Manga Therapy

I Am My Father

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 13:52:00 -0400

You ever think about how your otaku lifestyle can be a direct result of how your parents behaved back then? What if your father’s history had a role to all this? What if you never knew until later in your life?

As most of you readers may know, I have a history of depression. I’ve been fighting depression for as long as I have been diagnosed with it. For a while, I thought there was no family history of depression. My mother often told doctors that there was no genetic inheritance. A few years ago, however, I learned more about my father and his battle with himself.

My father was tired of work and wanted to retire badly. He was complaining non-stop. I learned he had self-esteem issues in the past because of how his father treated him. His father always yelled at him for the littlest things. My mom told me that my dad was a lazy bum with little tact and self-confidence. She told me that if she never fell in love with him, who knows what would have happened. That’s when I understood why I have depression in the first place.

So why did my mom fall in love with him? I think maybe it’s because he really wanted to change. My dad tried to secretly escape China to Hong Kong via ship once. He was too late to get on-board, but he jumped into the water regardless and swam as hard as he could before authorities arrested him. My dad went to jail for a few months and was treated like crap. He even got his eye hit by the end of a rifle once.

Although I find it easier to talk to my mom than my dad, my dad reminds me a lot of myself. I often get told that I look like him too. He is a very big kid at heart. My dad is almost always about having fun and making jokes with people. He loves playing with and talking to kids. I may not be great at the kids’ department, but with friends, I am like him. My mom jokes that she has to take care of three kids sometimes.

He was funny, angry, sad and kind. The best thing about my dad is that he was always there to play with my sister and I when we were kids. It’s sad how so many fathers are not there for their kids because they’re either off doing dumb stuff or in jail.

This is him now.

Guess this explains why I’ve become more eccentric than ever. Sometimes I wonder what if my father was an otaku. He actually watched Initial D with me when I was younger. Oh no, is this the main reason why yaoi has been slowly corrupting my brain? OYAAAAAAAAJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!

When people say that children do take after their parents, you better believe there is some truth to this statement. My love of Japanese pop culture is a result of my father being young at heart.

As someone once told me, grow up, but don’t grow old.

Happy Father’s Day all!

Fujoshi Fantasy XV and Kingdom Hearts 3P

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:14:00 -0400

For many anime/manga fans, Japanese video games, most especially role-playing games, are also a big part of their love of Japanese pop culture. In what was one of the biggest shockers of the 2013 Electronic Entertainment Expo, Square Enix unleashed trailers for two games fans all over the world have been craving for so many years. The re-branded Final Fantasy Versus XIII, now officially christened as Final Fantasy XV, and Kingdom Hearts III literally made the internet explode with glee. Or more importantly, the screams of the rising subgroup that is the fujoshi.

Both fujoshi fandom for Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts (which is far greater than FF’s) have been present for years, but now it seems like they will be a huge factor in the next-generation console war between Sony and Microsoft. It’s interesting how with the video game industry being criticized of sexism that Japan finally tells the industry that it still has something left by highlighting two games that will DEFINITELY appeal to women.

Though I suppose this is what happens when you have a former non-game lover like Tetsuya Nomura design games for you. Or maybe Square Enix sees that relationships and feelings will sell in an age where properly-marketed, emotionally-moving and well-designed content is what wins in the end. And what better segment that understands relationships and feelings none better than women, particularly of the “rotten” kind.

Yet what if the rise of Kuroko no Basket might have led to the proper reveal of these two titles after so long? After all, the story of boys getting to know each other through basketball has amassed an army of passionate fujoshi fans all over the world since its anime debut in 2012. Let’s not forget that Square Enix and Shueisha have a strong relationship with each other, with the former showcasing titles at Jump Festa events.

Although I’m not entirely a fudanshi, the relationships between characters in both Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts have been a huge part of my young adult life. The character interactions have made me laugh, cry and think about life. Yes, anime and manga have saved my life, but Japanese RPGs have made just as much impact as the other two mediums have. Just like I’m sure they have for a majority of you out there.

With video game fujoshi getting more into the picture, looks like the fujoshi ships will be sailing seriously hard and at full-speed to the “top.” Let the bottom begin to moan.

For fans of Kingdom Hearts, Yen Press has a great variety of manga based on the series. You can purchase them at Amazon or wherever books are sold.

"Paradise Kiss" Quotes to Take You to Paradise - Part III

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 00:54:00 -0400

Read Part I and Part II for more ParaKiss quote goodness!

And here we are, at last, the final road to paradise! Without further ado, here’s a final list of great quotes from Volume 3 of Paradise Kiss. What parting advice do our favorite fashion designers and friends have to say?

“I hate white. It pretends to be pure, yet can be dyed any shade. It’s the most seductive color. I couldn’t help but steal.” - George to Isabella (Stage 34)

———-

“Your value system is totally whacked. A clothing designer isn’t a con artist who sells dreams.” - Arashi to George (Stage 34)

———-

“Even if you fall on the runway, I won’t blame you. Calm down. That would simply mean we erred in choosing you.” - George to Yukari (Stage 35)

———-

“Beautiful clothes give people courage and confidence.” - Isabella to Yukari (Stage 35)

———-

“When I see the Yaza Arts shows, I feel like I can go back to my roots. That earnestness I felt then comes back to me. At the time, the smallest problem would make me worry and mope, and there were lots of tough times, but those are the most fun times to remember. Odd, right?” - Mikako to Shimamoto (Stage 36)

———-

“I feel like it’s nonsensical to have a point-based competition anyway. But I, who lived amidst point-ranking battles where only results mattered, really wanted that grand prix. I wanted to get 1st place and bask in a sense of superiority. Superiority, eh…How stupid.” - Yukari (Stage 37)

———-

“Yukari: I hate this. I’m just like my mother. ‘The best.’ ‘Top-flight’…Only caring about such things…And finding fault with others when things don’t go my way…Ugh, this sucks!”

George: “In a way, I envy such adherence to only the best.”

Yukari: “What? Are you being sarcastic?”

George: No, I mean it. All I can do is make clothes that satisfy my own tastes, even though I know that’s not enough.” (Stage 37)

———-

“But isn’t it nice to think there’s someone destined for you?” - George to Kaori (Stage 38)

———-

“She’s (Miwako) desperately trying to accept you, whole - both the good and the bad. C’mon, try and see just how much deeply she cares about you. That’s the best medicine for both of you.” - Hiroyuki to Arashi (Stage 44)

———-

“I think anyone who’s successful started out by overreaching.” - Isabella to Yukari (Stage 47)

———-

“You can’t live on love alone.” - George to Isabella (Stage 48)

———-

“Life is short.” - Yukari (Stage 48)

A fitting quote to end the ParaKiss entries by a girl who jumped into fire and came out burnt, but burning in a new light, right? Life is really too short to not experience the wonders of it. Yeah, the world is scary, but no one starts off completely tough. You build strength over time and slowly but surely, the magic will come.

All the ParaKiss members went through rough periods, but they overcame them and became success stories in the end. You can too.

If there are any other quotes from ParaKiss that you liked and were not listed, feel free to share at the comments below!

I hope you enjoyed all the quotes I’ve posted. May your monochrome world be flooded with rich colors.

"Paradise Kiss" Quotes to Take You to Paradise - Part II

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 23:54:00 -0400

And we’re back with more tickets to paradise! Picking off from where left off in Part I, here’s more quotes from Ai Yazawa’s amazing “Paradise Kiss” series, this time from Volume 2 of Vertical Inc’s re-release, that will get you thinking!

“It’s a woman’s happiness to toss everything aside and live for love.” - Isabella (Stage 17)

Sometimes I wonder if it is the media’s fault for pushing this idea so much.

———-

“If I had something that was above and beyond other people, my life would be so different.” - Yukari (Stage 19)

People who are pessimistic tend to think this way. They often don’t realize that deep down, they probably do have something that makes them unique.

———-

“‘Someone like me.’ That kind of thinking gets you nowhere fast. For a job, there is no novice or pro.”

“Then stop being so self-depreciating. That sort of modesty is really very rude. It’s like you’re saying Mikako just randomly chose ‘someone like you’ and has no professional discernment.” - George to Yukari (Stage 19)

Too much pity on yourself really throws people off. Learn to love yourself before others. You’re probably awesome in certain ways and you know it. It can be an interesting skill or a unique physical feature, as Yukari discovers when it came to her long limbs.

———-

“It’s my own honor that depends on me. I’ve chosen to walk my own path in a life that’s nobody else’s.” - Yukari (Stage 20)

Life is what you make of it. Even if you hear so many opinions from others, you still are the only one who has to light the spark in yourself.

———-

“What was I striving for? Who was I living for? I wanted a place where someone would recognize the value of my existence.” - Yukari (Stage 21)

Makes you think about the good side of fandom and how important it is for so many people in it.

———-

“I got lucky and got one modeling gig, but there’s no guarantee of another. So I haven’t taken one step forward, after all. I’m just running away from an unpleasant reality.” - Yukari (Stage 25)

You have to get out there and make your own luck.

———-

“Whatever happens next is up to you, but people who work hard don’t get punished.” - Mikako to Yukari (Stage 25)

As long as you enjoy your work and show enthusiasm, things will happen.

———-

“I already know the right answer. My future hinges on it. I can’t get swept up in this momentary pleasure. But I feel uneasy if we’re not entwined together. We don’t have any other way to connect.” - Yukari (Stage 27)

Loving relationships don’t last if they’re always physical or emotional.

———-

“But just choosing all the right answers in life won’t guarantee you’ll be happy.” - Yukari (Stage 27)

Makes you wonder how many questions we’ll have to keep asking as we go on in life.

———-

“Why are you acting so weirdly stubborn? No one has 100% confidence in his or her own will. Everyone hesitates or worries, influenced by the people around them. It’s especially true of someone you’re in love with. It’s natural.” - HIroyuki to Yukari (Stage 28)

As long as you don’t restrain yourself to an extreme, use those worries to figure out what’s wrong and ask “What can I learn from this to make me better?”

———-

“To have your very existence continually denied by your parents is so very painful.” - Yukari (Stage 28)

I don’t understand why certain parents in today’s world do this. Why even have one in the first place? Even worse is when they magically come back if the child becomes successful.

———-

“Miwako: Why is it a bad thing to be a perfectionist?”

“Isabella: Well…when it comes to doing business, you have to make a lot of clothing, which means hiring a lot of people. You need a lot of people to buy your clothes, so if you cling too much to your principles, it won’t go smoothly.” (Stage 32)

What’s interesting about this is it all depends on timing and trends. Perhaps the biggest lesson is just keep pace with the world around you and act accordingly.

———-

“Tests are like games. But nothing else goes the way I want it to.” - Hiroyuki (Stage 32)

This is why education has to level up in certain areas of the world. What ever happened to teaching critical thinking?

———-

“Having a strong will and being obstinate aren’t the same.” - Hiroyuki to Yukari (Stage 32)

Keep fighting for what you believe in, but be humble enough to make changes to help those around you.

Final part is coming with quotes from Volume 3! Time to come down to paradise city and a place you can call home.

"Paradise Kiss" Quotes to Take You to Paradise - Part I

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 10:41:00 -0400

If there’s one classic series that that defined youth and coming-of-age, it’s none other than Ai Yazawa’s Paradise Kiss. From the creator of NANA came a series that was not only romantic, stylish, comedic and witty, but it was one that really hit home for many teenagers wondering where their lives will be headed after their school lives end.

The adventures of Yukari “Caroline” Hayasaka and her friends had some inspirational quotes that will take one to their intended paradise. Here’s a collection of quotes that really stand out from Volume 1 of Vertical Inc.’s 2012 re-release of ParaKiss.

“I was in a dark tunnel racing towards the exit. But an exit is just an exit. Just a white, vacant, gaping space. It made me very afraid.” - Yukari (Stage 1)

Every exit should lead to new areas with entrances to new opportunities, right?

“You need a little talent and boundless ambition and energy to match! If you have those things, then a path will open up.” - Jouji “George” Koizumi to Yukari (Stage 3)

Talent helps, but you need to learn how to properly channel that talent to reach your potential. Living and embracing your passion greatly helps.

“Don’t call it stupid. It’s your life, right? Tell me. I’ll listen. Seriously. - George to Yukari (Stage 3)

It makes me wonder why so many people feel like no one will listen to their problems. There’s always someone out there who will.

“No matter how close you are as kids, if you move or change schools, you become estranged. So many people, such a small city, How many people would I come to know in the future? How many people could I hope to truly understand?” - Yukari (Stage 4)

This holds true today. People are always coming and going. As hard it is to find a significant other, it’s just as hard or even harder to find a really close friend.

“Creating something with your own hands brings a unique happiness.” - Yukari (Stage 11)

Being creative is an important key to get past boredom. Look at all the fun anime pictures you see on Pixiv, DeviantART, etc. and MAD videos you see on Nico Nico. When you’re able to make something yourself, it gives you a lot of confidence.

“Up until now, all I did was study. I had a very narrow world-view. If I don’t expand my horizons and experience new things and grow as a person, I’ll never become an appealing woman.” - Yukari (Stage 12)

Life is too short to not try anything, right?

“Everyone has doubts and anxieties. As long as you don’t give up, life can be fun, don’t you think?” - Isabella (Stage 12)

You can think of stress positively and tell yourself “This will only make you stronger.” And also “One day, you will laugh at those once-stressful moments.”

“Do you mean you have no free will? I don’t like girls who aren’t independent.” - George to Yukari (Stage 14)

These two lines by George were part of a much bigger lecture where he criticizes Yukari for not being able to to think for herself if she has no safety net. Codependency destroys what you really want, as Yukari quickly learns after hearing those harsh words.

————————————————-

That’s all for Part 1. Next up is a list of quotes from Volume 2! More tickets to paradise will be printed soon!

A Night of Osamu Tezuka - A Celebration of Manga at Lacoste

Fri, 31 May 2013 23:25:00 -0400

The world of Japanese anime/manga culture spread its vibrant aura over NYC as famous clothing brand Lacoste held a party to celebrate its Osamu Tezuka line. What was even better was that Lacoste managed to get Anime Diet to do a panel on the history of anime and manga and how it has emerged to be a worldwide juggernaut.

The party also had a live DJ, catering and some artwork displayed and drawn by NYC-based manga artist, Hiroki Otsuka. Anime Diet’s panel went into a lot of detail about the history of Osamu Tezuka, anime, manga, conventions, cosplay and even pop fashion as well. They brought out a good point in saying if it weren’t for Tezuka, Japanese pop culture probably wouldn’t exist.

While there are criticisms against Tezuka, the fact of the matter is that our precious seiyuus/waifus/doujins/fanservice are his “great-great-great-grandchildren”. He did say comics was his wife and animation his mistress. Who knew tomfoolery could impact the world greatly? Then again, being surrounded by chaos can unlock creativity.

Enjoy the photos! And much thanks to Anime Diet for schooling folks with Anime/Manga 101!

Counterattack! Announcing the "Attack on Titan" Infographic

Tue, 28 May 2013 23:42:00 -0400

During the biggest anime convention weekend of 2013 in North America, I received word from one of my favorite people to follow on Twitter, “Ain’t It Cool News” and Crunchyroll News’ own Scott Green, about a certain tidbit during Kodansha Comics’ panel at Anime Boston 2013 when they spoke about Hajime Isayama’s “Attack on Titan”.

@mangatherapy you’re quoted on Kodansha’s Attack on Titan slides

— AICN Anime (@aicnanime)

May 25, 2013

This is the 2nd time Kodansha has quoted me on their slides as they did the same back at New York Comic-Con 2011. I feel like it’s time I do something special not just for Kodansha, but for anime/manga fans everywhere in the form of an infographic on the popularity of “Attack on Titan”.

An infographic is basically a visual image of information (data, statistics, etc.) displayed with text and pictures. It is often used as a cool way to present information. Readers tend to love them because it’s easier to process data through infographics than just reading walls of text. Here’s an infographic about One Piece. (Full image can be viewed through the picture below.)

Expect something like this, but with some ugly Titans and human soldiers in sexy uniforms. The series has become a nationwide phenomenon in Japan and all volumes have been selling out over there. Don’t forget about the crazy humor generated by fans!

I hope to have this done by Anime Expo in early July. If you want to provide any interesting pictures, quotes about the series, statistics, or even advice, I would gladly appreciate it!

I know this is a bit of a huge undertaking, but this is something I want to do for the community and show Japan how much overseas fans are inspired by their anime/manga series. Plus, it’s fun. Everyone needs fun and hard-work fun is amazingly rewarding.

With that said, time to get that computer Maneuver Gear ready. Graphic information warfare, GO!

(Also, please follow Scott Green. He posts A LOT of fun anime and manga pictures/information on his Twitter account, @AICNAnime!)

Masashi Kishimoto's "Mario" - Amor di Madre, Amore Senza Limiti

Sat, 25 May 2013 16:06:00 -0400

Who would have figured that going from ninjas to mobsters would still provide an interesting look at people? A while ago, Shonen Jump recently released one of Masashi Kishimoto’s oneshots, Mario. It was a story originally drawn in 1998 and brought back in the June 2013 issue of JUMP SQUARE and the May 13, 2013 issue of VIZ’s Shonen Jump. Unlike Naruto, Mario is pretty violent and the setting is much more mature. The main character is noted to be a “mama’s boy” near the end of the story and it poses a question as to why men are still quite fond of the first women in their lives.

Mario highlights a young man named Mario Rosso, who kills people for a living in New York. His blood bleeds two shades of darkness – thanks to being a child of both a female Yakuza and a male Mafioso. One day, his partner, Ken, introduces Mario to a woman named Saori, a quiet yet ruthless killer with an extremely troubled past. Mario takes a liking towards her as she resembles his dead mother. He even gives Saori his mother’s earring as a lucky charm. The two would get in a heap of trouble as a hired job they took goes horribly wrong. Saori gets framed for the murder of a mafia boss that she didn’t commit and Mario is hired to take her down. Mario and Ken try to find and reason with Saori. Ken shoots Saori and reveals himself to be one of the people responsible for framing her. Both Mario and a wounded Saori kill Ken. Mario briefly talks about his past to Saori and gives her the second earring that his mother wore. In the end, he is presumably dead as Saori lives on.

Why do men love their mothers so much? Mothers are technically the first women in their lives. When they are born, the first thing they see is a lovely woman holding them in their arms. Mothers are also the first indication of what the perfect woman could be like. Just by seeing them behave creates a general impression of what women are like. At the same time, mothers are warned to not get too close to their sons. It destroys their manhood or so experts say.

When Mario confronts Saori near the end, he suggests that she run away with him. He confesses that he likes her because she looks like his mother. Saori replies by sadly calling him a “mama’s boy”. Now being a “mama’s boy” isn’t entirely as bad as it seems. Boys who are close to their mothers tended to be more empathetic towards others. They also can control their emotions better than those who aren’t close.

Yet Mario briefly talks about his path and how he killed people to support his mother. He then notes how empty he has become. Some influence his mother turned out to be, huh? While kids do need their mothers, kids need fathers too. Fathers help encourage their children to take more healthy risks in life.

Fathers have no problem in being blunt and honest with you. Another interesting point made is that a lack of paternal influence causes boys to act masculine without guidelines. In other words, they go on a path of violent behavior to prove themselves. Doesn’t this sound like our one-shot hero? If his father had more of a presence, would Mario have walked on a more “proper” role as a member of the Mafia? Everyone has to have the right balance of emotion and logic to get ahead in life, right?

Mario is a simple story that shows how much one parental influence isn’t always enough in a child’s development. No matter what situation(s) the parents are in, an investment by both really means a lot to a child. If anything, another adult can step in if needed. Why do you think there are teachers and mentors out there? The more multiple warm influences there are, the better.

Now that’s “amore”.

Attack on Fans' Hearts - MangaHelpers Manga Awards 2012 Winners!

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:54:00 -0400

Yup. this is what’s connecting fans’ hearts all over anime and manga land. Move over, the Generation of Miracles! The Generation of Titans can make the girls sweat as much as you guys do!

MangaHelpers recently had another annual manga award competition to see which manga titles totally rocked 2012 in the minds of manga fans everywhere. As you will see, it was a big win of Titan-ic proportions for a series that has come a long way from its non-mainstream beginnings.

Best Manga of 2012

Best Shonen: Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama

Best Shoujo: Orange by Takano Ichigo (If you never heard of the title and are wondering why this is popular, check out Otaku Champloo’s brief analysis.)

Best Seinen: Onepunch-Man by ONE & Yusuke Murata

Best Manga: Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama

Best Manhwa/Manhua: The Breaker - New Waves by Geuk Jin-Jeon and Jin-Hwan Park

Best Mangaka: Shinobu Ohtaka (Magi: The Labyrinth of Magi)

Best Male Character: Saitama (Onepunch-man)

Best Female Character: Mikasa Ackerman (Attack on Titan)

Best Art: Attack on Titan

Best Plot Twist: Attack on Titan (SPOILERS HERE)

Most Epic Moment: Attack on Titan (SPOILERS HERE)

Best Death: Medaka Box

Saddest Moment: The Flying Winter and The Breaker - New Waves (tie) (Does manhwa portray emotions a lot better than manga? Hmm.)

Funniest Moment: Beelzebub, Chapter 160 (Beel fans should know the big joke in this story)

As another treat, MangaHelpers had fans choose their favorite manga of all-time. Quite a good list of choices to be found here!

Best Action: Hunter x Hunter

Best Sci-Fi: Gantz

Best Fantasy: One Piece, Berserk, Magi

Best Drama: Elfen Lied

Best Comedy: Beelzebub

Best Sports: Slam Dunk

Best Mystery: Death Note, MONSTER

Best Horror: MONSTER

Best Slice-of-Life: Yotsuba&!, Bakuman, Sket Dance

Best Full Cast: Hunter x Hunter

Best Villain: Hisoka (Hunter x Hunter)

Best Fight: Mereum vs. Netero (Hunter x Hunter)

Best Art: Onepunch-man

Best Character Design: Saitama (Onepunch-man)

Best Artistic Piece: Berserk - Skull Knight vs. Griffith

Looks like last year had fans being thrilled with tales of survival. Hunters, Titans, and human nature, oh my!

What manga have you been enjoying so far this year?

A Very Fujoshi Thanksgiving in May

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:11:00 -0400

Hey, we’re halfway there, right? Also, pretend those hands are those of your favorite ship!

While watching the NBA on TNT recently, sportscaster Ernie Johnson talked about doing a big hashtag trend on Twitter called “#thanksgivinginmay” on Thursday, May 16, 2013. So, I just wanted to say “KYAAA!”…I mean “Happy Thanksgiving” to the wonderful fujoshi I’ve met and spoken to over the past couple of years. Especially a special one in particular. Gin x Shin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’ve written about the fujoshi in the past and I still stand by my words, that they can make a difference if given a chance. The future is bright for Japan if women can become dominant over there.

Being around fujoshi helped me come to terms with my sexuality to a certain degree. There are times where I’ve been a bit uncomfortable with how effeminate I have acted. I can say now that I will make as many suggestions as I will like and behave as I please. It is still frightening to see gender roles being ruthlessly enforced in all aspects of life. Fujoshi see a bigger picture of the world of men and the world of sexuality in general beyond gender stereotypes. Men do have feelings and if they want to cry when they’re in emotional pain, then don’t hate them for that. All that matters is if they have what it takes to succeed in life.

In a world like this, the fujoshi must break FREE! Enjoy those juicy rib cages today!

What are you thankful for so far in 2013?

Finding Humor in the Darkness (Attack on Titan)

Wed, 08 May 2013 21:36:00 -0400

To quote a Tumblr user on the rise of Attack on Titan to the mainstream anime/manga community, how did something so horrifying end up being so hilarious?

As many of you may know, Attack on Titan has become a beloved juggernaut to fans all over the world and some creative folks have responded with great enthusiasm. Social networking feeds became bombarded with wacky pictures and funny video parodies featuring the Titans and the Scouting Legion. One has to wonder if humor truly comes from seeing misery.

Attack on Titan was supposed to be a tragic yet heroic story about a group of kids trying to take on man-eating giants who create fear in the hearts of humanity. There really isn’t much humor in the manga. Yet the anime adaptation sparked a mass reaction starting with its opening theme song, “Guren no Yumiya” by Linked Horizon. Its catchy and epic tune became the go-to-music for hyping up drama in random situations. The main female lead, Mikasa Ackerman, became a top “moe” female character. There was also “Potato Girl” Sasha Braus coming to life in hilarious fashion. And as you can tell from the photo above, Titans are becoming tropes too. Guess the Joker was right - WHY SO SERIOUS?

What makes dark humor so fascinating to many? Why do people joke about tragedies? For starters, it eases stress. Imagine dealing with pain and trauma around you on a daily basis. Laughter is probably the best medicine to make sure you stay sane. Sigmund Freud once said that dark humor is used to protect the ego from the horrors of the outside world.

There is some concern that society has been conditioned to joke at tragedy. For many of us, we deal with so much drama in our lives. Some of that drama may be unnecessary and we sometimes wish for those that caused it to possibly go jump off a cliff. We often have little attachment towards frequent attention-seekers, so why not joke about them instead? Ever notice how so many jokes involve people getting hurt? Perhaps by seeing how the Titan anime portrays the tense drama, fans can’t help but smile and see how ridiculous its themes can be in motion. Well, the Titans do look creepily hilarious and they’re naked too.

You can credit the animators at Production I.G. for taking a few liberties with creating meme-worthy scenes to a certain degree. It’s as if they are telling fans “We know this series is serious drama, but let’s make things a bit ridiculous to brighten your day. Life is absurd, but at least we’re not being threatened by giant naked people, right?”

Dark humor gives creators and fans the ability to not feel stressed during times of trouble. It also doesn’t hurt that participating in creation or fandom gives you a sense of some control in life.

Mark Twain once gave this quote about dark humor:

“Everything human is pathetic. The secret source of humor itself is not joy, but sorrow. There is no humor in heaven.”

With Hajime Isayama being quite a humorist himself, Attack on Titan may go down as one of the wackiest dark comedy/tragedy series in shonen anime/manga history.

Now if you excuse me, I must begin my attack on the cutest Titan of them all, Snuggle.

Down in the Dumps of Happiness

Fri, 03 May 2013 18:16:00 -0400

If there’s one mantra that’s always told to everyone, it’s that money can’t buy happiness. There is some truth to all of this. An interesting article I read at World of Psychology focused on garbage pickers who are very optimistic about life despite their living standards. Folks who go around collecting trash don’t seem to worry too much about food or money. They have good relationships and believe that the future will be bright for them.

Reading this article made me think about poor characters like Tohru Honda (Fruits Basket), Hayate Ayasaki (Hayate the Combat Butler, before he was taken in by Nagi Sanzenin), Jin Kanzaki (ZETMAN), the Yorozuya (Gintama) and many others. All of them have gone through situations where they struggle to get by, yet still enjoy the nuances of life.

Yes, being poor isn’t the greatest thing in the life. But neither is being rich. When you have people being pressured to act like complete big shots just to stay ahead, you wonder if it really is worth it to make a lot of money.

For anyone who’s poor, you’re more motivated to take on your dreams. Do you really have anything to lose? Not much, given you have nothing to begin with. You also get the best thing money can’t buy: emotional support. Almost every poor anime/manga character out there has a wonderful supporting cast of characters that push them for the better. Of course, there are exceptions, but those characters develop and gain a better understanding of what truly matters when everything is all said and done. One great example is Gintama’s “cell phone” story and its critique on how the joy of technology that may not be affordable to many can affect relationships to a huge degree.

Isn’t it time to get some dirt on your hands and grow an inner garden for your soul?

The Greatest Contract in the World

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:05:00 -0400

For those who wonder about fandom unlocking the power of creativity in others, this should be a shining example of that power. While attending the 2013 Sakura Matsuri in Brooklyn Botanic Garden, I happened to run into a Sayaka Miki (of Puella Magi Madoka Magica fame) cosplayer and took her photo. After taking her photo, she gave me this form - which I thought was some permission letter. But it turned out to be something I always wanted. A chance to be a Magical Girl and bring peace to the universe while being a emotionless husk!

Rights, responsibilities, terms of agreement, applicant information, yup. All right there. Incubators, Inc., huh? Sounds super-legit to me.

Even though fandom is often stereotyped by the media, let’s really look at the greater picture behind fans and see how much they let their creativity shine. Behind the wackiness is a foundation being set to develop problem-solving skills. Yes, many efforts do turn out bad. But failure leads to growth. No one gets it right the first time.

A big question going forward is how to transfer fans’ creativity into skill sets that they can apply to real life in school and work. We need more success stories, such as the case with Chris Needham, a key board member behind AnimeUSA and someone who has been able to use fandom to be successful outside of it. The person who made the contract could be an amazing content creator in a world where both content and context matter.

You know, a real-life Incubators, Inc. doesn’t sound so bad. Incubation does spark creativity.

Kyubey = trolling for the win?

(Pictures can be enlarged when you click on them so you can see the supa-kawaii-sugoi details and the ONE wish I really want granted.)

Attack on Stress - Overcoming Your Titans With Optimism

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:45:00 -0400

“I have a dream…it’s to exterminate the Titans and leave this cramped walled-up world. My dream is to explore…the outside world.”

We got ourselves a little Martin Luther King, Jr., don’t we?

Stress - it happens to everyone. We all have our moments where things get rough and we groan, sigh, & possibly fall into despair. Stress is inevitable as long as you walk on the road that is life. Yet what if stress needs to be viewed more positively instead of the general consensus view? When you look at a character like Eren Jaeger from Attack on Titan, you witness how a young man takes the stress of his past and channels it in a way to bring him strength to fight for the future.

For anyone unfamiliar with the plot of Attack on Titan, the story revolves around humans being threatened by a race of giants known as Titans. Humanity has sheltered itself from the Titans for a long time until a surprise attack hit them hard and fast. Eren voiced his concerns about everyone playing it safe and wanted to join the Survey Corps to fight the Titans. His concerns became a horrifying reality as he witnesses his mother get eaten by a Titan. Eren begins to question himself and seemed as if he was about to break. Instead, Eren makes a promise to himself that he will kill every single last Titan that’s walking the face of the Earth.

Almost everyone views stress as negative. But in some ways, it can be a positive. Examples of positive stress include getting promoted at work, moving to a new area, etc. An interesting study covered in Clinical Psychology Science suggested that people should tell those that are stressed out that stress is normal and is nothing to be ashamed of. When public speakers with stage fright were told about how beneficial stress was, they managed to do well. Stress can be viewed as a pleasant welcoming if the challenge presented is something that an individual wants to take on.

So why didn’t Eren completely surrender to despair like most of humanity did? One thing about the negative view of stress is that it focuses on things that are out of one’s control. Positive stress involves a sense of control that you instill upon yourself. Eren could have just blamed society for being complacent, but chose not to. After all, everyone has a choice to control how they feel and react.

If you think about it, Eren went through “post-traumatic growth”. Witnessing the death of his mother greatly furthered his desire to kill the Titans even more. The stress he went through was a burst of acute stress. Acute stress forces someone to evolve when it comes to survival. Of course it didn’t hurt that Eren’s mother’s final words were for him to live.

A big problem, however, is that stress works positively only in short bursts. Add too much and it goes back to being good ol’ negativity again. Eren went through this as he failed a mandatory balance test during military training after proudly proclaiming his desire to kill the Titans to fellow trainees. The negative stress of his setback and his failure at a subsequent practice attempt was added to his optimism-fueled stress. Eren began to doubt whether he will be able to join the military until he was reassured by two of his colleagues that he can ace the test again.

We all have personal “Titans” that challenge us in our minds. Their existence is often necessary. Life would be pretty boring if there weren’t any challenges, wouldn’t you say? Yet you have to make sure that you know that you have options (i.e. friends, support groups, resources) and can access them responsibly to ensure your complete victory over your “Titans”.

To quote Hans Selye, “It’s not stress that kills us, it’s our reaction to it.”

Why I Still Blog

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:41:24 -0400

You ever had times where things just get so rough that you want to give up? No matter how much self-confidence you have, there will always be trouble and the seeds of doubt begin to pop out. But then you get words of encouragement like these:

It’s messages like these that still keep me going. As I said earlier, blogging has defined my life and is something I can proudly say “I made that”.

Plus, there’s this old lady who I hope is doing well out in Canada.

Proud to say that I’m one of the few manga blogs out there doing something.

To all the anibloggers out there, what motivates you all to keep doing what you’re doing?

Summing Up the Entire Week With "Attack on Titan"

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 22:52:00 -0400

After hearing everything that has transpired with the Boston Marathon bombing incident, the incompetence of mass media, and people’s love for revenge, it comes down to this - humanity will always have a high chance of being cruel. Even those who haven’t killed anyone can be sadistic. This song sums up my entire thought process about this tragedy and its possible ramifications.

What a truly beautiful, cruel world we live in today. We can all possess the heart of a Titan.

Let’s really figure out how to shrink ourselves down for a better tomorrow.

Critical Thinking FTW? The Fate of Two Uchihas (Naruto)

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 22:33:00 -0400

In life, we all need goals to strive for. Yet what happens when one of your goals suddenly shifts. Do you let your mindset shift or do you decide to keep going in the direction you wanted? What if your original direction brought harm?

In Chapter 627 of Naruto, Sasuke Uchiha makes arguably the biggest decision in his young life so far. When confronting the previous four Hokages of Konoha Village, he learns about the true origins of how Konoha was formed. Sasuke then decides to go from being a criminal of Konoha to becoming one of its protectors. His decision and also the past behavior of Madara Uchiha makes you think how much emphasis there needs to be made on developing teenagers with critical thinking skills.

As you may have noticed, we are living in a world where critical thinking is slowly dying. Many young people know what’s happening out there, but they do not understand why things happen. A majority of media outlets that provide information tend to be very biased. The worst part is how parents tend to spoil their children, which leads them unable to be self-sufficient and to think for themselves as they get older. After all, adults are the ones who are supposed to shape children for the better.

You can arguably say that Madara Uchiha had the behavior of a child who couldn’t handle facing himself. He constantly believed that whatever he thinks is right, despite the wishes of his former friend and fellow Konoha Village co-founder, Hashirama Senju. It’s funny how Madara used to preach peace and love with Hashimara until the Uchiha Clan decided to attack the Senju Clan. You could say that he was a coward who had no courage to try and set things right for the better. Sure, activating the Sharingan does make you look cool, but outside appearances don’t always get you by. For critical thinking to happen at times, that person needs to be taught not to fear the unknown and learn to how to handle it. Imagine if Madara took the time to look himself in the mirror after Hashirama and Tobirama Senju voiced their concerns about him being the 2nd Hokage.

For Sasuke, he was very fortunate to have a brother who took it all in to try and protect the things he cared about. Imagine if you went through what Itachi Uchiha did for Sasuke. You could break at any moment. His epic final speech towards Sasuke caused him to walk out of a path of revenge and onto a path of redemption. Which leads to an interesting question: can emotions help with critical thinking? It can be the case with regards to emotional intelligence. Developing a good amount of emotional intelligence leads to a better understanding of yourself and better relationships with people. Facing a zombified Itachi was an emotional necessity as it forced Sasuke to look at his character as a whole. Emotions do unlock new realizations that may positively impact your future, which it did for Sasuke.

What it comes down to is this - if you want the younger generation to make something of themselves, take the responsibility to teach them that life isn’t defined in absolutes or they’ll be absolute zeroes.

No youth with potential deserves a real-life Infinite Tsukuyomi, right?

Be Right Back - Undergoing Fujoshi Therapy

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 23:25:00 -0400

Amazing words, Akagi-senpai. You go, girl!

My brain feels fried and I need some pretty men to get me going again. So I’m taking a break this week.

Some upcoming entries will be about Kuroko no Basket, Pandora Hearts, Blue Exorcist, Kuroshitsuji, and Gintama (Yes, I want to discuss that “Rule 63”/Dokobekko arc going on in the manga).

Now if you excuse me, I’m off to play otome games for further inspiration.

What? I…it’s not like I’m enjoying fujoshi material because I want to, ok!? I just find it a fascinating study for research purposes, ok!? You should be thankful……..

IDIOT ONEE-CHAN!!!! *runs away in tears*

I Like It Hard - Why I Still Love Manga in Print

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 16:11:00 -0400

“Why yes, I love the smell of freshly printed manga in the morning.”

While buying the latest English volumes of Blue Exorcist and Attack on Titan recently, some thoughts resurfaced on why I still prefer print manga. With JManga biting the dust, people are wondering about the future of manga digitally. To tell you the truth, print is still the primary focus for the manga market overall and a preference that I still love for reasons I’m about to get into below.

To anyone who’s mostly read scanlations and never got the experience of getting a real physical book in your hand (or even had a bookstore that sells manga), you are missing out. The thing about reading manga on a computer is that there are some annoying barriers to deal with. It’s not easy to absorb information when reading online manga compared to print manga. What if the lighting around you is bad while viewing? That will certainly hurt your eyes. Any viewing device can produce a “flicker” effect that can make processing information into your brain a bit difficult.

When you read scans, there are certain details you may tend to overlook and forget. Here’s an example of what I mean: while reading Attack on Titan Volume 4, I was suddenly reminded about the character of Sasha Blouse and her eating habits. I literally forgot about the character while focusing on the current storyline. After all, you just consume and move on until the next chapter. You also have to deal with all the “noise” (ads, news sites, social media, videos, etc.) distracting you while you’re on the computer reading manga. The Internet does play wicked tricks with your mind and your consumption habits if you let it.

A big problem is what happens if you have no Internet or electricity and you really want to re-read your favorite manga series again. What are you going to do about that? If you manage to have physical copies of the series in your hands, then you’re good. Sadly, not every country has the luxury of having legal manga physically, much less digitally.

Of course when it comes down to it, I’m so passionate about certain manga series to the point that I am willing to support them in any way possible. There are times where I wonder how passionate certain fans really are about their favorite manga series. What’s scary is how some publishers have to deal with fans coming up to their booths at anime/comic conventions and telling them “Yay! I read this series online”. Though that can be blamed to a lack of awareness and business sense, which a lot of young folks can have in this day and age.

There’s a lot of beauty when it comes to physical books. All the manga volumes I have collected over the years have given me a sense of joy online manga doesn’t always replicate. I can reread them without any distractions. I get all the time in the world to focus on the pictures, expressions, words, etc. and elaborate them further offline and online if need be. Plus I can pass my manga copies around to other people for them to enjoy as well. You create more meaningful connections than if you were to tell them “Go download/read the manga at this site!”

For most of you who read this, you might think I’m an old fart. Yeah, maybe I am. I’m probably an old fart who could possibly have some awesome relics of the past for nostalgia freaks. Hey, we all love focusing on history, right?

Though honestly, it would be great if print and digital go hand-in-hand as a powerful couple.

Wouldn’t that be the most perfect manga experience?

We're All Brains at Heart - Haikyuu!!

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:05:00 -0400

March Madness may be over, but competitive sports continue to be a daily fixture in our lives. One such competitive sports manga title that recently got readers talking is none other than Furudate Haruichi’s “Haikyuu!!”. It is a manga that focuses on teenagers playing volleyball competitively in high school. You know how sports teams have certain pre-game rituals/speeches to get themselves going? Wait until you see what one team in Haikyuu!! does to kick some butt and how it involves a bit of neuroscience.

In Volume 4 of the manga, the main team of the story, Karasuno High, played a practice match against the Nekoma High School Volleyball Club. Both teams were rivals in the past, but have become terrible over the past few years. Yet there is a lot of renewed hope for them due to the special talents both schools have acquired. When the time came for both Karasuno and Nekoma to collide, Kuro Tetsuro, captain of the Nekoma squad, chanted a somewhat trippy speech to get his team pumped up, most especially his setter, Kozume Kenma. It went like this:

“We are the body’s blood.

Flow smoothly

And circulate oxygen

So the “brain” functions normally.”

Kozume was considered to be the most important player (brain, heart, and backbone) to the team. Despite the apparent strangeness of the pre-game words, they worked to perfection as Nekoma beat Karasuno once more. Everyone on Nekoma formed amazing synergy with each other to make sure Kozume was at his absolute best on the court.

How does this relate to real life? Blood flow helps stimulate the brain, which helps send signals to the rest of the body. Of course, there are problems where we can get too stimulated or rarely stimulated. Infants and children tend to have low levels of blood flow. A big problem is how youth react to certain types of stimuli. Too much and too little blood flow can cause all sorts of health complications.

Kozume was considered to be an outcast. He arguably has a brain considered to be somewhat mature because of his analytical nature. If it weren’t for Kuro (who he knew from his childhood days), perhaps Kozume would have been completely introverted. You can say that he had low levels of blood flow and playing volleyball helped to increase it. Hey, exercise does wonders for blood circulation. However, that doesn’t mean it totally helps in the mental aspects with regards to the nature of competitive sports. That’s where Kuro and the rest of Nekoma comes in. They understand that Kozume is the key to their success. Kozume’s teammates help to reduce extremely high levels of blood flow that Kozume may experience because of mental stress in order to keep him a lean, balanced, quiet yet cunning player.

Throughout history, there have been many “brains” behind significant events/operations/companies/projects and if they weren’t functioning properly, everything would fall apart. People can’t always do things alone. Everyone has to have help at some point to succeed. The “brain” has and can process the information you need to take that next step in life as long as you show respect and empathy towards that person. It’s funny how at times we are preached to celebrate individual accomplishments, yet not totally appreciate the group effort.

To quote the Daila Lama, “We pay attention to brain development, but the development of warmheartedness we take for granted.”

Every “brain” needs a “body” to support its weight and vice versa, right?