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Tag: japan

How the US created Godzilla

For most movie-watching audiences Godzilla is something of a caricature representing the hokiness of Japanese giant monster cinema. Watching dudes in rubber suits awkwardly smash model buildings isn’t exactly high……

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Published January 6, 2022
Categorized as Culture, Deep Dives

Review: Netflix’s “Cowboy Bebop” Misses on Multiple Levels

WARNING: SPOILERS ahead. A few weeks ago I had middling but also what I felt were reasonable expectations of Netflix’s “live-action” Cowboy Bebop adaptation. I never once thought this could……

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Published December 2, 2021
Categorized as Reviews

My Top 5 Favorite Movies

Many moons ago, I was out on a date with a girl in my senior year of college and took her out to see a movie. That movie was “Immortals”……

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Published November 9, 2021
Categorized as Deep Dives, Reviews

“Princess Mononoke’s” Pacificism is Admirable but a bit Naive

If there is one film that describes director Hayao Miyazaki’s entire ethos and philosophy the most, it’s probably “Princess Mononoke.” The film showcases Miyazaki’s love of nature and spirituality in……

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Published September 27, 2021
Categorized as Culture, Deep Dives

Review: Evangelion Finally Gets Its Closure in “Thrice Upon a Time”

WARNING: Some spoilers ahead. Roughly 24 years ago, “End of Evangelion” was released as somewhat of a giant middle finger to the fans by creator Hideaki Anno. After receiving tons……

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Published August 17, 2021
Categorized as Reviews

“Megalo Box 2: Nomad” is a beautiful gut-punch

Warning: Some spoilers ahead. 2018’s “Megalo Box” came out at a time when I felt personally unfulfilled and desperate to reach out for my true potential. My passions in both……

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Published June 29, 2021
Categorized as Reviews

“Cowboy Bebop” reminds us to rediscover our lost Humanity

Most “Cowboy Bebop” episodes start out more or less the same. The crew is typically going through financial dire straits of some kind, barely able to scrounge up enough food……

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Published June 5, 2021
Categorized as Culture, Deep Dives

“End of Evangelion” and the tempting nature of oblivion

TW: Suicide, Self-harm, Pain, Depression, Mental Health, Death   “End of Evangelion” is a perplexing movie to say the least. Not that the original classic anime “Neon Genesis Evangelion” series……

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Published December 31, 2020
Categorized as Deep Dives

The monster of “Shin Gojira” is government incompetence

I know it doesn’t feel like it but we’re just three months away from March again. It’s been almost a year now since the beginning of quarantine, when the world……

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Published December 4, 2020
Categorized as Culture

How some stoners named “Harold & Kumar” made Asian Americans proud

Being Asian American can make you feel invisible at times or worst, the butt of every bad joke. Sure, lots of Americans love Asian things like sushi, kung fu, anime,……

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Published April 21, 2020
Categorized as Culture

“Promare” Review: Anime at its most Ridiculous and Finest

Directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi Starring: Kenichi Matsuyama, Taichi Saotome, Masato Sakai, Ayane Sakura The best way to describe just how silly and ridiculous Trigger Studios’ new anime film “Promare” is……

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Published October 12, 2019
Categorized as Culture, Reviews

Gamera’s Heisei Trilogy is Peak Kaiju Film-Making

I wouldn’t blame you if a film series about a giant flying turtle who’s primary tag line in the 60s/70s was “Friend to all Children” was just a little too……

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Published September 21, 2019
Categorized as Culture, Deep Dives

“Enter the Florpus” Review: Bow before ZIM!!

Directed by Jenny Goldberg and Jake Wyatt Written by Jhonen Vasquez Starring: Richard Steve Horvitz, Andy Berman, Melissa Fahn, Rosearik Rikki Simons “Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus” is almost 50……

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Published August 23, 2019
Categorized as Reviews

Not Dead Yet: How “Megalo Box” Teaches Us To Fight For Our Tomorrow

At the end of each episode of the anime series “Megalo Box” there is a simple line in white pitched up against a cold black screen. “…Not dead yet.” Early……

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Published August 7, 2019
Categorized as Culture, Deep Dives

“They Called Us Enemy”: George Takei Recalls Interment and Its Cautionary History

Written by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott Illustrated by Harmony Becker This past weekend I got to make my annual pilgrimage to the nerd Mecca capital of the world;……

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Published July 27, 2019
Categorized as Culture, Deep Dives, Reviews

“Pacific Rim: Uprising” Review: That Could’ve Been A Lot Worse (And A Lot Better…)

Directed by Steven S. DeKnight Starring: John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Charlie Day, Cailee Spaeny, Tian Jing, Burn Gorman “Pacific Rim: Uprising” is a lot closer to a soft reboot than……

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Published March 26, 2018
Categorized as Reviews
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