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Certification Achievements
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Masashi Kishimoto’s “Mario” - Amor di Madre, Amore Senza Limiti
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.
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Critical Thinking FTW? The Fate of Two Uchihas (Naruto)
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.
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We’re All Brains at Heart - Haikyuu!!
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.
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Frieza’s Frightening Power of Effeminacy (Dragon Ball Z)
“You fool! This isn’t even my final form! Wait until you see my true power!”
And boy, does it make you look oh-so absolutely fabulous~
If there’s one anime/manga villain that has stood the test of time and encased the hearts of many, it’s none other than Dragon Ball Z’s own Frieza. The maniacal warlord and his power-ups continue to have relevance in Japanese pop culture today. however, what’s more interesting is his effeminate nature in contrast to the manly heroes. Is the character an indication of how effective effeminacy can be when it is supported by power?
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“Tell Me Whyyyy!” - The Most Important Aspect When Drawing Manga
To all you folks who want to draw manga, I found an interesting post on a MangaHelpers sub-forum on Weekly Shonen Jump about how new manga should try to appeal to readers. There’s one snippet I would like to highlight and it’s this:
“I guess the main question a mangaka needs to ask themselves in order to write a successful manga is ‘Why?’. Why should we care about your manga? Why should we bother to read it beyond the first chapter? And with such a selective magazine (Weekly Shonen Jump), the mangaka better have that question answered before chapter 1 gets published. I think that’s what separates the exceptional mangaka, like (Yuusei) Matsui and (Eiichiro) Oda, from the mediocre. I guess it’s also what defines the expression ‘doing your homework’.”
Asking “why” is the basis for life itself. I mean, we all have reasons to do and believe certain things. Give readers reasons to appreciate what you want to tell them.
Which leads to another lesson regarding the importance of asking “why”: never stop learning. There’s always something deeper beneath the surface.
You can read the rest of the post as it is pretty in-depth. Makes you think about when the next worldwide smash hit manga will come.
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Sad, So Sad - The Power of Sorrow (Gintama)
“One was trying to protect Shoyo’s legacy. The other was trying to destroy Shoyo’s legacy. But they had one thing in common. They both had such sorrow in their eyes.”
Another emotional roller coaster in Gintama was recently built to bring us through more loops and turns in the form of the “Ikkoku Keisei” (Courtesan of a Nation) arc. What started off as a simple love story became a tense emotional look at the pasts of two men walking opposite paths, Gintoki Sakata and Shinsuke Takasugi. How much sorrow is enough to drive one to keep on living?
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When Prodigies Become Snakes - Orochimaru (NARUTO)
“I refuse…to let this happen! I am Orochimaru! I am immortal! I will not die here! Destined to discover the true meaning behind everything! Destined to take control of everything in this world!!”
Don’t worry, 2013 is your year.
With the Year of the Snake now upon us, wouldn’t you say it’s about time to take a look at Naruto’s own insane yet lovable snake himself, Orochimaru? He is a character that went from a former child prodigy to a psychopathic scientist. In some ways, Orochimaru can be similar to how adults who were gifted at a young age can go down misguided paths due to a lack of proper attention as they get older.
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The Edge of Restraint - The Kenpachi/Unohana Relationship (BLEACH)
We are usually told to give it our all in most aspects in life, yet what if fear takes over? What if you’re not able to move on? Those thoughts come to mind when it comes to BLEACH’s Kenpachi Zaraki and his recently-revealed history with fellow Soul Society Captain, Retsu Unohana. Their backstory takes a look at the power restraint places on individuals even if they’re not aware of it.
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Believe It! x2 - A Renewed Interest in Naruto
Ever find it funny how a manga series that you’ve ignored for a while comes back to get your attention once again? This just happens to be the case with yours truly and NARUTO. Are ninjas really that exotic to a Westerner like myself?
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A Visual Lesson in Friendship by Dragon Ball Z
One of the best anime/manga memes that reminds you of how valuable friendship is and how it shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Just seeing this gives me chills since I’m grateful for meeting those that I care about and want to protect. Imagine what life would be like if your best friends never existed.
Who said all memes have to be funny?
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