February 2012
10 posts
5 tags
Two Years of Manga Therapy - Where To Go From Here
This week marks the 2nd year of Manga Therapy. I don’t know what to say, honestly. I’m very amazed at myself for keeping at it for so long. Though right now, a few things bother me.
I’m wondering whether I should change my writing style, move the blog to a Wordpress.org account, and how to promote my blog further. At times, I do look at my site analytics and say “Well,...
8 tags
The Omega-3 Is Strong In This One - CRIMSONS: The...
Many manga readers know that manga covers all types of subjects, so why not a story about a group of fish. A very unusual manga series called “CRIMSONS: The Red Navigators” is getting a great deal of attention in Japan. This tale of “hot-blooded ocean drama”, written by Takanori Kanno and published in Shonen Sunday Super, covers Shintaro, a young salmon, and his...
10 tags
In Russia, Anime (Supposedly) Kills You.
As a psychology enthusiast, this news really bothers me. Over the past couple of weeks, six Russian teenagers committed suicide. The thing was that these kids had the good life. So what happened? A well-renowned Russian child psychologist named Olga Makhovskaya, blames anime in an article published by “The Voice of Russia”.
Now why would she blame anime? One fact is that the teens...
9 tags
Another Issue For VIZ Media - What Can Replace...
Pop Quiz: What will happen when two of these iconic characters are eventually gone from the spotlight?
Wow, VIZ Media. They’ve been getting a lot of attention lately, huh? After reading Zach Logan’s editorial “The War On Manga”, I decided to browse the many comments on the entry. One excerpt from a comment stood out to me, especially given with how sales in the U.S....
4 tags
Manga Therapy on Pinterest
If anyone wants to know what I’m interested in (in the form of lovely images), be sure to check me out on Pinterest at:
http://pinterest.com/mangatherapy/
As you can see, my profile isn’t swarming with many pictures. Maybe I should post up pictures of pretty boys to please all the fujoshi since Pinterest IS mostly catered towards women.
Pinterest is still invite-only. If you want...
5 tags
Japan Is Awesome, Sexism, Women In Power, and...
Here are some goodies to read and share with friends.
Made Better in Japan - The Wall Street Journal takes a look at the rise of high-detail Japanese fashion, food, clothing, and service. Basically, Japan is incorporating many international styles and blending them into products that are just as good as the original source. It’s amazing to see how the country can make Brooklyn coffee...
8 tags
Tite Kubo - The Best Poet in Manga? The Poetry of...
With much of the hoopla surrounding the final arc of the BLEACH manga, I want to take a look at a feature of BLEACH that doesn’t get enough attention: the poems. Every volume of the manga has a poem centered around the character featured on its respective cover. A majority of these poems are very enlightening and one has to wonder about Kubo’s intentions in inserting them into the...
6 tags
Pirates and Hunters For the Win - MangaHelpers...
One of my favorite manga community sites to visit, MangaHelpers, recently had their awards event, the MH Manga Awards 2011, where users voted which manga series, characters, and moments ruled in their eyes. A wide variety of categories were available and there were a lot of good nominees that deserved to win. Without further ado, here were the winners:
Best Seinen: Vinland Saga by Makoto...
6 tags
ZETMAN PV Trailer: Two Tales of Justice
One of my favorite seinen manga series, Masakazu Katsura’s ZETMAN, comes to life this April! This is probably the only anime I’m looking forward to in the Spring 2012 anime season.
I’ve heard some crazy things about the series ripping off of Tiger & Bunny. It’s actually the other way around. Though I do feel that the ZETMAN anime may have never been green-lighted if...
6 tags
20 Things To Anticipate For The Next/Final Arc of... →
I normally do not reblog, but this is too good to pass up.
itsbleach:
To see much, much more just check out the Repeat and Reboot posts for everything, since this is just pick of some of what is to come!
The new arc kicks off immediately after the Lost Agent arc and will take place in an ‘Ice Palace’ located underground.
Grimmjow and Neliel (possibly…
Basically, everything will come...
January 2012
11 posts
9 tags
4Chan Makes Its Impact On Japanese Manga
When I hear things like this, it comes to show you that 4Chan can be SERIOUS BUSINESS. Just recently, Volume 1 of a manga series known as “It’s Not My Fault, I’m Not Popular”, by Nico Tanigawa, had a promotional line on the cover that said ““海外の2ちゃん的な掲示板で大人気!!”. This line can be translated as “An international sensation on the overseas version of...
6 tags
Europe, Piracy, A Cardboard Wife, and Shorty Power...
Manga Grows In The Heart of Europe - CNN Geekout reports on the popularity of manga in Europe. I do admit that France seems to REALLY love manga more than any of the other European countries. Though I have heard stories from commenters on my blog that not every European country is up-to-date with manga and some are stuck with old-school material. Can anyone clarify?
Why Piracy Is Not...
9 tags
Has The Internet Changed The Way You Think About...
Here’s a scenario that I want everyone to imagine with me. Ready?
Think back to a time where computers didn’t exist yet. Think back to when it was very difficult to find information about anything you wanted. Think back to when sharing one’s interests over a huge communication channel was almost impossible without going to a big-name media outlet. Now, hold those thoughts and...
5 tags
Happy Lunar New Year from Kyubey!
Psst, he’s giving red envelopes as an incentive for signing his contracts.
Have a great Lunar New Year, everyone!
Source: Danny Choo’s Facebook Fan Page
4 tags
Total Request: Your Characters + Manga Therapy =...
Hey guys, to thank everyone for reading my blog so far, I want to start doing some reader requests on what anime/manga characters you want me to take a look at psychologically.
Granted, there are a lot of series and characters that are very interesting. But, I know you guys have some REALLY great characters that you find fascinating. If you want me to take a look at a specific plot...
15 tags
Do Girls Really Like Vegeta?
Yes, this is a man who oozes sexiness every time he walks into the room.
Like a fine wine that continues to age well, Dragon Ball is still continuing to be relevant in every anime/manga fan’s lives. Just recently, the ever-rageful Prince of the Saiyans, Vegeta, became a target both positively and negatively. Our anti-hero was voted #2 on a list of top 9 anime/manga boys that women wish...
8 tags
This Is What's Going To Happen To SOPA/PIPA
I think I said what I needed to say.
For more information about the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act, visit here. There will also be a Internet blackout on January 18, 2012. If you want to join, visit http://www.sopastrike.com.
Let’s exercise our right to Falcon Punch anyone who thinks we shouldn’t be heard.
9 tags
Smells Like School Spirit - Kyoya Hibari (Katekyo...
“I’ll bite you to death!”
Do you remember a time back in your school days when you met someone who showed complete loyalty to your school to a huge degree? I don’t know about you guys, but reading about Kyoya Hibari, of Akira Amano’s Katekyo Hitman REBORN!, makes me wonder about young teenagers who are exuberant about the schools they attend. Hibari is a character...
8 tags
Kim Jong-Un Is Secretly Android No.19
“Do not try to escape. Yes, it is useless. Until I have your energy, I will never let you go!” - Android No. 19
I hope the energy that Mr. Jong-Un wants isn’t carbohydrates. How much more does this man need to lead his somewhat-warped country to prosperity? Then again, judging from the U.S. deciding to resume food aid to North Korea, that might be the case.
Courtesy of...
12 tags
The Great Power of the Fujoshi
“Out of the otaku population, female otaku have the most spending power, which is one of the reasons why you see an increase of boy love publications and anime featuring good looking guys.” - Danny Choo on CNN GeekOut
Over the past couple of years, I have noticed that things were changing in the anime/manga world. There were more and more titles that seem to have attractive male characters....
7 tags
Creepy Con-Goer To Watch Out For: William "WT"...
It disgusts me to see dirty men continue to take advantage of anime convention perks to prey on attractive women that attend them. An male individual who some of you may have heard of, named Estevan Olivas, has such a history. He lies to people that he is a notable voice-acting talent to gain access. It seems that these days, Estevan is going by another alias: William “WT”...
December 2011
9 posts
10 tags
Pinterest - The Next Great Social Network For...
Recently, I got an invite to join Pinterest, a new image-sharing social network that allows users to showcase pictures of what inspires or interests them. The neat feature about Pinterest is that you can create “Boards” of images. Boards are basically categories/folders that you can put images that you find in. You can create a “Board” for any topic you can think of from...
10 tags
Happy Holidays Y'All With A Side of Balmung...
This is actually how I spend my Christmas every year. I sit outside with a weird creature and dote about when I’ll get my spotlight.
I want to wish all my readers a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year. If you read many manga (especially Shonen Jump manga), you will learn that friendship and bonds are important. Spend some time with the ones you love and never take anything for...
10 tags
"Kimi ni Todoke" - The Crown Jewel of Shoujo Manga
With 2011 nearing its end, it’s usually a good time to see what manga series sold well and had people talking this year. One of these titles happens to be the number-one selling shoujo manga title at the moment, Karuho Shiina’s “Kimi ni Todoke”. The title has done very well on the Oricon best-selling manga charts in Japan in the past and 2011 was no exception. It was...
8 tags
One Treasure Worth Hunting For - The One Piece...
From the Sony booth at JUMP Festa 2012 at Makuhari Messe.
Words cannot explain how amazing this system looks. I expect the PS3 to completely dominate video game sales next year because of Luffy and company. Also, here’s the trailer for the upcoming One Piece Pirate Musou game.
Nice to see the Zoro fangirls react to seeing their precious swordsman. After all, he’s the 2nd choice...
9 tags
Fighting Depression With Manga - Tenten Hosokawa's...
This is a story that I feel should be shared to everyone who’s been through or going through depression. I recently read an article on the Japan Times about a manga artist who published a series of comics in Japan about a married couple combating depression. Her name is Tenten Hosokawa and her series, “Tsure ga Utsu ni Narimashite” (My Partner Has Depression) or simply known as...
11 tags
"J-Pop America Fun Time Now" Comes Back With More...
Oh man, Saturday Night Live. You never cease to surprise me with your skits sometimes. I think anime fans might make this much funnier.
You know what they need to do. Since weeaboos (which the cast are parodying) seem to hate other weeaboos, their next skit has to involve them criticizing each other.
If you watch at the skit, there’s merchandise from Soul Eater, Negima!, and One Piece....
10 tags
A Case of Mental Sadism: Changing Bonds with...
一緒に数えてくれるかい
Let’s count together for me
君についた
The bite marks
僕の歯形を
That I left on you
- BLEACH Volume 52: End of Bond
It has been quite an interesting time for Tite Kubo’s BLEACH. The current “Lost Agent” (Volumes 49-current) arc has gotten some attention for seemingly rebooting the series and not hitting it off with some fans. The arc introduced even more new...
9 tags
More Comedy Manga Turned Anime: 'Baby, Please Kill...
Another crazy 4-panel manga is being made into an anime. This one seems pretty interesting though. Kaduho’s “Baby, Please Kill Me” is about a clumsy girl named Yasuna who has to deal with her assassin friend, Sonya, in her life.
Turns out Rie Kugiyima, the Queen of Tsundere, is going to be in this as a new ‘anime-only’ character.
I do it find hilarious that this...
10 tags
The Superhero Donor, Tiger Mask
(A better role model than Tiger Woods.)
For those who remembered late last year, many donations were made to various Japanese children-focused charities by someone under the guise of the professional wrestler anime/manga hero, Naoto Date, aka Tiger Mask. The donations would later spawn a huge movement of donations (some anonymous) from other people to Japanese charities as well. Just this past...
November 2011
12 posts
10 tags
Love of Manga = Being a Mangaka? Not So Fast.
A couple of years ago, I had a conversation with an old friend about what our favorite manga series were. After a great deal of discussion, she realized that I loved manga to a huge degree and said that I should be a mangaka. When I told her I couldn’t draw, she said “Write your own manga!”
Question: how many of you have been told to take on the profession of those that fuel...
21 tags
The 2011 Great Manga Holiday Gift Guide!
It’s that time of year once again. The season of giving. Time to find out who’s been naughty or nice. Thankfully, there are a variety of manga series that appeal to folks who’ve been good all year or just a bit bad. In collaboration with the 2011 Great Manga Gift Guides, it’s time to present Manga Therapy’s 2011 Great Manga Holiday Gift Guide!
Here are a few manga...
9 tags
Being Absurd Is Beautiful (Arakawa Under The...
As much as I want Saint Young Men to become licensed in America, there’s another title that Hikaru Nakamura works on that I believe should be picked up (& probably has a better chance of being licensed) and that’s Arakawa Under The Bridge (published in Square Enix’s Young GanGan Magazine). Arakawa is a very humorous manga that focuses on the idea that “common...
8 tags
Doraemon, The Professional
Man, does Jean Reno look great as Doraemon or what? I can imagine a mature Doraemon series where Jean Reno pulls out guns & swords out of his dimensional pocket. I love how Doraemon is the “anime ambassador” for Japan. If you ask me, I feel that Doraemon should’ve been brought to the United States. He’s still relevant even today, especially with how much technology...
9 tags
Defending Manga & The Hypocrisy of "Cultural...
A month ago at New York Comic-Con, I attended a panel entitled “CBLDF: Defending Manga”, which discussed the Canada customs case involving a young man arrested for possessing manga that contained “child pornography”. Charles Brownstein, the Executive Director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and two of the most well-known manga experts in North America, Erica...
12 tags
Gintama's "San Baka"
If you’re a Gintama fan & you haven’t watched/read this storyline, you should DEFINITELY experience the Renho arc (Episodes 232-236 in the anime, Volume 41 in the manga). There is so much blatant copyright infringement, it’s not even funny.
Though most importantly, the story features the return of Tatsuma Sakamoto, a merchant who was formerly a Joi patriot alongside...
8 tags
Photos from "A Very Vintage Vertical Vednesday -...
This past Wednesday, I had the privilege of attending a wine-tasting event in New York City to celebrate the release & success of the hit wine manga “The Drops of God”, hosted by Vertical Inc. & Bottlerocket.
It was truly a fun experience as I got to see some familiar faces and also meet a few new faces. I can’t ever recall a time where I discussed comics and video...
11 tags
When In Doubt, Put Some Wine Out (The Drops of...
“Wine does not live in a vacuum and it is sampled and savoured in the context of our life experiences.”
While shonen manga is the mainstream genre of manga, there’s one manga that has gone beyond mainstream & plays a direct effect on reality itself. The trio of Tadashi Agi (the pen name for the brother & sister duo, Yuko and Shin Kibayashi) & Shu Okimoto have...
6 tags
Introducing...The Akiba Culture Zone!
Earlier this summer, a new department store opened up in Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan called the Akiba Culture Zone. It’s basically a department store that sells nothing but products catered to the otaku. There are also clothing stores that sell clothes for geeks as well.
A food court, cafes (a new cafe is opening soon on the 6th floor), & karaoke are all present. I think Akihabara has...
9 tags
Tiger & Bunny Clip - Masayuki Ozaki at New York...
There’s a brief snap of me at the 00:31 mark!!! :D
Anywho, I’m glad Ozaki had a great time at New York Comic-Con. Yes, WE ALL LOVE TIGER & BUNNY HERE IN NEW YORK CITY. Manhattan IS Tiger & Bunny. I’m still amazed at how the series has related to many fans all over the world. NYC really is one of the most diverse places on Earth. Thankfully, the Sunrise crew...
13 tags
GTO Creator Takes On Shinigami & Hostess Clubs
If there’s one thing Japan seems to love, it’s Shinigami (death gods). Tohru Fujisawa, the mangaka of Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO), looks to bring his crazy, wild storytelling into the world of Shinigami with Soul Reviver, which is going to be serialized in Shogakukan’s Monthly Hero magazine this January. This is also on the eve of another title that Fujisawa is launching in...
12 tags
A Manga That Reflects Troubling Financial Times -...
Our world is faced with debt. We owe somebody something. Hell, our lives almost involve some level of debt. The important thing is to not let that debt spiral out of control. However, what if your financial situation got so bad that you have to resort to the shady world of loan sharks & the black market? This scenario is explored in the critically-acclaimed seinen manga by Shohei Manabe,...
October 2011
7 posts
14 tags
WHAT IF...Shinpachi Shimura Became Yukio Okumura?
You know you made it big if Gintama starts poking fun at your series. Look at how many moles Shinpachi has compared to Yukio!
This is from Gintama Chapter 372 or as Sorachi-sensei calls it: Kintama Lesson 1. You know what, let’s follow Gin’s suggestion and call it KIN NO EXORCIST/GOLD EXORCIST.
I seriously think Sorachi-sensei throws caution to the wind when it comes to blatantly...
11 tags
Sweet Anime/Manga Characters That Love Sweets
If you’re a sugar lover, you might find this interesting. A study published in the Journal of Personality & Social Psychology states that people who love sweets tend to be nice people overall. They are more likely to help others & are more sociable than those who don’t like sweets. With that said, this study makes me wonder about anime/manga characters who love sweets and are...
7 tags
Is Harley Quinn An Underappreciated Character in...
Don’t worry, B-Man. Mr. J’s gonna give me the best BIRTHDAY PARTY EVEERRRR because he LOVES ME SOOOOOOOO MUCH!
Normally, I don’t blog about American comic book characters, but this caught my eye. I just finished Batman: Arkham City (total instant classic and deserves all the praise it’s been getting) and while browsing my e-mail newsletters, I found this interesting...
12 tags
Photos from New York Comic-Con 2011
Enjoy the shots I took from New York Comic-Con 2011!
12 tags
New York Comic-Con 2011 Adventure Log!
On October 13-16, 2011, the East Coast’s biggest pop culture convention landed upon New York City once again with an infusion of comic book artists, celebrities, video game developers, and of course, a LARGE number of cosplayers. New York Comic-Con 2011 managed to draw an attendance of 105,000 over the span of 4 days. A lot of things happened, so get ready for a somewhat extensive recap.
...
12 tags
Masayuki Ozaki Wields The Patriot!
FOR GREAT JUSTICE! I think the Patriot makes a great weapon for Kotetsu. XD
Also, more Ozaki win:
Yes, he signed my Patriot with Elizabeth!!!
The final photo:
I never expected Ozaki-san to sign my crappy weapon of destruction. But, now I probably can’t use it anymore for cosplay purposes. :(
More material from New York Comic-Con 2011 coming up soon!
7 tags
Must-Read: Melinda Beasi's Thoughts On The Canada...
Browsing through the Twitterverse, I found a very good & enlightening op-ed by the Manga Bookshelf’s own Melinda Beasi on the state of the case involving a man who was arrested in Canada for bringing over “questionable” manga. Here’s an excerpt from the article that I believe CAN happen given the state of how absurd people can be in this day and age.
“The truth...
September 2011
9 posts
7 tags
Plans for New York Comic-Con 2011
Hey everyone, I just want to give a quick update on what’s going to happen regarding what I’m doing at New York Comic-Con.
First off, I will be attending the convention on Friday. I might attend the following panels.
“Unusual Manga Genres” (11:00am - 12:00pm) at Anime Stage
Sorry, Final Fantasy XIII-2 (Square Enix’s panel on the game is at the same time). I just...