From the very beginning, Goodbye, Lara is a gorgeous work of animation. With its visual style reminiscent of both storybooks and 90s anime, intriguing plot loosely based on The Little Mermaid, and world mixing the mundane and the mysterious, it comes right out of the gate making a powerful impression. I’ve seen similar series with similar potential falter at the finish line, however, and as I watched this show I kept hoping beyond hope that it would not meet a similar fate.
Fortunately, I think it not only sticks the landing beautifully but is strong the entire way through. One thing that I think it does splendidly is having the little slice of time called the “present” feel truly special for its mermaid heroine Lara. The passage of time is a major component of Goodbye Lara, and the intimate focus on daily life amid her desperate mission to find love makes the mundane downright magical.
While the execution and results are very different, the use of time brings to mind the series Apocalypse Hotel. In a sense, it and Goodbye, Lara tackle the coming and going of ages in opposite ways. Whereas the former takes brief yet poignant looks at specific periods over a long span, the latter intensely focuses on a specific period amid an enormous time span. When Lara says that she cherishes her life in this situation, it comes across as heartfelt and convincing.
Overall, we have a great original anime here. Goodbye, Lara is playful, evokes a lot of complex emotions, and somehow captures both the whimsy of youth and a deeply resonant maturity.
Tamon’s B-Side is a shoujo manga that first got on my radar because it received praise from hololive VTuber La+ Darknesss. She’s an extremely prolific reader of manga, and even if our tastes don’t necessarily align, I know I’m in for an experience, and I decided that the anime adaptation would be a reasonable way to see what the series is all about. What I did not expect is for the premise of the series to make me think about a fairly involved philosophical question: What should you consider “the real you”?
The story follows Kinoshita Utage, a high school girl who’s a big fan of the male idol group F/ACE (pronounced “face”), especially its center, the impossibly handsome and suave Fukuhara Tamon. To her surprise, she’s assigned one day for her part-time work to housekeep for the real Tamon himself, only to discover that the confident ladykiller he appears to be in public is nothing more than a facade, and that he’s actually a nervous wreck prone to self-derision when not in “performance” mode. Utage is such an ultra-fan, however, that she refuses to let anyone badmouth Tamon—even himself. Over time, she gets to know the other members of F/ACE as well, which includes their own “inner selves.”
Not long after I started watching the anime, I saw a person on social media reacting to a piece of a comic called “Love vs. Lust.” Apparently, the comic and the above reaction drew so much attention that they’re both featured on Know Your Meme.
While the comment is an attempt to dunk on millennials, I think the poster’s implied values make for an interesting discussion, and also map onto Tamon’s dilemma very well. In front of outsiders, he’s an incredible talent brimming with confidence, but behind doors, he sees himself as the very opposite. And yet, all that talent and ability he displays in public are undeniably products of his own talent and effort. It’s also not uncommon for flamboyant performers on stage to be much more quiet in private, e.g. Freddy Mercury.
We live in a world where even regular people try to create a “brand” for themselves and curate their own image. This can easily make one’s outward image an endless cascade of smoke and mirrors, and for the unadorned self to be rejected in a sad and unfortunate way. But what if someone lives in a situation where their core being is denied by those closest to them, and it isn’t a place where they feel “at home”? What if their main way of finding their true selves comes from a social media account, or even going into chatrooms in the year 2000 and talking with people sharing the same hobby? How does this interact with a topic like sexuality or gender or gender dysphoria?
Tamon, with his two sides, is like a “safer” version of these topics. And the fact that Tamon goes back and forth means it’s more like asking what if there were two Ships of Theseus where both were 50% old and 50% new parts.
It’s that time again—the one where I go, “What the hell, there’s a new anime season out?!” But Fall 2026 feels extra special in the sense that it is chock full of giant robots. Not only is there a new Magic Rayearth, but also Good Smile’s new project Dandivine, Dark Machine, and whatever Vertex Force is. I’m not going to say any of them will necessarily be good (aside from Rayearth), but I really want to check all of them out. On top of that, we still have Oshii Mamoru’s new VOTOMS waiting in the wings, and the director of Godzilla Minus One apparently has a mecha-genre film due out in January.
I don’t know if this will be a new golden age or anything, but I’m hoping that at least one of the new original works shows promise. It’ll also be fun to see if any of them get into Super Robot Wars someday.
Thank you to my Patreon subscribers, especially these fine folks:
Because so much of September was devoted to writing about the stuff I attended in August, it ended up being a very VTuber-heavy month as well. I think October will have more anime and manga reviews (as well as hopefully my second and final interview from Otakon 2026), so I expect the balance to not be so lopsided.
That all said, it’s been a wild time in that respect. Between Terra404’s and Amano Nene’s graduations, a new hololive unit, IRyS solo live, and the return of Saba, I’m having all sorts of feelings. So, really, who knows?
Kio finds that with age, the habits he’s developed when drawing can cause issues with balance and proportion, like the position of eyes and the size of the head. Since he does digital art now, he goes back and fixes stuff.
Kio ordered some manga at the same time: The Kinks Volume 4 and Under 3 Volumes and 4. However, only The Kinks arrived, which has him a little nervous about the other books.
Girls und Panzer Episode 9 streamed for free on Youtube. Kio recalls that he liked the episode so much that he actually showed his recording to his editor at the time.
Last year was the first time in about two decades that I did not attend Otakon. While I don’t regret my decision, I still missed being there, so I was extra stoked to return to DC for 2026. While I’m not from the area, I considered this convention to be an annual homecoming of sorts. There’s still nothing like Otakon, even (or perhaps especially) in an age where anime cons keep popping up and attendance is exploding.
The Basics
Otakon 2026 was held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC from July 31 to August 2. In a rare and pleasant change, the weather was surprisingly good, with temperatures hovering below 90 degrees F and only a Sunday storm at the end being an issue. According to official numbers, this was the most attended Otakon of all time, at 47,049.
And while the US and the world has moved on, I still think it’s important to bring up the masking policy, or lack thereof. I know it’s sadly impossible to convince the majority of people to stay masked at this point, I wish they took COVID-19 more seriously. At the very least, the spaces (including the Artist Alley and Dealer’s Hall) were well ventilated, and they don’t forbid masks either. (It can just be a good way to avoid getting sick in general.)
The theme this year was “Swords and Sorcery,” and attendance badges used official art from Final Fantasy XIV with designated classes such as Summoner, Wizard, etc. People could also volunteer to play a scavenger hunt-esque RPG that involved finding images of runes hidden all over the convention center and then “fighting” enemies at a guild. I participated a bit with friends but didn’t get a chance to do any battling myself. As far as I could tell, it was a fun idea implemented somewhat awkwardly, but I understand that it’s hard to make a game like this that accounts for all the different priorities attendees might have.
The New(-ish) Autograph Policy
Since last year, Otakon has done away with the in-person, first come first served international guest autographs lines of the past. Instead, they switched to a system that required people to sign up for autographs via the Guidebook app that was still first come first served but meant that the struggle happened entirely online.
The rollout for 2026 was marred by a few problems. First, when autograph sign-ups initially launched a couple weeks before the con, the Android version of the app could not select any of them, and those on iPhone could only select one autograph total. When they redid it later (and over multiple days to spread the load), the app would not automatically update at the start time, and you had to swap in and out between them. If you didn’t know, this meant losing precious seconds that might be the difference between getting an autograph and not. Also, you couldn’t sign up for two autograph sessions that overlapped even the slightest, so if you had two guests with conflicting schedules, you couldn’t get both, even if neither had a particularly long line.
Despite personally getting many autographs over the years through the previous approach, and despite potentially losing out on sign-ups due to the above issues with Guidebook, I welcomed the new policy. The song and dance required to get access was always ridiculous, with people hovering as close to the autograph area as possible without technically being “too close.” The fervor with which people rushed the line was also unpleasant and dangerous, and I’ve personally seen someone have a panic attack when they got caught within the aggressive push. Then there was the amount of time you had to dedicate to get into position to even have a chance (an hour at least), and it meant losing out on other things you might have wanted to do or see. And because it needed to account for throngs of people, the Autograph Area was in the Dealer’s Room, adding to what is already one of the most crowded sections of Otakon.
With the change, autographs instead were held on the 3rd floor, near Main Events, turning all-but-inevitable chaos into a fairly subdued experience.
VTubers Officially at Otakon
While VTuber fanart has been a part of the Artist Alley in recent years, and even a few companies have appeared as vendors (e.g. Phase Connect), this was the first year that VTubers were officially guests at Otakon. The lineup was slim but varied, ranging from prominent stars like Ironmouse to talents with smaller fanbases. Should they start to have a bigger presence (and more heavy hitters) in the years to follow, I wonder how it might affect attendance numbers, given that despite a good degree of overlap, not all anime/manga fans are VTuber fans and vice versa.
Unlike at OshiUplink, the official meet and greets were free, and were treated more or less like autographs—including being held in the same area and requiring sign-ups via Guidebook. I got the chance to talk to Izumi Teeny and Bonnie Barkswell this way. I wish I could have seen Ironmouse’s panel, but Guidebook can be a clumsy app, and I wasn’t even aware she had one. However, I did go to Hylo’s Anime and VTuber Jeopardy panel, and was fascinated to see what came easily to the other players and what stumped them. The fact that people struggled over the question of what anime “Hare Hare Yukai” came from is a very quick way to make me feel the passage of time.
There was also a VTuber concert by Teeny, Bonnie, Rachie, and Yumemi. I couldn’t catch the very beginning, but still managed to watch most of the girls. Given that most of them appear via screen, Otakon made the decision to hold the concert in a video room instead of an event space. Despite that, Yumemi actually appeared in person as well and performed with her animated counterpart, even running up and down the small aisle.
Idolspace
Speaking of concerts (and VTubers), I went to see Phoebe Chan perform. I almost didn’t make it because I mistakenly thought the Idolspace area (where Phoebe was) and the Featured Events area (which had some idol and cosplay performances) were the same thing. That was on me for not being aware of that distinction, but I think my confusion was understandable.
The preshow featured a fun overseas idol duo called the ChiRi Girls. Their hard work was evident, and I’m curious to see where they’ll be in a couple more years. Phoebe meanwhile, is someone I had heard about for years but started paying more attention to after she became a part of the VTuber trio Densetsu.exe. She’s been going for about 10 years at this point, and I could feel a strong sense of professionalism and polish that clearly came from that decade of experience. Even when there were some technical issues, Phoebe managed to take it all in stride and still give a powerful performance. She did an excellent “Hot Limit” cover too.
As someone who enjoys VTubers and some idol anime but isn’t big into idols in general, it was interesting to get a taste of a world that felt very familiar in many ways, yet unfamiliar in just as many other respects. In particular, it’s the embrace of certain aspects of Japanese idol culture combined with a more “outsider” approach that I find fascinating. It’s like they’re trying to decouple idols from the power structure and hierarchy found in Japan and keep only the fun aspects, and I can respect that, even if it’s not perfect. Another thing I noticed about the Idolspace that I enjoyed is that there was no seeming need by the audience to stand—they provided a space for those who had that desire, though. Sometimes, I just want to sit and enjoy things.
Interviews
I got to speak to two guests this year and conduct interviews:
The first was with Minami Masahiko, co-founder of Studio Bones.
The second was with Oka Kunio, a man famous for designing food replicas like the ones you see at restaurants all over Japan. Stay tuned for this one!
Panels and Screenings
I make it a point every year to go to panels at Otakon, professional- and especially fan-run. Even when the quality varies, I can sense the passion for the subject, and it encapsulates a lot of what I enjoy about conventions in general. Sadly, I did not attend any 18+ panels this year because I was perpetually too tired in the evening. Also surprisingly, I don’t think there was a single Record of Lodoss War panel. Perhaps that’s just a sign of the times.
Detective Conan the Movie: The Million Dollar Pentagram
There has been a renewed push for Detective Conan over the past few years (including specifically using the name Detective Conan instead of Case Closed), and part of that effort this year has been screenings of the recent movie The Million Dollar Pentagram. Otakon was one stop on this tour, and since the YouTube showings that have been happening on occasion generally include the newest films, I decided to watch here.
Conan movies are a fascinating tradition, in that they have been a thing for literal decades now, and they try to be a reliable annual staple in Japan that feels both familiar and new. The Million Dollar Pentagram features phantom thief Kaito Kid and fellow young detective Hattori Heiji, as well as a string of murders that seem to be more than just about revenge or malice. In terms of the mystery, the ridiculous spectacle of action and violence, and some surprising plot revelations that extend beyond the movie itself, I think it was one of the stronger Conan entries I’ve seen.
Magic Knight Rayearth
There was a lot of promotion and hype around Magic Knight Rayearth‘s upcoming remake, including a stamp rally. The series holds a lot of sentimental value for me, including having a wonderful memory of listening to “Yuzurenai Negai” by the original singer back at Otakon 2010, so I knew that I had to attend the screening of the first two episodes. In a time when the word isekai is sometimes viewed with derision, it’s like a breath of fresh air to have this old and reliably superb work spring back to life.
I haven’t read or watched Rayearth properly in a long time (the most was using the characters in Super Robot Wars), and Hikaru came across here as more serious and earnest than I remembered. I wondered, was my memory faulty or were there significant differences between her anime and manga depictions? Also, seeing Fuu bring up RPGs as if they were this relatively unknown thing felt delightfully quaint in 2026. And of course, we haven’t seen this many chibi transformations in decades.
Notably, they did not include the opening theme.
Vermillion Mask
I thought this was going to be a screening of the first episode, but it turns out “preview” can just mean showing a few drawings and video clips. The premise of the series reminded me a lot of The Mask starring Jim Carrey, so I asked the staff during the Q&A whether it was influenced by the film. It turns out that the author of the original manga was inspired in part by The Mask, so the animators use it for reference. (In hindsight, I should have asked whether the comic and/or the movie influenced Vermillion Mask.)
I don’t know if I’ll watch the show, but I’d like to know if any character ever says, “Somebody stop me!”
Discotek
I’m not generally into industry panels that are just about announcing new titles, but I make an exception for Discotek (and to an extent their cousin AnimEigo/MediaOCD). Being in a room full of fans who love nostalgic and obscure anime makes me feel like I’m among my people. There were a lot of welcome license rescues this time around, with the heaviest hitters in my opinion being Toradora! and Mawaru Penguindrum, the latter of which was known for having a lot of technical issues with its original blu-ray release.
A History of Anime in Mexico
In life, an easy pitfall is to assume that the way things happened in your corner of the world was also the case everywhere else. Fandom is no exception, which is why a panel about the history of anime in Mexico was exactly the sort of thing I wanted to see. The panelists—a husband with a business career that had him working in Mexico with Japanese companies and a wife who majored in history—did a great job of looking at things from both cultural and economic perspectives. They also took time to dispel some myths (crime rates did not go down during episodes of Dragon Ball Super), and to teach the audience aspects of the fandom that might not be obvious to those outside of Mexico. For example, a lot of famous Mexican voice actors with decades of experience have also worked on anime dubs, and their popularity has helped them to establish a convincing anti-AI base. Hearing about the clash between Japanese bureaucracy and the more laid-back approach to business in Mexico was also fascinating.
The Ramen that Keeps Anime Going
While I unfortunately missed all the full-on industry panels from Production I.G., I did manage to attend one by director Ueda Yoko. Rather than talk about the nitty gritty of making anime though, it was about the power of ramen. It was both informative and tongue-in-cheek, with the primary emphasis being that it’s fast and hot food that can help boost morale and lift spirits before, during, and after production.
Despite this panel being the product of an official guest it really felt like a lighthearted bit of fun from Ueda about a topic of great interest to her, as opposed to a cheeky attempt at marketing. That’s the culture of Otakon I truly appreciate.
Mecha Kaikan
One thing I missed out on by not attending last year was the debut of a dedicated space for panels and workshops about giant robot media, known as the Mecha Kaikan.
I appreciate its existence on a conceptual level, and I do like how you’re encouraged to build model kits. At the same time, I always feel conflicted when it comes to attending mecha–related things precisely because it’s a genre near and dear to my heart. I don’t want to be one of those people who judges robot panels and tries to prove my kung fu is stronger (as one Daryl Surat likes to put it), but this is also a place where it’s easy to bullshit your way through if the audience doesn’t know better.
What I will say is that I don’t think knowing absolutely everything about a topic should be a prerequisite for doing panels, nor do I think they need to be for hardcore experts only. At the same time, I’m not a fan of papering over gaps in knowledge with wackiness and implying that everyone is on the same page as you.
It’s easy to be critical when you’re not doing the panels yourself, though, so I still have respect for those who genuinely try to make good presentations.
Food
I spend some time in DC before the start of the convention every year, and 2026 was no exception. Somehow, I ended up eating a lot of fried and roasted chicken within a short amount of time! This included Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken and Chicken+Whiskey, fried chicken on a savory donut at Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, and “snow-topped” fried chicken (accompanied by a bowl of rice with chicken drippings and butter) at an old favorite in Bantam King. All were good and worthwhile.
During the con, I mostly ate meals in my own hotel room, but did get some stuff at the convention center. Ben’s Chili Bowl and the caribbean food spot are still obviously overpriced yet reliable. On Sunday after the con wrapped up, my friends and I went to 2fifty, a Texas-style barbecue joint. While they were already out of many of their signature items, what remained was still quite good.
Final Thoughts
While some of it may be residual nostalgia, this year’s Otakon reminded me why it’s still my favorite. As the biggest conventions get bigger, it becomes an increasingly welcome presence. Otakon is not obsessed with either nickel-and-diming you outright (even “paid ticket” events offer some free seating) or encouraging you to spend as much as possible (though you still can if you really want to). Attending makes me feel both energized and relaxed, and I think that can’t be underestimated.
August was very busy! I attended Otakon at the start of the month, then had a whirlwind of an Anime NYC a few weekends later, where I probably attended more music events than I probably should have.
I’m still trying to play catch-up on all my posts, while also trying to make any timely posts (especially those with limited time frames for watching, like VTuber concerts.
And then all these big celebrities with influence in nerd circles and beyond keep passing away! I plan to write a little something, but it’s kind of overwhelming and a stark reminder that time is ticking away. Fun.
Big thanks to this months Patreon members, with especially big thanks to those below:
All of Dekapai Kishi Matari Tooru! (a manga about a big-boobed female knight) was available to read for free. Kio read through everything at once, which left his head spinning (in a good way).
Minami Masahiko is one of the founders of Studio BONES and was at Otakon to promote an upcoming 2027 Okinawa Animation Festival, scheduled for January 29–31. This interview was conducted on July 31, 2026.
Thank you for this interview. You are one of the founders of BONES, but you had a long career before that as well.
You—or rather, a version of you—appears in the dramaAoi Honoo. Have you seen it before, and what did you think of your depiction?
This is a live-action drama series based on a manga, and the author is Shimamoto Kazuhiko-sensei, a classmate of mine in my college years. I heard from him that I should treat it as fiction based on our time in college, and I think it should be viewed as fiction. Some parts are exaggerated.
The originalEureka Sevenis one of my favorite anime, and I’ve had the opportunity to interview both Director Kyoda and Kawamori Shoji. But I wanted to hear your perspective as to what it was like to bring this project together.
I originally worked for Sunrise, which created a lot of original robot animation, and later on I worked as a producer on Mobile Fighter G Gundam. Building original robot animation myself is something I find very fulfilling, and when it comes to making a year-long series, I find it’s extremely important to collaborate with lots of different people.
Speaking of Sunrise, you worked as a producer on various titles, and I wanted to know what it was like for you working with Director Tomino, Director Imagawa, and Director Takahashi Ryousuke
First, when it comes to Director Tomino and Zeta Gundam, I only worked in production management for one episode. For G Gundam, I worked as producer, and for Layzner, I actually worked on production management but was also rotating that role with different teams.
To give a little bit more context, back during this period, the vital thing about original robot animation was the “plastic model/toy/merchandising” model So it was important to understand two pillars/aspects, as a toy product but also as an original work. What’s really memorable is that all three of these directors took this challenge very seriously.
It seems you worked the most with Director Imagawa. Would you be able to explain in detail how he dealt with this balance?
Back with G Gundam, this was the era of laser disc and DVD—Blu-ray hadn’t come out yet. But while we had to think about the business of packaging the show for those formats, shows were produced fundamentally with the television broadcast in mind. G Gundam‘s big sponsor was Bandai, and when it came to a work with the “Gundam” name, it was a matter of when the next Gundam would come out. G Gundam is a Gundam with a lot of Gundams from all over the world, and the timing with which they appeared was tied up with when the merchandise would be available. Within that, Director Imagawa is a man with a lot of great ideas, and he was focused on how to insert originality and drama into the story’s setting.
I have one more question: From a producer standpoint, what is the advantage of doing an original work over an adaptation?
First off, when it comes to works based on something, originality is derived from the creators So when we work on animated adaptations of existing work we have to think about how we can maximize the appeal of the work in animation through artistic and creative expressions. That’s our top priority.
On the other hand, when it’s our wholly original work, the sense of originality lies with us as the creators. We think about how to incorporate the appeal of animation as we proceed with the project planning—how we can incorporate the themes and also how we as the project creators can more effectively convey the work through animation.
The Water Magician is the kind of series that won’t necessarily convince an isekai hater to check it out, but it’s got enough going that it’s approachable for those who are more neutral or ambivalent. I think what makes the difference for me is that Ryo, the titular magician, has a kind personality capable of outshining his inherently overpowered nature.
It makes you want to see him come in and kick ass when the other heroes are on the ropes, because it feels like his rescues come in addition to generally helping others better themselves. And because he’s so strong, it stands out all the more when an opponent can actually make him sweat.
Ryo is an emotional support isekai hero, and that’s a fine thing to be. The slick action scenes don’t hurt either.
A few years ago, I asked whether loving a genre was like supporting a local sports team. It was a question that sprung out of the realization that while I’d been quite critical of isekai for just being so full of samey works that follow the formula or “defy” it in the shallowest ways possible, I reveled in the weird and obscure mediocrity of giant robot anime throughout its history. I wondered whether this was an arbitrary bias that came from me simply choosing “mecha” as my team.
More recently, however, I’ve come to think there is a difference. Namely, I find there to be a major shortcoming of modern isekai in that it very consistently fails to scrutinize and investigate its own power fantasy. That’s not to say good isekai stories aren’t told or that one has to be self-critical; I can name plenty I’ve enjoyed and even consider myself a fan of. However, the most you often get is “reincarnation into a supposedly weak being that is actually secretly strong” or “the reincarnated are extra amazing but it comes with drawbacks” or “This is an excuse for a cozier title,” or at most maybe “What if reincarnated heroes affect the other world negatively?” When you compare isekai fare to what we get from giant robots, there’s such a stark contrast. Even if you set aside titles that are famous for presenting wrinkles to its characters’ vast abilities, there are also so many smaller mecha titles that at least try to be a little bit introspective, or if not, the giant robot is a power that must be learned and mastered over time.
Granted, all this was historically done in mecha while trying to sell viewers merch, and many of the works that did challenge tropes did so as a way to not fully succumb to that capitalist engine. G Gundam had staff that purposely tried to make robot designs that would be hard to adapt into model kits. Tomino Yoshiyuki directed works like Zambot 3, Gundam, and Ideon to “break patterns” set by previous series and to do more with the genre:
“In anime, you can only express drama through cinematic functions. But why do people think that when a robot shows up, it instantly becomes ‘robot anime’ and you’re not creating drama anymore? That’s my question. There are also people like that, who don’t get drama, among the sponsors. To them, robot anime is only about things like robots in action, docking, and new robots appearing. That’s why Gundam was canceled.”
The late Nagahama Tadao (Combattler V, Voltes V, Daimos) wasn’t quite so subversive, but he still wanted to make good stories for children. Tomino, speaking about what he learned from Nagahama in 2009, said:
“I worked with director Nagahama for several years before Gundam, and what I learned from him was the sense of right in stories aimed towards children. When creating works for children, it should not be biased in one way or another or leaning more in a political sense, but to provide a very pure and good story.”
Perhaps I’ve simply not been exposed enough to isekai creators and their thoughts, but I don’t feel this struggle against the profit engine or to break established patterns. In fact, in modern times, I get a greater sense that they want to just support the power fantasy thoroughly and play into the patterns completely, and much of what came before that is housed in titles that are shoujo or at least lean towards a female audience: Magic Knight Rayearth, Vision of Escaflowne, Twelve Kingdoms, etc.
To go back to the sports team analogy, it is notable that the New York Knicks won the 2026 NBA championships this year. I admittedly never followed basketball very closely, but I know how despite the 53-year drought that they managed to overcome, they also have gotten close to the top on a few occasions, providing glimmers of hope here and there before the big one. In the context of mecha, I feel like those bright spots—those works that take a deeper and more intelligent look at the inherent power fantasy of mecha—help to make the mediocre (and worse) titles more charming. I don’t expect a genre to be constantly undermining its own established rules, but I like to think of those rules as building blocks, and the less generic things get, the more potential there is for something to be done with—and to—these building blocks.
I hope that I can someday feel a similar way about isekai.
PS: Completely off-topic, but talking about the Knicks and giant robots, I feel obliged to post the classic Mango Sentinel:
