Category Archives: blogging

Electric Boogaloo Up the Wazoo: Ogiue Maniax Status Update for January 2026

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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.

General:

Ko Ransom

Diogo Prado

Alex

Dsy

Sue Hopkins fans:

Serxeid

Hato Kenjirou fans:

Elizabeth

Yajima Mirei fans:

Machi-Kurada

Blog Highlights from December

The 70s Super Robot That Didn’t Have an Anime: Gattai Robot Atlanger

A deep(ish) dive into an iconic giant robot that is largely unknown in English-speaking fandom.

Fine Dudes, Posing Dramatically: Legendary Armor Samurai Troopers

My review of Samurai Troopers before the new sequel starts.

Best Anime Characters of 2025

My annual picks for characters of the year! This time, I’m doing something a little different.

Kio Shimoku

Kio Shimoku Twitter Highlights December 2025

Another very sparse month!

FUWAMOCO, Momoi Haruko, and the Genshiken DVD that Changed Their Lives

FUWAMOCO from hololive recently talked about discovering Akiba idols through Genshiken!

Closing

By the time this post goes out, the deadline will have already passed, but I decided to enter the new Mega Man Robot Master Design Contest!

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.

Garbageman IN ACTION
Obscure Robot Masters Makeover Part 1
Megaman = Onizuka, and a Look at Robot Master Sprites

Let’s Throw the Whole Year Away: Ogiue Maniax Status Update for December 2025

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Are we seriously at the end of the year? This means I have to think about who my favorite characters of the year are going to be. In the meantime, I’m also feeling the pain of denying personal purchases due to import tariffs. Will I ever get that Soul of Chogokin Shinkalion?

Of course, that’s small potatoes compared to the hardships other people have had to face in this economy, and I feel very lucky I can even complain like this in the first place. I hope that on top of people having enough to eat and roofs over their heads, that the arts can provide comfort and joy in tough times. To all artists, writers, and other creative types: Don’t underestimate yourself.

Thank you to my patreon members. May you enjoy the holidays, no matter where you are.

General:

Ko Ransom

Diogo Prado

Alex

Dsy

Sue Hopkins fans:

Serxeid

Hato Kenjirou fans:

Elizabeth

Yajima Mirei fans:

Machi-Kurada

Blog Highlights from November

Trying to Reconcile a Western Super Robot Wars Crossover Universe

I put way too much thought into imagining the plot of a Super Robot Wars game based on Western(-ish) properties.

I Went to “Chronicles of hololive Nexus Gate: Act 1” and Then Ate Mall Curry

hololive?? At the mall???

A Story of Pin Pals (?): Turkey! Time to Strike

I enjoyed this “bowling” anime.

Kio Shimoku

Kio Shimoku Twitter Highlights November 2025

A short month of tweets, not counting RTs.

The End of Rakuen: Le Paradis

The magazine that publishes Spotted Flower is ending!

Closing

Ogiue Maniax celebrated its 18th anniversary this year. Can you believe it? I’m having trouble myself.

Fandroid 18: Ogiue Maniax Eighteenth Anniversary

Fandroid 18: Ogiue Maniax Eighteenth Anniversary

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Tomorrow is the 18th annivesary of Ogiue Maniax. My little blog is all grown up now.

I believe 18 years is supposed to be the point where you look at your child and realize that they’re not the same person—or rather, website—anymore.

If Ogiue Manaix could vote, what would it decide? Sure, it’s entirely a product of my own output, but I wonder if it would hold certain ideals or approaches to the world that are stronger because they are housed within this structure of written posts that continue to vividly reflect where I was, where I am now, and where I might end up in the future. I can’t remember my earliest memories as a newborn baby, but I can look back and see what I was writing about in 2007, even if it might be a little cringey.

That’s actually something I’ve wanted to be part of Ogiue Maniax all along, though. If I do have beliefs and ways of thinking that have shifted over the course of almost two decades, I wanted to have that documented as well. I also recall all those people I’ve talked to online who mentioned that you will end up hating anime you used to love because your standards will have changed. I don’t know if the first part has happened, even though the latter definitely has.

Blogging for 18 years has been less about prestige and more about stubbornness. I don’t want to give it up if I don’t have to. It helps keep my heart in my fandoms, even as I add other things to it (e.g. VTubers) and my post rate drops further. I’m nowhere near enough to be considered a notable veteran fan of anime and manga, especially as I get a mere fraction of the readership I used to have. Though, I have gotten more hits lately for some reason. I chalk that up to not understanding how WordPress (or any other site) tracks visits anymore.

Is 18-year-old Ogiue Maniax now entering college and joining the Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture? Will I actually change this blog again so that its template isn’t stuck in the past? Probably not, but who knows what the next year holds?

Another Go Around: Ogiue Maniax Status Update for November 2025

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It’s anniversary month for the blog again! I’m mentioning it here in the hopes that I don’t forget to write a milestone post in time (like I did a few times in recent years).

I’ve also been enjoying the new anime season. I feel conflicted about Tojima Tonzaburo Wants to Be a Kamen Rider, though. Great show so far, but as a big fan of Shibata Yokusaru’s previous work 81 Diver, the anime art isn’t ugly enough to capture his full power. I’ll still probably keep watching it, though.

As for the Patreon, here are my sponsors for the month. Many thanks to them all.

General:

Ko Ransom

Diogo Prado

Alex

Dsy

Sue Hopkins fans:

Serxeid

Hato Kenjirou fans:

Elizabeth

Yajima Mirei fans:

Machi-Kurada

Blog Highlights from October

[Anime Central 2025] An Interview with Pili, the Puppet Studio Behind Thunderbolt Fantasy

At long last, my Thunderbolt Fantasy staff interview!!

Going Unsteady: Call of the Night Full Review

This vampire manga finished, so here are some final thoughts on it.

Baelz Hakos and the Hundun: Creatures of Chaos

Thinking about Bae and her chaos lore.

Kio Shimoku

Kio Shimoku Twitter Highlights October 2025

A more, let’s say mature, adaptation of Kio’s work is out.

VTuber Mono Monet Likes Genshiken

Also, V4Mirai’s DJing, retro game–loving VTuber turns out to be a Genshiken fan. Check the video!

Closing

I have been considering doing Patreon-exclusive or at least early previews/rough drafts of posts on Patreon. Is that something readers would be interested in?

PS: People shouldn’t go hungry because the powerful want to escape accountability.

Media Mayhem: Ogiue Maniax Status Update for October 2025

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I need to say it: I’ve been worried about the world. We’re seeing government silencing of creative expression, bullying and pressure to silence video games and other artistic projects by credit card companies and payment processors, and a media engine that seems obsessed with trying to convince everyone that red is blue and up is down. It reminds me of every time an overblown hype machine tries to convince us that NFTs or generative AI are the future, except it’s targeting big organizations and regular people who haven’t been paying attention for the past 15 years to a fascist propaganda machine.

I feel some relief that people managed to push back against the attempts to censorship, but also some disgust over the way organizations and companies with real money and power are so ready to capitulate. Having so much influence should make you geared to fight back, not bend the knee.

A new anime season is starting this month, and I hope I can enjoy it.

As for the Patreon, here are my sponsors for the month. Many thanks to them all.

General:

Ko Ransom

Diogo Prado

Alex

Dsy

Sue Hopkins fans:

Serxeid

Hato Kenjirou fans:

Elizabeth

Yajima Mirei fans:

Machi-Kurada

Blog Highlights from September

Ever Brighter Lights: hololive EN All for One

I attended the third hololive English concert! Spoilers: It was incredible.

The Voices Called for Me: Anime NYC 2025

My Anime NYC con report. I attended the hololive World Tour and saw the voice of Kaiba from Yu-Gi-Oh!

You’ve Already Led: Final Thoughts on “Fist of the North Star Side Story: The Genius Amiba’s Otherworld Conqueror Legend”

My review of the complete Amiba Isekai spin-off! What a fantastic series.

Kio Shimoku

Kio Shimoku Twitter Highlights September 2025

A new volume of Spotted Flower is out!

Closing

This month, I’m going to be doing a lot of fun things not necessarily related to anime and manga. I’m thinking about whether to write about them for the blog, but leaning heavily towards “yes.”

Musin’ on Muzan: Ogiue Maniax Status Update for September 2025

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Summer is winding down, and the first Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle movie will be in theaters soon. I already have my ticket, and I’m eager to see how this series begins to conclude. I feel they made this into a trilogy in order to make more money, but I don’t begrudge them about that. If there’s a reason to make it a big event and draw fans to theaters, so be it.

Later in the month are some big hololive milestones, namely Myth’s 5th anniversary and the first online concert for Holostars EN. I’ve decided I’ll celebrate Myth with some Raising Cane’s, but I haven’t figured out what would be fitting for the EN boys.

I’m also fresh off of Anime NYC and hololive EN’s third concert, All for one. I intend to get my thoughts about both before the end of 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 August

I Attended hololive night 2025 at Dodger Stadium

VTubers + Baseball = ???

My Theory on the True Identity of the GQuuuuuuX

If I’m right, GQuuuuuuX fits into the Gundam timeline in an important way.

“High School Girls Are Funky” and a Lesson in Sport Fighting vs. Combatives

Do you want to fight? Or do you want to fight?

Kio Shimoku

The Confrontation: Spotted Flower Reaches a Crucial Point

Are we nearing the end of Spotted Flower?

Kio Shimoku Twitter Highlights August 2025

Kio caught COVID-19 but is alive.

Closing

Amid the erosion of human rights and the destruction of the United States’ scientific expertise, the weird obsession with tariffs feels like kicking someone while they’re down. I desperately hope, for the sake of everyone regardless of political beliefs, that things are made right. We should not be beholden to the most ass-backwards ghouls who seem to want to burn the world down so they can grift just a little more.

Fallen Angel’s (and Ascended Devil’s) Thesis: Ogiue Maniax Status Update for August 2025

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Anime NYC is this month! Takahashi Youko of “Cruel Angel’s Thesis” fame will be holding a concert there, and this year’s hololive World Tour will feature IRyS, among others. And both concerts are on the same day! Talk about timing. It’s also funny that Elizabeth Rose Bloodflame sang the ending theme from Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt for her 3D debut. Just angels and devils all over the place.

This past month has been a bit of a whirlwind, as I’ve been doing more traveling and general going out than normal. I have a bunch of things I want to write and report on, and I hope I can do so in a timely fashion.

I often feel that I have both too many blog posts and not enough ready. I’m trying to strike the right balance between being informative and expressing my thoughts.

Thank you to this month’s Patreon supporters!

General:

Ko Ransom

Diogo Prado

Alex

Dsy

Sue Hopkins fans:

Serxeid

Hato Kenjirou fans:

Elizabeth

Yajima Mirei fans:

Machi-Kurada

Blog Highlights from July

A Whole New Meaning to “G” Generations: Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX

My review of the wild ride that was Gundam GQuuuuuuX.

[Anime Central 2025] The Anne Shirley Interview ft. Inoue Honoka and Nakayama Yoshiko

I interviewed Inoue Honoka, voice of Anne Shirley and daughter of

New Lives, New Faces: Virtual Vacation 2025

I attended Dooby3D and Nimi Nightmare’s 3D concert!

Kio Shimoku

Kio Shimoku Twitter Highlights July 2025

A relatively light month. Kio saw the Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle movie!

Closing

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been considering dropping down to about one post per week, maybe two if things are good and I have more time. I do feel like I might be losing something if I make my posting that sparse, though, as I don’t know if it would necessarily make for better writing in general. Hopefully, I can find a good answer.

I also just read the latest Spotted Flower and wow. I’m just trying to figure out if I should write about it ASAP or wait for the next chapter in three months.

Return of the Mackerel: Ogiue Maniax Status Update for July 2025

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I can’t believe the summer anime season has arrived! I’m already behind on the spring shows, so I may be stuck in a perpetual state of being behind on everything.

I’m looking forward to the return of Panty & Stocking, as well as a chance to finally see what Hell Teacher Nube is all about.

Thank you to this month’s Patreon supporters!

General:

Ko Ransom

Diogo Prado

Alex

Dsy

Sue Hopkins fans:

Serxeid

Hato Kenjirou fans:

Elizabeth

Yajima Mirei fans:

Machi-Kurada

Blog Highlights from June

[Anime Central 2025] An Ultimate Triumph, Nine Years in the Making—Thunderbolt Fantasy: The Final Chapter 

Reviewing the finale of Thunderbolt Fantasy!

[Anime Central 2025] Thunderbolt Fantasy Red Carpet Gala and Q&A

Also, check out this follow-up post about the Q&A at Anime Central 2025!

Tardy with the Tardis: I Finally Checked Out Doctor Who

It’s about time.

Kio Shimoku

Kio Shimoku Twitter Highlights June 2025

If you want to see Kio’s rough manuscripts, this is a good month.

Closing

We got a new fish in town! I feel like we might see big moves from her soon—including with many other big names, like Dooby3D, Nimi Nightmare, Mint Fantôme, and Dokibird.

The Land Is Cloaked in Deepest Blue: Ogiue Maniax Status Update for June 2025

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I attended Anime Central 2025 last month! I enjoyed it a lot and ate a decent amount of Chicago’s iconic foods, so expect some reviews and other coverage in the coming weeks (or maybe months). The last time I was there, I was very under the weather (later finding out it was COVID-19), so it was sure to be a better overall experience this go around.

Thank you to this month’s Patreon supporters!

General:

Ko Ransom

Diogo Prado

Alex

Dsy

Sue Hopkins fans:

Serxeid

Hato Kenjirou fans:

Elizabeth

Yajima Mirei fans:

Machi-Kurada

Blog Highlights from May

A Mecha Classic More Timeless than Ever: Blue Comet SPT Layzner

A review of an awesome 1980s anime that I’d been wanting to watch for over 20 years.

La+ Darknesss Birthday 2025 and the Proximity of Fandom

Another celebration of the leader of holoX, but also some thoughts on VTubers and their relationships with fans.

I Finally Watched Seven Samurai

Just reviewing one of the most critically acclaimed films of all time, no pressure.

Kio Shimoku

Kio Shimoku Twitter Highlights May 2025

Kio had a talk at a gallery, and tweeted his wishes for how Gundam GQuuuuuuX would go.

Closing

I hear that a funny VTuber that may or may not be part Shark, part Mackerel is on the horizon. I hope she’s gonna be a part of the upcoming Virtual Vacation 2025 concert…

Juggling Tubes: Ogiue Maniax Status Update for May 2025

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April was a hell of a month for VTuber fans. Between the departures from various major companies, a few surprise returns, and even a boatload of legitimate drama on the indie side, it felt like a nonstop rollercoaster. It has been (and perhaps will continue to be) such a frenzy of a time that I devoted more posts to the topic of VTubers than I usually would—a combination of things I had been wanting to write about, plus other things becoming more time-sensitive. Additionally, I want to write something encapsulating the tumult, because I think it deserves to be gathered together and contextualized.

The result is that many of the posts I had been working on that are more directly related to anime and manga have been pushed back. Hopefully, I can get some out for May.

Thank you to this month’s Patreon supporters!

General:

Ko Ransom

Diogo Prado

Alex

Dsy

Sue Hopkins fans:

Serxeid

Hato Kenjirou fans:

Elizabeth

Yajima Mirei fans:

Machi-Kurada

Blog Highlights from April

Ash Again: I Can’t Stop Thinking About Gawr Gura’s Final Song

My feelings about Gawr Gura’s last project with hololive.

ENigmatic Recollection and the Ones Who Never Forgot

Amid these tumultuous weeks, ENReco is starting up again real soon. Here’s something I found fun from Chapter 1.

Please Don’t Punch the Woodland Critters: Wonderful Precure!

My review of 2024’s notably less violent Precure.

Kio Shimoku

Kio Shimoku Twitter Highlights April 2025

Tweets and a bit of art!

Closing

Last month, I mentioned thinking about allowing tips directly through WordPress. I don’t really see Ogiue Maniax as my primary source of income, so I’m not desperate for more ways to make money, but it might be a way for readers to show support without having to use Patreon. I do technically have a ko-fi gathering dust as well, but maybe folks would prefer less hoops to jump through.