Author Archives: sdshamshel

A Locomotive of Motives: Train to the End of the World

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I don’t know if Train to the End of the World is a true turning point in anime, but it feels like an important intersection of a lot of trends and forces that have been at play over the past ten, maybe even twenty years. 

In the world of the near future, an attempt to launch a 7G network actually twists Japan into a nigh-unrecognizable land of bizarre mysteries and fundamental changes to everything people know. In the city of Agano, adults have turned into sentient animals, wireless communications are dead, and information is hard to come by. Chikura Shizuru is a student living in Agano, going through their daily lives in the fallout of the 7G Incident, but when she learns that her missing friend Yoka might be in Ikebukuro, she and her friends commandeer an out-of-commission train in the hopes of reaching Yoka.

This anime touches on a lot of popular tropes, but in a way that plays with expectations. The series is indeed about Cute Girls Doing a Thing—in this case riding a train through Japan—but it can hardly be called “slice of life” because there is a lot of narrative momentum. It follows in the trend of post-apocalypse and travelog series like Girls’ Last Tour and Kino’s Journey, but it’s less about the ennui of the environment and more about exploring a strange new world. The fact that it’s done via commuter rail and with girls whose relationships carry different degrees of baggage pushes the story away from the quiet gravitas such works often exude and into something more personal. Plenty of titles (especially from the studio P.A. Works) highlight less famous parts of Japan, but they don’t typically present them as Escher-like warpings of reality. I think the closest series might be Rolling Girls, but even that series’s brand of fantastical is very different.

What’s more, Train to the End of the World takes all these somewhat contradictory directions and ties them all together in a satisfying manner. This kind of creativity is actually something I was hopeful about when I first heard about the series, particularly because Mizushima Tsutomu was at the helm. As the director of both SHIROBAKO and Girls und Panzer, he’s proven ability to tell remarkably involved stories that marry a lot of disparate energies together. While Train to the End of the World isn’t my favorite of the three, I feel like it might be the most impressive of them from a storytelling perspective. 

I encourage the skeptical to give it a chance.

I Want a Punch-Out!! Soulslike

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I started playing Elden Ring recently, and it’s my first time with a Soulslike of any kind. Having to make my character stronger while also improving my own skills, all while interacting with an unfriendly world full of giant boss monsters has been a fun and frustrating experience.

It also made me really want to see a Punch-Out!! Soulslike.

Think about it: Punch-Out!! is a franchise that’s all about fighting enemies twice your size, where you have to figure out their quirks and tells, strike them during brief moments of vulnerability, and not overextend lest Mike Tyson send you to the mat with one uppercut. 

What if your player character started from scratch and had to train up? It could be a series of boss fights, but what if it were more like an Elden Ring open world, and you could visit different gyms to practice or spar with others? What if other fighters (CPU or human) could come to your gym? Established major boxers you could face in more official or formal settings, but maybe there are also bad actors who want to fight dirty and jump you in an alley?

It’s been over 15 years since the last Punch-Out!!, for the Wii. I would love to see something that would capture the spirit of the franchise, but if Nintendo wanted to take a different angle, I think this would be a welcome and interesting change. 

An Elden RING, if you will.

Miki Kinemi and the Electrifying Characters of Blue Period

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I’ve been catching up on the English releases of the Blue Period manga, and I’ve come to a few realizations.

I Really Like Miki Kinemi

Miki first appears while Yatora is taking the Tokyo University of the Arts entrance exam, and her design stood out to me. Her stocky frame and soft features left a lasting impression on me, and I hoped she would become a recurring character. I’m glad my wish turned out to be true.

Miki’s positive personality and enthusiasm for painting, the way she wears her heart on her sleeve, and the way she tries to take on others’ burdens (sometimes to her own detriment) make for an endearing character. Her body type is also a rarity in manga, and I’m very impressed by the author, Yamaguchi Tsubasa, and her ability to draw Miki so well. I’m a real fan—of both Yamaguchi and Miki.

Actually, They’re All Really Attractive 

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that pretty much all the characters in Blue Period are charming in their own way. Girls, guys, gender nonconforming, they all exhibit a real spark of life that is facilitated by their respective visual designs but also goes beyond their appearance. They’re not attractive simply because they have XYZ physical and personality features but because they feel very human—beautiful and ugly and trying to navigate the world with the tools they have. Some of those tools are the result of their own work, but some have been forced upon them.

When I see a character show up again, I can get a tingle in my spine.

When you get them to bounce off one another, it’s like magic. Or art. One of my favorite things in manga is seeing really deep and dynamic character interaction, and Blue Period has this in spades. The subject matter probably helps, as these artists (from veterans to beginners) are look within while also peering into the souls of others for the sake of their work, or they try to run away and inadvertently do so anyway.

Is Blue Period Now One of My Favorite Manga?

I’ve thought highly of it for a long time, but now I like it even more. So yes, probably.

A Lesson Learned: My Brief Stint Going Viral on Social Media

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Recently, I made a tweet that got over 100,000 likes. 

This is not a brag. I had nothing to do with its success, seeing as it was someone else’s words—a famous moment in Twitter history that I was simply sharing.

What actually matters is that it gave me a glimpse into what it’s like to actually go viral on social media, and it made me realize something: Popular People Social Media is a significantly different experience from what the rest of us see.

I’m not famous in any real sense, and I’ve used Twitter mostly to toss ideas into the void—not unlike what I do with this blog. Up until now, the number of notifications I got didn’t matter, and more recently, I’ve mostly been using them to keep up with specific accounts: Kio Shimoku and Haachama for example. 

If my social media accounts were always the way my Twitter had been when the above tweet started getting serious attention, it would be nigh-unusable—at least in terms of how I prefer to engage with it. 

So what I’m saying is, if you get 100k likes on a regular basis, my condolences. It’s possible that you have a social media manager or something, but if you don’t, then I hope you’re mentally in a good place. 

Bringing the Band Back Together: Sound! Euphonium 3

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Sound! Euphonium 3 concludes a nine-year journey that follows the students of the Kitauji High School Music Club through the drama of high school and band competition. Taken in isolation, this season feels like the end of an era. Factoring in the tragedies that the studio Kyoto Animation has gone through, it’s one of the greatest victories ever.

Euphonium player Oumae Kumiko and her friends are now the seniors, and have thus gone from newbies to leaders. For Kumiko, that’s more than literal; she’s now the president. They’ve seen the club go from recreational to competitive, and they have one more chance to earn what has eluded them the past two years: gold at nationals. But a few challenges lie ahead, like trying to guide the club as its veterans, and figuring out what their respective futures in music (if any) looks like. Kumiko also meets a transfer student named Mayu who’s a euphonium player herself, and she has to think about the degree to which this final year is meant to be her own time in the spotlight or Kitauiji’s. 

Can the club hold together and win nationals, or will it fall apart before even making it back?

In preparation for this review, I read through my old posts about Sound! Euphonium. Seeing where Season 3 begins in comparison really highlights the fact that these characters have each gone on their own journeys while part of a greater overall adventure. Kumiko now sees herself as a euphonium player through and through, and her previous ambivalence about music has made way for a different type of ambivalence focused more on what comes next. Trumpeter Kousaka Reina has gone from upstart prodigy to the central pillar of the club, where her unmatched skill, no-nonsense attitude, and unwavering dedication to music positions her as an intimidating yet inspiring upperclassman. Kawashima “Midori” Sapphire has become the gentle but firm mentor to a fellow contrabass player. And Katou Hazuki, who had joined the club on a lark and with no musical experience, can now play the tuba with consistent confidence. They can all display genuine skill with their instruments now, despite how differently they began.

Being the veterans also means new obstacles. One is the fact that the first-years did not go through the fires of change with their teacher, Taki-sensei, and don’t understand why the older members revere him. Another is that Kumiko and the others have managed to rehabilitate the school’s reputation to the point that some students enroll specifically to join the music club, and so many already have entrenched ideas of what to expect. With the main cast as the seniors, they’re now in a place where they are the most mature people in the room. 

At the same time, the third year of high school in Japan also traditionally marks the end of immaturity. Kumiko struggles with envisioning her future, which is made all the more difficult by the fact that Reina is ready to dedicate the rest of her life to reaching greater heights in music. The previous club leaders can seem like giants who had it all figured out, so why does it seem so different now? The transition from childhood to adulthood underlies this final season. It feels genuine, and I find myself reminiscing a bit about what it was like.

Five years have passed since I last watched any Sound! Euphonium, so it’s hard for me to directly compare this concluding season with the previous entries. Even so, I think it holds up to my memories of the anime and as a work unto itself. But when you’re aware of the catastrophes that Kyoto Animation faced—namely an arson attack that claimed the lives of over 30 people and injured dozens of others as well, and then COVID-19—Sound! Euphonium 3 is a true triumph for everyone involved. The fact that they had such devastating setbacks and managed to pull off a final season that looks and feels so satisfying really speaks to how great KyoAni is at spreading institutional knowledge and making sure it’s not just the veterans who hoard all the glory. When it comes to both the Kitauji High School Music Club and Kyoto Animation, understanding the importance of passing the torch is paramount.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Kibutsuji Muzan’s Great Flaw

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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’s Hashira Training Arc has just finished, acting as the prelude to the end. There’s a controversy over its pacing (namely that it streeetches out what is a brief section of the manga despite relatively little source material), but I’d like to put that aside to talk about what I think is the most important moment from the season—one that highlights a core aspect of the main antagonist, Kibutsuji Muzan.

In the final episode of the Hashira Training Arc, Muzan confronts the head of the Demon Slayer Corps, Ubuyashiki Kagaya, who is bedridden and not long for the world. The eternally youthful Muzan mocks Ubuyashiki for his physical deterioration, only for Ubuyashiki to speak about Muzan’s obsession with his own immortality. The demon slayer leader juxtaposes this obsession with the driving animus of the Demon Slayer Corps: though it may consist of mortals, their collective will to defeat the demons lives on. In contrast, the demons rely entirely on Muzan for their continued existence. If he perishes, so too will they.

There lies the inherent opposition between the group structure of demon slayers vs. demons. Muzan has created a system where he alone holds all the cards, going beyond even the most tyrannical despot. And not only does he view his minions as property, he is unwilling to cede any degree of power to them if it is not under his full control. Whereas Ubuyashiki’s followers come to respect him for his compassion and determination, the demons cower in abject fear of Muzan because they are nothing without him. The Demon Slayer Corps legacy carries on, and not simply through childbirth. Instead, it is accomplished primarily through teaching and raising the next generation to be better.

The difference between Ubuyashiki and Muzan comes down to selfishness. It’s the boss who expects everyone to be at their beck and call, the narcissistic parental figure who demands their children listen to them just because, the political leader who passes laws to benefit themselves rather than their citizens. It didn’t have to be the case that toppling Muzan ends the demons, but the man set it up that way, mistakenly believing his weakness to be strength. As we now await the final movie trilogy to conclude Demon Slayer, I’m interested in seeing how this all plays out.

How Takanashi Kiara’s Retro Outfit Reflects Changing Beauty Standards

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hololive VTuber Takanashi Kiara revealed a new outfit last month: a 1980s aerobics ensemble that ties into one of her songs, the vaporwave retro–themed “Fever Night.” The look has proven to be a very popular design with fans, and I’m no exception. But putting aside personal taste, one thing I find intriguing is that while the costume successfully evokes the 80s, Kiara’s hips and thighs reflect a much more contemporary beauty standard.

For better or worse, the Western standard for how women (especially white women) were “supposed” to look in the 80s was big breasts, tiny waist, narrow hips, thin legs, and small butt. There’s a reason “Baby Got Back” is written as a rebuttal to a dominant cultural sentiment.

This is even more the case when it comes to the iconic aerobics wear of the period. There’s a famous YouTube upload of an aerobics championship, and it’s a never-ending parade of fit and smiling folks in spandex showing off their slim lower bodies.

These days, however, wide hips and big butts are in. People online use words like “thicc” and “gyatt” with positive connotations, Instagram models swing in this direction, and Kiara to some degree aligns with these current values. Her default design has more prominent hips, and she even got the backside of her 3D model changed to be more shapely and closer to her non-virtual self—an upgrade that has received extra attention in her “Chimera” music video.

The Fever Night outfit, as form-fitting as it is, emphasizes this aspect of Kiara even more. And rather than seeing it as unfaithful to the 1980s, artists have embraced it, often exaggerating her proportions further still. In a way, it makes all the current fanart depict a kind of (not unwelcome) anachronism.

The way that fans have shown their love for Fever Night aerobics Kiara just has me thinking about how beauty standards can change—not only over time, but also across cultures. The 80s “ideal figure” might not be fashionable in 2024, but it could be seen in a different hololive campaign earlier this year: the hololive Production x Cheer Up collab in Taiwan. The promotional art was created by local artist Yanni, and it’s very clear that the girls’ proportions are different from their respective official designs.

In a way, the combination 80s aerobics outfit with current beauty standards—manifested in the form of Takanashi Kiara—really hits home the way nostalgia for an older time doesn’t necessarily mean every aspect of that bygone era is revived at equal levels. We’re seeing a snapshot of a time that is itself looking backwards, and if that is most readily depicted in the form of large thighs in hot pink, so be it.

PS: Today is Kiara’s birthday—stream “Fever Night!”

Muscling Through: Ogiue Maniax Status Update for July 2024

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Things are looking dire in the United States because of the recent Supreme Court decision that grants presidents broad powers with few if any checks. I will admit that I’m very concerned about this, but all I will say is that those who think they’ll be safe from abuse of power are fooling themselves. Independence and freedom don’t just mean “I can do whatever the hell I want, even if others suffer for it.”

I hope that talking about anime will provide some comfort as I think about what to do next.

The summer anime season is officially upon us, and there’s lots of anime being remade and revived right now. The one I’m looking forward to most is Kinnikuman: Perfect Origin Arc, which is based on the 2011 continuation of the original Kinnikuman manga. Based on the promotional materials, I feel like it actually has a chance of getting some real traction with a modern audience. Might Kinnikuman be the next JoJo in the English-speaking market?

I hope so.

Thank you to the following Patreon supporters for the month:

General:

Ko Ransom

Diogo Prado

Alex

Dsy

Sue Hopkins fans:

Serxeid

Hato Kenjirou fans:

Elizabeth

Yajima Mirei fans:

Machi-Kurada

Blog highlights from May

The Psychological Price of Distance—Gundam Reconguista in G Part IV: The Love That Cries Out in Battle

My review of the 4th G-Reco movie.

Revisiting “The Transformers: The Movie”

This is a movie from my childhood, but it had been a long time since I watched it in full.

La+ Darknesss Is Now a Shoujo Manga Author

This hololive VTuber has now been published in Hana to Yume magazine!

Kio Shimoku

He has an artbook coming out soon! He talks about this and more in his tweets.

Closing

A lot of hololive birthdays and concerts happened in June, but I think the ones I want to point out most are the Japanese 1st Generation’s 6th anniversary concert (featuring Haachama) and the Gawr Gura 2024 city-pop-themed birthday concert. Not only did La+ show up as a guest, but Gura actually threw in a reference to Legend of the Galactic Heroes!

Kio Shimoku Twitter Highlights June 2024

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The big thing this month is the announcement of the Kio Shimoku artbook! Also, a drawing of Darkness from KonoSuba!

Kio is going to have an artbook! (I wonder if this is why he’s been posting high-quality images of his old art over the past year or so.) More details here.

He wondered when would be the right time to release the book, and reflects on the fact that it’s been 30 years since he started his manga career.

The pre-order art is actually high-quality reproductions of the original, so you can see all the little guide lines and other marks in the images.

The artbook will also include an interview with him.

Kio has a color illustration job deadline coming up, so he’s been plugging away at it little by little. He thinks he can finish in time. That said, he has a lot of other work due the week after. It also means he can’t work on his ero manga. 

https://twitter.com/kioshimoku1/status/1798241185150255131

Kio’s tortoise has been a hyper little hellion (as far as tortoises go).

Terry and Mai from Fatal Fury will be in Street Fighter 6. Kio is surprised at the news. One commenter says they’re looking forward to seeing Sue in SF in 15 years, to which Kio says maybe in 30.

https://twitter.com/kioshimoku1/status/1792587350675009766

It turns out this drawing from last month is for the cover to the artbook! It’s one of his characters from an older work (I think the Yonensei/Gonensei series?).

Kio went and saw the Bocchi the Rock! movie. He really liked the music and performance scenes.

Excited for the announcement of Delicious in Dungeon anime season 2.

Kio bought all of the original Oblivion Battery manga out, only to find out that it doesn’t progress as quickly as the anime. Now, he wishes he stuck with just the anime.

There’s a Yasuhiko Yoshikazu and Koizumi Yuu exhibit titled “Modern Japan and Russia/Soviet.” Kio couldn’t go the previous day but has decided to check it out.

https://twitter.com/kioshimoku1/status/1802703437983105069

A drawing of Darkness from KonoSuba!

Kio is shocked that the anime is only up to Volume 7 of the light novels, which currently have 17 volumes out.

While waiting for a Pre-DLC Elden Ring update to download, Kio works on his ero manga and gets a page done. He’s also wondering how the hell he’s listening to an audio book of Buddha’s Teachings while working on said 18+ comic,

Working on the ero manga and also walking his tortoise. The reptile is unusually fast.

Knocking down his deadlines one by one.

Elden Ring download done.

Otomo Katushiro is releasing an album called Akira Remix. The Otomo recent cel exhibition was playing music from it, and Kio remembers going to the exhibition and hearing the music the whole time.

La+ Darknesss Is Now a Shoujo Manga Author

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hololive’s La+ Darknesss is now a published manga author! As an anime blogger and a Plusmate, I had to write about it.

Shoujo manga magazine Hana to Yume is celebrating its 50th anniversary. As part of the festivities, they published an interview with La+ in their 14th issue of 2024, wherein the holoX leader talks about a variety of topics related to shoujo manga. On top of that, she also got the chance to script a manga, with art by Chitose Shiki. We’ve seen manga about hololive talents, but never an officially published work by one.

The one-shot work is titled The Knight-themed Streamer Who’s My Oshi Is Actually My Male Glasses-Wearing Coworker!? As is implied, it’s about a girl who discovers that her meek coworker is her favorite online personality. It’s a funny and all too fitting topic for a VTuber to be writing about. La+ in many ways has the tastes of both an old man and a young girl, and it manifests in this cute story.

As for the interview, here are some highlights:

  • La+ is a voracious reader. She typically reads 40 volumes of manga and other books every month. Even when she has a busy month, she’ll still read about 20.
  • Despite seeming like someone who would be more into shounen, half of her reading is shoujo manga. She thinks Hana to Yume can appeal to guys and girls alike.
  • What she’s into can change, but recently, she’s been into more conventional shoujo romances.
  • Yazawa Ai is how she got into manga—Nana and Paradise Kiss, especially. Yazawa’s work made her want to become a fashion designer, which she has studied. La+ actually still does fashion design. (In her casual outfit reveal stream, she mentioned designing the entire outfit from head to toe. Previously, she had also mentioned that she’d probably be a designer if she hadn’t joined hololive.) 
  • The title that got her reading Hana to Yume was Ouran High School Host Club. Kyouya (who she refers to as “Kyouya-sama”) is what kickstarted her love of glasses. (Generally, La+ describes herself as being into glasses rather than glasses characters.)
  • After Ouran, the big Hana to Yume titles that drew her in further were Yona of the Dawn and Snow White with the Red Hair.
  • What she looks for in major female characters differs between shounen and shoujo. In the former, she wants girls who are super-talented and extremely cute. In contrast, she prefers very normal and average shoujo heroines.
  • Her favorite currently running Hana to Yume titles are It Takes More than a Pretty Face to Fall in Love and Tamon’s B-Side. 

If you want to just have a digital copy, the easiest way is probably to get a Bookwalker account.