatic and memorable characters like Thunderbolt Fantasy, Shang never got lost in the shuffle or any less intriguing. His humility and quiet confidence put him on par with the greats.
Best Dance Partners
Wanda Hikari and Kotani Kaboku (Wandance)
I’ve been following the Wandance manga for many years, so I was glad to see the series get an anime adaptation. While it hasn’t quite lived up to the manga in terms of its visuals, the incredible bond between Wanda and Kabo still shines through.
It’s a classic problem in anime romances that male-female pairings often don’t have that feeling of “equal partners and rivals” that is so common and exciting in BL or yuri pairings, but that’s exactly what we get from these two and their ever-growing love of dance. They’re sweet, wonderful, and supportive of each other…and when they’re together, they feel unstoppable.
Final Thoughts
I decided to mix things up this year and get rid of specific gendered categories in the hopes of not boxing myself or the characters in.
Overall, my picks don’t have a great deal in common, whether in personality or actions taken. If I had to pick a point of convergence, though, it would be that they all bring something unexpected to the table within their stories and worlds. They invite us to re-think how we view things, whether they have to do with revision and revival, science and education with respect to politics and cultural norms, what goes into making a main character, or expectations of what a “conventional” romance looks like.
I’ve been avidly watching VTuber concerts both online and offline this year, and I just wanted to give my brief thoughts on a variety of events from 2025 that I didn’t write about otherwise.
holoX and La+ Darknesss
holoX celebrated their anniversaries around the start of December. While we have no shortage of talented dancers now, there’s still something that stands out about La+ Darknesss’s dancing. In particular, I find the way she moves her arms to be very appealing, and I suspect it’s because she really knows how to move her arms from her torso/core, rather than from her hands.
I also have been listening to Takane Lui’s recently released album, Lapis Lazuli, and kind of regret not getting the physical release. And of course, I’m beyond excited for holoX’s first live venue concert next year!
Myth
I think Kiara can get lost in the shuffle a bit, but what I’ve come to realize is that she’s very good at fully leaning into a particular quality. Some talents are always going to be cool even when they’re trying to be cute, or vice versa, but Kiara can go 100% in being cute, cool, silly, sexy, etc. in a given situation. Her concerts throughout the year really showcased this facet. Her performance of Fake Heart with La+ is my personal highlight (see above), though I need to mention the fact that she brought Ame for a guest appearance.
I’m looking forward to seeing her March concert with Ina, who’s been improving in her own right.
Rewinding things back to the beginning of the year, I’m also glad that people showed up for Calliope Mori’s second solo live in Los Angeles, despite the deadly wildfires that were plaguing the area. Also, what I’m about to say isn’t new information at this point, but I’m glad she continues to carve out a unique sound for herself.
REM Kanashibari and Roca Rourin
I plan on writing about her more in the New Year, but REM has quickly become one of my favorite VTubers. In addition to some convention concert appearances, she also had her first online concert, called Sleepover Stage. I find myself listening to their cover of “Murder on the Dancefloor” with Roca Rourin regularly. The two sound really good as a duet, and I hope to hear more of them in the future.
Flow Glow
Flow Glow, a hip-hop and pop–themed generation from the hololive branch known as “DEV_IS,” made a hell of an impact with their 3D debuts. Isaki Riona’s probably the best in the entire company at singing and dancing. Mizumiya Su is small but has very powerful moves that literally give her the most air time in hololive when she leaps. Kikirara Vivi backs her cute movements with clear dance experience too. And while Rindo Chihaya and Koganei Niko appear to be not as skilled, they’re both quite athletic in their own right, keeping up with the others and even bringing a lot of strength in terms of singing. Even more than their direct predecessors ReGLOSS, they are focused heavily on music and performance, and it’s clear how much experience they have.
ReGLOSS
Speaking of ReGLOSS, they had their first live concert this month, titled Flashpoint! It’s a great achievement, and you can really tell how much they worked on it. Ririka and Raden have noticeably improved in their weakest areas (dancing and singing, respectively), and while straining her voice in some places, Kanade is still the vocal center of the whole group. Hajime’s solo performance was amazing, and felt like a reminder to everyone that she’s no less amazing a dancer compared to her juniors in Flow Glow.
I do miss Ao’s sound, though. She was the only one with a deeper voice, and it provided a nice contrast to the rest of the girls. During an encore performance of their first single, “Shunkan Heartbeat,” the current members of ReGLOSS actually left a silent space where Ao would usually sing for one line, as if to pay tribute to their friend.
Vroom Boom Duo (Baelz Hakos and Todoroki Hajime)
This year was also when we finally got to see the two marquee dancers of hololive join forces. Bae’s Non-Birthday celebration featured them doing the song “Gingiragin” together, which was followed by a performance of “Bareru” for Hajime’s own birthday. The latter was one of the most impressive things all year because they were filmed with one continuous shot. Creative camera cuts can cover up flubs, and here they were, showing the world that they didn’t need any editing magic.
HIMEHINA
Hime and Hina really make clear just how comfortable they are as veterans of this space. At their 7th Anniversary concert, their ability to just match up with each other and harmonize is maybe second to none. Also, I mistakenly thought La+ would be singing with them, but she simply did a bit of MCing.
Suisei and AZKi
As the two former members of the now-defunct INNK music group, these two have had a specific and unique connection. It almost goes without saying that these two are among the best singers in hololive and VTubing, but when they perform together, they just work so incredibly well. AZKi’s almost flawless execution and Suisei’s powerful voice balance each other out nicely. Suisei these days is more popular, but AZKi is so subtly and deceptively good to the point that I feel like it can be easy to gloss over her. However, once you pay attention, you realize how incredible she is.
Tokoyami Towa
Towa’s husky voice continues to stand out in a sea of many talented singers, and I hope she can
Nekomata Okayu
Seeing Okayu go in so many different directions is pretty amazing. It’s one thing to get a solo live as someone who started off dedicated to making music, but to transition into it and then get a second solo live is downright astounding.
Phase Invaders Wish
I was glad to see the first gen of Phase Invaders get a group concert because they were my introduction to Phase Connect. The resulting event, First Transmission, successfully highlighted each of their strengths, even when some were clearly more practiced hands at performance than others. Lumi’s singing ability and Ember’s dancing skills made themselves apparent, and Jelly came across as comfortable on stage despite being inexperienced. Dizzy is the least stage-inclined of the four, but she found an answer in the form of sensual choreographies that took advantage of her fitness and flexibility.
OGIUE MANIAX 